Chagin sets Dakar record

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Published: 13 January, 2010, 13:52
Edited: 14 January, 2010, 09:39

Kamaz driver Vladimir Chagin of Russia

Russian truck driver Vladimir Chagin has won the 10th stage of the Dakar 2010, becoming the first participant to cover 238 kilometers between La Serena and Santiago in Chile.

It was the record 55th career Dakar win for the KAMAZ man, which is better than the previous best result set by Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel.

“In my opinion, it was the finest stage of the rally. Since the start, it’s been a wonderful race, but today, on the 238 kilometres of the timed section, it was perfection itself. Sometimes it almost felt like a computer game. In sporting terms, it was problem-free. It was a good stage which we took at an easy pace, since the dice seem to have been cast for the leading places,” Vladimir Chagin told the tournament’s official website.

Chagin’s teammate Firdaus Kabirov finished the stage second, and the two KAMAZ trucks keep enjoying a solid lead in the race.

Chagin is 1 hour 12 minutes ahead of Kabirov, with third placed Marcel van Vliet 8 hours 35 minutes behind.

The Russian team already has eight winning titles from the legendary off-road rally. Chagin has so far won the race five times.

The total racing distance is 9,030 km for cars and trucks, and 8,937 km for bikes and ATVs. There are seven stages in Argentina, and seven in Chile.