Slovak motorcycle racer Štefan Svitko took eighth place in Monday’s 3rd stage of the Dakar Rally and jumped from sixteenth to 13th place in the overall classification. Juraj Varga took third place in the quad bike category. At the same time, he moved to the top of the overall classification.
TASR 08.01.2024 13:21 , updated: 16:31
Photo: Profimedia
Štefan Svitko during the 3rd stage of the Dakar Rally.
He was behind the stage winner Pablo Quintanilla from Chile by 6:50 min. Ross Branch from Botswana is still at the head of the overall classification.
A total of 733 km with a special 438 km long awaited the riders on Monday. On the route from Al-Duwadimi to Al-Salamiya, Quintanilla achieved a time of 4:37:42 h, second was Joan Barreda Bort from Spain (+1:38) and third was Argentinian Kevin Benavides (+1:46).
Read more Varga also shined in the second stage of the Dakar Rally, Svitko is getting in shape
Branch is in the lead after the third stage with a lead of 4:11 minutes ahead of Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florim from Chile, while the third is currently the American Ricky Brabec with a deficit of 5:08.
Svitko from the Slovnaft Rally Team lags behind the leader by 44:30 min.
Among the four-wheelers, Juraj Varga took the third podium in a row. After two second places, he finished third, 6:17 minutes behind the winner Alexandre Giroud from France.
The third place was enough for the Slovak rider to move to the position of the leader of the overall classification ahead of the Spaniard Manuel Andujar (+1:21), while Marcelo Medeiros from Brazil (+14:52) is currently third.
Rely Dakar – 3. etapa
** Motorcycles:** 1. Kevin Benavides (Arg.) 4:39:28 h, 2. Ricky Brabec (USA) + 1:11 min., 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Fr.) + 2:51… 8 Štefan SVITKO (Slovnaft Rally Team/SR) + 5:04
Overall ranking: 1. Ross Branch (Botsw.) 14:32:51 h, 2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Chile) + 3:11, 3. Brabec + 5:08,… 14. SVITKO + 43:30
ATVs: 1. Alexandre Giroud (Fr.) 5:43:34 h, 2. Manuel Andujar (Sp.) +18 s, 3. Juraj VARGA (Varga Motorsport Team/SR) +6:17 min
Overall ranking: 1. VARGA 18:15:21 h, 2. Andujar +1:21 min, 3. Marcelo Medeiros (Brazil) +14:52
Automobiles: 1. Lucas Moraes (Brazil) 4:14:51 h, 2. Mattias Ekström (Sweden) +9 s, 3. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (S. Arab.) +1:09 min
Overall ranking: 1. Al-Rajhi 13:07:29 h, 2. Carlos Sainz (Sp.) +29 s, 3. Ekström +8:26
2024-01-08 15:31:00
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