KEVIN BENAVIDES LEADS THE DAKAR RALLY AFTER STAGE 10
Dakar Rally 2023 – Stage 10
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Kevin Benavides has placed fourth on today’s stage 10 of the 2023 Dakar Rally and moves into the provisional lead of the overall standings. Toby Price completed the day in 19th but still lies third overall, just two minutes back, while Matthias Walkner enjoyed a solid day on his KTM 450 RALLY, placing fifth.
Riders left the bivouac at 3:30am this morning to cover the 467-kilometer liaison that led them to the start of today’s timed special. Although short at 114 kilometers, the route raced against the clock was predominantly made up of rolling dunes, making navigation difficult and proving a real test of endurance for all competitors.
As the seventh rider into the special following his strong performance on stage nine, Kevin Benavides was in contention for the stage win right away. Carrying good speed over the sandy terrain, the 2021 Dakar winner was just 10 seconds down on the leader by kilometer 84. Losing a little time in the closing stages, Benavides dropped to fourth place as he crossed the line, one minute from the win. However, with times tight across the top 10, Kevin’s solid ride moved him into the lead of the rally, where he enjoys a one-and-a-half-minute advantage.
Kevin Benavides: “Today was really short, but really tough physically as it was raced all in the dunes. I started off in seventh position and just tried to keep a nice flow through all the dunes and it felt really good. I did have one crash where I went over the handlebars, but it seems it might have had a positive effect because I only lost about one minute and that means I set of fourth into tomorrow’s stage 11.”
After losing time in the desert yesterday following a navigational error, Matthias Walkner bounced back in style on stage 10. Posting the fifth fastest time on the demanding special, Walkner moves back inside the top 10 overall and will be aiming to elevate himself even higher over the remaining four days of racing.
Matthias Walkner: “I had a good day today. I really like this sort of terrain and was able to make up good time across the dunes. I wasn’t pushing too hard at first because I didn’t want to lose time like I did yesterday, but then towards the end I was able to increase my pace toward the finish. I’m feeling a lot stronger now, and coming in fifth today puts me in a good place for tomorrow’s marathon stage.”
Toby Price was the second rider to enter today’s special, and again, using his skill and experience to good effect, chose to navigate carefully through the dunes to minimize any costly errors. With the leaders’ times extremely close over the short special, Toby ultimately completed the day in 19th, but only eight minutes down on the leader. As such, the Aussie remains very much in contention near the top of the overall standings where he now lies third.
Toby Price: “Today was a long day – we were up at 2:30am, but then just a short special. I tried to pace myself a little today to make sure I didn’t make any big mistakes and to also get a good start for tomorrow’s longer stage. I dropped down a little in the standings, but didn’t lose too much time, and now hopefully I’m well-placed to attack tomorrow. So far so good.”
Thursday’s stage 11 marks the first half of the Empty Quarter marathon stage, where riders will spend the night in the desert and receive no outside help from their teams. Totaling 427 kilometers, the stage will include a dune-filled timed special of 274 kilometers.
Provisional Results – 2023 Dakar Rally, Stage 10
1. Ross Branch (BWA), Hero, 1:44:00
2. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 1:44:21
3. Michael Docherty (ZAF), Husqvarna, 1:44:30
4. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 1:45:00
5. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 1:45:22
Other KTM
7. Mason Klein (USA), KTM, 1:47:05 +3:05
19. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 1:52:16
Provisional Standings – 2023 Dakar Rally (after 10 of 14 stages)
1. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 35:16:06
2. Skyler Howes (USA), Husqvarna, 35:47:35 +1:29
3. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 35:48:16 +2:10
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 35:55:58 +9:52
5. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Honda, 36:01:04 +14:58
Other KTM
6. Mason Klein (USA), KTM, 36:01:44 +15:38
10. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 36:25:55 +39:49
More, from a press release issued by Husqvarna Factory Racing:
SOLID DAY OPENING DAKAR STAGE 10 FOR LUCIANO BENAVIDES
HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDERS BENAVIDES AND HOWES COMPLETE DUNE-FILLED SPECIAL IN 13TH AND 18TH RESPECTIVELY
Winner on day nine, Luciano Benavides had the unenviable task of leading out into today’s 10th stage of the 2023 Dakar Rally. The Argentine racer did an impeccable job however, opening the stage from start to finish to ultimately post the 13th quickest time. Teammate Skyler Howes took a conservative approach to today’s special, minimising the chance of any navigational mistakes and ensuring an advantageous start position for Thursday’s first half of the marathon stage.
Continuing to deliver solid and calculated rides at this year’s Dakar, Luciano Benavides confidently took on the challenge of opening the first stage that entered the dunes of the Empty Quarter and excelled. Riding alone up front for the entire 114 kilometres, Benavides lost the minimum time to his rivals while also ensuring a strong start position for tomorrow. Completing the day in 13th, six minutes down on the eventual winner, Luciano retains his top-10 placing in the overall standings and is in the perfect position to attack tomorrow’s first leg of the marathon stage.
Also putting in a considered ride through the dunes today, Skyler Howes took some time to reacquaint himself with the Empty Quarter terrain and to ensure he made very little in the way of navigational errors. With Thursday’s stage 11 coming in at around twice the distance of today’s special, Skyler is fully aware of the importance of delivering a solid, mistake-free result on the way to the temporary bivouac of the marathon stage. Although Howes dropped down to second in the overall standings, he lies just one and a half minutes from the lead – time he hopes to make up tomorrow.
Luciano Benavides: “Today had a really long liaison in the morning – almost 500 kilometres ridden after a very early start. It was the first stage in the Empty Quarter and so it was full of dunes – very similar to the terrain seen in Abu Dhabi actually. I opened the whole stage and I think I did a good job. I picked up two minutes of bonus time, but of course you do lose a few minutes to the guys behind chasing the tracks. I pushed all day, trying to do my best, and I think I finished just inside the top 15, which gives me a good start position for tomorrow.”
Skyler Howes: “Yeah, we knew what we were getting into coming into the Empty Quarter with all the dunes. But today, with the special being so short, I wanted to make sure I was in a good position to push on tomorrow’s marathon stage. I took things a little easier today to get a feel for the dunes and just took things a little conservatively. I did have one awesome moment where I put on some style for the helicopter but messed up the landing. All was good though and now we have a much longer day of more dunes tomorrow – I’m looking forward to it.”
2023 Dakar Rally – Stage 10 Provisional Classification
1. Ross Branch (Hero) 1:44:00
2. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 1:44:21
3. Michael Docherty (Husqvarna) 1:44:30
4. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 1:45:00
5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:45:22
6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:46:43
…
13. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:50:18
18. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:51:38
2023 Dakar – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 10]
1. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 35:46:06
2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 35:47:35
3. Toby Price (KTM) 35:48:16
4. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 35:55:58
5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 36:01:04
6. Mason Klein (KTM) 36:01:44
…
8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 36:07:50
More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing:
RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING’S DANIEL SANDERS COMPLETES ANOTHER DAY AT THE DAKAR
CHUCKY MAINTAINS NINTH OVERALL AFTER SHORT AND FAST SPECIAL THROUGH SOME SERIOUSLY EPIC SAND DUNES
That’s stage 10 at the Dakar done and dusted for Daniel Sanders. With times at the top incredibly close due to today’s special being the shortest of the entire event, Sanders posted the 12th fastest time, finishing just over six minutes down on the stage winner. Perhaps not a great result on paper, it’s the overall time that matters most, and today Daniel clawed back vital seconds from the provisional leader while securing a perfect starting position for tomorrow’s first leg of the marathon stage. The race to the finish is just getting started.
Calculated ride through stage 10 for Daniel Sanders
Super-short special offers no chance for Chucky to make up time
The Dakar Rally marathon stage begins tomorrow
Daniel Sanders: “Yeah, today was pretty much full send in the dunes so that was fun, but with it being so short, something like 115 kilometers, today wasn’t the day to be making up too much time. It seems like this part of Saudi missed the rain we had during week one as the sand is dry and a lot softer, so it took me a little while to adjust to it. But all is good. I didn’t want to finish inside the top 10 today because of the marathon stage starting tomorrow so we’re a little bit back in the pack. That was the game plan though, so yeah, looking forward to seeing what we can do over the next couple of days.”
Knowing full well that today’s super-short special offered little to no chance of reeling in the leading riders in this year’s Dakar by a considerable amount, Sanders rode tactically. Able to stay on pace and make up a small amount of time, Chucky got just what he wanted after completing stage 10 – a very favorable start position for stage 11.
With the race now heading into the rolling sand dunes of the Empty Quarter, there’s far less reliance on navigation, with many more opportunities to ride wide open by simply following in the wheel tracks of the leading riders. And starting from 12th tomorrow, Sanders has high hopes of taking a big chunk of time out of those in front in the overall classification.
Results (provisional): Dakar Rally 2023, stage 10
1. Ross Branch (Hero) 1:44:00
2. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 1:44:21
3. Michael Docherty (Husqvarna) 1:44:30
12. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:50:02
Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 10)
1. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 35:46:06
2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 35:47:35
3. Toby Price (KTM) 35:48:16
9. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 36:09:46
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Honda Racing:
A GOOD FEELING ON ARRIVAL IN SHAYBAH
After 11 days (prologue and 10 stages), the Dakar Rally 2023 made a drastic change heading southeast. Monster Energy Honda Team riders José Ignacio Cornejo (CL), Adrien Van Beveren (FR) and Pablo Quintanilla (CL) had an early wake up call around 3:00 am. In less than one hour they were ready to start the 10th stage, leaving Haradh in the direction of Shaybah with a quite unusual liaison of 508 kilometers!
Leaving the rain and cold days behind, this special section was just an appetizer of 114 km of sand and started a few minutes before 10 in the morning. As the ASO organization explained, this is a deliberate approach into the limits of the Empty Quarter. This was certainly a good day for Honda, after a consistent performance from all riders. Van Beveren got the silver medal with second position on this short and technical stage, just 21 seconds after the leader. In the overall standings, the Frenchman kept his fourth place (9:52 minutes gap to the leader). Pablo Quintanilla was sixth and also kept his position in the overall standings: 5th place (14:58 minutes gap to the leader). José Ignacio Cornejo reached the bivouac in eighth position and managed to climb one stair in the overall standings (now he is 7th with a 20:42 gap to the leader).
Tomorrow it’s time for a key and much expected moment of the race: the marathon stage at the famous Empty Quarter. The counter will mark 4,000 kilometers of specials right after the start, taking the race into extreme endurance territory. Along the 273 km of the selective section (added by a liaison of 151 km) there will be sand dunes of every color. The importance of this challenge – the marathon stage – is that the riders will be on their own in terms of assistance: reaching the bivouac at the end of the day there won’t be any mechanics or external help.
Ruben Faria
General Manager
“We have reached a decisive part of the rally and our riders felt quite well in the transition for the southeast landscapes. I know this was just a short introduction for the sandy days to come, but I am very happy with the performance of our riders. All of them – Adrien, Pablo and Nacho – are almost natural born riders of the sand. They love the sand and the dunes and all of them have a special connection with this environment. Tomorrow conditions will be even harder, with a longer stage and no assistance. I am quite confident in our riders and in our Honda’s CRF 450 Rally, we are here to fight for the top standings until the last day”.
Adrien Van Beveren 42
“This was a good day for me, much better than yesterday for sure. I gave everything, trying to be fast riding on the dunes – a terrain that I love. I really push and I am happy with the outcome. I am ok physically, unfortunately it was only one hundred and fourteen kilometers but we have more chances in the coming days.”
Pablo Quintanilla 7
“This was another long, long day. The stage was short but the rhythm was very high. I am glad tomorrow I will have some riders opening in the front, this can be a changing moment for the race. It will be a tremendous effort for us and for the bikes, because we are already racing for 10 days and that is quite intense. I am in full shape and keen to keep fighting”.
José Ignacio Cornejo 11
“It was a good stage. It was a short stage but very physical. I was riding, pushing and trying to be safe at the same time. In this terrain we can not be overconfident because that’s when mistakes happen. I’m happy with my performance and have a good feeling, so I am ready to keep on fighting in the depths of the Empty Quarter”.
