(Special envoy to Saudi Arabia) He Rally Dakar carried out the first of its twelve stages and its 412 timed kilometers represented extreme hardness for the pilots. This was stated by the Argentine motorcyclists Kevin y Luciano Benavides (both of KTM), both in his statements and in his body with wounds and his clothing that left traces of the demands in the long-term competition that takes place in Saudi Arabia.
The youngest of the Salta brothers, Lucianowas fifth at the finish, but then received a two-minute penalty for speeding, lost one place and was 10 minutes behind the day’s winner, the Australian Daniel Sanders (KTM), who also prevails in the general classification. Second was the American Ricky Bravec and third the Botswana Ross Branch (Hero).
“I had cramps and that worried me”commented the youngest of the salteño brothersemphasizing the hardness of the route. “There was a lot of vegetation with thorns and that affected us pilots. But hey, it has been long.” In addition, he stressed that “there were some navigation errors and it became complicated for those of us in front.” The errors in the roadmap were also highlighted by the official team Honda and they let the race director know, David Castera.
On the side of Kevinwhich was 17th, indicated that it was “a very difficult stage with branches everywhere”. The two-time motorcycle winner pointed to the complications of his first major challenge after his serious accident last May. “In my current condition I must resort to experience. The arm is fine and the body responds,” he added. While he revealed how he handled the mental issue when returning to the competing demands: “He was talking to me a lot. It was with self-talk that helped me. The truth is, I missed being in the race.”, he concluded.
The third compatriot in the category, Santiago Rostan (KTM), was 58th. “There was a lot of dust and the cars caught up with us on a pretty fast track. It is difficult to continue, to advance, when everyone comes in a rush and you have to run quickly. But my priority today was to finish. “This is very long,” said the man from Neuquén.
While in cars it was imposed Seth Quintero (Toyota), who crossed the finish line in second position, but since he was given his original time back for having helped a competitor, he was able to take the win. The American clocked 4h35m08s and also leads the overall standings. His escort was the French Gerlain Chicherit (Mini), to 45 seconds. The South African finished third Saood Variawa (at 1m03s), also with Toyota.
The only Argentine in this category is Juan Cruz Yacopinialso with a Toyota Hilux serviced by the Overdrive team. He finished 30th. “All the cars have arrived destroyed and several have had the same GPS problem”said the man from Mendoza, who suffered the breakage of the antenna on his truck due to the branches and his navigator, the Spaniard. Daniel Oliverasresorted to the tablets that they have as an alternative to read the route sheet. The Cuyo player is in the same position in the general classification.
There was an Argentine victory in the Challenger category, which are the prototypes of sand dune vehicles. The Argentine marriage expired Nicolás Cavigliasso y Valentina Pertegariniwith a Taurus from the BRR Team. They were escorted by the Portuguese Goncalo Guerreiro (Taurus) and the Qatari Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari (Taurus).
Among other Argentines in this category is Augusto Sanzthat with the Qatari Ahmed Alkuwari (Taurus) were seventh. Ninth turned out Lisandro Ezequiel Sisterna Herrera with Spanish Pau Navarro (Taurus). Bruno Jacomy He was 12th along with another Qatari, Khalifa Al Attiya (Taurus). Facundo Jaton with Spanish Xavier Once (Oryx) finished 23rd. While the people of Cordoba David Zille y Sebastian Cesana (Taurus), suffered a puncture and have not yet crossed the finish line.
In the Side by Side the Frenchman won Xavier De Soultrait (Polaris). They completed the podium Francisco “Chaleco” López (Can Am) and the American Brock Heger (Polaris). The Argentines Jeremías González Ferioli y Pedro Gonzalo Rinaldi (Can Am) was fourth.
There are more compatriots in this division: Fernando Matias Acostawho is the navigator of the Ecuadorian Sebastian Guayasamin (BRP), came tenth. Diego Martinez (Can Am), was 14th who with his navigator, the Uruguayan Sergio Lafuente. Anwar Osmanwhich accompanies Spanish Fidel Castillo (BRP), finished 22nd. AND Manuel Andujar (Can Am) y Bernardo Graue They suffered a blow and lost three hours. They were 31st.
The Dutchman won in the trucks Mitchell Van Den Brink (Iveco) and the Czechs came behind Ales Loprais (Iveco) and Martin Macik (MM Technology).
This year they released a total of 807 competitors between pilots and navigators. They are a global 439 total vehicles divided between 136 motorcycles, 63 cars, 45 trucks, 54 Challenger, 39 SSV and 2 Stock. Classic vehicles are added, with 76 cars and 19 trucks; and those of alternative energies, 3 motorcycles (including the Argentine Benjamín Pascual with a Segway), an SSV and a truck.
Tomorrow it will start the great challenge of this 47th edition of the Dakar Rally and it will be with the “48 Hours”, two consecutive stages in the middle of the desert with an extension of 958 kilometers for motorcycles and 917 for cars and the rest of the vehicles. Competitors will not have assistance from their teams and must be their own mechanics. There will be six camps in this section, which is the main novelty of this sixth event in a row in Saudi Arabia.
The total race route consists of 7,700 kilometers, 5,100 of them timedthat is, pure racing. For the first time and in the quest to improve safety, five stages have been outlined in separate routes for the vehicles of the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM) and the International Automobile Federation (FIA). It is worth remembering that both entities are governing bodies of the Raid Rally World Championshipwhose start is Rally Dakarand the contest includes five dates.
