Today, Saturday, January 7, 2024 AD, the Saudi Dakar Rally 2024 racers opened the first stage of the fifth edition in the Kingdom, and the forty-sixth in the history of the rally, which started from AlUla to Al Hanakiya, with a distance of 541 km, including 414 km for the special stage subject to timing.
Belgian Guillaume de Mevius, driver of the Overdrive team, succeeded in taking the lead in the first stage in the car category, ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz, driver of the Audi team, by a margin of one minute and 44 seconds.
South African Jenel de Villiers, driver of the Toyota Gazoo team, came third, 9 minutes and 18 seconds behind the leader, while Saudi Yazid Al Rajhi, driver of the Overdrive team, came eighth, 13 minutes behind the leader.
While defending champion Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah, driver of his Prodrive team, fell to 22nd place, about 25 minutes behind the leader.
Ross Branch surprises Ricky Brabec
Botswana’s Ross Branch, a Hero team rider, surprised everyone by topping the motorcycle competition, 11 minutes behind American Ricky Brabec, a Monster Energy Honda rider. As for his compatriot Mason Klein, a Cove team rider, he came in third, 11 minutes and 19 seconds behind the leader. .
Today’s stage witnessed the Spaniard Tosha Sharina, a rider of the Monster Energy Honda team, being exposed to an accident after passing 240 km of the special stage, which resulted in him sustaining an injury to his arm and being taken to the hospital to ensure his safety. Portuguese Joaquim Rodriguez, a rider of the Hero team, was also exposed. He had an accident after passing 82 kilometers in the special stage, and was taken to the hospital by the medical team.
Brazilian Marcelo Medeiros, rider of the “Taguator” team, was able to win the category of four-wheeled motorcycles (quads), ahead of Slovakian Juraj Varga. The Varga Motorsport team rider was two minutes and 40 seconds behind, while Argentine Manuel Andujar, the Dragon Rally rider, came third, 11 minutes and 27 seconds behind the leader.
Polish Erik Gokzal, driver of the “Energy Landia” team, won first place in the model desert vehicle category, ahead of his colleague Michal Gokzal by 19 seconds, and Marek Gokzal, who ranked third. 7 minutes and 38 seconds.
In the category of light commercial desert vehicles, Brazilian Rodrigo Varela, driver of the BBR team, took the lead in the first stage, with a margin of 12 minutes and 17 seconds in front of Spaniard Gerard Varris, driver of South Racing, whose American colleague Sarah Price was able to achieve third place. Less than 18 minutes behind the leader.
The Dutchman, Janos van Kasteren, driver of the Boss Machinery Team de Rooy team, was able to snatch the advantage in the truck category, followed by his compatriot Geert Hosek, and behind them was the Czech Jaroslav Walter, driver of the Tatra team.
The competitions of the second stage of the Saudi Dakar Rally will continue tomorrow, Sunday, January 8, 2024, which will be from Al-Hanakiya to Al-Dawadmi, with a distance of 655 km, including 463 km for the special stage, subject to timing.
2024-01-06 23:56:10
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