“The league is won on small fields,” it is often said. In those games where, with the stakes at the top and a very high team ahead, you will be able to fight, struggle, to emerge victorious. That football simile is perfect to understand what Carlos Sainz did this Sunday. The Spaniard lost 17’15” with respect to the day’s winner, his teammate Stéphane ‘Monsieur’ Peterhansel, who added to his legend by equaling the record of 50 stage victories of the legendary Ari Vatanen, and his other rivals. Cut him. But despite this goal, on a day when he knew he had to give up, he managed to defend himself to reach the finish line as the new leader of Dakar 2024.
After his great stage 1, where he excelled in the face of the suffering of his great opponents. Nasser, Peterhansel, Loeb, Quintero and Al-Rajhi have license to attack with a delayed starting position. For his part, Carlos has always had the difficult task of getting out early. He did it from second place, just ahead of the inexperienced Guillaume De Mevius. It is a given that the Belgian, a ‘rookie’ in the premier class, will not be long until Carlos catches him. The man from Madrid has to quickly manage the situation to lead the navigation of another phase with many rocks. The key is to avoid holes that will waste a lot of time. And above all, do not suffer a major navigation error that could lead to an own goal. The pressure is maximum. Both Carlos and his co-pilot Lucas Cruz knew that their rivals would go with the knife between their teeth, to draw blood. They cannot afford to fail.
(Advance)
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.
