Department Wins Stage 10, Kevin Benavides Takes General Lead

The 2023 Dakar Rally riders began Stage 10 in advantageous kind, with Luciano Benavides taking the road first since he received Stage 9 yesterday. Though Stage 10 is brief in kilometers, as anybody conversant in the game can let you know, each a type of 114 kilometers of this stage counts. Shorter by no means equates to simpler, besides possibly for whoever’s drawing the route line on a map. Using it’s a very completely different story. 

By the primary checkpoint at kilometer 39, Adrien Van Beveren provisionally had the quickest time, with Kevin Benavides 5 seconds behind him. The third-fastest racer by way of the checkpoint, Franco Caimi, was a full 54 seconds behind Van Beveren’s time. By the point Mason Klein and Daniel Sanders (each of whom began outdoors the highest 20) managed to submit the seventh and tenth quickest occasions, respectively, at kilometer 29. Nonetheless, as extra racers come by way of, timing can change—and sure, that’s foreshadowing. 

By kilometer 60, Van Beveren was nonetheless main the pack, adopted carefully by Michael Docherty, Kevin Benavides, and Pablo Quintanilla. How shut had been they at this level? Official timing had them at lower than a minute aside throughout all 4 racers. 

The factor about staggered begins is that you just’re racing towards time—and setting one of the best time you possibly can to the subsequent checkpoint is admittedly all that issues. Thus, the 2023 Dakar Rally Stage 10 winner ended up being Ross Department, who began manner again in twenty eighth place. Though he wasn’t in line to scoop up any of the stage opener time bonuses that the principles are awarding in 2023, he was in a position to capitalize on the tracks of the racers forward of him—and managed to comb by way of with the quickest time of all at every checkpoint alongside the best way. When all was stated and performed, he completed an unimaginable 21 seconds forward of Adrien Van Beveren. 

This marked Department’s second 2023 Dakar stage victory, in addition to Hero MotoSports’ third-ever Dakar stage victory within the historical past of the crew. Department is not in rivalry for the general 2023 Dakar Rally title, resulting from earlier technical difficulties throughout the occasion. Nonetheless, it has to really feel extremely good to have received one other stage. 

We additionally acquired an replace on Joan Barreda’s situation after his crash on Stage 9. After an intensive examination on the hospital, it was decided that he’d fractured his second lumbar vertebra, and is formally out of the 2023 Dakar Rally.  

Bear in mind how Mason Klein misplaced his highway ebook sooner or later throughout Stage 9? His technique after that occurred was to attempt to keep near the racer instantly forward of him, which was Adrien Van Beveren. Sadly, he was using a little bit too shut, and about 20 kilometers from the top, precipitated a crash between the 2 riders. Fortunately, each riders had been OK to proceed and end the stage. 

Listed below are the Stage 10 high 10 rider standings from the 2023 Dakar Rally: 

After Stage 10, the general 2023 Dakar Rally rankings have modified. Kevin Benavides now sits on high, with Skyler Howes falling to second place. Howes’ total time is one minute and 29 seconds behind that of Benavides. Toby Value now sits in third, with a time that’s two minutes and 10 seconds down from Benavides. 4 phases stay within the 2023 Dakar Rally, so we’ll simply have to observe and see what occurs subsequent.