Undoubtedly, the Dakar 2024 This is the most exciting edition in recent years in cars. This is clear in this stage 3, where any pre-established script is blown up in the face of the enormous equality that exists between all in an increasingly pressured Dakar in the lead, with the favorites alive in the fight for the crown with 9 episodes to go. career. A world.
In Dakar anything can happen, especially with so many chickens fighting at the front, without anyone completely breaking away from a big problem that leaves them with no options. No one wants to give up. No matter how difficult the start of the Dakar is. In the first stage, everyone suffered holes in the stones, and in this third, Loeb reduced the loss after a setback, Carlos saved a rollover and Al-Attiyah reached the finish line.. .with only three wheels! All the protagonists are saved from a great loss, and thus, the Dakar film appears more interesting than before.
After two periods of fame for Carlos, who topped the toughest test in the world on Sunday after a very difficult defense, a day later, this Monday, he Yazeed Al-Rajhi who showed his head to lead the Dakar from the Spaniard on a day where the Brazilian Lucas Moraes (Toyota), co-driven by the Catalan Armand Monleón won.
Al-Rajhi now reigns supreme in his country with just 29″ ahead of Carlos Sainz and 8’26” on Ekströmwho did not get success on the stage. Lucas Moraes is 4th at 9’17” and Nasser Al-Attiyah, in a difficult start to the Dakar for him, remains intact with his choices. The 5-time Dakar car champion, winner of the last two editions, is 10’49 behind the new leader. Meanwhile, Peterhansel refused to say goodbye, clocking 18’05” after opening the track on Monday. Then, there’s Serradori and Dumas, together Loeb 9th in 24’58” and young Seth Quintero in 10th place in 27’18”.
Loeb, the victim of the day
Exactly, one of the biggest losers of the day was Sébastien Loeb. The Frenchman seemed to suffer some problems in the section between kilometers 310 and 352, as he went from 6 minutes behind Nasser Al-Attiyah to being 18 minutes behind the Qatari at the penultimate waypoint. He finally crossed the finish line 13th in 23′ 41”. But don’t take him out of the fight. Make no mistake. Loeb will start 13th in the starting order this Tuesday in stage 4, a shorter and less difficult special, but the organization warns it will be very complicated in terms of navigation. Taking off, Loeb could fully enter the ointment.
Sainz bids his time
Carlos faced stage 3 leading the general classification with only a 1’51” margin on Al-Rajhi, but with options to gain time on Saudi and his main rivals, Loeb, Al-Attiyah and Peterhansel with a better starting position However, things did not start well for Carlos, as he lost 4’24 from De Mevius in his passage at kilometer 96 due to some navigational problems in the first part of the stage rocks and some sand.
Carlos lost almost 4 minutes in relation to Al-Rajhi, something that shook his lead in the general classification. And more than 3 minutes compared to Loeb and Al-Attiyah. ‘El Matador’ reacted with devilish speed, and by the middle of the special, he had turned the tables, bettering the time of Saudi and Frenchman Loeb, who remained two minutes behind Al-Attiyah.
He went on to fight for the stage, passing kilometer 310, 1’27” behind the day’s winner, Moraes. However, the Madrid native ended the day without completing that comeback, giving time with great fear It cost him a lot. Driving behind Ekström, in some dust, he got into a big hole and said he was about to flip. He had a puncture at that moment and had to stop, besides -car systems reset. He lost time, but he remains very close to the lead, and that’s the best news for Carlos after that disaster. Nobody agrees. Even Sainz. He loves his ‘touareg’.
De Mevius, missed the chance and Peterhansel was still there
The biggest loser of the day was De Mevius. The young Belgian had to make up for the time he lost on Sunday when the track opened, this time starting from a comfortable 19th place on the grid. He was flying and could even think of putting Sainz in trouble for the overall lead if he continued like this, but in the end he suffered some problems that caused him to lose more than 20 minutes.
For his part, ‘Monsieur’ Dakar, after winning his 50th stage in Dakar cars, saved the opportunity to open the track by losing 7’49” with respect to the winner, who remains at a reasonable distance from the overall lead.18’05 from Al-Rajhi.
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.
