Dakar Stage 13 (Saturday) overview, outcomes | Worth leads by 12s

2023 Dakar Rally – Stage 13
Shaybah – Al-Hofuf

Photos by Rally Zone

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The penultimate stage of the 2023 Dakar Rally from Shaybah and Al-Hofuf featured a protracted 520 km liaison, with shorter 153 km particular part, with riders browsing the dunes for the final time, heading to the seaside tomorrow. Toby Worth retained his general lead within the rankings as soon as the outcomes have been collated, from arduous charging teammate and stage winner Kevin Benavides, with the Aussie’s lead – beforehand over Skyler Howes – narrowing.

Regardless of a small crash and a navigational error, Toby Worth completed in fifth, however with Benavides now transferring into second general, a mere 12 seconds behind, the race to the end line in Dammam on Sunday’s closing stage might be intense. As per the Dakar Rally guidelines, riders will set off in reverse order to the final standings tomorrow in a 153 km dash, which means Kevin might be second-to-last away, adopted by Toby.

Toby Worth – P5

“It’s been a busy day on the market as we speak. I caught the blokes in entrance at about km 90 and thought to myself, if I need to win this race, I’ve to be out entrance and seize that bonus just a little bit. I had a small crash the place I used to be centered on the highest of 1 dune, misplaced the entrance, and fell over. Then round km 130 we simply went barely too far proper and misplaced just a little time getting again on target. I actually pushed arduous all day, with the purpose to nonetheless be within the lead going into the ultimate day. I managed to do this, so I’m happy, nevertheless it’s nonetheless extremely tight on the high. Tomorrow actually goes to be a race to the end line, however I’ll give all of it I’ve and see the place we find yourself.”

Dakar additionally noticed Daniel Sanders as soon as once more assist to open the particular following his sturdy runner-up end yesterday, which the challenges that ensue, and completed the day in eleventh, retaining seventh general and lengthening his lead over eighth, however dropping time on the leaders.

Daniel Sanders – P11

“It was a reasonably difficult however fulfilling day up entrance as we speak. The dunes have been actually delicate which made it arduous to take care of a quick tempo whereas attempting to navigate, and between the waypoints there have been some massive gaps, which added to the problem. However I pushed on the perfect I might to not lose an excessive amount of time and I believe I did a reasonably good job. There have been undoubtedly a number of shut calls on the market however that’s all a part of the enjoyable of using by the dunes!”

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Kevin Benavides endured a tricky stint within the desert, setting off fifth, the 2021 Dakar winner knew the penultimate stage of the occasion would supply the perfect probability to make up floor on teammate, rival, and general rally chief Toby Worth. Nonetheless, at round 55 km into the particular, Kevin reached Matthias Walkner who had crashed.

Staying together with his fellow Pink Bull KTM racer till the medical crew arrived value Benavides round 23 minutes. After rejoining the race Kevin pushed arduous for the end, making up good time within the course of. After having the misplaced minutes returned to him, Benavides topped the stage by a good 27 seconds – sufficient to provisionally transfer him up into second within the general standings.

Kevin Benavides – P1

“It’s all the time a troublesome day while you see somebody has had a crash, and it’s worse when it’s your teammate. I stayed with Matthias till assist arrived and though he was in some ache, he then informed me to hold on. I pushed arduous for the remainder of the stage, nevertheless it’s difficult to focus after seeing one thing like that. To win the stage is wonderful, and to be second general and so near Toby is much more of a shock. With sooner or later left all I can do is attempt my finest and the outcomes might be determined on the end line.”

Michael Docherty was second, adopted by Luciano Benavides, who was initially quickest throughout the end line, however a one-minute penalty dropped the quantity 77 to second, which was then corrected to 3rd place after Luciano’s brother Kevin was rewarded time misplaced for aiding a fallen rider, adopted by Adrien Van Beveren.

Luciano Benavides – P3

“The stage was good – round 150 km of dunes. I had a small crash close to the start, presumably from pushing just a little too arduous. However after that, I discovered my rhythm and was capable of push once more. Halfway by the stage I noticed Matthias (Walkner) on the bottom with the helicopter. Clearly, I hope the whole lot is comfortable with him and need him a speedy restoration. After that, I carried on to the end and assume I did job. It wasn’t fairly sufficient to win the stage, however I’m pleased with how I rode.”

Adrien Van Beveren – P4

“I pushed loads firstly after which I jumped actually excessive in a dune and that was like a joker. It was type of scary. I used to be attempting to go quick however secure on the identical time however that was not simple, as a result of many drops within the dunes. General we’re in the identical place. I believe that is my finest Dakar, with a really stable efficiency. There’s nonetheless another day to go so let’s battle till the top.”

Toby Worth raced to fifth, forward of Romain Dumontier, whereas Skyler Howes was the sixth rider by the gate for the morning and maintained a robust tempo to the end, regardless of a few errors alongside the way in which, ending seventh, two-seconds away from Pablo Quintanilla.

Skyler Howes – P7

“Effectively, I undoubtedly gave my all as we speak – I pushed proper from the beginning as arduous as I might. After I noticed that Walkner had crashed, it affected my focus just a little bit. There have been some actually massive dunes as we speak, I had massive jumps off the highest of them myself, too. That was a little bit of a deciding issue, I actually wished to push and attempt to get the win, however I need to guarantee that I can full the race as nicely. I missed one waypoint in a while, and that meant circling round to select it up, so I misplaced just a little little bit of time there. I’m nonetheless within the battle for the win, and I’ve to be tremendous pleased with how this race as gone up so far. I can by no means look again and say I didn’t attempt my finest. I’m wanting ahead to tomorrow, it’s going to be a brief however quick stage with little scope to make up time I believe, so the purpose is to get my Husqvarna to the end line in a single piece and hopefully in place.”

Pablo Quintanilla – P8

“This was a fairly enjoyable stage to journey, with many dunes. I used to be using with rhythm from the start and general it was stage. Yet another day to go and I do know I gave the whole lot in every stage, so that’s the means I plan to maintain till the final km.”

Tosha Shcareina and Ross Department rounded out the highest 10 for the day, adopted by Sanders, then Sebastian Buhler, Franco Caimi and Jose Cornejo, with Jacob Argubright fifteenth.

José Ignacio Cornejo – P14

“I knew this was going to be a troublesome day, as a result of I needed to open the stage. We misplaced a while like regular, I did the perfect I might so it was not so dangerous. I used to be feeling good and I’m glad all my teammates might additionally return safely to the bivouac. Now let’s proceed and provides all we will within the final stage.”

Matthias Walkner got here into stage 13 wanting to impress as soon as once more. Sadly, a crash on the km 55 mark introduced an finish to his stage and his rally. The Austrian suffered trauma to his decrease again and has been airlifted to hospital in Dammam for additional checks.

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Rankings after Dakar Stage 13

2021 Dakar champion Kevin Benavides is just 12 seconds behind Australian Toby Worth with one stage to go, one thing that has by no means occurred earlier than within the Dakar. At this stage of the race in 2014, Peterhansel led Roma by a relatively comfy 26 seconds. The earlier file within the motorcycle class had been set not too way back. In 2019, Pablo Quintanilla began 1′02″ behind… Toby Worth himself.

The Australian romped to victory in Lima, taking his second title after his success in 2016. So as to add damage to insult, the Chilean, using a Husqvarna, ended up sore after he pancaked into the bottom from a dune bounce. Barring crew orders within the Austrian clan, a 153 km dash will unfold tomorrow, maybe resulting in the narrowest margin of victory within the historical past of the Dakar.

Behind the main KTM duo is Skyler Howes, 1m31s off the lead, and 14-minutes away from fourth positioned Adrien Van Beveren, providing some respiration room for the highest three.

Pablo Quintanilla and Luciano Benavides are 15m59s and 18m29s off the lead, adopted by Daniel Sanders in seventh, now 22m34s off main tempo.

Jose Cornejo, Lorenzo Santolino and Franco Caimi full the top-10 general.

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Stage 14 Route (Remaining)

The final stage of this yr’s Dakar Rally will full the journey across the purple sea, main the caravan to the shores of the Arabian Gulf in Dammam. There might be a liaison of 270 km from Al-Hofuf and a particular part 136 km lengthy – an unusually quick seaside part earlier than reaching the ultimate podium ceremony that celebrates all finishers of this nice journey. Tomorrow there might be a reverse begin, which means the slowest will open and the highest contenders shut the stage.

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Stage 13 Highlights Video

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2023 Dakar Rally Stage 13 Outcomes (Provisional)

2023 Dakar Rally General After Stage 13 (Provisional)

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2023 Dakar Rally Schedule

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