| Team Dome BMW - Simon & Nick: 3rd Jan 2004 |
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Media information
3 January 2004
Rally heads towards Africa
Team Dome BMW's Simon Pavey and Nick Plumb successfully completed today's
special stage on
the shores of the Valencia Gulf around Castellon and are now en route to
Africa where the real test
of the 2004 Telefonica Dakar Rally will begin. The duo, riding standard-engined
BMW F650 GS
machines, tackled the sandy beaches of the Costa Azahar on a short 9 km special, finishing in 66th
and 79th place respectively before commencing the 852 km liaison that will
take them to Algeciras
and then across to Africa.
"This morning's special stage went extremely well for both of us," said Australian rider Simon Pavey,
who heads up BMW Motorrad's Off-Road Skills academy in the UK. "The
F650s were spot on,
we didn't make any mistakes and we managed to stay out of trouble. This means that we'll both
be starting in good positions tomorrow and won't have to fight our way
past loads of slower riders
through all the dust.
"Now we're on our way towards the ferry port of Algeciras where we'll
catch the boat to Tangers.
Once we arrive in Africa, we've only a short 13 km liaison before arriving
at the bivouac. We'll be
doing our best to have a good rest tonight because we've got 750 km to
cover tomorrow and we
need to be on the ball.
"I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that I fell off twice yesterday
- once at the toll booth where my
foot got caught on the bike while swinging my leg over it, and also on some wet concrete after I had
changed my front tyre.
I hope that by the end of the rally I can look back and say that these
were the only mistakes I made!
Now I just want to get safely to Africa where the racing starts for real."
For more information call Andy Dukes on 07775 683673,
visit www.dakar.com or www.worldofbmw.com |
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