Dakar 2023: KTM doubles up after penultimate stage

14.01.2023 - 17:43 bikesportnews.com

Red Bull KTM locked out the Dakar 2023 standings on Saturday after stage 13 winner Kevin Benavides trailed teammate Toby Price with one day to go. After over 43 hours of racing in the Saudi Arabian desert, the KTM pair are separated by just 12 seconds with just one 136km special - and the 281km liaison left to run.

Saturdays’ action clocked in at 675kms, albeit only 154kms were timed, with the dunes of the Empty Quarter once again dominating the terrain.

Benavides secured the victory by almost half a minute, despite a delay of over 20 minutes to ensure crashed teammate Matthias Walkner was receiving medical support.

Despite his own crash on the penultimate day, Price retained his overall lead thanks to a fifth place finish ahead of Sunday’s finale, which kicks off with a reverse-order start. “It’s always a difficult day when you see someone has had a crash, and it’s worse when it’s your teammate,” Benavides confirmed on Saturday’s action. “I stayed with Matthias until help arrived and although he was in some pain, he then told me to carry on. “I pushed hard for the rest of the stage, but it’s tricky to focus after seeing something like that.

doubles Saudi Arabia Dakar

DAMMAM: Qatari driver Nasser Al-Attiyah on Sunday won his fifth Dakar Rally driver’s title and second in a row, with Argentina’s Kevin Benavides securing his second motorbike crown.

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Red Bull KTM’s Kevin Benavides became the Dakar 2023 Champion on Sunday after clinching the final stage 55 seconds clear of his teammate.

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Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally car crown for the fifth time on Sunday while Argentine KTM rider Kevin Benavides triumphed on two wheels to take his second title in Saudi Arabia.

Rallying-Qatar's Al-Attiyah wins Dakar for fifth time

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah won the Dakar Rally car crown for the fifth time on Sunday while Argentine KTM rider Kevin Benavides triumphed on two wheels to take his second title in Saudi Arabia.

Dakar Rally to remain in Saudi Arabia, say organizers

AL-HOFUF, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia will continue to be the home of the Dakar Rally for the next few years with race director David Castera telling AFP “we still have so many deserts to explore.”Castera was speaking after Saturday’s penultimate stage with Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah poised for his fifth title.“I’m very happy we’re staying here, with so many deserts still to explore and with this country’s enormous potential,” he said.Motorsport’s toughest endurance test moved to the conservative Kingdom in 2020 after a spell in South America on an initial 10-year contract.Dakar organizers ASO announced the switch in 2019 saying a new chapter of the gruelling race’s history would be written in the “mysterious and vast deserts” of the land.Castera confirmed a clause in the Saudi deal to pull out after five years would not be taken up.“Today there’s been a big change, it’s progressing at a fast rate,” commented Castera.“I’m not here to play politics but to organize a sporting event which has the legitimacy to exist here because the terrain suits it.”Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in attracting high profile sporting events including tennis, golf and Formula One to its shores and is preparing a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.And last month five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Saudi side Al-Nassr in a deal worth 200 million euros.In the race, Al-Attiyah should complete the cruise to his fifth title.

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French driver Sebastien Loeb won a record sixth successive stage in the Dakar Rally on Saturday although barring a disaster Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah looks set for a fifth title.