© J. van Oers. The longest timed section of the rally had plenty of surprises in store today, with in particular a deluge of penalties in the bike category. Casteau scored another stage victory, boasting a lead of 4'39" over the Chilean Francisco Lopez in the general standings.

© Dean Treml/Red Bull Photofiles. Frenchman Cyril Despres has been the ultimate winner of the 2007 Red Bull Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rally, his third victory in this tough event in Romania's Carpathian Mountains.

© Bernhard Spöttel/Red Bull Photofiles. Privateer rider Teddy Blazusiak has been the perfect sensation of the weekend taking the victory of the Red Bull Hare Scramble 2007 for KTM! Considered as the toughest motorcycle Offroad race, the Erzberg Rodeo crowned a new king today as this 24 years old rider from Poland reached the finish line of the Red Bull Hare Scramble in a sensational 1:29, 48 hours!

 

The 24 years old Polish Trial rider attracted the interest of race director Karl Katoch with his breathtaking riding skills and was entered to the Rodeo-X Endurocross race by Katoch.

© Gaulises Racing. 2007 Dakar winner Cyril Despres first impressions: “It is really fantastic to win this, my second Dakar – the emotion I feel is incredible.

© Gauloises Racing. 132 bikes, 109 car teams and 69 trucks reached the capital city of Senegal and finished the 29th edition of the Dakar.

© J. van Oers. Cyril Despres, who started out today tailing Coma by almost an hour, inherits the uncomfortable position of general rankings leader by default, in tandem with setting the best time of the day on the special.

© Gauloises Racing. Change of décor today with the rally entering into Mali and the African bush.

© J. van Oers. With just three days and 700 km to the finish line in Dakar, Coma still looks fresh.

© Repsol Media Service. Today has been a positive stage for the leader of the overall standings and only representative left of the Repsol KTM Team.

© Gauloises Racing. Yesterday it was the turn of Latvian rider Janis Vinter, today it was another privateer who won the special, with Helder Rodrigues finishing just 44 seconds ahead of Dakar leader Marc Coma.

© Repsol Media Service. The ninth special stage of the 29th Dakar Rally between Tichit and Néma in Mauritania has been a day of mixed fortunes for Repsol KTM Team riders.

© Gauloises Racing. Starting from 21st position this morning, amateur rider Janis Vinters gives Latvia its first victory in a special stage at the Dakar Rally in todays ninth stage between Tichit - Nema.

© Repsol Media Service. After enjoying Saturdays rest day in Atar, the riders have been back into action with a further typical Mauritanian stage in which they have faced all kinds of difficult terrain.

© Gauloises Racing. Dakars second stage in Mauritania – reduced by one-third of its length due to bad weather conditions preventing helicopters from flying and providing for the safety of the track – gave a good overview of the challenges that await pilots in the next few days.

© Gauloises Racing. KTM Gauloises rider Isidre Esteve has won the fifth stage of the Lisboa Dakar rally between Ourzazate and Tan-Tan ahead of Spaniard rider Marc Coma, the last stage before entering Mauritanian soil.

© KTM. There can be perhaps no better confirmation of KTM’s status as the world’s leading producer of off-road machines than a quick look at the starting list for Dakar 2007 — the ultimate rally and the ultimate adventure.

© A.S.O. This morning the organisers unveiled the details of the course of the 29th edition of the Euromilhoes Lisboa-Dakar 2007 rally, that will take place from the 6th to the 21st of January 2007.

© Repsol Media Service. UAE Desert Challenge leader took a comfortable victory today despite the complicated route.