Former Dakar champion Sam Sunderland has to give up his hopes of winning this year’s edition. The winner of 2017 and 2022 had to retire on Monday on the third stage with 438 kilometers to Al Salmiya due to technical problems. Kevin Benavides took the day’s victory in the motorcycle category, the KTM rider from Argentina won ahead of Ricky Brabec (USA) on a Honda. Ross Branch (Hero) from Botswana continues to hold the overall lead.
Pablo Quintanilla (Honda), who originally crossed the finish line first, was dropped a few places after speeding. Defending champion Benavides is currently in sixth place in the overall standings, over 20 minutes behind Branch.
Ebster in midfield at the Dakar Rally
In the cars, local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi and his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk took the lead after the marathon stage with a total of 733 km. Your Toyota is now half a minute ahead of the Spaniard Carlos Sainz in the Audi. The Brazilian Lucas Moraes secured the day’s victory in the Toyota, while Al-Rajhi came third.
Motorcycles, 3rd stage
al-Dawadimi – al-Salamija (438 km) 1. Kevin Benavides ARG KTM 4:39:28 2. Ricky Brabac USA Honda + 1:11 3. Adrien van Beveren FRA Honda 2:51 4. Skyler Howes USA Honda 2: 57 5. Ross Branch BOT Hero 3:18 6. Jose Ignacio Cornejo CHI Honda 3:34 Gesamtwertung Motorräder: 1. Ross Branch BWA Hero 14:32:51 2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo CHI Honda + 3:11 3. Ricky Brabec USA Honda 5:08 4. Pablo Quintanilla CHI Honda 16:16 5. Adrien van Beveren FRA Honda 20:16 6. Kevin Benavides ARG KTM 20:32
Standing after three of twelve stages
Cars, 3rd stage
al-Dawadimi – al-Salamija (438 km) 1. Lucas Moraes BRA Toyota 4:14:51 2. Mattias Ekström SWE Audi + 0:09 3. Jasid al-Radschhi KSA Toyota 1:09 4. Nasser al-Attija KAT Prodrive 1:33 5. Romain Dumas FRA Toyota 2:01 6. Carlos Sainz ESP Audi 3:29 Gesamtwertung Autos: 1. Jasid al-Radschhi KSA Toyota 13:07:29 2. Carlos Sainz ESP Audi + 0:29 3. Mattias Ekström SWE Audi 8:26 4. Lucas Moraes BRA Toyota 9:17 5. Nasser al-Attija KAT Prodrive 10:49 6. Matthieu Serradori FRA Century 18:32
Standing after three of twelve stages