The Madrid driver closes a round participation and equals Al-Attiyah in triumphs, with Fernando Alonso, thirteenth
Ricky Brabec ends Honda drought with Barreda seventh
MADRID, Jan. 17 (SportsFinding) –
The Spanish rider Carlos Sainz (Mini) has conquered the Dakar Rally for the third time in his career after the dispute this Friday of the last stage, a special of 167 kilometers timed between Haradh and Qiddiya, while the American Ricky Brabec (Honda) has won his first motorcycle title.
After proclaiming himself champion in 2010 and 2018, Sainz, always with his co-driver Lucas Cruz, rounded off his triplet, controlling perfectly the last day, which he faced with ten minutes of advantage over Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini) and Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota), and confirming that he has been the best in this first edition of the rally in Saudi Arabia.
At 57, the double WRC world champion (1990 and 1992) continues to expand his enormous record and show that neither age nor successes are at odds with ambition. Its versatility has also been well demonstrated, since it has won the Dakar with three different brands: Volkswagen, Peugeot and now Mini.
His third wound in the Dakar leaves two of Marc Coma, the Spaniard with more titles (motorcycle champion in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2014 and 2015), and matches him with riders like Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota), who Another year has been his main rival. Sainz has played thirteen editions of the Dakar, has finished seven and won three, although this year has perhaps been when he has exhibited more control and regularity.
With four stages in his loot, he was the leader in the third stage and no longer gave up his privileged position despite the enormous pressure of two specialists such as Al-Attiyah and Peterhansel, 'Monsieur Dakar', the man of the 13 titles. Both were demonstrated their gentlemanly sportsmanship by being the first to shoulder it as soon as they crossed the finish line.
The two applicants began the last day more than ten minutes from first place and, if they already had little hope, it did not help that the stage was cut in half. Al-Attiyah finally won his first stage, but could not cut even four minutes to Madrid, who was sixth and finished with a total time of 42 hours, 59 minutes and 17 seconds over twelve stages. The Arab did 6:21 more and Peterhansel was third at 9:58.
ALONSO, THIRTEENTH AND SATISFIED WITH HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE
Behind, Fernando Alonso (Toyota) also leaves more than satisfied with Saudi Arabia. While still waiting for a good opportunity to return to Formula 1, the Spaniard faced his first participation in the toughest raid in the world almost blindly, but his talent on any vehicle and the help of an expert like Marc Coma have allowed him to finish in thirteenth final position.
Overcome the 'hazing' of the second day, where he lost more than two and a half hours by an accident with a rock that made planning the possibility of abandonment, Alonso was improving day by day and found himself much more comfortable on the dunes that marked the Second week of the race. He even dreamed of the victory in the eighth stage, where he was second to four minutes of the winner Mathieu Serradori.
Nor did he stop his spectacular turnaround on the second to last day, when he took two bells when he fell with a dune. He continued rolling without the front moon and ended up happy to live another “adventure”, the word that has been heard most these days and that suggests new attempts in the future.
On the other hand, the cross went to Nani Roma (Borgward), second in 2019 and that this year has lived an ordeal to finish twenty-third at almost seven hours from Sainz, and for Isidre Esteve (Repsol Rally Team), which for the first time in his five editions with an adapted car had to leave.
Meanwhile, Óscar Fuertes (26th, Ssangyong), Jesús Calleja (34th, Toyota), Cristina Gutiérrez (45th, Mitsubishi) and Joan Fonta (56th, Toyota) also completed the Saudi odyssey, with special mention for the Burgos, He has finished his four participations.
BRABEC TOUCH THE GLORY FOR THE FIRST TIME
If Sainz was a very solid leader in cars, Ricky Brabec exercised that same role in the motorcycle category, placing himself at the head of the classification on the third day and at all times driving an even wider advantage to conquer the first Dakar of his career and the first for its brand since 1989.
In his four previous participations, the American had only managed to finish one -nove in 2016-, but this time he showed that he arrived with the lesson learned to make good the words he spoke just before the Dakar: “I know I will win soon” .
Two stage wins were enough to manage advantages always above 20 minutes over his rivals, who were helpless to disturb him. Finally, Brabec took 16 Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) and 24 Australian Toby Price (KTM), who gave up his crown.
As for the Spanish representation, Joan Barreda (Honda) signed the only national victory of this year and came to dream about the final podium, but ended up weighing too much his ballast of the fourth stage, when he lost 17 minutes. He was finally seventh, the third 'Top 10' of his career, so fifth place in 2017 is still his best result.
A total of 12 Spaniards finished on two wheels and for the tenth year the champion in the women's category was Laia Sanz (GasGas). Ten completions in ten participations for the Catalan and eighteenth place in a bitter edition that has openly criticized for its danger and claimed a fatality.
Paulo Gonçalves, who disputed his thirteenth Dakar, suffered an accident in the seventh stage and when the medical helicopter arrived he lay unconscious with a respiratory stop. The death of the Portuguese pilot was the sad note of the first Dakar in Saudi Arabia, where the test will be held for at least four more years, according to the agreement signed between the country and the organizing company ASO.