Portuguese pilot Joaquim Rodrigues Jr. (Hero) came 10th in the motorcycle category this Sunday in the first stage of the 45th edition of the all-terrain Dakar Rally, held in Saudi Arabia for the fourth year.
The driver from Barcelona completed the 367 kilometers of the special stage in 4:21.20 hours, 07:10 minutes behind the winner, North American Ricky Brabec (Honda), who benefited from a three-minute penalty attributed to Australian Daniel Sanders (GasGas ) to see the stage victory by name.
Quim Rodrigues had initially been awarded 12th place, but moved up to 10th place through multiple penalties.
Portuguese-German Sebastian Bühler (Hero) was one of those penalized, in one minute, finishing the day in 13th place, 08.39 minutes behind the winner. António Maio (Yamaha) was 16th, at 12.41 minutes, with Rui Gonçalves (Sherco) in 40th, with a five-minute penalty.
The stage was lively, with several position changes at the front of the race. American Mason Klein (KTM), who makes his debut in this edition, dominated in the final part, but was later passed across the finish line by Daniel Sanders, who lost to his teammate, Briton Sam Sunderland (GasGas), winner in 2022. who suffered a fall.
However, the penalty awarded to Sanders secured victory for Brabec, of the official Honda team, led by Portugal’s Ruben Faria.
Argentinian Kevin Benavides (KTM) was second, 19 seconds behind Brabec, with Australian Toby Price (KTM) in third, 39 seconds.
The 10 fastest riders of Saturday’s prologue, won precisely by Toby Price, were allowed to choose the starting position for the first stage from the 28 available in the main category, the RallyGP.
On four wheels, Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Audi) put his electric Q E-Tron just 10 seconds ahead of Frenchman Sébastien Loeb’s BRX, with Swede Mathias Ëkstrom (Audi) in third, having finished the day before winning the prologue .
Arab Yazeed Al-Rajhi was the best of the Toyotas, in fourth place, but already 2.01 minutes behind Sainz, who added his 42nd stage win of the race.
The Portuguese Paulo Fiúza, sailing for the Lithuanian Vaidotas Zala (Hunter), finished 11th at 10.57 minutes behind the winner.
The 45th edition of the all-terrain Dakar Rally will take place in Saudi Arabia until January 15.
Source: DN
