Dakar 2024: the competition reaches the Red Sea and defines the winners

Time has changed. Not only meteorological, since for the first time in the year, The Dakar caravan approached the shores of the Red Sea. In fact, the campsite is on the bay that flows into the intense blue water.

Also in the spirit of the almost 3 thousand people, who for two weeks intensified the journey across Saudi Arabia, from east to west and back, including the deep south of the desert of Quarter empty. The end is right in front of us, as the big competition will end on Friday.

And although there are 328 kilometers to go, of which 175 will be special stages, every discipline seems to have an anticipated sentence. It’s true, talking about definitions when the Dakar isn’t over yet is daring, because here one blow changes everything, like in boxing.

But if there was one category that seemed to culminate in the emotion of uncertainty, it was automobiles Sebastien Loeb reduced the pace towards the leaderalso the former world rally champion, Carlos Sainz.

But halfway through the penultimate stage, between AlUla and Yanbú, The French driver hit some rocks, breaking the right front suspension arm of his Hunter. As soon as he went out to see what had happened, he realized that the Dakar was over for him.

In fact, shortly after the Spaniard Sainz passed, to whom he signaled with both hands as if he had nothing left to do. It took him more than 90 minutes to continue the race, finishing 36th and saying goodbye to the dream of getting his first Touareg.

“When I saw Loeb stopped I understood that it was very complicated and I dedicated myself to taking care of the car. But the truth is that I don’t know if there is a way to take care of these rocky terrains, since we have drilled too”Sainz commented, If he wins on Friday he will go down in history for being the first driver to win with a hybrid vehicle, given that the Audio RS Q e-tron is powered by electric motorswhich in turn receives energy from a combustion impeller.

The one who is closing a good Dakar, despite all the problems he had, is the man from Mendoza Juan Cruz Yacopiniwho placed 7th with the Toyota Hilux and occupies 20th place overall.

Argentina has a new partial victory. Once again Nicolás Cavigliasso won in the Challenger category, light vehicles, and has good points for the World Championship of the specialty, given that he is 7th overall, far from the vanguard, occupied by the North American Mitch Guthrie.

Among the national representatives The one who has every chance to win is Manuel Andújar, on quadricycles. He was second, 37 seconds behind Frenchman Alex Giroud, and ahead of him in the standings by 8 minutes and 14 seconds.

“My body was full of questions in the middle of the stage, because I broke the frame in the middle. I wanted to die, so I came to take care of everything. “Now it will have to be repaired for the last stage”he confessed Clarion the Lobos driver, who if he wins will be his second statuette obtained, and here in Saudi Arabia.

On motorcycles, the American Ricky Brabec He was second, just 32 seconds behind Ross Branch (Hero), who leads overall by 10m22. “We did things well, everything went perfectly. I hope that on the last day I will be able to maintain the pace”the leader declared.

Beyond the fight for the Dakar in the premier category, The Benavides brothers try to finish the racesaddened by the superiority of rival brands.

Kevin, defending last year’s win, finished 7th in the stage and remains 5th overall, 42 minutes off the lead, and Luciano, with Husqvarna, was fourth, but 7th, 55 minutes off the lead. .

“We know we don’t have the same weapons. This discourages. “But we are here to give our best, satisfied with what we did in these conditions.”highlighted Kevin, who underwent surgery 45 days ago for a fracture of his left leg.

Excellent performance by Riojano Diego Llanos, 13th in the stage and 19th overall (“My goal is to be among the best 20”, he confessed); Newcomer Santiago Rostan ranked 39th and is 38th in the rankings, while Santiago Urquía from Cordoba ranked 71st and occupies 70th place overall.

After 15 days of dizziness and adventures, the Dakar concludes the 2024 edition on the shores of the Red Sea. So disrupted in the south by the Yemen conflict, the world’s toughest race ends “the toughest competition since arriving in the Middle East in 2020,” according to the event’s general director, David Castera. Even if it seems that everything is defined, we have to wait. Everything is never said in the mythical and great adventure of motor sports.