2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 14
Kevin Benavides (KTM) is the 2023 Dakar Rally champion. The Argentine secured his second career Dakar title and first for KTM after closing down a 12-second gap to teammate Toby Price by winning Stage 14, the Australian finishing the stage second, 55 seconds behind.
Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) took a career-first Dakar podium in third after finishing the final stage in fifth.
“It’s been an amazing day!” Benavides said, who is now the first rider in history to win the Dakar on two different machines following his victory for Honda in 2021. “I just focused on every kilometer from the first to the last. I didn’t think about the position or the result I just gave my 100 percent over the whole stage and tried to enjoy the day. The special was really fast and tricky, and so muddy – thankfully I didn’t make any big mistakes, but it would have been easy to have an issue out there today. I have worked so hard for this. This year’s rally has been one of the closest ever and there wasn’t a single day where you could afford to ease off. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my team, and all my family and friends. It’s going to take a little while to sink in, I can’t describe this feeling right now.”
Price led into the final stage by 12 seconds but was unable to hold Benavides back, the Australian missing three crucial waypoints that handed the advantage to the Argentine.
“So, so close. Yeah, a great job from Kevin, he did really well today,” Price said. “I knew it was going to be tight, and of course I pushed right from the start all through the stage. I just missed three waypoints by virtually meters, and it dropped me back. Obviously, the goal is to win, and it’s frustrating to miss out by such a narrow margin. But I’m fit, healthy, and I’m going home with a trophy, so that’s the most important thing. I’m ready for another one next year.”
For Howes, the result was a culmination of years of graft to get into a factory team. The Utah native is now one of five Americans to have achieved a Dakar podium.
“I am so happy! It’s been an incredible race with highs and lows, and it’s come right down to the wire on this final day,” Howes said. “I knew the guys behind me would be pushing so hard today, and to go into this final day less than two minutes behind after well over 40 hours of racing is incredible. I arrived at the finish safely, and it feels like a dream come true and such an honor to share it with two legends like Toby (Price) and Kevin (Benavides). Everyone knows what you have to go through to get to this point, and after all that hard work, it makes this moment feel so sweet. Of course I want to come back and see what the other two steps of the podium feel like.”
Honda’s Pablo Quintanilla took third on the final stage from GASGAS’s Daniel Sanders and Howes.
The top 10 overall read Benavides, Price, Howes, Quintanilla, Adrien Van Beveren (Honda), Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna), Sanders, Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda), Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) and Franco Caimi (Hero).
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 14
| 1 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | 01h15m17s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | +55s |
| 3 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +03m15s |
| 4 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | +03m35s |
| 5 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +03m45s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +15m12s |
| 40 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +27m04s |
| 58 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +37m16s |
| 83 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +01h22m17s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 14
| 1 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | 44h27m20s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | +43s |
| 3 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +05m04s |
| 4 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +19m02s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +20m30s |
| 22 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +04h21m56s |
| 48 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +14h10m05s |
| 59 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +17h17m57s |
| 85 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +41h17m55s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 13
It’s game on for the 2023 Dakar Rally as Toby Price leads Red Bull Factory Racing teammate Kevin Benavides by just 12 seconds after 43 hours of racing.
The penultimate stage of the rally saw Benavides triumph and Price finish fifth. It was rookie sensation Michael Docherty (Husqvarna) who came home second from Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) and Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) in fourth.
Stopping to help teammate Matthias Walker after the Austrian suffered a race-ending crash and losing 23 minutes, Benavides was awarded back the time and raced on to top the stage by 27 seconds.
“It’s always a difficult day when you see someone has had a crash, and it’s worse when it’s your teammate. I stayed with Matthias until help arrived and although he was in some pain, he then told me to carry on. I pushed hard for the rest of the stage, but it’s tricky to focus after seeing something like that. To win the stage is amazing, and to be second overall and so close to Toby is even more of a surprise. With one day left all I can do is try my best and the results will be decided at the finish line.”
Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) came home seventh today, 03m31s behind Benavides, and lies a comfortable third. He’s still in with a chance of victory at 01m31s behind overall rally leader Price.
“Well, I definitely gave my all today – I pushed right from the start as hard as I could,” Howes said. “When I saw that Walkner had crashed, it affected my focus a little bit. There were some really big dunes today, I had big jumps off the top of them myself, too. That was a bit of a deciding factor, I really wanted to push and try and get the win, but I want to make sure that I can complete the race as well. I missed one waypoint later on, and that meant circling around to pick it up, so I lost a little bit of time there. I’m still in the fight for the win, and I have to be super happy with how this race as gone up to this point. I can never look back and say I didn’t try my best. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, it’s going to be a short but fast stage with little scope to make up time I think, so the goal is to get my Husqvarna to the finish line in one piece and hopefully in a good position.”
Price is going out all guns blazing for a historic third Dakar title and, as per the rules for the last stage, the riders will set off in reverse order to the general standings, meaning Howes, Benavides, and finally, Price will be the last to leave the Stage 14 start line.
“It’s been a hectic day out there today,” Price said. “I caught the guys in front at about kilometer 90 and thought to myself, if I want to win this race, I have to be out front and capture that bonus a little bit. I had a small crash where I was focused on the top of one dune, lost the front, and fell over. Then around kilometer 130 we just went slightly too far right and lost a little time getting back on course. I really pushed hard all day, with the goal to still be in the lead going into the final day. I managed to do that, so I’m pleased, but it’s still incredibly tight at the top. Tomorrow really is going to be a race to the finish line, but I’ll give it all I have and see where we end up.”
Rookie Jacob Argubright had an excellent Stage 13, posting his best result of the rally so far in 15th.
Sunday’s stage 14 – the final of this year’s event – will see riders leave the bivouac in Al Hofuf and head north to Dammam. The timed special will be a relatively short sprint up the coast to the finish line, where the 2023 Dakar Rally Champion will be crowned.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 13
| 1 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | 02h21m47s |
| 2 | Michael Docherty | Hus | +27s |
| 3 | Luciano Benavides | Hus | +57s |
| 4 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +02m05s |
| 5 | Toby Price | KTM | +02m38s |
| 7 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +03m31s |
| 15 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +08m19s |
| 50 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +03h01m55s |
| 71 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +03h24m51s |
| 89 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +04h50m36s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 13
| 1 | Toby Price | KTM | 43h11m51s |
| 2 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +12s |
| 3 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +01m31s |
| 4 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +15m51s |
| 5 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +15m59s |
| 21 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +04h06m56s |
| 50 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +13h43m13s |
| 71 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +16h40m53s |
| 89 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +39h44m50s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 12
The pendulum swung in KTM’s favor today as Toby Price took over at the top of the overall standings thanks to a third-place finish on the 376 km Stage 12.
The Aussie finished 1m58s behind Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda), the Chilean taking his first stage win in the rally this year. Price’s compatriot Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) took another podium in second, 49 seconds from the win.
Longtime rally leader Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) finished sixth today, 02m54 seconds behind Cornejo, and surrenders his lead to Price, but only by 28 seconds. KTM’s Kevin Benavides maintains his third place overall after a fifth place on Stage 12, 02m22s from Cornejo.
“The marathon stage has gone well,” Price said. “I have to admit, I didn’t sleep that well yesterday, but I gave it my all out there on the dunes. I wasn’t sure of the result when I came in to the finish today, but it looks like I’m back on top, leading the race. It’s a really close race right now and even the smallest problem could cost you the win. My plan is to keep on pushing over the next two days and try and have some fun.”
For Howes, the result isn’t a total disaster and he knows he’s still got every chance of taking the win with just two stages left to run.
“A good stage for me today,” Howes said. “The Empty Quarter really does live up to its name—just an endless sea of dunes. It’s really exciting to go into the last couple of days with the race so close. Both halves of the marathon stage went well—I think I was able to ride both days at a good, consistent pace. I was able to preserve myself and the bike without any issues, which is super important. So now I’m looking ahead at the last two stages of the race. Neither of them are very long, so with things so tight on the leaderboard, I really think this battle is going to run right up to the finish line.”
Mason Klein’s Dakar continues to unravel as the Californian finished 42nd on stage today, struggling with neck pain following his crash with Adrien Van Beveren on Stage 9. Klein will race on in the hopes of making it to the finish on the Arabian Gulf and currently lies 10th overall.
*Since the time of publication, Klein has retired from the race.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 12
| 1 | Jose Ignacio Cornejo | Hon | 01h57m27s |
| 2 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | +49s |
| 3 | Toby Price | KTM | +01m58s |
| 4 | Matthias Walkner | KTM | +02m05s |
| 5 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +02m22s |
| 6 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +02m54s |
| 23 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +07m57s |
| 42 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +25m49s |
| 71 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +59m21s |
| 78 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h16m28s |
| 90 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +02h21m48s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 12
| 1 | Toby Price | KTM | 40h47m36s |
| 2 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +28s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +02m40s |
| 4 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +14m54s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +16m14s |
| 6 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +02m54s |
| 10 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +54m58s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +04h01m05s |
| 53 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +13h20m18s |
| 61 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +15h40m17s |
| 89 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +37h18m29s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 11
The first of the marathon stage, held deep within the treacherous Empty Quarter sand dunes and where riders receive no outside put assistance and can only work on their bikes for an hour, saw Luciano Benavides take his third stage win of the rally on the factory Husqvarna.
The Argentine completed the 274 km stage 1m38s ahead of GASGAGS’s Daniel Sanders, who made a welcome return to the stage podium, his first since stage 8. Toby Price (KTM) continued his robotic top-five form, finishing the stage in third for two Aussies in the top three.
Benavides now moves up to sixth, while Sanders drops to seventh.
“It was a really, really nice stage,” Benavides said. “I enjoyed racing through the dunes and was able to make up good time, too. There was a big variety today, some of the dunes were really big and in between the ground was very hard to judge as well, with lots of softer areas that could catch you out. The navigation was not too difficult today, the challenge came from trying to find the fastest line through the dunes.”
It was a good day for Skyler Howes (Husqvarna), the American taking fourth on the stage and moving back into the overall lead by 28s from Price.
“It was a really fast stage today with lots of dunes – lots of big dunes,” Howes said. “I found a good rhythm out there and was making good progress. I did get stuck in the soft sand on a couple of dunes and had to turn around to attack those again. There was one waypoint that I had to circle around to get properly as well. The bike is in great condition, which is great for the marathon stage, I just need to stay focused because the times in the standings are really close. I think it’s going to be like this all the way to the finish, which makes it pretty exciting.”
Mason Klein’s Dakar continues to head in the wrong direction as the 21-year-old Californian finished the stage 27th, 19m35s down on Benavides. That result drops him to ninth overall.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 11
| 1 | Luciano Benavides | Hus | 02h57m59s |
| 2 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | +01m38s |
| 3 | Toby Price | KTM | +01m56s |
| 4 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +02m09s |
| 5 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +02m54s |
| 20 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +12m54s |
| 27 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +19m35s |
| 51 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h04m30s |
| 80 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +0131m14s |
| 104 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +03h19m49s |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +19h04m01s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 11
| 1 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | 38h37m43s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | +28s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +02m44s |
| 4 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +14m14s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +15m24s |
| 9 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +31m35s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +03h55m34s |
| 51 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +11h51m31s |
| 80 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +14h43m22s |
| 104 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +34h59m07s |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +96h07m38s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 10
The “Kalahari Ferrari”, Ross Branch (Hero) took his second stage win in three during the 10th stage of the 2023 Dakar Rally as the riders completed the first of four days in the dune-filled Empty Quarter.
Botswanan Branch used all his experience gained from his training in the Kalahari Desert, which covers much of Botswana, and parts of Namibia and South Africa, to lead home another dune specialist, Adrien Van Beveren, who bounced back after yesterday’s crash with American Dakar sophomore, Skyler Howes.
Third for the stage went to the ultra-impressive South African rookie, Michael Docherty, who also took his third win in the WRC2 category.
It was a cautious Stage 10 for erstwhile rally leader, Skyler Howes (Husqvarna). The American played it safe ahead of the first half of the marathon stage tomorrow, finishing 18th and dropping to second overall behind new rally leader, Kevin Benavides (KTM).
“Yeah, we knew what we were getting into coming into the Empty Quarter with all the dunes. But today, with the special being so short, I wanted to make sure I was in a good position to push on tomorrow’s marathon stage,” Howes said. “I took things a little easier today to get a feel for the dunes and just took things a little conservatively. I did have one awesome moment where I put on some style for the helicopter but messed up the landing. All was good though and now we have a much longer day of more dunes tomorrow – I’m looking forward to it.”
It was a similar story for Toby Price, the Australian factory Red Bull KTM rider who took 19th on stage and stayed in third overall.
“It was a short stage. We just played it safe today,” Price said. “There was a lot of broken dunes and the sand was really soft. All in all, I think so far the position was pretty good. Luciano (Benavides) opened the way and did a really good job. Hopefully a few people will get in the mix of it. We’ll try and get some gaps and see if it works.”
Mason Klein came back from his bone-jarring crash with Adrien Van Beveren on Stage 9 to finish seventh on his KTM. The Californian now lies sixth, 15m38s behind Benavides.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 10
| 1 | Ross Branch | Hero | 01h44m00s |
| 2 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +21s |
| 3 | Michael Docherty | Hus | +30s |
| 4 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +01m00s |
| 5 | Matthias Walkner | KTM | +01m22s |
| 7 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +03m05s |
| 15 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +07m38s |
| 21 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +10m36s |
| 51 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +31m21s |
| 80 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +58m26s |
| 104 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +02h08m39ss |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +20h46m00s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 10
| 1 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | 35h46m06s |
| 2 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +01m29s |
| 3 | Toby Price | KTM | +02m10s |
| 4 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +09m52s |
| 5 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +14m58s |
| 6 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +15m38s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +03h46m18s |
| 76 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +10h50m29s |
| 69 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +13h14m46s |
| 90 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +31h42m56s |
| 97 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +77h07m15s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 9
It couldn’t be closer at the top of the 2023 Dakar Rally as Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) continues to lead, but by only three seconds from two-time champion Toby Price (KTM).
Howes came home for a third-place finish on Stage 9 behind winning teammate Luciano Benavides, the Argentine taking the second win of his career and of the rally—also making him the first two-time winner of the 2023 event—with Price second, 01m02s in arrears.
“I cannot believe I won again, and to be the first rider at this Dakar to win twice feels incredible,” Benavides said. “It was a really hard stage with a lot of navigation—you really had to focus on your roadbook to make sure you didn’t make any mistakes. There were a lot of broken tracks and different lines, so it was easy to take a slightly wrong line. Now I am opening the stage tomorrow, so it will be full gas all the way to the finish.” Benavides moves from 11th to seventh in the overall standings, 21m35s behind Howes.
Howes narrowly held onto the lead after losing a couple of minutes when he failed to find a waypoint but he’s still holding the lead from a rampaging Price.
“The stage today was pretty tricky,” Howes said. “We hit a section where we were missing one waypoint and it was in a place deep with stones and a lot of mud. It was tough to navigate through there and I knew we were going off the CAP heading a little, so I had to circle around to get back on track.
“The ground out there was incredible—there’s been so much rain, in some places it was like riding through giant rivers. It’s been a challenging day and I’m sure there will be plenty more to come as we make our way to the end.”
Unfortunately for Howes’ compatriot and 2023 Dakar Rally standout Mason Klein (KTM), the ninth stage will be one he’ll want to forget. Lying third overall coming into the stage, Klein was involved in a double crash with Honda’s Adrien Van Beveren. He limped home to 22nd, 21m26s behind Benavides, and slips from third to sixth, 18m42s behind Howes with his chances of overall victory dealt a hard blow. Check out the video below for his and Adrien’s version of events.
The Stage 9 top 10 was rounded out by Klein’s BAS KTM teammate Tosha Schareina, Romain Dumontier (Husqvarna), Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda), Kevin Benavides (KTM), Toni Mulec (Husqvarna), Martin Michek (KTM) and Franco Caimi (Hero).
In the overall, it’s Howes, Price, Kevin Benavides, Adrien Van Beveren (Honda), Pablo Quintanilla (Honda), Klein, Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna), Cornejo, Daniel Sanders (GASGAS), who lost many minutes today with navigational issues, and Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco).
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 9
| 1 | Luciano Benavides | Hus | 03h18m44s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | +01m02s |
| 3 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +02m57s |
| 4 | Tosha Schareina | KTM | +04m53s |
| 5 | Romain Dumontier | Hus | +06m10s |
| 22 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +21m26s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +21m38s |
| 60 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01h07m37s |
| 69 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +01h16m47s |
| 76 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h23m14s |
| 96 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +02h42m25s |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +26h43m16s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 9
| 1 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | 33h55m57s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | +03s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +05m09s |
| 4 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +15m40s |
| 5 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +18m24s |
| 6 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +18m24s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +03h41m51s |
| 50 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +10h25m17s |
| 69 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +12h22m29s |
| 90 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +27h40m51s |
| 92 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +29h17m07s |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +56h27m24s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 8
After more than 30 hours of racing, the top three are separated by a mere 13 seconds after Stage 8 of the 2023 Dakar Rally heading into the rest day tomorrow.
American wonderkid Mason Klein (KTM) had the stage in the bag and looked set to move back into the rally lead after putting in a monster performance on the shortened 345 km loop south of Al Duwadimi, pulling back more than seven minutes in the overall but incurred a penalty for speeding in a controlled zone and thus Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) held onto the slimmest of leads. Klein now moves back into the top three in third, equal with second places Kevin Benavides (KTM).
Stage 8 was taken by Botswanan Ross Branch, who gave Hero its second stage win in the Dakar Rally following Joaquim Rodrigues’ triumph last year.
“It’s been a terrible week for us,” Branch said. “I needed to get back on top for myself and for the team. They’ve worked so hard. I made a couple of small mistakes, but hopefully we can stay at the top of the leader board until all the guys have finished today and get another stage win for Hero MotorSports, that’s the main goal. We wanted to be at the front at the end of the rally, but unfortunately that time has passed.
“We ran out of fuel, which was completely unexpected and nobody’s fault. We’ve been perfect today and that’s what counts. Now I’ll work with the team, take it one day at a time and make sure the motorbike is perfect for the rest of the W2RC season. We’ll just keep on working and keep on pushing.”
Howes had a shocker by his 2023 standards on the factory Husqvarna, the Utah man taking 20th, 16m06s down on Branch.
“A tough day to open today,” Howes said. “We ended up riding in a group of three at the front, and although I think we did a really good job with the navigation, we took a little while to do it. The dirt is really wet, so that leaves a perfectly clear line for anyone following, and of course it makes it far easier to make up time on those ahead. I’d rather lose a few minutes than be going home though, so overall, I’m happy with how the day turned out and I’m still ahead in the overall. It’s rest day now, and that’s always an important milestone to hit.”
Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price also had a bad day in 17th which drops him to fourth overall.
Erstwhile rally leader Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) pulled back some valuable ground in the overall by taking second, 03m15s behind Branch. The Australian now moves back up to seventh, 07m03s behind Howes.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 8
| 1 | Ross Branch | Hero | 03h46m18s |
| 2 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | +03m15s |
| 3 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +03m33s |
| 4 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +06m35s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +06m35s |
| 20 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +16m06s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +18m37s |
| 58 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01h20m52s |
| 71 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h30m21s |
| 72 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +01h32m25s |
| 97 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +03h17m11s |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +04h46m31s |
| 104 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +54h16m42s |
| 106 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +42h17m41s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 8
| 1 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | 30h34m16s |
| 2 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +13s |
| 3 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +13s |
| 4 | Toby Price | KTM | +01m58s |
| 5 | Pablo Quintanilla Hon | +02m45s | |
| 25 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +03h23m10s |
| 47 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +09h05m00s |
| 61 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +11h08m39s |
| 93 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +26h36m11s |
| 97 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +26h59m58s |
| 100 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +27h32m05s |
| 104 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +111h01m52s |
| 106 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +119h32m37s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 7
The seventh stage of the 2023 Dakar Rally has been canceled for the motorcycle contingent after major flooding in the bivouac forced the organizers to change the route.
On Saturday morning, January 7, the riders will take the road section from Riyadh to the Al Duwadimi bivouac and get a bit more rest before re-engaging in competition on Sunday, January 8.
The decision from rally organizers to change the route for Stage 7 means the riders will get the best part of two full rest days in three, given the riders will also be taking the day after Stage 8 off as well.
The car and truck contingent will run the regular route as scheduled.
“With the weather conditions preventing the installation of the bivouac at Al Duwadimi in complete operating conditions for the entire caravan, stages 7 and 8 have been rearranged in marathon mode in order to propose an equivalent sporting program that is relevant for the competitors,” a statement from the Dakar Rally organizers said. “Based on the initial route, the specials for stages 7 and 8 have been exchanged, with shortened distances making it possible to have a manageable road section on each of the days.
“Faced with the weather problems experienced again today and the level of tiredness observed among all the riders in the category, the Dakar organisers have decided to cancel the special for stage seven between Riyadh and Al Duwadimi.
“The bikes and quads will therefore be invited to leave the bivouac in Riyadh from 10 AM tomorrow morning and take the road section to Al Duwadimi. On Sunday 8th January, they will then contest stage 8 as rescheduled, i.e., with the special of stage 7 from the initial route, reduced to a length of 345 kilometers.”
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 6
It was a blue riband day for the boys in blue on Stage 6 of the 2023 Dakar Rally as Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes went one-two on the factory Husqvarnas.
The 358 km stage saw Benavides march steadily forward from his 12th place start, the Argentine gradually clawing back ground on the riders in front to end the day 56s ahead of Howes for a career-first stage win, moving him up to ninth on the overall standings.
“I feel amazing, to take my first stage win at the Dakar means a lot to me,” Benavides said. “It’s a really special day. I knew it would be really tight today, so I pushed a lot, right from the start. Everything went well, I gave my all, and I was able to post the fastest time. It means I’m opening tomorrow’s stage but I’m looking forward to it.”
Howes’ consistency kept the Utah man at the pointy end throughout the stage and he increased his lead in the overall standings to 03m31s ahead of two-time champion, Toby Price (KTM) after Price took third on Stage 6.
“I really enjoyed today,” Howes said. “The stage was actually really good fun as the dunes had plenty of traction and you could jump off the top of each one. I knew with the stage being a little shorter that times would be tight, but I just approached it like every day – do my best, try to minimize any mistakes, and try to stick to a good, solid pace. The fact that I’m leading the race wasn’t really on my mind, there is still along way to go yet. It’s been a long day, with a lot of seat time due to the liaisons, but I feel good, the bike is performing great and I’m ready for the first half of the marathon stage tomorrow.”
America’s other remaining hope for Dakar glory, Mason Klein, finished 12th on the BAS World KTM Racing Team entry. Klein drops two places to seventh on the overall standings.
Stage 7 is the first half of the marathon stage, a 713 km epic in which riders will have no outside assistance from their teams once they reach the bivouac.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 6
| 1 | Luciano Benavides | Hus | 03h14m19s |
| 2 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +56s |
| 3 | Toby Price | KTM | +02m20s |
| 4 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +02m289s |
| 5 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +02m41s |
| 12 | Mason Klein | KTM | +07m30s |
| 26 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +22m39s |
| 55 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h04m45s |
| 73 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +01h35m32s |
| 93 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +02h28m54s |
| 99 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +03h35m48s |
| 104 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +03h35m48s |
| 106 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +42h17m41s |
| 111 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +42h17m41s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 6
| 1 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | 26h31m52s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | +03m31s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +07m01s |
| 4 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +10m57s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +12m20s |
| 7 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +12m46s |
| 25 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +03h20m39s |
| 46 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +07h50m45s |
| 73 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +09h52m20s |
| 92 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +23h01m40s |
| 95 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +23h58m53s |
| 101 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +53h01m16s |
| 103 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +53h32m01s |
| 109 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +94h43m08s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 5
A demanding 645 km Stage 5 with 373 km of timed special greeted the riders at the Dakar Rally today and it was Adrien Van Beveren who made the most of it, the Frenchman scoring his first win in the factory Honda colors.
Van Beveren headed home teammate Nacho Cornejo by 13 seconds in the latter’s best result on the 2023 Dakar so far, with former two-time champion Toby Price (KTM) taking third.
The top five was rounded out by America’s Mason Klein (KTM) and Skyler Howes (Husqvarna).
Howes’s consistency across the Dakar has seen the Utah native move into the overall lead of the rally. Howes spent much of the stage in a three-rider freight train with Price and Stage 4 winner, Joan Barreda (Honda), but the pack was broken up when Barreda crashed and Price was unable to avoid him, both going down. Howes thus stopped to check on the conditions of both riders before resuming, being awarded back the time which sees him lead the race for the first time in his career.
“Tough day today,” Howes said. “It’s been really physical as for most of the day we were up on the pegs picking our way through the camel grass. I caught up to the lead group quite early on, but it was really difficult to see the tracks today. We made a mistake and chose the wrong way, ended up getting lost, and then had to make a few circles to find the one waypoint we’d missed. Shortly before the finish Joan (Barreda) had a big crash and got caught up with Toby (Price), and so we stopped for a few minutes to make sure they were alright before carrying on. I know I lost a little time today, but I’m happy to reach the finish safely and I’m in good shape to push hard again tomorrow.”
It was a ruinous stage for erstwhile Dakar Rally leader Daniel Sanders, the Australian leading the stage out in the morning but losing buckets of time with a mystery illness to finish 26m56s behind Van Beveren. Sanders’ Dakar winning chances have been dealt a body blow as he now lies eighth, 17m50s behind Howes.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle today to say the least,” said Sanders. “When I woke up, I didn’t feel good at all. I had no energy, and couldn’t really eat or drink anything, so it seems like I’ve picked up some kind of bug, I guess. So yeah, it’s a bit of a bummer after starting the rally so well. What made things even tougher was that my bike is set up to work at higher speeds and I just didn’t have the pace I needed today. So we’ll make a few changes ahead of tomorrow to dial the comfort back in and hopefully with some rest I can be back fighting up front again.”
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 5
| 1 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | 04h27m28s |
| 2 | Jose Ignacio Cornejo | Hon | 13s |
| 3 | Toby Price | KTM | +03m56s |
| 4 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +05m13s |
| 5 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +05m33s |
| 19 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +23m20s |
| 70 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h22m46s |
| 53 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01m28m05s |
| 71 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +02h03m07s |
| 85 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +02h38m21s |
| 102 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +04h05m335s |
| 106 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +04h20m24s |
| 110 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +45h04m32s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 5
| 1 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | 23h16m27s |
| 2 | Toby Price | KTM | 02m07s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +05m16s |
| 4 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +06m13s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +08m54s |
| 26 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +02h58m56s |
| 47 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +06h46m56s |
| 55 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +07h29m40s |
| 63 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +08h17m44s |
| 82 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +10h44m31s |
| 94 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +15h00m16s |
| 102 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +21h20m55s |
| 110 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +52h26m23s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 4
Spain’s Joan “Bang Bang” Barreda (Honda) banged out his first stage victory of the 2023 Dakar Rally today, taking advantage of a mechanical misfortune for long-time stage leader Mason Klein (KTM).
The Spaniard headed home Honda teammate Pablo Quintanilla by 16sec and Skyler Howes by 01m05s. Daniel Sanders (GASGAGS) led the stage out as the overall leader but dropped to eighth place and incurred another penalty for speeding. He finished 06m07s behind Barreda but retained his grip on the overall lead, 03m33s ahead of Howes with KTM’s Kevin Benavides, seventh today, still in third.
It was all looking like another stage win was on the cards for Southern Californian Mason Klein. The 21-year-old Dakar sophomore caught up to leaders Sanders and Howes and eventually passed the pair to lead into the refueling stop. But that’s as good as it got as water was found in his fuel and stopped the KTM with 20km to go when his fuel pump intake failed.
Klein fell more than 10 minutes behind Sanders in the repair job, dropping from second to sixth overall.
“It started off really good,” Klein said on Instagram. “The riders in front of me made a few navigational mistakes and I was able to catch up really quick. From there I got a chance to open the stage and get some bonus time. That was great, riding with Skyler (Howes) and (Daniel) Sanders, all of us going back and forth.
“If you’re wondering why I didn’t win today, it was because there was a bunch of water in the gas and when you’re the first one there, that’s what happens. You get all the water. At about 45 km before the finish I pulled over and it took about 10 minutes to get the gas all mixed up and moved to the rear tank. We made it, but it’s really frustrating. We’ll see what happens, tomorrow is another day.”
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 4
| 1 | Joan Barreda | Hon | 04h28m18s |
| 2 | Pablo Quintanilla | Hon | +16s |
| 3 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +01m05s |
| 4 | Toby Price | KTM | +02m24s |
| 5 | Adrien Van Beveren | Hon | +02m37s |
| 11 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +12m08s |
| 24 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +03m24s |
| 61 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01h47m53s |
| 62 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +01h47m57s |
| 70 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h58m56s |
| 83 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +02h22m51s |
| 90 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +02h51m53s |
| 99 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +03h27m14s |
| 108 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +04h52m37s |
| 109 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +04h57m10s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results After Stage 4
| 1 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | 18h40m03s |
| 2 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +03m33s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +04m05s |
| 4 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +04m30s |
| 5 | Toby Price | KTM | +07m17s |
| 6 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +10m05s |
| 28 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +02h44m42s |
| 51 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +05h33m16s |
| 63 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +06h10m41s |
| 66 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +06h23m43s |
| 77 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +07h30m57s |
| 84 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +08h15m16s |
| 99 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +11h03m47s |
| 106 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +13h46m47s |
| 110 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +17h04m37s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 3
The Dakar Rally took another turn on Stage 3 today with the win going to Australian Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) and the end of the rally befalling former champion and pre-race favorite, American Ricky Brabec (Honda).
Sanders was scintillating today, turning a three-minute deficit into a four-minute advantage at the top of the results as he headed home Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) and Stage 2 winner, Mason Klein (KTM), making it two Americans in the top three.
“It’s nice to get a stage win and be leading, for sure,” Howes said. “I knew my pace was good and I felt strong today, so after refueling, I pushed on to the end. I had a great chance to make some time up today, which I did, and now I’m leading so it’s all good! Tomorrow will be tough though as I’ll be leading out, so it’ll be important to stay focused, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Stage 3 signaled an early exit to Dakar 2023 for Ricky Brabec. The Stage 1 and 2020 Dakar Champion fell at the 274 km mark, resulting in neck pain.
“He (Brabec) was rescued by helicopter and is safe at the local hospital,” read a statement by Honda Racing Corporation. “After all exams, the medical staff at Ha’Il hospital confirmed he has no fractures or other severe conditions. For precaution, he will remain under observation for another 24 hours, but his condition is good.”
Brabec joins 2022 and 2017 Dakar champion Sam Sunderland as an early retirement.
Klein led out for Stage 3 after triumphing yesterday and put on an exceptional performance once again, navigating through hundreds of kilometers of sand and only losing seven minutes to Sanders on the stage timesheets. Sanders takes over the overall lead while Mason lies second with KTM’s Kevin Benavides moving up to third.
The stage was declared for the remaining vehicles left on the stage at the 240km refueling mark due to deteriorating track conditions.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 3
| 1 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | 4h24m15s |
| 2 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +06m19s |
| 3 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +06m59s |
| 4 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +7m23s |
| 5 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +11m29s |
| 55 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +01h27m45s |
| 62 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01h33m12s |
| 65 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +01h33m46s |
| 80 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +01h47m34s |
| 84 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +01h55m01s |
| 91 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +02h09m06s |
| 108 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +02h59m38s |
| 115 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +03h38m31s |
| 119 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +04h13m28s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Overall After Stage 3
| 1 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | 14h05m38s |
| 2 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +4m04s |
| 3 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +6m53s |
| 4 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +8m35s |
| 5 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +10m37s |
| 35 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +02h14m42s |
| 51 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +03h40m27s |
| 66 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +04h28m55s |
| 72 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +04h41m47s |
| 81 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +05h14m13s |
| 82 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +05h29m30s |
| 107 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +07h32m40s |
| 115 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +08h54m44s |
| 120 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +12h03m07s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 2
Mason Klein (KTM) has created a little slice of history as the field headed towards the region of archaeological sites and Nabatean temples, dominating Stage 2 to take his first Dakar stage win.
The 21-year-old was on another level as although he received a two-minute penalty he still finished 01m08s ahead of German Sebastian Buhler (Hero). Klein’s compatriot Skyler Howes also had his best finish of the 2023 Dakar so far, taking third on the factory Husqvarna.
“Today I felt great but I took a penalty, but all in all it’s great and I had a blast with the guys who were chasing me at the pitstop because I was opening Track,” Klein said. “But I did it, I took my marks still in front. But I had a headache having to watch the speed limit zones and the maximum speed allowed.”
Ross Branch (Hero) and Toby Price (KTM) rounded out the top five.
Ricky Brabec (Honda) took a more conservative approach to Stage 2, taking 15th on the factory Honda.
Klein’s win sees him hoisted into the overall lead of the rally, 01m41s clear of Price with Joan Barreda, sixth today, now third, 02m02s from Klein. Brabec drops to sixth, Howes moves up to seventh.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 2
| 1 | Mason Klein (USA) | (KTM) | 05h23m04s |
| 2 | Sebastian Buhler | (Hero) | +01m09s |
| 3 | Skyler Howes (USA) | (Hus) | +01m13s |
| 4 | Ross Branch | (Hero) | +01m58s |
| 5 | Toby Price | (KTM) | +02m16s |
| 15 | Ricky Brabec (USA) | (Honda) | +05m35s |
| 28 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | (KTM) | +25m22s |
| 45 | Pablo Cobetti (USA) | (Yam) | +01h01m37s |
| 54 | Paul Neff (USA) | (KTM) | +01h20m40s |
| 73 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | (KTM) | +01h42m45s |
| 86 | David Pearson (USA) | (KTM) | +01h58m51s |
| 91 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | (KTM) | +02h01m15s |
| 102 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | (KTM) | +02h29m44s |
| 109 | James Pearson (USA) | (KTM) | +02h37m03s |
| 126 | Morrison Hart (USA) | (KTM) | +05h02m13s |
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Overall (After Stage 2)
| 1 | Mason Klein (USA) | (KTM) | 09h38m28s |
| 2 | Toby Price | (KTM) | +01m41s |
| 3 | Joan Barreda | (Hon) | +02m03s |
| 4 | Kevin Benavides | (KTM) | +02m25s |
| 5 | Daniel Sanders | (GASGAS) | +02m55s |
| 6 | Ricky Brabec (USA) | (Hon) | +04m21s |
| 7 | Skyler Howes (USA) | (Hus) | +05m11s |
| 20 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | (KTM) | +54m32s |
| 46 | Pablo Cobetti (USA) | (Yam) | +01h55m48s |
| 67 | Paul Neff (USA) | (KTM) | +02h58m38s |
| 78 | Petr Vlecek (USA) | (KTM) | +03h11m02s |
| 81 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | (KTM) | +03h33m07s |
| 83 | David Pearson (USA) | (KTM) | +03h24m19s |
| 107 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | (KTM) | +04h35m57s |
| 109 | James Pearson (USA) | (KTM) | +04h44m11s |
| 126 | Morrison Hart (USA) | (KTM) | +08h27m31s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Stage 1
The first Special Stage of the 2023 Dakar Rally was a good one for the USA, as Honda’s Ricky Brabec came home a winner by 19 seconds over KTM’s Kevin Benavides with Toby Price (KTM) 20 seconds further back.
Brabec took advantage of a penalty handed to GASGAS’s Daniel Sanders, who was on course to take the stage victory but was docked three minutes for speeding through a controlled zone, dropping him to fifth overall.
“Goal number one was not to open the stage,” Brabec said. “I feel quite well and confident after today, but I will just try to go day by day, keep pace and stay in the Top 10. It’s going to be hard to be out of the lead—like we saw today—but we have to see how it goes until the rest day. Today was fairly simple, no stress, it was a great day.”
Brabec was nearly denied by his ultra-impressive compatriot Mason Klein (KTM), but a late penalty, also for speeding, meant his first stage win will have to wait a bit longer. Klein finished the day sixth overall, 01m14s off Brabec.
Stage 1 was as far as current champion Sam Sunderland got in the 2023 Dakar. The Briton lost control of his factory GASGAAS machine 52km into the stage and was diagnosed with a broken shoulder blade, meaning all hopes of a GASGAS back-to-back Dakar win now lie with Sanders.
Brabec now leads the rally by 19 seconds from Benavides, Price, Joan Barreda, and Sanders.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Stage 1
| 1 | Ricky Brabec (USA) | Hon | 04h14m10s |
| 2 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +19s |
| 3 | Toby Price | KTM | +39s |
| 4 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +45s |
| 5 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | +45s |
| 6 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +01m14s |
| 9 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +05m12s |
| 32 | Jacob Argubright (USA) | KTM | +30m24s |
| 55 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +55m25s |
| 80 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +01h22m06s |
| 84 | David Pearson (USA) | KTM | +01h26m42s |
| 87 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | 01h29m31s |
| 99 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01h39m12s |
| 116 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +02h07m27s |
| 118 | James Pearson (USA) | KTM | +02h08m22s |
| 132 | Morrison Hart (USA) | KTM | +03h26m32s |
2023 Dakar Rally: Prologue Stage
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price took first blood on the 2023 Dakar Rally, claiming victory on the 13km Prologue Stage over compatriot Daniel Sanders (Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing) by a single second.
Botswanan Ross Branch, in his first Dakar appearance for the Hero Motorsports Rally Team, took third on the Prologue Stage, nine seconds behind Price. Fourth place Joan Barreda (Monster Energy JB Team) and Price’s teammate Kevin Benavides clocked the same time as Branch but were classified fourth and fifth, respectively.
“It’s a really good start,” Price said. “I don’t know if it’s a good thing. For sure, it’s nice to pick your starting spot, but I don’t know if it’s going to be an advantage or a disadvantage. Last year, the strategy we had was basically completely the wrong direction of what I needed to do. I’ll just leave my mind open. Long stages to go, in 14 days, a lot can happen. It’s nice to win the prologue today, but it’s not gonna guarantee nothing. We’ll stay on two wheels, have fun and enjoy the desert.”
Defending champion, Sam Sunderland (Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing) had a steady start to the Rally in 10th, 13sec off Price. Sunderland in turn was one second ahead of the first American, former champion Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team), who clocked a time 14 seconds off Price in 11th.
Americans Mason Klein (BAS Dakar KTM) took 18th (+20sec) and Skyler Howes (Husqvarna Factory Racing) took 39th (+39sec).
Early pre-race favorite Nacho Cornejo (Monster Energy Honda) had a shocker, crashing on the very first turn of the stage to finish 79th, 1m15sec off Price. This, however, was turned into a 6m15sec deficit by the coefficient of 5 applied to the Prologue to dissuade competitors from sandbagging.
Entrants in the Rally GP category will open the first stage in reverse order of their times from the Prologue Stage. Also, the new rules entitle the top 10 riders in the prologue to pick their starting positions from among the 28 available slots in the Rally GP category. The fastest bikers in the prologue are likely to cluster at the back of the field to benefit from the tracks left by the early starters.
2023 Dakar Rally Results—Prologue Stage
| 1 | Toby Price | KTM | 08m22sec |
| 2 | Daniel Sanders | GASGAS | +01s |
| 3 | Ross Branch | Hero | +09s |
| 4 | Joan Barreda | Hon | +09s |
| 5 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +09s |
| 11 | Ricky Brabec (USA) | Hon | +14s |
| 18 | Mason Klein (USA) | KTM | +20s |
| 39 | Skyler Howes (USA) | Hus | +39s |
| 56 | Pablo Copetti (USA) | Yam | +56s |
| 74 | Paul Neff (USA) | KTM | +01m05s |
| 103 | Petr Vlcek (USA) | KTM | +01m39s |
| 104 | Lawrence Ace Nilson (USA) | KTM | +01m39s |
| 119 | Kyle McCoy (USA) | KTM | +01m57s |
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