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Video: Toby Price starts commanding the Dakar 2020 while Joan Barreda gives up almost eight minutes in the first stage
2024 Author: Nicholas Abramson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-10 16:41
The reigning Dakar motorcycle champion has started in top form. Toby Price has won the first stage of the 2020 edition, the one that linked Jeddah with Al Wajh. The Australian has dominated smoothly, although the distances are still too small to be able to draw any clear conclusions.
The positive surprise has been the good performance of Ricky Brabec, the American Honda rider who came to the Dakar with a lower profile but has so far placed second on the first stage. Brabec has only allowed 2:05 minutes with Price, so the difference is still minimal. We'll see if he can hold out for the rest of the rally.
All favorites remain with their options intact
The one that has cost a little more is Joan Barreda. The HRC headliner theorist has yielded 7:52 minutes in the first stage, a totally rectifiable difference. In fact, Barreda may have bigger goals in mind and went out to insure in these early stages. The big differences will be marked later.
Of course, what is clear is that this Dakar is going to be a total challenge between KTM and Honda. In the first seven positions there are three motorcycles of each brand. Only Pablo Quintanilla sneaks in between with the Husqvarna, who finished sixth at 5:36 minutes of Price's time. The Chilean will fight, but it will be very difficult against the two great structures.
The third of the stage has been Matthias Walkner, who has yielded 2:40 with respect to his teammate. Meanwhile the fourth has been the Argentine from Honda, Kevin Benavides, yielding already 4:31. Also good performance from his brother, Luciano Benavides, who finished eighth, just behind Joan Barreda.
Sam Sunderland, also a Dakar winner and an important member of the KTM empire, finished fifth, 5:15 behind Price. In any case, the differences are only beginning to be marked, but for the moment they are unimportant. All the big favorites to the final victory continue with their options intact.
What yes It seems to be confirmed is that Yamaha is far from at the level of the favorites. The best bike of the tuning forks has been Adrien Van Beveren's, tenth and almost ten minutes behind Price's time. Xavier De Soultrait, the other Yamaha, has already gone to thirteenth place, in a stage that has been somewhat faster than expected.
For his part Laia Sanz has been the second best Spanish in the Saudi Arabian arena. The GasGas has finished twenty-first, at 23:45 minutes from Price's time. At the moment it seems that Sanz is not going to be in the fight for the top positions, and his goal is to finish the Dakar and take advantage of sailing.
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