The organization announced the death of Paulo Gonçalves after a fall
MADRID, 12 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish driver Carlos Sainz (Mini) won the seventh stage of the Dakar Rally in cars, played over 546 kilometers timed between Riyadh and Wadi Al Dawasir, and opened a gap with respect to his rivals in the general classification, while his compatriot Joan Barreda (Honda) beat on motorcycles during a day of mourning for the death of the Portuguese Paulo Gonçalves, because of a fall.
A few kilometers from the end of the route designed for motorcycles, the organization of the rally made the death of Gonçalves official at age 40. Despite being evacuated by helicopter to the hospital of Layla, the Portuguese team Hero MotoSports could not recover from the cardiorespiratory arrest he had suffered after his accident, at the height of kilometer 276 of the special of the day.
In total, 741 kilometers were covered to sign the longest stage of this edition, which will no longer only be remembered for its premiere in Saudi Arabia. Gonçalves lost his life during a stage that Barreda claimed after having mastered his route perfectly. The Spaniard took 4:37:45 to cross the finish line in first position, followed by Austrian Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM) at 2:54.
The Argentine Luciano Benavides, at 3:25 of the winner, finished in third place and surpassed in just 4 seconds the American Ricky Brabec, who is leading the general classification with 24:48 and 27:01 away, respectively, over Chileans Pablo Quintanilla and José Ignacio Cornejo Florimo.
Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz completed a great performance in the car category. The Madrid driver finished at 4:16:11, ahead of the record made by Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota) at 4:18:23; Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel (Mini), who had left before the two of them, did not save the differential although at least he was third (4:19:04).
In the general table of this Dakar 2020, Sainz continues as a leader thanks to his time of 27:49:14. This good result in Wadi Al Dawasir worked to increase its distance, since Al-Attiyah and Peterhansel themselves go second and third, respectively, at 10:00 and 19:13.
Also the Spanish Fernando Alonso (Toyota) finished in sixth place of the stage, at 7:49 of the winner, and left positive feelings. Regarding the accumulated classification, the Asturian driver occupies the fifteenth position, 3:26:02 behind Sainz.