Cycle News Staff | January 17, 2020
Get daily updates on the 2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results. The 2020 Dakar Rally runs from January 5 to January 17th in Saudi Arabia.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Race Highlights
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage 12
Californian Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team) has claimed overall victory in the 2020 Dakar Rally, becoming the first American to achieve the feat and ending KTM’s 18-year Dakar winning streak.
Ricky Brabec brings home the gold for Team Honda and the USA in the 2020 Dakar Rally.
Brabec finished second on the final stage to Honda teammate Jose Ignacio Cornejo on today’s stage by 53 seconds, but it was enough to give him a comfortable 16:26s victory over Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Pablo Quintanilla, with two-time Dakar champion, Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price, third in the overall standings.
The win is redemption for Brabec, who was leading the 2019 race until he retired with a broken motor.
“It’s a dream come true,” Brabec said at the finish. “Hopefully we can come back next year and repeat it. I know that it’s not going to be easy as the Husky and KTM boys will be breathing down our necks. I’m really excited to be here for Honda and for America as well. To be the only American to accomplish this goal is amazing. I think it’s really a dream come true. Now we’ve got to set our goals higher and accomplish more.”
After crashing on the final stage of the 2019 rally, Pablo Quintanilla made amends with second overall in 2020.
Quintanilla’s second place was the result of a solid second half of the rally, where the Chilean took two stage wins to move ahead of Price in the overall.
“I feel amazing,” said Quintanilla. “To spend most of 2019 in recovery and now to be here with my best ever result makes me extremely grateful. I never thought that I would be in this position at the beginning of the race. A podium at the Dakar is like a dream come true, especially after such a hard one this year. I still want that win so I’ll work hard and be back next year.”
Andrew Short came home 10th overall in his third Dakar Rally.
Quintanilla’s teammate Andrew Short came home 10th on stage 12 to finish his third Dakar in 10th overall, one place behind the impressive Skyler Howes (KLYMCIW Racing Husqvarna).
“I’m really happy to get to the end of this year’s Dakar—it’s been a long race, good fun, but very tough for me, I had a lot of challenges,” Short said. “The first week in the north was beautiful – I’ve never raced anywhere like it. I had some issues in those first few days that really put me on the back foot for the rest of the event. It took a lot out of me as you prepare all year for this race and to have such a big knock so early on was tough. This is only my third Dakar and I’m still learning. A two-week event like this is certainly different to a one-week world championship event and you have to be able to gauge your speed the whole way through. I definitely want to be back here next year for Dakar 2021.”
Kyle McCoy (BAS Dakar KTM Racing) placed 60th outright after taking 58th on the final stage of the rally.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage 12
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage 12)
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Pablo Quintanilla took the honors on Stage 11 of the 2020 Dakar Rally, nearly halving the gap to long-time race leader Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team), who took 10th on the stage, some 11:48s off the Husqvarna rider.
Pablo Quintanilla made a massive dent in Ricky Brabec’s lead on the penultimate stage. Now, just like last year, it’s full send mode for the Chilean on the final stage.
Made up of long, fast open pistes and tall desert dunes, the stage proved to be not only fast but also extremely demanding on the riders and their machines, with many coming close to running out of fuel midway through the stage. Quintanilla slugged it out at the front of the stage with Red Bull KTM rider Matthias Walkner, who was leading the Chilean by a single second by the 324 km mark. But Quintanilla fought back in the final run to the stage flag to take a nine-second win, reducing Brabec’s overall advantage to 13:56s with one stage left to run. Third on today’s stage was the fourth Red Bull KTM entry of Luciano Benavides.
“Honestly, the stage was really tough today—all off-piste and very fast,” Quintanilla said. “I felt good and was able to push as hard as I could. Overall, I’m really happy with my race and to be in this position going into the final day. After (some) difficult months I have had coming back from injury, it feels great to be here and second overall going into tomorrow. As always I will give my all and we’ll see what will happen.”
Walkner put up a strong challenge to the charging Quintanilla but came up nine seconds short.
Brabec started the stage in second behind teammate Joan Barreda, with the two lead riders both losing considerable amounts of time to their competitors. Nevertheless, Brabec is in the box seat to secure his and the USA’s first-ever victory in the Dakar Rally, with one stage left to run tomorrow from Haradh and Qiddiyah. A 374 km special which will feature a 20 km Qiddiya Trophy GP, obligatory for the riders who finish on the final podium of this edition of the Dakar, although the result will have no effect on the final standings of the rally.
Luciano Benavides put in a solid performance for Red Bull KTM in third on Stage 11.
“There’s one stage left,” Brabec said. “The team is working well. I’m pretty excited, but I can’t get my hopes up right now. Stage 11 here in the dunes was pretty tough. Starting up front due so it was really hard to judge the time. Tomorrow there is one stage left and I’m in a good starting position. I’m confident to be focused and make it to the finish line.”
Brabec knows he just needs to keep his head on the final stage to make history for the USA.
Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price took fifth on today’s stage, cementing his third place overall on the podium as former position holder, Joan Barreda, could only manage 11th in the dunes today.
Quintanilla’s teammate Andrew Short took eighth on Stage 11, placing him 10th overall heading into tomorrow’s final day. Skyler Howes (KLYMCIW Racing Husqvarna) placed 21st on stage for ninth overall, and Kyle McCoy took 62nd on Stage 11 for 61st overall.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage 11
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage 11)
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage 10
The Monster Energy Honda Team completed a whitewash of the podium in Stage 10 of the 2020 Dakar Rally, with Spaniard Joan Barreda taking the spoils from teammates Ricky Brabec and Kevin Benavides.
Barreda finally captured a stage victory on the 2020 Dakar on Stage 10, besting teammates Brabec and Benavides.
The HRC was in scintillating form, with the nearest non-Honda coming in the form of defending Dakar champion, Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price, 2:57s off Barreda’s pace. Australian Price led home his Red Bull KTM teammate Luciano Benavides in fifth and compatriot Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) in his best Dakar performance to date in sixth.
The marathon Stage 10 was supposed to run 534 km but shortened to a single 222 km special when strong winds were forecast in the second stretch. Riders were directly diverted to the bivouac at Shubaytah to avoid the winds which could potentially have put the participants’ safety into jeopardy.
Barreda’s stage victory now puts him in third on the overall podium, displacing Toby Price with two stages left to run. Brabec continues to lead and is now a massive 25:44s clear of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla, seventh on today’s Stage 10. Brabec and Honda are now odds-on favorites to end KTM’s 18-year winning streak at the Dakar.
Ricky Brabec has increased his overall lead in the standings with two stages to go.
“I think I rode a very good stage, although tomorrow I will have to start from the front and open the track in the dunes,” said Barreda. “Anyway, I’m satisfied with the pace that I’ve kept. I pushed hard to reach the frontrunners Price, Quintanilla which I managed to do at kilometer 130. Then we rode together as far as the refueling where the organization then canceled the rest of the special. The important thing now is that Ricky has the race under control and that Nacho, me and Kevin are fine. This is great for Honda!”
For Brabec, the race now moves into the final crucial stages.
“We are in the bivouac of the marathon stage and we have only two stages left,” Brabec said. “Today it was very windy, and with the sand that was rising it was hard to see well, so they decided to cancel the last part. Well, we have to go every day, there is no other plan or strategy to complete. The goal is to get to the finish line every day with the motorcycle.”
Fourth place for Price today sees the Australian drop out of the top three overall.
Skyler Howes (KLYMCIW Racing Husqvarna) took 13th on Stage 10 to sit an impressive eighth overall; Andrew Short (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) came home 20th and lies 11th overall, and Kyle McCoy (BAS Dakar KTM Racing Team) took 63rd on the stage for 62nd overall.
Howes’ teammate Garrett Poucher was lying in 23rd overall at the start of Stage 10 but retired after suffering a huge crash off a dune. He was transported to the hospital in Ryadh and diagnosed with a broken lower back, left hip, and left wrist.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage 10
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage 10)
For the full Stage 10 results, click here
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Nine
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has taken his and Husqvarna’s first stage win on the 2020 Dakar Rally, after besting Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price and Monster Energy Honda Team rider Joan Barreda. Barreda’s teammate Ricky Brabec took fourth on the stage.
Pablo Quintanilla finally managed to bag a stage win ahead of Price and Barreda.
After Stage Eight was canceled as a mark of respect to Paulo Goncalves, who lost his life on Stage Seven on Sunday, the bikes returned to racing action today on the 476 km stage run from Wadi Al Dawasir to Haradh. Quintanilla, Price, Barreda, and Brabec were closely matched throughout the first 300 km of action, with the Chilean breaking clear in the final quarter of the stage to finish 1:54s ahead of Price.
“It was a strange feeling this morning after what happened to Paulo [Goncalves], but I think it was good to get riding again,” Quintanilla said. “There was a long liaison this morning and it was very cold, but I felt better when we hit the special and I was able to push right away. In the end, I won the stage, which was a fitting way to honor Paulo. But now, with Stage Eight canceled, my strategy is more complicated. My goal from here is to push and try to make up as much time over the final three days as possible.”
Price came home second, saying, “Obviously, it’s been a really tough day mentally but we’re still cruising along in the race and the main goal as always is to make it safely to the finish line.”
Brabec’s fourth-place ensures the Californian and continues to lead the overall standings and now sits 20:53s clear of Quintanilla.
“Today it was hard to restart the race,” said Brabec. “I thought a lot about Paulo at the beginning of the stage, I know he would have wanted us to continue, he always transmitted that strength to get ahead. I have done so and I concentrated a lot. Today the stage was difficult at a navigational level and quite dangerous with river routes and a lot of stones. Then it began to open out into the desert and began to speed up. For 360 kilometers I opened the track and then Joan [Barreda] arrived and we rode together the remaining 40 kilometers. It was a great stage, with good teamwork together, so I’m very happy.”
Brabec continues to lead the overall standings.
Quintanilla’s Husqvarna teammate Andrew Short bagged another top 10 stage finish in ninth, moving up to 11th overall.
“Today’s stage felt different for obvious reasons—I just set off with the goal of completing the day safely,” Short said. “The first part of the special was really beautiful with some technical navigation through the canyons. The second half was more open with some really fast tracks where you could maintain a lot of speed. The best thing was I started to feel more comfortable as the day went on and was able to focus more, which is good. We’ve got the two halves of the marathon stage coming up now, which I normally really enjoy.”
Andrew Short came home ninth on the factory Husqvarna.
As for the remaining Americans, Skyler Howes (KLYMCIW Racing Husqvarna) took 15th on Stage Nine, one place ahead of his ever improving teammate, Garrett Poucher in 16th in his best result of the rally to date. Howes lies ninth overall, with Poucher moving up 23rd. Kyle McCoy (BAS Dakar KTM Racing Team) finished 83rd on Stage Nine and lies 65th overall.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Nine
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage Nine)
For the full Stage Nine results, click here
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Seven
The 2020 Dakar Rally was plunged into mourning today following the death of rally veteran Paulo Goncalves. The Portuguese crashed at the 276 km marker and was found unconscious by Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price, Monster Energy Honda Team rider Kevin Benavides and Slovnaft Rally Team rider Stefan Svitko. Goncalves was transported to Layla Hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Benavides was granted the stage win, but it was in the most tragic of circumstances.
Benavides was leading the stage at the time of helping Goncalves and was awarded the stage victory. Benavides was originally classified as being 6:35s behind teammate Joan Barreda at the finish, but following time adjustments regarding his helping of Goncalves, Benavides was granted a time 1:23s ahead of Spaniard Barreda.
Third on Stage Seven went to Red Bull KTM’s Matthias Walkner from teammate Luciano Benavides (younger brother to Kevin). Rounding out the top five was American rally leader Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team), with race rival Price in sixth. Price lost more than one hour and twenty minutes assisting Goncalves and the medical team, with race organizers awarding the Australian defending Dakar champion a time 7:57s off stage winner Benavides.
“On arriving we heard the news about Paulo,” Brabec said. “We all know that motorcycling is a dangerous sport, but today is a really sad day for the people of Cross-Country Rallies. Our thoughts are with the family. The race standings don’t mean anything anymore. It’s secondary. Life goes way beyond sport.”
Ricky Brabec is still leading the rally but admits, “The race standings don’t mean anything anymore.”
As for the remaining Americans, Andrew Short (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) finished Stage Seven in ninth and now lies 12th overall. KLYMCIW Racing Husqvarna’s Skyler Howes came home in 12th to sit an impressive eighth overall. His teammate Garrett Poucher finished Stage Seven 21st for 24th overall, and Kyle McCoy (BAS KTM Dakar Racing Team) took 75th and lies 67th overall.
Organizers of the 2020 Dakar Rally have now canceled tomorrow’s Stage Eight in memory of Goncalves.
“The decease of Paulo Gonçalves during today’s Stage Seven between Riyadh and Wadi Al-Dawasir has left the entire Dakar, especially the bikers, in shock,” Dakar organizers said. “Paulo, a beloved figure of the rally, was immensely respected by both veterans and less experienced competitors who admired and were inspired by him. After meeting the riders and making a decision together with the entire motorbike family, the organisers have decided to cancel Stage Eight for the motorbikes and quads category, which was supposed to take place on a loop course around Wadi Al-Dawasir, in order to give the riders time to mourn their friend. The entire Dakar family will come together to pay tribute to Paulo at the briefing this evening.”
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Seven
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage Seven)
For the full Stage Seven results, click here
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Six
Californian Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team) took a crucial win on Stage Six of the 2020 Dakar Rally—his second of the event—to head into the rest day tomorrow with a 20:56s lead over Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla, who took fourth on Stage Six.
Brabec was flying in the dunes today and now has a 20 minutes lead over Pablo Quintanilla.
Brabec hit the front at the 200 km mark and battled with teammate Kevin Benavides across the 830 km stage, the duo separated by just 25 seconds at the last checkpoint, 53 km before the finish.
However, fortuned shined on Brabec, as Benavides ground to a halt with an engine problem, with Brabec’s second teammate, Spain’s Joan Barreda Bort, taking second on the stage. Red Bull KTM’s Matthias Walkner completed the Stage Six podium in third.
Quintanilla lies second heading into the rest day.
“It went well, but it was a long stage,” Brabec said. “It was a big one, the first real stage of 100 percent sand. I’m just happy to be here and to be leader in the general standings, even if a lot can still happen. We deserve some rest and we’ll try to take advantage to plan something for next week. Toby (Price) had a problem with his rear wheel, I don’t know hat exactly, but I think it’s the inner tube. The navigation was difficult but the roadbook is very good. I like the way the roadbook is handed out in the morning”.
Red Bull KTM’s Matthias Walkner came home third in Stage Six.
Current Dakar Champion and fellow two-time 2020 stage winner Toby Price (Red Bull KTM) led the field from the start but his rear tire fell off late in the stage with Andrew Short giving his rear wheel to Price in a true display of sportsmanship. Price dropped to 11th on the stage to sit third overall, some 25:39s off leader Brabec.
Mechanical problems dropped Toby Price well down the order. The Aussie now lies third in the overall standings.
“It’s been a long stage today with long liaisons, definitely one of the toughest so far,” Price said. “Leading out was going really well for most of the day—I was navigating good, my pace was good, but then at about 390 kilometers I had an issue and had no choice but to stop. Luckily another rider was able to help me out and I got going again. I lost some time, which is frustrating but we’re only at the halfway point now and there’s a long way to go.”
Skyler Howes continues his impressive 2020 Dakar, taking 10th on Stage Six.
It was another good day for Skyler Howes (Klymciw Racing Husqvarna), who came home for another top 10 in 10th place on the stage, moving him up to eighth overall, 1.04:50s off Brabec.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Six
Andrew Short (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) finished 24th on today’s stage after helping Price, two places up on the improving Garrett Poucher (Klymciw Racing Husqvarna). Short now lies 12th, with Poucher up to 24th.
The final American in the 2020 Dakar Rally is Kyle McCoy (BAS KTM Dakar Racing Team), who placed 70th on Stage Six to sit 68th overall.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage Six)
For the full Stage Six results, click here
Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Five
Australia’s Toby Price became the first two-time stage winner of the 2020 Dakar Rally when he took the spoils in Stage 5, run from Al-Ula to Ha’il over a massive 564 km. The Red Bull KTM rider finished 1:12s ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla, with the second factory Husqvarna of American Andrew Short taking third on the stage, his first top-three of the rally. Short finished 2:32s behind Price and sits 12th overall, 1:1.33s off the lead.
Price marched into second overall in Stage Five after taking his second stage win of the 2020 Dakar Rally.
“It was a good day for me today—we’ve seen a big change in scenery with the last half of the stage in the dunes,” said Price. “I got my head down at the start and made some good progress even though it was a bit tricky out there today. I’ve made up some more time on the leaders, which is good and hopefully, we’ll have another strong day in the sand tomorrow.”
Monster Energy Honda Team lead rider Ricky Brabec had a good day in fourth overall, 3:03s from Price’s winning margin. The Californian has now extended his lead in the overall standings to a healthy 9:06s from Price, who moves up into second place courtesy of today’s result.
Andrew Short took his first Dakar stage podium today in third.
“My day was good,” Brabec said. “First in the general is amazing. We are sitting in a good spot for tomorrow to push. We will try and catch the main group and not lose too much time. Right now, we are taking it day by day. It’s too hard to have a strategy. There’s a lot of racing left to do.”
Rounding out the top five on Stage Five was the second Red Bull KTM of Matthias Walkner, 6:56s off teammate Price.
Ricky Brabec continues to lead overall after the halfway point of the rally.
Stage Five saw high drama as reigning FIM Cross-Countries World Rally Champion and Stage Two winner of the 2020 Dakar Rally, Red Bull KTM’s Sam Sunderland, crashed out of the event at the 187 km marker. The accident saw the Brit suffer five broken vertebrae and a broken shoulder blade, his retirement the second high profile one of the event, following Yamaha rider Adrien Van Beveren’s retirement on Stage Four after crashing just off the start line.
Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Five
American Skyler Howes (Klymciw Racing Husqvarna) continued his excellent form in the 2020 Dakar Rally, taking 18th on the stage to cement his place in the top 10 overall in ninth, 49:47s off Brabec’s leading pace.
Howes’ teammate Garret Poucher took 28th on Stage Five to sit 28th in the overall standings; compatriot Kyle McCoy (BAS Dakar KTM Racing Team) finished Stage Five in 83rd and lies 69th overall.
Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage Five)
For the full Stage Five results, click here
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Four
Red Bull KTM’s Sam Sunderland looked to have taken his first win on the Dakar Rally by 11 seconds over Monster Energy Honda Team rider Jose Ignacio Cornejo today, but a five-minute penalty for speeding dropped the former Dakar winner and reigning FIM Cross-Countries Rally Champion to eighth overall, with Ignacio Cornejo promoted to is first ever Dakar stage win.
Jose Ignacio Cornejo took his first-ever stage win on the Dakar today as Ricky Brabec maintained his overall lead.
It turned out to be a great day for the factory Honda team, with Ignacio Cornejo’s Argentinian teammate Kevin Benavides coming home second, 2:30s behind. The third Honda of Ricky Brabec was fifth on Stage Four and means the American still leads the Rally by 2:30s from Benavides, with Ignacio Cornejo moving up to third overall.
“The first part was really fast, so it took me 220 or 240 kilometers to catch Ricky,” said Jose Ignacio Cornejo. “We then took turns opening the track. I think we did a great job, it was physically and mentally exhausting. We won’t be forgetting this stage any time soon because some parts were so rocky that we thought we were going the wrong way.”
After taking the Stage Two win, Botswana’s Ross Branch again landed on the podium with third in Stage Four on his KTM. His troubles on Day Three where he suffered a crash mean he is now 18th overall.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Four
Stage One winner Toby Price (Red Bull KTM) moved up to fourth overall after taking sixth on Stage Four. Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) now lies fifth after taking 14th on Stage Four. Teammate Andrew Short finished the fourth stage in 13th and sits 15th overall.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage Four)
For the full Stage Four results, click here
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Three
Monster Energy Honda Team’s Ricky Brabec put in a stellar ride in the third stage of the 2020 Dakar Motorcycle Rally from Al Wajh to Neom, taking the victory and moving into the overall lead of the rally as KTM suffered a dismal day in Saudi Arabia in which navigation troubles hit a number of riders.
Brabec initially finished the stage 9:39s clear of Chilean teammate Jose Ignacio Cornejo, however, this was later revised to 5:56s, leaving the American with a lead of 4:43 seconds from his third teammate, Argentinian Kevin Benevides with Walkner third, 6:02s behind Brabec.
“Today was actually really fun,” Brabec said. “The train was really epic. There were a lot of rocks, lots of stones, a lot of sand, and a lot of tricky navigation. It was really fast, which is what I really prefer. I had a good starting position today, where I started a little bit back in 12th position, didn’t have too much dust, and I passed the first rider at kilometer 20. I knew today I could push. It was difficult. Every note that I thought was difficult I slowed down and took my time. I was pushing all day. We had three short specials. I was riding really well and I felt really good today. The roadbook is really good. The information here is really, really nice here. Tomorrow will be tricky. It’s always difficult opening because you have all the riders pushing behind you.”
Brabec is flying in the 2020 Dakar Rally, taking the Stage Three win.
KTM’s day was a shocker, as reigning champion Toby Price, Matthias Walkner and Yamaha’s Xavier De Soultrait losing huge amounts of time with problems occurring within their GPS systems. Price explained there was a GPS checkpoint in the wrong position, with the race organizers subsequently deleting the remainder of the stage after checkpoint 53 at the 389 km mark.
KTM’s Toby Price continues to have navigation issues, although the race organizers gave him back much of the time he lost.
“Right at the end there is a WPC (Control Waypoint, to which no directions are supplied by GPS) that was… it’s in the roadbook but not in the correct place,” Price said to motorsport.com. “So I spent a lot of time trying to find this and lost a lot of time there.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Stage Three
“Finally found it. But the WPC is not meant to have an open arrow (on the GPS). And the arrow opened for it, and it was sitting basically on the top of a rocky mountain ridge. So I thought there might have been a road on the back side of it.
“So, I tried to climb up and over and get to the other side and yeah, just a bit of chaos and carnage.
“It’s been a tough day, but not too bad. I just tried to stay on two wheels, ride safe and bring it home. Obviously the issue towards the end threw us all a bit, but it’s nice that the organizers acknowledged that quickly and rectified the results. The stage was really beautiful – lots of canyons and camels – I’m feeling good and keen to get going again tomorrow.”
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results—Overall (Stage Three)
Stage One leader Price now sits sixth, 11:58s behind Brabec. The leader after Stage Two, KTM’s Sam Sunderland, finished Stage Three 14th to sit in ninth overall, 21:21s off Brabec. American Skyler Howes (Klymciw Racing Husqvarna) put in a storming ride on Stage Three to take ninth and now sits in 11th overall. Husqvarna’s Andrew Short finished Stage Three in 37th, four spots behind countryman Garrett Poucher (Klymciw Racing Husqvarna). Short now lies 17th overall, Poucher in 36th.
For all the Dakar Stage Three results, click here
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2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results – Stage Two
The Stage Two marathon stage was held between Al Waj and Neom, and saw a small slice of Dakar history created as Botswana’s Ross Branch (KTM) took his and his country’s first Dakar stage victory.
Starting 14th, Branch stormed to the stage win by catching his rivals one by one as the race followed the Red Sea coastline, finishing 1:24 ahead of new overall leader Sunderland with Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) third on the stage to move into second overall.
“Starting 14th this morning helped a lot because there were some tracks that opened the road,” said Branch. “I had a lot of fun and tried to ride my own race. I navigated well today which was really good for me and I think it helped a lot. Then I just took it easy, one by one, just trying to catch the guys. I had a lot of fun and it was an awesome day.”
Sunderland’s consistency sees him now in the race lead.
While Branch was busy taking the stage win, Toby Price’s day was the opposite of his Stage-One success. The Aussie opened the road in the morning, leading the competitors and making a trail for those to follow. Price finished 12:13 behind Branch in 15th, dropping to ninth in the standings, 7:34 behind Sunderland.
“Today was always going to be tough, leading out from the start without having had much time to read the road book,” Price said. “The stage went okay, I lost some time to the others, but the most important thing is I looked after my bike and the tires so should be in good shape to close down on the leaders again tomorrow. There’s still a long, long way to go, but the bike is working great, things are looking good and I’m happy.”
Brabec’s day was not much better than Price’s, as the Californian finished in 11th, 8:45 off and one place behind countryman Short. Brabec now sits in fifth overall. Short is in 10th after Stage Two.
Sunderland’s second place on Stage Two sees the Brit in the box seat heading into Day Three with a 1:18 lead over Quintanilla.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results – Stage Two
“It was a really tough day today and it felt very long,” said Sunderland. “There was a huge mix of terrain with high-speed tracks and then slower technical sections. In and out of the canyons there were a lot of lines visible and that made navigation more of a challenge. I made a couple of mistakes, but I think everyone did out there today.”
Stage Three and is a loop stage that will run from Neom and back. CN
The complete Stage Two results are available here.
Get all the latest off-road motorcycle racing news and results here.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results – Overall (Stage Two)
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results – Stage One
Australian Toby Price kicked off the 2020 Dakar Rally with a stage one win on his Red Bull KTM. The defending Dakar motorcycle champion took over the lead midway through the stage and held it to the finish. Price finished with a two minute and five second gap over American Ricky Brabec on the Monster Energy Honda but a two-minute penalty for Price narrowed the official gap to just 5 seconds.
Austria’s Matthias Walkner finished third on the day, 40 seconds behind Price. Monster Honda’s Kevin Benavides and Red Bull KTM’s Sam Sunderland rounded out the top five for the day.
Ricky Brabec came very close to winning the 2019 Dakar Rally before a mechanical took him out of the running. He is off to a good start again in 2020 and finished second in stage one.
Austria’s Matthias Walkner finished third on the day, 40 seconds behind Price. Monster Honda’s Kevin Benavides and Red Bull KTM’s Sam Sunderland rounded out the top five for the day.
Andrew Short finished ninth on day one on his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. The American was seven minutes and three seconds behind Price. Fellow American’s, Skyler Howes, Garrett Poucher and Kyle McCoy finished 18th, 44th and 96th respectively among the 139 classified motorcycles.
Andrew had a solid start to the 2020 Dakar Rally with a ninth-place finish.
2020 Dakar Rally Motorcycle Results – Overall (Stage One)
The complete day 1 results are available here.
Get all the latest off-road motorcycle racing news and results here.
