Five-time enduro world champion Antoine Méo today’s shortened special stage. The weather again influenced the route of the 2016 Dakar; massive thunderstorms caused flooding on the route forcing the organizers to cut the stage short for the bikes and quads. The Red Bull KTM rider finished the stage 1″53″ ahead of Kevin Benavides (Honda). Paulo Gonçalves (Honda) who crossed the finish line in 31st position almost 13 minutes behind the winner was given back the 10’53” he lost when he stopped to help the injured Matthias Walkner after the KTM rider’s crash. This put the overall race leader into third position.
Michael Metge (Honda), Toby Price (KTM) and Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) rounded out the top six. Kobus Potgieter, the sole surviving South African in the bike category – Wessel Bosman withdrew due to the injuries he sustained in a crash yesterday – finished the stage in 102nd place.
In the overall standings Gonçalves now has a lead of 3’12” over Price with Stefan Svitko (KTM) in third. Quintanilla, Benavides and Méo and next in line. Potgieter is in 101st.
Sergei Karyakin took a narrow win in the quad category from Argentinian Lucas Bonetto after the Russian was given back 4 minutes by the organizers. Pablo Copetti and Walter Nosiglia were third and fourth respectively ahead of the Patronelli brothers, Alejandro finishing 48 seconds ahead of Marcos.
Brian Baragwanath was again the first of the South Africans in ninth place. George Twigge was classified 27th after a difficult day. Ted Barbier ended up in 31st.
In the overall standings the Patronelli brothers have a comfortable lead at the head of the field. Alejandro leads Marcos by 3’36”. Jeremías González Ferioli is in third ahead of Alexis Hernández, Karyakin and Nosiglia.
Baragwanath is in tenth overall, Twigge is 12th and Barbier is in 29th place.
