Team TVS Sherco is continuing to struggle through the 2016 Dakar rally, as it faced a major setback in the Stage 10. Factory rider Juan Pedrero Garcia had to end his raid after having a serious crash in the sand dunes.
While Garcia himself is safe and sound, the damages to the TVS Sherco RTR 450 left the Spaniard without a ride, forcing him to retire from the rally. The other two TVS Sherco riders, Alain Duclos and Florent Vayssade also struggled through the rally, finishing 62nd and 47th respectively. While Duclos, who was in the top 10 riders through the early part of the rally, now stands at 22nd, Vayssade has dropped to the 31st position. The rally continues to be led by KTM Red Bull factory rider Toby Price, while in the cars category, Peter Hansel has snatched the overall lead away from his Peugeot teammate Sebastien Loeb.
This 278-kilometre stage, which stretches from Belen to La Rioja, is a favourite among desert specialists. The Fiambal Ai dunes make the Stage 10 one of the most decisive and critical stages of the Dakar Rally. This year's Stage 10 also featured the longest dune section in the history of the Dakar presenting the competitors with an extreme test of endurance. This stage also featured a unique starting order where the 10 fastest cars and motorcycles and the five fastest trucks were flagged off together, followed by the rest of the competitors.
