Sanders crashes out of Dakar Rally contention and Al-Attiyah reclaims car lead
Bisha, Saudi Arabia — The Dakar Rally took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as front-runner Daniel Sanders crashed out of motorbike title contention, while Nasser Al-Attiyah reclaimed the car lead in the Saudi desert.
Sanders suffered a broken left collarbone and sternum while jumping a dune 138 kilometers into the 368-kilometer second half of a marathon stage to Bisha. Despite continuing on, his pace slowed significantly, and his overnight lead evaporated within 30 kilometers. The defending champion ultimately finished 28 minutes behind stage 10 winner Adrien van Beveren’s Honda, dropping from first overall to fourth place, more than 17 minutes behind the new leader.
With Sanders out of the title race, the focus shifted to a battle between Ricky Brabec and Luciano Benavides for the motorbike title. The American rider Brabec, who has previously won the Dakar in 2020 and 2024, was closely trailed by Benavides, setting the stage for an intense final showdown over the remaining stages.
In the car category, Al-Attiyah put on a masterful performance in the sandy conditions, finishing second to stage winner Mathieu Serradori. The Qatari driver now has his sights set on a sixth Dakar triumph, as he aims to extend his lead over his closest competitors.
Despite the challenging conditions, several top contenders faced setbacks during the stage. The Fords of Nani Roma, Carlos Sainz, and Mattias Ekström encountered various issues, with Roma losing his way, Sainz making navigation errors, and Ekström suffering mechanical problems.
Reflecting on his performance, Roma commented, “I’m knackered, my back hurts, I suffered a lot today. But that’s part of the game.” Additionally, Toyota’s Henk Lategan ran out of fuel and made a navigation error, further adding to the drama of the day.
Al-Attiyah’s strong showing propelled him to the top of the overall standings, with a significant lead over his nearest rivals. As the competition heats up, all eyes will be on the remaining stages to see who will emerge victorious in this grueling test of skill and endurance.
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