Dakar 2023: Price pushes towards victory with two to go

13.01.2023 - 18:35 bikesportnews.com

Third place in stage 12 promoted KTM’s Toby Price into provisional control of the 2023 Dakar Rally with just two days left of action. The Red Bull rider began the 185 km special from third, a position he held until the end with Nacho Cornejo claiming the victory aboard the Monster Energy Honda through the Empty Quarter’s dunes.

The Chilean secured victory by just under a minute from Australian Daniel Sanders with Price now 28 seconds clear of Husqvarna’s Skyler Howes overall. “The Empty Quarter has delivered what they said it was going to do,” Price said on Friday afternoon. “There was a lot of sand and a lot of nothing out here.

All in all, it’s been a good day. “I think the stage has been good for us. At the moment we’re second, so I’m not sure who has won, it could be Daniel who has won the stage.

I was just trying to keep a good smooth consistent pace and now it’s just two days to go, so there’s not long. “I’m not sure if I’ve caught up time on Skyler,” he continued before the result was finalised. “I just felt that I pushed where I was comfortable and it’s going to be what it’s going to be.

victory Australia Dakar Chile county Sanders county Price

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

Nasser Al-Attiyah makes it five Dakar Rally titles as Kevin Benavides claims motorcycle glory

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.

Dakar 2023: KTM doubles up after penultimate stage

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.

Loeb's six appeal makes Dakar history as Al-Attiyah heads for victory

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.