Dakar Stage 12 (Friday) overview, outcomes | Toby Value leads

2023 Dakar Rally – Stage 12
Empty Quarter Marathon – Shaybah

Photos by Rally Zone

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Friday’s Stage 12 of the 2023 Dakar Rally proved an amazing one for Monster Vitality Honda Staff’s José Ignacio Cornejo, taking the general win, however as soon as once more the Aussie duo of Daniel Sanders and Toby Value claimed second and third on their GASGAS and KTM equipment respectively.

Just below a minute separated Cornejo and Sanders, and nearly two-minutes Cornejo and Value, with the stage that includes a 185 particular km of dunes and fast sand tracks, because the second a part of the marathon.

With solely two levels to go, the end result moved Toby Value into the general lead, now 28s away from Skyler Howes.

Toby Value – P3

“The marathon stage has gone effectively. I’ve to confess, I didn’t sleep that effectively yesterday, however I gave it my all on the market on the dunes. I wasn’t positive of the end result after I got here in to the end as we speak, nevertheless it appears like I’m again on high, main the race. It’s a very shut race proper now and even the smallest drawback may price you the win. My plan is to maintain on pushing over the subsequent two days and try to have some enjoyable.”

Chucky opened nearly the entire particular, which left wheel tracks within the dunes for his chasing rivals to comply with, clawing again extra time on the leaders to retain seventh general, however nonetheless needing to search out nearly 20-minutes within the remaining two levels to maneuver into the lead, or about 17-minutes for a high three place.

Daniel Sanders – P2

“Yeah, as we speak was fairly good really. It was a enjoyable stage and early on I caught up with Luciano Benavides. I had an honest tempo going so I stored that up and opened the stage all day. I’m comfortable to achieve the end line as we speak with it being the second leg of the marathon stage and I’m trying ahead to the ultimate two days.”

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José Ignacio Cornejo was the person of the day in the course of the second a part of the marathon stage on the Empty Quarter, taking the stage win.

José Ignacio Cornejo – P1

“Effectively as we speak I had stage, fairly stable. Felt fairly good on my Honda CRF 450 Rally and tried to push as a lot as I may. I had a variety of enjoyable within the dunes. I’ve gained a stage and that feels good, particularly for my confidence. This didn’t affect the general outcomes as a result of brief distances between all contenders, so I stored my eighth place. I’ll preserve preventing within the final two days as a result of that is Dakar and something can occur. ”every the end line as we speak with it being the second leg of the marathon stage and I’m trying ahead to the ultimate two days.”

Making for a KTM 3-4-5 behind Value have been Kevin Benavides and Matthias Walkner, 2m05s and 2m22s off the stage lead.

Matthias Walkner – P4

“It was a super-nice stage as we speak. Truthfully, the dunes right here within the Empty Quarter are actually, very nice. It was fairly intense, not so lengthy, however with all of the gentle sand you must push rather a lot and it’s nonetheless very bodily. As we journey extra right here it turns into simpler to guage and browse the terrain. Nacho (Cornejo) caught me as we speak and it was such good enjoyable using by means of the dunes collectively. With solely two days of the rally left now, my purpose is to easily have enjoyable, do my greatest, and attain the end line safely. I plan to take pleasure in it!”

Kevin Benavides – P5

“The marathon stage went rather well for me. Each halves have been made up largely of dunes, in order that they have been an actual problem, however good enjoyable to journey, too. At present I began a bit of additional again, so I attempted to maintain circulate by means of the dunes to make up a while with out making any large errors. I feel I did job, and I’ve bought begin place for tomorrow, which I feel can be a very decisive stage within the race.”

Skyler Howes  delivered one other cool, calculated journey in Saudi Arabia to finish stage 12 in sixth place and minimise his deficit to the provisional rally chief

Skyler Howes – P6

“A superb stage for me as we speak. The Empty Quarter actually does stay as much as its title – simply an limitless sea of dunes. It’s actually thrilling to enter the final couple of days with the race so shut. Each halves of the marathon stage went effectively – I feel I used to be capable of journey each days at , constant tempo. I used to be capable of protect myself and the bike with none points, which is tremendous essential. So now I’m trying forward on the final two levels of the race. Neither of them are very lengthy, so with issues so tight on the leaderboard, I actually suppose this battle goes to run proper as much as the end line.”

Pablo Quintanilla arrived in seventh place with a niche of 03m06s.

Pablo Quintanilla – P7

“To begin with I want to say that we’ve achieved the marathon stage with none issues in our Honda CRF 450 Rally. It was fairly arduous to cross the Empty Quarter and all of us succeeded. The terrain was tremendous arduous for the machines and for us. Completely happy to complete yet another day. The race just isn’t over but so let’s preserve the main focus.”

Sebastian Byhler was eighth, 3m08s off the lead and simply two-seconds behind Quintanilla, with Adrien Van Beveren ninth one other eight-seconds again.

Adrien Van Beveren – P9

“At present I began behind however didn’t have that a lot dunes to race. The stage was shorter and I went as quick as I may go. Dakar is rarely completed till you cross the road so let’s see what we are able to do. I’ll do my greatest till the final meter, that’s for positive!”

Ross Department rounded out the top-10 for the day, forward of Tosha Shareina, whereas Husqvarna rider Luciano Benavides was twelfth.

Luciano Benavides – P12

“Yesterday was an incredible stage for me. My third stage win on the Dakar and I actually had a variety of enjoyable racing by means of the desert, leaping off all of the dunes. Clearly as we speak I needed to open the stage, however I’m actually comfortable as I feel I did job and didn’t lose a lot time in any respect within the general. The stage was similar to yesterday, I simply needed to take further care to not make any navigation errors and I needed to give attention to studying the terrain effectively, too. I’ll get a little bit of relaxation now earlier than tomorrow, the place I’ve bought one other sturdy begin place, so one other push, and I hope to complete the day in a robust place.”

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Rankings after Dakar Stage 12

Australia’s Toby Value now leads the 2023 Dakar Rally after 12 levels, 28s away from Skyler Howes, with KTM teammate Kevin Benavides rounding out the highest three (+2m40s).

Honda’s Pablo Quintanilla and Adrien Van Beveren have been fourth and fifth, 15- and 16-minutes off the general lead, whereas Luciano Benavides and Daniel Sanders are separate by simply three-seconds in sixth and seventh, 20-minutes in arrears.

Jose Cornejo, Matthias Walkner and Mason Klein spherical out the top-10, with Klein having a tough Stage 12 run.

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Stage 13 Route

With solely two extra days to go, tomorrow it’s time for the thirteenth stage. There can be a really lengthy liaison of 520 km within the connection between Shaybah and Al-Hofuf. The particular part can be 153 km lengthy and this departure from the Empty Quarter will definitely be decisive. Will probably be the final probability to surf on its chain of dunes and in addition to combat for the highest standings. Will probably be a brief however fairly intense journey the place bodily and mechanical endurance can play an essential position.

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Stage 12 Highlights Video

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2023 Dakar Rally Stage 12 Outcomes

2023 Dakar Rally General After Stage 12

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2023 Dakar Rally Schedule

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