The fight is for him Victory in Dakar 2023 on motorcycles it is exciting. Among the many leading groups formed from the start of a dozen aspirants to the throne, by natural selection, in a race that is very fast, with a very difficult first week, with two stages to go, there are only three remaining breakaways that all face contention in the final sprint towards the title of Dakar 2023. Between them, each day is a constant give and take, with a daily change of leader. They all attack like there’s no tomorrow and this causes daily changes in the overall classification, but keeps a little difference between them no matter what. No one gets an acceleration and leaves their rivals. This is how Price, the new leader, Howes and Benavides will compete in the Dakar in the final two days.
The proof is in what happened in the last few days: Howes led the general classification after stage 9 with Price 3 seconds behind and Benavides 5′ behind. Benavides then took the lead on stage 10. Howes took over after stage 11, until the end fall to the first position on the Australian KTM after the dispute in the second part of the marathon stage this Friday. The Chilean José Ignacio Cornejo won the 12th roundbut all attention is on the fierce battle contested by the three chosen for this year’s race: Price, 2016 and 2019 champion leads with Skyler Howes by 28 seconds and Kevin Benavides, 2021 champion, by 2’40”. The three big favorites for the title are stuck with two days to go.
The battle for the scepter is held between ‘brothers’. Price, leader, commanded the KTM duo with his teammate Benavides in the Top-3. Meanwhile, Howes will defend the honor of Husqvarna, a brand owned by KTM and under its umbrella. The bike is the same, only the colors change. What is clear is that for the business group led by the Austrian firm, the first objective, to reach the final match with good options, is more than achieved and they are already rubbing their hands when they see that there is no Honda the one in that tight final. against 3.
In this way, it seems clear that the motorcycle title will not be decided until the last day of the race. This Saturday stage 13 will take place, from Shaybah to Al-Hofufwith only 154 km of special, in what seems to be the last time they will need to attack the second group of drivers with options.
Pablo Quintanilla, as the first Honda overall in fourth position, will have to go all out and play it hard, risking this stage 13 if he wants to get close to the fight on the final day. The Chilean is 14’54” behind the leader and his options are very complicated. It is more difficult for your partner Honda Adrien Van Beverenat 16’14”, or Luciano Benavides, who is in 20′ from the lead and in sixth position, he will be looking for a Top-5 finish to put the icing on the cake for his excellent Dakar after achieving three stages of success.
Santolino, closer to the Top-10
Lawrence Santolino, In the middle of the fight for the Top-10 overall, he gave up more than 3 minutes compared to Matthias Walknerbut Mason Klein sank, losing 25’49” and taking the shine off his great Dakar. As a result, Klein dropped to tenth place and Lorenzo was just over 7 minutes from that spot. The man from Salamanca Sherco He will try everything in these last two days.
For his part, the Valencian Tosha Schareina He again showed his great speed, finishing in 11th place, 3’59” off the lead.
Classification stage 12, motorcycles:
Temporarily
1. (CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 01H 57′ 27”
2. (AU) DANIEL SANDERS
RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING 01H 58′ 16”
+ 00H 00′ 49”
3. (AUS) TOBY PRICE
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING 01H 59′ 25”
+00H01’58”
4.(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNER
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
+00H 02’05”
5. (ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDES
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
+00H 02’22”
6. (USA) SKYLER HOWES
HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+00H02’54”
7. (CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLA
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM
+00H 03’06”
8. (DEU) SEBASTIAN BUHLER
HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY
+00H 03’08”
9. (FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM
+ 00H 03′ 16”
10. (BWA) ROSS BRANCH
HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY
+00H 03’21”
11. (ENG) TOSHA SCHAREINA
BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM
+00H03’59”
12. (ARG) LUCIANO BENAVIDES
HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+00H 04’20”
18. (ENG) LORENZO SANTOLINO
SHERCO FACTORY 0
+00H05’48”
The
29. (ENG) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA
TEAM LS2 SHAD
+00H 14’03”
General motorcycle classification:
Temporarily, after episode 12
1. (AUS) TOBY PRICE
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
00H 01’00”
2. (USA) SKYLER HOWES
HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 00′ 28” 00H 01′ 00”
3. (ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDES
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 02′ 40” 00H 03′ 00”
4. (CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLA
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM
+ 00H 14′ 54” 00H 02′ 00”
5. (FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM
+00H 16′ 14”
6. (ARG) LUCIANO BENAVIDES
HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 20’00”
7. (AU) DANIEL SANDERS
RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING
+ 00H 20′ 03” 00H 04′ 00”
8. (CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM
+00H 23′ 14”
9. (AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNER
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING
+00H 44′ 24”
10. (USA) MASON KLEIN
BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM
+ 00H 54′ 58” 00H 04′ 00”
11. (ENG) LORENZO SANTOLINO
SHERCO FACTORY
+ 01H 02′ 22”
12. (ARG) FRANCO CAIMI
HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY
+ 01H 25′ 01”
13. (CZE) MARTIN MICHEK
ORION – MOTORCYCLE RACING GROUP
+ 01H 25′ 54”
14. (SVK) STEFAN SVITKO
SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM
+ 01H 34′ 34”
15. (ENG) TOSHA SCHAREINA
BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM
+ 01H 47′ 33”
The
23. (ENG) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA
TEAM LS2 SHAD
+ 03H 56′ 51”
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
