. Reeve

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –
ZAMBIAN rider David Reeve maintained his 47th place standing after Stage Five of the ongoing 2015 Dakar Rally that is going through three South American countries.
Reeve, who started in position 103, yesterday maintained his overall 47th position despite cutting on the time that is between him and the group above him.
More importantly, Reeve did not drop on the standing and managed to stay in the top 50 as the race goes into his strong area where he is hoping to make the 40 mark.
His team posted on his facebook wall yesterday their happiness with Reeve keeping his good position especially that the stage had a mix of tense and exciting moments which at one time saw him slide down to 52nd position.
“The Dakar Rally is not won or lost in a stage unless you breakdown or lose direction. David went down to Position-52 and then gained his lost slots back to get to Postion 47 overall.
“At the beginning of Stage Five, riders from behind passed David and then those just ahead of him overall pulled away. As the day wore on, all but one of those who passed him,” Team-Reeve said.
Reeve did not catch the one rider who had blazed past him but ofn the new arrivals only, Bolivia’s Juan Carlos Salvatierra was ahead of him and the group as they wound up the race in Argentina.
For Stage Six, which is now in Chile, Reeve and the rest of other riders still in the race will go into a 700km marathon, with 320km of which will be competitive racing while the other part for transitioning.
This stage will see movement from Antofagasta to Iquique with this coastal section having some endurance-type terrain dotted with mountain ridges and dunes.
This is another stage that will suit David Reeve and will culminate in a Podium style finish in Iquique.
So far, there have been eight withdrawals in the Bike section .