Aprilia’s Francisco Lopez has won his second special stage in his Dakar career in Chile during stage five of the 2010 Dakar Rally, strategically placing himself as the true challenger of Cyril Despres following him at 37’37’’ in the standings after a gloom and doom stage for race contenders David Casteu, who had to withdraw, and for Marc Coma.

In the Antofagasta stage, it is a long and steady preparation, a whole biker’s life that has paid off for Lopez. Last year, he won the first stage in Chile that had taken the raid to Valparaiso. He was riding a 690cc KTM back then, but this year “Chaleco” was hired by Aprilia to try the 450cc adventure. Riding his new machine, the Chilean had no problem finding the familiar feel of the bike. It was already on a small Honda bike that he had made his debut in the rally raid winning the world championship title in 2006. Even if he only discovered his new ride at the Pharaohs Rally, Lopez is now quite comfortable riding it all the more so that the tracks on today’s menu are the ones he trained on. With the experience acquired, he will now have to also confirm that he can get to the top of the standings – provided he finishes it for the first time in his life.

At any rate, podium prospects are getting closer for Lopez and for others because the road to Antofagasta was a real nightmare for the leaders. First, Coma damaged his rear wheel then he lost half an hour before getting the wheel of Italian rider Luca Manca. This courteous gesture allowed the title holder to limit the damage but he is now 1h16’55’’ behind Despres, who spent his day with “Chaleco”.

Their pace was also the pace of Casteu, then second in the overall standings but then came km 395 where the Sherco rider fell pretty badly. The stage ended abruptly for him with a bad open wound in the thigh and a helicopter transfer back to the bivouac: it is the first time Casteu has to withdraw in seven Dakar events.