Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/237705
P24 IN THE WIND Barreda continues to lead the overall standings, the Spaniard two minutes and three seconds ahead of Lopez and two minutes and 33 seconds clear of Sunderland. Sherco's Alain Duclos is fourth overall after finishing fifth in stage two. Coma is fifth with Despres eighth, the pair seven minutes and eight minutes and 23 seconds behind, respectively. "Well it was a really, really fast first part of the stage," said De- spres who is making his Yamaha debut in the Dakar. "The bike is not going too fast because we want to save the engine a bit, that's our choice. But it was okay. Marc [Coma] and Joan Barreda overtook me and gained quite a lot of minutes at refueling, but after that I managed to come back in the dunes. I had a little crash on the side of a dune and I saw some stars afterwards. I also smashed my camel back so I haven't had water for 100 km. It was tough." For Sunderland, the stage victory was especially sweet since he was forced to pull out of last year's Dakar after fracturing both wrists a month prior to the start of the race. Sunderland, who resides in Qatar, took the lead early in the stage and opened that advantage once the stage hit the sand dunes. The victory for Sunderland came in just his fourth day of racing in the event as he was forced to pull out of the race after just three stages in his debut in 2012. E li Tomac's debut as a full-time 450-class rider at the Anaheim I Supercross didn't go too well for the 2013 250 outdoor National MX Champion. The GEICO/Honda Team rider went down early in his heat race when he and Jake Weimer got together in a rhythm section on the first lap. Tomac injured his shoulder in the crash and didn't return. "The decision not to race was the hardest one I've ever had to make," said Tomac, who suffered a pinched nerve that caused his his left arm to go numb. "I just have no strength in my arm and shoulder, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hold onto the bike. It would have been dangerous, and I might have hurt myself even more. "The best thing to do is get some rest, keep this thing iced Eli Tomac injured his arm during the Anaheim I Supercross. up to get the swelling down, and hope I can ride next weekend in Arizona. This certainly isn't the way I wanted to start the year, but I guess it could have been worse." On Sunday, the day after the race, Tomac's father, John, reported that Eli's arm felt a little better but was still sore and weak PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT PALMER TOMAC HOPEFUL FOR PHOENIX RETURN in certain movements. There appears to be no "breaks, tears, bad swelling or much pain," he said. Tomac was to have the injury evaluated on Monday, January 6, and is hopeful that he'll be on the bike soon and on the starting line at the Phoenix Supercross this weekend.