Fri 24 May 2013 | 
Deep in the Dust: On the Dakar trail
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Enlarge textHalfway into the Dakar Rally, only the Coconut Resort race duo of Geoff Olholm and Steve Riley, the BMW of Simon Pavey, and the lone remaining GHR Honda of Jacob Smith remain for Australia.
The Coconut Resort team employed their bush mechanic skills to continue on in the Dakar (Image: Jacob Black)
topThe Dakar rally has now claimed all but three of the Australians after yet another tough day of racing.
Riders follow each other on stage 6 of the Dakar rally (AAP)
Iquique’s infamous 2km sand dune descent into the stage finish awaited the Dakar racers and fans today.
The Dakar dunes impacted on all race competitors (Getty)
Aussies bring the laughter
Challenging days for all of the Aussie competitors did nothing to dampen
their spirits, Warren Strange, Bruce Garland, Geoff Olholm and Steve
Riley all making light of a long, 13 hour day as they spoke after stage
three.
Post stage at the Daker rally (Reuters)
This morning broke at Juy Juy in Argentina’s north with a torrential downpour and fierce winds. Bitter cold at ground level was a bad omen for the coming climb up the Andes.
Competitors recover at the stage four bivouac (Reuters)
Steady as she goes for the Aussies
Another rainy, muddy, slippery and accident packed day on stage two of the Dakar sees Jacob Smith on the cusp of the top 20, the Coconut Resort crew smiling, and Bruce Garland well inside the top 20 in the car bracket.
Jacob Black's Ford done and dusted following another Dakar stage (Image: Jacob Black)
The Dakar Rally starts today. 430 race vehicles, some 400 support and media vehicles, including around 20 aircraft will embark from the Obelisko, in the centre of Buenos Aires.
Jacob Black profiles Geof Olholm and Steve Riley's Coconut Resort Car Racing Team in the second of his exclusive 2011 Dakar Rally previews.
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About this Blog
Deep in the Dust is the place to enjoy all the latest stories and interviews from Jacob Black, SBS's man on the ground in Argentina and Chile for the 2011 Dakar Rally.
Jacob Black Jacob Black is a motorsport writer and broadcaster. An accomplished feature article writer and a co-author to several books on Australia's V8 Supercars, (1K08, 1K09 and V808) Jacobs hold a Bachelor of Media, Communications and Culture in Broadcast Journalism from Murdoch University.
Inspired by his father's passion for touring car racing, Jacob developed a keen interest in all things motorsport from an early age. After traveling there in 2008, he also developed a deep affection for South America and in particular, Argentina.
Born in Perth, Western Australia, Jacob is now based in St Kilda, Victoria.
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