Declarations
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Cyril Despres (FRA - KTM - 2nd of the overall)
“This kind of neutralised stage is always very strange. Everyone rides thinking about what happened. That’s why I decided to speed up a bit not to think too much nor to fall asleep. In the first kilometres we rode in a bunch since I had not prepared my roadbook and I wanted to relax my wrist. I was happy just to follow the group. My tendonitis hurts me much less than in the past days. On the other hand, my shoulder hurts me a bit more today. But it is not surprising since I try and take less pain killers.â€
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Giovanni Sala (ITA - KTM - 3rd of the overall)
“It was a strange stage. But that’s life. Actually it was not an easy stage. Luckily, the organisers gave us a secret code to have an access to all the GPS points, since some of the passages were not easy to find. It has been a difficult day for me since my hand still hurts. The doctor says I am strong as a bull, but I don’t know how I could bear it without the pain killers. Above all, the course was not made for me today: too many stones and I feel more at ease in the sand."
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Carlo De Gavardo (CHI - KTM - 5th)
"It is very very hard. It’s my fourth friend to die that way. And I knew three of the families. It is very hard for a rider to see that death may catch you on the track in a second, to see that it is part of our job and that entire families can lose someone like this. We can talk about regulations, penalties and so on, but it is not the point. Andy died yesterday, I don’t feel well at all, I don’t feel myself in the race."
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Pal-Anders Ullevalseter (NOR - KTM - 4th of the overall)
"It’s sh..., and that’s it. Riding today was really not easy. Above all, we all knew that Andy was one of the safest and cleverest riders. It is a new proof that bad things may happen anytime, anywhere, and above all, to anyone. From time to time, we all think about the risks when we ride at maximum speed or on some technically demanding passages. So it is just a matter of bad luck.
Concerning the race, the good point of riding today’s stage in a liaison, is that it has been a good training for tomorrow’s special which is said to be very tough. Even today I lost myself among all the tracks and crossroads. And, with all these trees along the track… Anyway, we’ll see tomorrow."
Concerning the race, the good point of riding today’s stage in a liaison, is that it has been a good training for tomorrow’s special which is said to be very tough. Even today I lost myself among all the tracks and crossroads. And, with all these trees along the track… Anyway, we’ll see tomorrow."