The first stage of the Dakar 2009 caused a lot of commotion. And already the first competitors are out of the rally. Amongst them unfortunately also team member Ebert Dollevoet. A dislocated shoulder meant an early retirement from his Dakar. The organization had already announced it, the stage of today was going to be very fast. And indeed it was: a highest average of 133 kilometers per hour in the bikes and 142 kilometers in the cars was measured!
Yamaha continued their streak of victories in the AMA Supercross Championship (also an FIM World Championship) as Joe Gibbs RacingTeam’s Josh Grant surprisingly took his YZ450F to first place at the opening round of seventeen in the 2009 campaign at Anaheim in Los Angeles last Saturday. 2008 champion Chad Reed clinched the last race of 2008 and Grant beat both the Australian, and pre-event favourite – and new Yamaha recruit – James Stewart to the chequered flag.