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Nasca, Peru - Robby Gordon, who faces Dakar Rally disqualification after his Hummer was deemed to have broken race regulations, won the cars section of Stage 12 of the rally on Friday then blasted rivals for questioning his integrity.
Gordon has appealed against the stewards' decision, made on Wednesday.
He came home ahead of Russia's Leonid Novotskiy (Mini) and South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers (Toyota Hilux).
‘MINIS ARE FOR GIRLS’
However France's Stephane Peterhansel, sixth on Friday after his Mini bogged down in a sand dune, remained on top of the overall standings. He is 1hr44min ahead of Gordon, the latter is fourth overall. He is also 20 minutes ahead of second-placed Nani Roma (fifth on Friday’s stage), and more than an hour ahead of De Villiers, third with two stages left.
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Gordon vented his anger at Peterhansel and Nani over the ongoing controversy which involves the Hummer's tyre-inflation system.
"I showed the plug that everyone's been talking about that gives me super-power and I just proved that Minis are for girls because we beat them by 20 minutes," Gordon told the Dakar website.
"Last night I went through a whole thing and went on YouTube. You can go to Robby Gordon - Dakar - air inflation; check it out... it's posted and explains the whole system.
"It's the same system that the French officials approved a year ago and now they've changed their minds. I'm pissed at Stephane and I'm pissed at Nani for challenging my character about being a cheater and today I kicked their asses."
DOWN A SINKHOLE
Meanwhile, Peterhansel said he was concerned when his vehicle sank into the sand on Friday: “As soon as we crossed the first dunes we went over a crest and behind it was a sinkhole. We got stuck. We lost at least 20 minutes, which meant we would also lose the lead in the general standings.
"We cleared some sand and moved the car forward centimetre by centimetre to get out. Afterwards I took risks to claw back the time. That was the 50km where I've attacked the most during the whole rally. In the end we caught Roma several kilometres from the finish, so he must have had problems too."
Dakar Rally results on Friday after Stage 12, a 504km (245km timed) run from Arequipa to Nasca:
Cars
Stage
1 Robby Gordon (USA/Hummer) 2hr14min32
2 Leonid Novitskiy (RUS/Mini) +15min18
3 Giniel de Villiers (RSA/Toyota) +22min06
4 Bernhar Ten Brinke (NED/Mitsubishi) +23min15
5 Nani Roma (ESP/Mini) +23min38
6 Lucio Alavarez (ARG/Toyota) +24min42
7 Stephane Peterhansel (FRA/Mini) 26min27
8 Ronan Chabot (FRA/SMG) +36min41
9 Ricardo Leal Dos Santos (POR/Mini) +39min29
10 Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL/Mini) +49min55
Overall
1 Stephane Peterhansel (FRA/Mini) 35hr19min 04sec
2 Nani Roma (ESP/Mini) +20min00
3 Giniel de Villiers (RSA/Toyota) +1hr06min40
4 Robby Gordon (USA/Hummer) +1hr44min04
5 Leonid Novitskiy (RUS/Mini) +2hr01min00
6 Lucio Alvarez (ARG/Toyota) +3hr52min06
7 Bernhar Ten Brinke (NED/Mitsubishi) +4hr14min24
8 Ricardo Leal Dos Santos (POR/Mini) +4hr51min05
9 Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL/Mini) +6hr20min40
10 Ronan Chabot Pillot (FRA/SMG) +7hr57min17
THE BIKES
Spanish motorcyclist Marc Coma reclaimed the overall lead in the 2012Dakar Rally on Friday when he stormed to victory on Stage 12 from Arequipa to Nasca, replacing France's Cyril Despres.
The KTM rider, who had been more than two minutes off the lead overnight, led home fellow Spaniards Joan Barreda Bort on a Husqvarna by 2min 43sec and KTM team mate Jordi Viladoms, 3min10 off the pace.
‘MAGNIFICENT STAGE’
French rider Despres, who had snatched the lead back from Coma on Thursday, was fourth on the day and now stands second overall and 1min35 behind.
Despres, with just two stages of the 2012 race left to run, said: "It was a magnificent stage, one of the finest specials that I've ridden on the Dakar over the last few years.
"I expected that Marc was going to catch up with me and that it wouldn't be a good day but I don't have any regrets because I attacked throughout the first part. You have to go for broke on this Dakar; it's not a race where you can play the waiting game.
"Against Marc Coma, I'm doing battle with an excellent rider. He's quick and clever."
How great if they crossed the finish line holding hands!
RESULTS - Stage 12
Motorcycles
Stage
1 Marc Coma (ESP/KTM) 2hr24mn38
2 Joan Barreda Bort (ESP/Husqvarna) +2min43
3 Jordi Viladoms (ESP/KTM) +3min10
4 Cyril Despres (FRA/KTM) +3min57
5 Paulo Goncalvez (POR/Husqvarna) +5min25
6 Ruben Faria (POR/KTM) +7min05
7 Helder Rodrigues (POR/Yamaha) +7min31
8 Stefan Svitko (SVK/KTM) +9min11
9 Felipe Zanol (BRA/KTM) +9min18
10 Pal Ullevalseter (NOR/KTM) +10min30
Overall
1 Marc Coma (ESP/KTM) 39hr38mn16
2 Cyril Despres (FRA/KTM) +1min35
3 Helder Rodrigues (POR/Yamaha) +1hr13min49
4 Jordi Viladoms (ESP/KTM) +1hr40min34
5 Stefan Svitko (SVK/KTM) +1hr41min45
6 Gerard Farres Guell (ESP/KTM) +2hr06min36
7 Pal Ullevalseter (NOR/KTM) +2hr12min14
8 Alessandro Botturi (ITA/KTM) +2hr56min34
9 Felipe Zanol (BRA/KTM) +3hr16min33
10 Joan Barreda Bort (ESP/Husqvarna) +3hr34min41
Car results when they arrive.
Gordon has appealed against the stewards' decision, made on Wednesday.
He came home ahead of Russia's Leonid Novotskiy (Mini) and South Africa’s Giniel de Villiers (Toyota Hilux).
‘MINIS ARE FOR GIRLS’
However France's Stephane Peterhansel, sixth on Friday after his Mini bogged down in a sand dune, remained on top of the overall standings. He is 1hr44min ahead of Gordon, the latter is fourth overall. He is also 20 minutes ahead of second-placed Nani Roma (fifth on Friday’s stage), and more than an hour ahead of De Villiers, third with two stages left.
.
Gordon vented his anger at Peterhansel and Nani over the ongoing controversy which involves the Hummer's tyre-inflation system.
"I showed the plug that everyone's been talking about that gives me super-power and I just proved that Minis are for girls because we beat them by 20 minutes," Gordon told the Dakar website.
"Last night I went through a whole thing and went on YouTube. You can go to Robby Gordon - Dakar - air inflation; check it out... it's posted and explains the whole system.
"It's the same system that the French officials approved a year ago and now they've changed their minds. I'm pissed at Stephane and I'm pissed at Nani for challenging my character about being a cheater and today I kicked their asses."
DOWN A SINKHOLE
Meanwhile, Peterhansel said he was concerned when his vehicle sank into the sand on Friday: “As soon as we crossed the first dunes we went over a crest and behind it was a sinkhole. We got stuck. We lost at least 20 minutes, which meant we would also lose the lead in the general standings.
DUNE SURFER: If you don't have wings... you'll get nowhere in the Dakar Rally. South Africa's Giniel de Villiers at speed and on his way to third on Stage 12 and in the overall standings. image: AFP
Dakar Rally results on Friday after Stage 12, a 504km (245km timed) run from Arequipa to Nasca:
Cars
Stage
1 Robby Gordon (USA/Hummer) 2hr14min32
2 Leonid Novitskiy (RUS/Mini) +15min18
3 Giniel de Villiers (RSA/Toyota) +22min06
4 Bernhar Ten Brinke (NED/Mitsubishi) +23min15
5 Nani Roma (ESP/Mini) +23min38
6 Lucio Alavarez (ARG/Toyota) +24min42
7 Stephane Peterhansel (FRA/Mini) 26min27
8 Ronan Chabot (FRA/SMG) +36min41
9 Ricardo Leal Dos Santos (POR/Mini) +39min29
10 Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL/Mini) +49min55
Overall
1 Stephane Peterhansel (FRA/Mini) 35hr19min 04sec
2 Nani Roma (ESP/Mini) +20min00
3 Giniel de Villiers (RSA/Toyota) +1hr06min40
4 Robby Gordon (USA/Hummer) +1hr44min04
5 Leonid Novitskiy (RUS/Mini) +2hr01min00
6 Lucio Alvarez (ARG/Toyota) +3hr52min06
7 Bernhar Ten Brinke (NED/Mitsubishi) +4hr14min24
8 Ricardo Leal Dos Santos (POR/Mini) +4hr51min05
9 Krzysztof Holowczyc (POL/Mini) +6hr20min40
10 Ronan Chabot Pillot (FRA/SMG) +7hr57min17
THE BIKES
Spanish motorcyclist Marc Coma reclaimed the overall lead in the 2012Dakar Rally on Friday when he stormed to victory on Stage 12 from Arequipa to Nasca, replacing France's Cyril Despres.
The KTM rider, who had been more than two minutes off the lead overnight, led home fellow Spaniards Joan Barreda Bort on a Husqvarna by 2min 43sec and KTM team mate Jordi Viladoms, 3min10 off the pace.
‘MAGNIFICENT STAGE’
French rider Despres, who had snatched the lead back from Coma on Thursday, was fourth on the day and now stands second overall and 1min35 behind.
Despres, with just two stages of the 2012 race left to run, said: "It was a magnificent stage, one of the finest specials that I've ridden on the Dakar over the last few years.
"I expected that Marc was going to catch up with me and that it wouldn't be a good day but I don't have any regrets because I attacked throughout the first part. You have to go for broke on this Dakar; it's not a race where you can play the waiting game.
"Against Marc Coma, I'm doing battle with an excellent rider. He's quick and clever."
How great if they crossed the finish line holding hands!
RESULTS - Stage 12
Motorcycles
Stage
1 Marc Coma (ESP/KTM) 2hr24mn38
2 Joan Barreda Bort (ESP/Husqvarna) +2min43
3 Jordi Viladoms (ESP/KTM) +3min10
4 Cyril Despres (FRA/KTM) +3min57
5 Paulo Goncalvez (POR/Husqvarna) +5min25
6 Ruben Faria (POR/KTM) +7min05
7 Helder Rodrigues (POR/Yamaha) +7min31
8 Stefan Svitko (SVK/KTM) +9min11
9 Felipe Zanol (BRA/KTM) +9min18
10 Pal Ullevalseter (NOR/KTM) +10min30
Overall
1 Marc Coma (ESP/KTM) 39hr38mn16
2 Cyril Despres (FRA/KTM) +1min35
3 Helder Rodrigues (POR/Yamaha) +1hr13min49
4 Jordi Viladoms (ESP/KTM) +1hr40min34
5 Stefan Svitko (SVK/KTM) +1hr41min45
6 Gerard Farres Guell (ESP/KTM) +2hr06min36
7 Pal Ullevalseter (NOR/KTM) +2hr12min14
8 Alessandro Botturi (ITA/KTM) +2hr56min34
9 Felipe Zanol (BRA/KTM) +3hr16min33
10 Joan Barreda Bort (ESP/Husqvarna) +3hr34min41
Car results when they arrive.