Team HRC's factory rider Paulo Goncalves arrived at the rest day of the Rally Dakar 2016 flying high, at the top of the general standings with Australia's Toby Price in second position aboard his Factory Redbull KTM.
The sunlight in Salta on the Dakar‰Ûªs day-off is somewhat deceiving given the rotten meteorological conditions that have blighted the first week of this years big race.
Heavy storms and torrential rain severely hampered the race organizer‰Ûªs plans, who had hoped for a more trouble-free first week without the inclement weather, which led to cancellations and changes. As far as everything else went, it was business as usual in a week of full-tilt special stages, fairly painless navigation and headache-inducing Bolivian altitudes putting a damper on rider performances.
Race leader Gon̤alves has so far clinched one stage victory, a runner-up position and two third-place finishes before yesterday‰Ûªs arrival in Salta. Paulo will be looking to maintain the kind of consistency and effort that have earned him the current top-spot, as the second week assault gets underway tomorrow, with the final race destination in Rosario, Argentina next weekend.
"At the start of the special, I stopped to help Matthias Walkner, who had taken a tumble, and I stayed with him until Pablo Quintanilla got there." Goncalves explained of the situation the unfolded in front of him during stage 7.
"The first part of the stage featured some navigation, but then the profile was a bit like two days ago, with lots of rÌ_os. In the second special, after the neutralised sector, it was raining cats and dogs, I was almost scared, it was almost snow. The weather cleared up a bit towards the end. I'm rather pleased with today's stage, and even this week.
"If I can repeat this in the second weeks, I'll certainly be very pleased, but I think the stages will be very different, so we'll see."
