TOBY PRICE REGAINS DAKAR RALLY LEAD WITH THIRD-PLACE RESULT ON STAGE 12

Dakar Rally 2023 – Stage 12

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price has retaken the lead of the 2023 Dakar Rally following a strong ride to third place on stage 12 – the second leg of the event’s Empty Quarter marathon stage. Kevin Benavides placed fifth to successfully retain his third-place position in the overall rally standings, less than three minutes behind Price. Completing today’s special just seconds ahead of Benavides, Matthias Walkner carved his way through to fourth place on his KTM 450 RALLY.

Completing the second leg of the marathon stage without issue, Toby Price covered the 185-kilometer timed special on stage 12 in just under two hours. More importantly, Toby not only made up time on his closest rivals in the race for victory, but he also regained the overall rally lead and will have two other riders to chase down on tomorrow’s penultimate stage 13.

Racing at the front of the field remains incredibly close with Toby leading the general rankings by a narrow margin of just under 30 seconds. The two-time Dakar champion will draw on all his experience and skill to ensure good, solid finishes over the final two stages of the race as he has his sights set firmly on securing his third title at the world’s toughest rally-raid.

Toby Price: “The marathon stage has gone well. I have to admit, I didn’t sleep that well yesterday, but I gave it my all out there on the dunes. I wasn’t sure of the result when I came in to the finish today, but it looks like I’m back on top, leading the race. It’s a really close race right now and even the smallest problem could cost you the win. My plan is to keep on pushing over the next two days and try and have some fun.”

Securing a solid fifth-place finish on stage 12, Kevin Benavides closed the gap slightly on the provisional rally lead and remains in third place overall, two minutes and 40 seconds down. The Argentine racer will also have the advantage of another four riders starting ahead of him on tomorrow’s special where he will aim to make up as much time as possible before then attacking the final stage of the race on Sunday.

Kevin Benavides: “The marathon stage went really well for me. Both halves were made up mostly of dunes, so they were a real challenge, but good fun to ride, too. Today I started a little further back, so I tried to keep a good flow through the dunes to make up some time without making any big mistakes. I think I did a good job, and I have got a good start position for tomorrow, which I think will be a really decisive stage in the race.”

Enjoying his time in the Empty Quarter dunes, Matthias Walkner found the terrain very much to his liking. And, feeling comfortable on his KTM 450 RALLY, was able to push hard through the stage to finish in an excellent fourth place. Currently in ninth position overall, although the fight for the podium might now be out of reach for the Austrian, Matthias will continue to fight for solid stage results, giving his all as usual on what is his ninth Dakar appearance.

Matthias Walkner: “It was a super-nice stage today. Honestly, the dunes here in the Empty Quarter are really, really nice. It was quite intense, not so long, but with all the soft sand you have to push a lot and it’s still very physical. As we ride more here it becomes easier to judge and read the terrain. Nacho (Cornejo) caught me today and it was such good fun riding through the dunes together. With only two days of the rally left now, my goal is to simply have fun, do my best, and reach the finish line safely. I plan to enjoy it!”

Stage 13, the penultimate of the rally, will see riders cover a total distance of 675 kilometers as they travel from Shaybah to Al Hofuf. A short timed special of 154 kilometers through the dunes will test competitors’ physical and mental endurance once again.

Provisional Results – 2023 Dakar Rally, Stage 12

1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (CHI), Honda, 1:57:27

2. Daniel Sanders (AUS), GASGAS, 1:58:16 +0:49

3. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 1:59:25 +1:58

4. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 1:59:32 +2:05

5. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 1:59:49 +2:22

Provisional Standings – 2023 Dakar Rally (after 12 of 14 stages)

1. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 40:47:36

2. Skyler Howes (USA), Husqvarna, 40:48:04 +0:28

3. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 40:50:16 +2:40

4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Honda, 41:02:30 +14:54

5. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 41:03:50 +16:14

Other KTM

9. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 41:32:00 +44:24

10. Mason Klein (USA), KTM, 41:42:34 +54:58

More, from a press release issued by Husqvarna Factory Racing:

STRONG STAGE 12 FOR HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDERS AT 2023 DAKAR RALLY

SKYLER HOWES BRINGS HIS FR 450 RALLY HOME IN AN EXCELLENT SIXTH POSITION WITH LUCIANO BENAVIDES OPENING THE SPECIAL TO PLACE 12TH

Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have safely completed the two-day marathon stage at the 2023 Dakar Rally. On stage 12 today, Skyler Howes finished as sixth quickest and now lies second in the overall standings – just 28 seconds off the lead after close to 41 hours of racing. Luciano Benavides opened the special today, a result of his stage win on day 11 – the Argentinian placed 12th and lies sixth overall going into the final two days of the race.

Despite the pressure of being well in the fight for victory at the 2023 Dakar Rally, Skyler Howes has delivered another cool, calculated ride in Saudi Arabia to complete stage 12 in sixth position and minimise his deficit to the provisional rally leader. His stand-out ride at this year’s event continues as the likeable American now lies in a strong second overall, and with his two closest rivals starting ahead of him on tomorrow’s stage 13, Skyler is perfectly placed to attack.

Also enjoying his time racing through the dunes of the Empty Quarter, Luciano Benavides did another stellar job opening the special today, following his win on stage 11. Benavides stayed focused throughout the 185 kilometres raced against the clock, to complete the stage as 12th fastest, a mere four minutes and 20 seconds down. An incredible performance by the number 77 who is on-course to equal or better his best ever Dakar result.

Skyler Howes: “A good stage for me today. The Empty Quarter really does live up to its name – just an endless sea of dunes. It’s really exciting to go into the last couple of days with the race so close. Both halves of the marathon stage went well – I think I was able to ride both days at a good, consistent pace. I was able to preserve myself and the bike without any issues, which is super important. So now I’m looking ahead at the last two stages of the race. Neither of them are very long, so with things so tight on the leaderboard, I really think this battle is going to run right up to the finish line.”

Luciano Benavides: “Yesterday was an amazing stage for me. My third stage win at the Dakar and I really had a lot of fun racing through the desert, jumping off all the dunes. Obviously today I had to open the stage, but I’m really happy as I think I did a good job and didn’t lose much time at all in the overall. The stage was very similar to yesterday, I just had to take extra care not to make any navigation mistakes and I had to focus on reading the terrain well, too. I’ll get a bit of rest now before tomorrow, where I’ve got another strong start position, so another push, and I hope to finish the day in a strong position.”

2023 Dakar Rally – Stage 12 Provisional Classification

1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 1:57:27

2. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:58:16

3. Toby Price (KTM) 1:59:25

4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:59:32

5. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 1:59:49

6. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 2:00:21

…

12. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:01:47

2023 Dakar – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 12]

1. Toby Price (KTM) 40:47:36

2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 40:48:04

3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 40:50:16

4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 41:02:30

5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 41:03:50

6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 41:07:36

More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing:

RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING’S DANIEL SANDERS DELIVERS INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE ON DAKAR RALLY STAGE 12

AUSSIE RALLY ACE DELIVERS MASTERCLASS IN NAVIGATION TO SECURE BACK-TO-BACK RUNNER-UP FINISHES AND COMPLETE THE MARATHON STAGE ON A HIGH

Delivering what just might be his best performance of the entire Dakar Rally on today’s stage 12, Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders combined pinpoint navigation with his blistering pace to post the second fastest time. Clocking in just 49 seconds from victory, it was an incredible performance considering that Chucky opened almost all of the special, which left wheel tracks in the dunes for his chasing rivals to follow. Impressive stuff indeed and a clear indication of just what the Aussie’s capable of out there in the desert. Nice work, Daniel!

Back-to-back runner-up stage finishes for Chucky

Sanders easily the star performer throughout the marathon stage

Only two days and 290 kilometers of racing against the clock to go!

Daniel Sanders: “Yeah, today was pretty good actually. It was a fun stage and early on I caught up with Luciano Benavides. I had a decent pace going so I kept that up and opened the stage all day. I’m happy to reach the finish line today with it being the second leg of the marathon stage and I’m looking forward to the final two days.”

Second away into leg two of the marathon stage, it should have been a tall order for Sanders to secure another top-three result as it’s quite common for leading riders to lose time to their competition. However, the RX 450F racer left that theory somewhere out there in the Empty Quarter on stage 12!

Moving past Luciano Benavides early on in the 185-kilometer special, our man from down under never let off the gas to safely reach the finish and narrowly miss out on another stage win. Heading into tomorrow’s penultimate stage 13, we’re excited to see what Daniel can do from the front again as the times at the top of the overall classification are starting to get tight!

Results (provisional): Dakar Rally 2023, stage 12

1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 1:57:27

2. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:58:16

3. Toby Price (KTM) 1:59:25

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 12)

1. Toby Price (KTM) 40:47:36

2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 40:48:04

3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 40:50:16

7. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 41:07:39

More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Honda Team:

STAGE WIN FOR NACHO CORNEJO

José Ignacio Cornejo was the man of the day during the second part of the marathon stage at the Empty Quarter. This was the second stage victory for Monster Energy Honda Team during this Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia. On the arrival at Shaybah bivouac, the Chilean was 49 seconds faster than Daniel Sanders and had  1:48 minutes to Toby Price.

Stage number 12 was 185 km long and a quite fast route, in a mix between dunes and quick sand tracks. Pablo Quintanilla arrived in seventh position with a gap of 03:06 minutes, while Adrien Van Beveren was ninth with a gap of 03:16 minutes to Nacho. Quintanilla kept his fourth position in the overall standings (14:45 minutes to the leader), Van Beveren maintained his fifth position (16:14 minutes to the leader) and Nacho was still eighth (23:14 minutes to the leader).

Now it’s time to work hard on the Honda’s CRF 450 Rally, since they were lacking assistance for the past two days due to the rules of the marathon stage.

With only two more days to go, tomorrow it’s time for the 13th stage. There will be a very long liaison of 520 kilometers in the connection between Shaybah and Al-Hofuf. The special section will be 153 km long and this departure from the Empty Quarter will certainly be decisive. It will be the last chance to surf on its chain of dunes and also to fight for the top standings. It will be a short but quite intense ride where physical and mechanical endurance can play an important role.

Ruben Faria

General Manager

“The marathon stage is over and we have overcome with great determination the hard terrain at the Empty Quarter. All our riders got back safe and our Honda’s CRF 450 Rally also came back in great conditions and will now be revised for the penultimate stage. Days will get shorter in terms of racing as we reach the end of this Dakar Rally and tomorrow is another decisive day for us. We are fighting to climb in the top standings and that was clear today. Nacho had a great performance and we are happy with another stage win. The team is united and strong so let’s see how it goes in these last two days. ”

José Ignacio Cornejo  11

“Well today I had a good stage, quite solid. Felt quite good on my Honda CRF 450 Rally and tried to push as much as I could. I had a lot of fun in the dunes. I have won a stage and that feels good, especially for my confidence. This did not influence the overall results due to the short distances between all contenders, so I kept my eighth place. I will keep fighting in the last two days because this is Dakar and anything can happen. ”

Pablo Quintanilla  7

“First of all I would like to say that we have done the marathon stage without any problems in our Honda CRF 450 Rally. It was quite hard to cross the Empty Quarter and we all succeeded. The terrain was super hard for the machines and for us. Happy to finish one more day. The race is not over yet so let’s keep the focus.”

Adrien Van Beveren  42

“Today I started behind but did not have that much dunes to race. The stage was shorter and I went as fast as I could go. Dakar is never finished until you cross the line so let’s see what we can do. I will do my best until the last meter, that is for sure!”

STAGE 11 WIN FOR LUCIANO BENAVIDES AT 2023 DAKAR RALLY

HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDER TAKES HIS THIRD STAGE VICTORY OF THE EVENT AS TEAMMATE SKYLER HOWES REGAINS THE RACE LEAD

On a hugely successful day 11 in the Saudi desert for Husqvarna Factory Racing, Luciano Benavides has claimed his third stage win of the event and in turn advances to sixth place overall in the event’s provisional overall standings. Leading those standings after an impressive ride to fourth place on today’s stage, Skyler Howes now holds a narrow 28-second lead at the top of the timesheets.

Marking the first half of the event’s marathon stage, deep into the Empty Quarter region, day 11 at Dakar saw riders complete a timed special of 274 kilometres, predominantly made up of a seemingly endless expanse of dunes. Of the two Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates it was Luciano Benavides who mastered the terrain the best, posting the fastest time to kilometre 63 and pushing hard from then on. Taking the stage win by an impressive one minute and 38 seconds also moves Luciano higher in the overall standings to sixth, where he trails rally leader and teammate Skyler Howes by 18 minutes.

Handling the pressure perfectly, Howes set off as the 18th rider into the special and immediately began to make up time on those ahead of him. Swapping the top two positions with his teammate for the first half of the stage, a few minor issues later on cost the American a little time, but he was still able to bring his FR 450 Rally safely back to the bivouac in fourth place. Retaking the overall rally lead and holding a near-30-second advantage over second-placed Toby Price, Howes will have the added benefit of chasing down his nearest rival on Friday’s stage 12.

Luciano Benavides: “It was a really, really nice stage. I enjoyed racing through the dunes and was able to make up good time, too. There was a big variety today, some of the dunes were really big and in between the ground was very hard to judge as well, with lots of softer areas that could catch you out. The navigation was not too difficult today, the challenge came from trying to find the fastest line through the dunes. I did a good job and was able to make up some more time, which is great. I’m leading out again tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.”

Skyler Howes: “It was a really fast stage today with lots of dunes – lots of big dunes! I found a good rhythm out there and was making good progress. I did get stuck in the soft sand on a couple of dunes and had to turn around to attack those again. There was one waypoint that I had to circle around to get properly as well. The bike is in great condition, which is great for the marathon stage, I just need to stay focused because the times in the standings are really close. I think it’s going to be like this all the way to the finish, which makes it pretty exciting.”

2023 Dakar Rally – Stage 11 Provisional Classification

1. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:57:59

2. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 2:59:37

3. Toby Price (KTM) 2:59:55

4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:00:08

5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:00:53

6. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 3:03:05

2023 Dakar – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 11]

1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 38:47:43

2. Toby Price (KTM) 38:48:11

3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 38:50:27

4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 39:01:57

5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 39:03:07

6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 39:05:49

More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:

THIRD-PLACE RESULT FOR TOBY PRICE ON STAGE 11 AT DAKAR RALLY

Dakar Rally 2023 – Stage 11

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price has completed the first half of the Dakar Rally’s Empty Quarter marathon stage as third fastest. The impressive result moves him back into second place in the overall standings, just 28 seconds down on the leader. Kevin Benavides rode to a solid 10th place today and drops two spots to third in the standings, while Matthias Walkner successfully defended his 10th place overall after his performance through the Saudi dunes.

Leading competitors from Shaybah to the bivouac in the Empty Quarter, today’s stage 11 delivered 274-kilometers of dunes and tracks raced against the clock. With times still tight at the top of the leaderboard, riders had to push hard over the grueling terrain to secure their positions while also being mindful to take extra care of their machines, as no outside assistance is permitted overnight.

After the 153-kilometer liaison this morning, Toby Price was the 19th rider to enter today’s special. The Australian made steady progress through the stage, balancing out-and-out speed with the preservation of himself and his KTM 450 RALLY. Ultimately posting the third-fastest time for the stage, just under two minutes down on the leader, means Toby climbs back up to second overall in the provisional standings and will also have two riders to chase down on tomorrow’s slightly shorter 185-kilometer special on stage 12.

Toby Price: “I think the stage went well for me today, I was able to get a little bit of time back and that puts me in good contention for the podium places still. I’m feeling in good shape and the bike is perfect, so no issues there. Starting back a little bit definitely helped today. I did make a little mistake early on, like a couple of the guys in front I think, but was able to correct it pretty quickly and carry on. I just took it quite steady today – pushed where it was safe to do so and then eased off a bit to make sure I didn’t make any mistakes. I’ll be third away for tomorrow, which isn’t too bad, so I’ll keep on fighting and see where we end up.”

In contrast to his teammate Price, Kevin Benavides set off near the front of today’s stage, and with little in the way of tracks ahead of him, the Argentinian had to carefully navigate his way through the dunes of the special. Making good time through the first half of the stage, Benavides fought his way up to fourth, but was then forced to ease his pace after catching the lead group of riders, which he joined on the final kilometers to the finish. In placing 10th, Kevin drops to third overall in the rankings, but trails the leader by less than three minutes.

Kevin Benavides: “Another tough day and the first part of the marathon stage today. I started in fourth position and tried to push straight away. I did a good job, I caught the guys in front after refueling, and from there we rode together for the last 80 kilometers or so. The bike is all ready in the parc fermé and I have a good start position for tomorrow, so it’s just a case of trying to make up time and stay in the fight.”

Enjoying his time in the Saudi desert, Matthias Walkner delivered a strong ride to 13th place, despite a couple of issues along the way. Having lost time through injury in the first week of the event, Matthias feel less under pressure and plans to complete his 2023 Dakar on a high, attacking the remaining stages and securing a solid finish.

Matthias Walkner: “I had a good stage today. It was good fun riding in the Empty Quarter for the second day and it certainly lived up to its name as there was nothing to see for miles around. I made a bit of a mistake early on that cost me some minutes, but then I managed to get stuck in a pocket of soft sand that took a little while to get out of. There is no contrast at all in the desert and you never know when something like this will happen. I pushed hard after refueling to make up time, and that was great fun jumping off the dunes. It really was a beautiful stage. I have a good start position for tomorrow, so I’ll aim for a top-three finish.”

Riders return to their teams at the bivouac in Shaybah tomorrow on day 12 of the rally, covering a total of 376 kilometers, 185 of which are timed special stage.

Provisional Results – 2023 Dakar Rally, Stage 11

1. Luciano Benavides (ARG), Husqvarna, 2:57:59

2. Daniel Sanders (AUS), GASGAS, 2:59:37 +1:38

3. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 2:59:55 +1:56

4. Skyler Howes (USA), Husqvarna, 3:00:08 +2:09

5. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Honda, 3:00:53 +2:54

Other KTM

10. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:04:21 +6:22

13. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 3:06:33 +8:34

Provisional Standings – 2023 Dakar Rally (after 11 of 14 stages)

1. Skyler Howes (USA), Husqvarna, 38:47:43

2. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 38:48:11 +0:28

3. Kevin Benavides (ARG), KTM, 38:50:27 +2:44

4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Honda, 39:01:57 +14:14

5. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Honda, 39:03:07 +15:24

Other KTM

9. Mason Klein (USA), KTM, 39:19:18 +31:35

10. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 39:32:28 +44:45

More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing:

SECOND PLACE FOR SANDERS ON LEG ONE OF THE DAKAR RALLY MARATHON STAGE

RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING’S RALLY STAR IMPRESSES WITH RUNNER-UP FINISH ON STAGE 11 AND MOVES UP TO SEVENTH OVERALL

Marathon stage, leg one at the Dakar complete and it was a pretty positive day of racing for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders. As the 12th rider into the 274-kilometer timed special, Sanders benefitted from chasing the leading riders on stage and capitalized on his starting position to post the second-fastest time. In the process, Chucky closed the gap on the overall leaders and now advances to seventh in the provisional standings. With three stages to go, a top-five finish at this year’s event is well within reach.

Chucky posts his third top-three stage result at this year’s Dakar

Leg one of the marathon stage done and dusted

Three more days of racing remain at the 2023 Dakar Rally

Daniel Sanders: “Today wasn’t too bad. It took a little while for me to get up to speed and then at around kilometer 40 there was a tricky note in the roadbook. I slowed up a little to make sure I was heading in the right direction and then pushed on to refueling. After that I rode with Luciano Benavides for the rest of the stage which was good, and it was a good gauge of knowing the speed up front. Second’s decent enough ahead of tomorrow’s shorter stage. I’ve just checked the bike over, all the fluids and everything, and it’s in great shape so I’m looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.”

The marathon stage at the Dakar is always a tough one for riders as they need to strike a fine balance between posting the best time possible on leg one, while making sure their bike remains in good shape for leg two. For Sanders, placing second was clearly a strong result and after giving his bike a quick once over ahead of tomorrow’s stage 11, Chucky, and his awesome RX 450F, are now ready for another day of sand surfing through the Empty Quarter.

Results (provisional): Dakar Rally 2023, stage 11

1. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:57:59

2. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 2:59:37

3. Toby Price (KTM) 2:59:55

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 11)

1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 38:47:43

2. Toby Price (KTM) 38:48:11

3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 38:50:27

7. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 39:09:23

More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Honda Racing:

PLAYING HARD AT THE EMPTY QUARTER

It is the highlight of a week of action in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. The Dakar Rally 2023 finally reached today the immense sea of dunes known as the Empty Quarter. With a special reddish-orange color, this is the largest continuous sand territory in the world – with its 1000 kilometers long and 500 km wide.  This was the landscape to the marathon stage of this year’s race (stage 11), starting early this morning from Shaybah and arriving less than three hours later in the heart of this region.

This morning the counter of the Honda’s CRF 450 Rally marked 4,000 kilometers of specials right after the start, with 273 km of the selective section (added by a liaison of 151 km) to complete during the marathon stage. On the arrival our riders were their own in terms of assistance, since they won’t have any mechanics or external help.

Monster Energy Honda Team riders are fighting to evolve in the top standings. Today the best was Pablo Quintanilla, with a fifth place 2:54 minutes off the pace. This performance meant a step up in the overall standings to fourth position. Second was José Ignacio Cornejo, who finished in 14th place 8:13 minutes off the pace (8th overall). Adrien Van Beveren was opening the track and reached the end in 18th place, meaning a 5th place overall.

The second part of the marathon stage will take place tomorrow with the return to Shaybah on stage 12. Along the 185 km of this selective section (added by a liaison of 188 km) there will be a focus on the tactical acumen of the riders. With just three days to go in this Dakar Rally 2023 it is certainly time to attack in every dune!

Ruben Faria

General Manager

“Today we had a very hard stage, the biggest one in the Empty Quarter with the first part of the marathon. We are behind the top 3 but I believe we are still in contention to change that. In the previous days we have been losing and gaining time like it is normal, but we lost too much time in the first six days. We lost Ricky Brabec, a Dakar winner, quite early and that was also a blow to our aspirations. About today’s stage, Adrien was great opening the track – he lost some time but that we already expected like it is normal. Nacho got lost in the middle of the special stage. Pablo also had a good stage but will be in front tomorrow. All riders arrived well and the Honda CRF 450 Rally is also perfect to continue. This is the Dakar Rally and we have to fight and believe until the end of the race!”

Pablo Quintanilla  7

“It was not an easy day, the sand was too soft and sometimes it was hard to climb the dunes. Anyway I was at a good pace and I think I did a good stage. The first part of the marathon stage is done and my Honda CRF 450 Rally is without any damage, so I am ready to continue tomorrow.”

José Ignacio Cornejo  11

“I made some navigation mistakes and lost around eight minutes. I am not happy about that, but that’s what it is. I will stay focused on climbing on the overall standings and keep fighting until the end. This is Dakar and I have to maintain my goal. ”

Adrien Van Beveren  42

“It was a good day, I caught Ross at kilometer 40 then I opened almost all the stage. I feel good and I feel fast on this terrain but when you open you always lose time. For sure I am doing my best every day and every minute and we will see how it goes.”

Due to the severe weather conditions afflicting Northern California, Round 2 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship originally scheduled for Saturday, January 14 at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, California is being rescheduled for Saturday, February 18, 2023. The safety of our athletes, teams, operational and television staff, and fans is always our foremost concern.

All original ticket purchases will be honored for the rescheduled date. Ticket purchasers can visit SupercrossLIVE for the most up to date information regarding this rescheduled event.

Round 3 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship will continue next Saturday, January 21 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.

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”.