Lorenzo Santolino wins his first Dakar stage on motorcycles!

He Dakarsometimes it gives you, and other times, it pays you. It is a beautiful and cruel race at the same time. But when he shows you his best version, the ecstasy is maximum. Let them ask questions Lorenzo Santolinowho against all odds, won against the main favourites, who on paper rode a better motorcycle, to win the arrival of the caravan of Dakar to Al Henakiyah.

Lorenzo Santolino won stage 3 of the Dakar, giving a surprise behind him Sherco in a day of 327 km time, shortened for safety reasons due to storms that will hit the route.

The pilot from Salamanca 37 years He has experienced the bitterest part of the race several times, as was the case last year. He arrived in his best shape, after building the bike, prepared to fulfill the goal of fighting for an overall Top-5 where he wants to improve his result in 2021, when he was 6th. However, in the second stage, the engine of your Sherco He said enough for a problem and had to go home empty-handed after so much work and with great disappointment.

A year later, he wants to finish the job after perfecting his bike. With less time on the sands than officers of super structures like KTM and sling bag, Lorenzo came with that goal of Top-5without settling for anything, with many ambitions but our feet on the ground. And the bell came on the third day, just after a killer stage 2 physical and psychological torture for everyone.

In stage 3, from Bisha to Al HenakiyahSantolino took advantage of his delayed starting position, starting 11th. On a stage full of rocky terrain, he took advantage of the first to clear the track and knew how to set enough speed when it was time to open the track to win by 1’21” in Cox and 4’01” in current Dakar Champion, Ricky Brabec.

He raised his hands looking to the sky at the end of the special. He dedicated it to his mother, who died in 2021 after succumbing to an illness. Exactly, that year, Santolino conquered the Top-6. Now he will go for the Top-5, although to do this he will have to be strong and also opening the track in stage 4, the first part of the marathon stage.

Perhaps some of the favorites did not want to be pushed so as not to open the track before the marathon stage (4 and 5), a stage where the pilots had no mechanical assistance at the end of the first part. But whatever happened, Lorenzo seized the opportunity to sign Sherco’s first victory in the modern Dakar era, in Saudi Arabia.

Schareina cut the Dakar tough and tough on motorcycles

Valencian Tosha Schareina, who started the day in fourth place overall in 12’48”, lost 10 minutes compared to the stage winner, but shaved 4 and a half minutes off the overall leader, Daniel Sanders, who was able to pay dearly to open the special Sanders won everything so far, the prologue stage and the first two specials but the Australian lost a lot between the penultimate and penultimate waypoint (a point that should (they can find by following the roadbook to continue).This is a navigation error, as many other pilots, such as Tosha Schareina, have also given up in that area.

After the dispute in stage 3, Daniel Sanders continued to lead, although his 12-minute advantage in the general classification was greatly reduced. The KTM rider now has Skyler Howes (Honda) at 1’57”, with the current world champion and Dakar runner-up, Ross Branch, in third position at 2’05”, and the current champion, Ricky Brabec, at fourth position. at 4’21”.

Schareina is now fifth, 8’17”, in the lead and in a very good starting position to try to attack the marathon stage (4 and 5) to start presenting her candidacy for the throne.

Edgar Canet, more leader in Rally2

Edgar Canet continued to shine, without mistakes and with incredible speed for a debutant. The official KTM rider continued his studies and made it flying, again among the best, finishing inside the Top-10 of the stage. The La Garriga rider finished ninth, 05’31” behind the day’s winner and 12th in the overall motorcycle category, 44’59” behind the leader.

In Rally2, his priority, Edgar Canet leads the silver category after increasing his advantage over Docherty to 05 minutes and 45 seconds, with Tobias Ebster in 09’26”.