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The Dakar Rally entered its eighth stage with a twist, offering riders a mix of challenging terrains over a 458-kilometre timed special, split into two distinctive halves. The first leg presented riders with sandy tracks and dunes, while the second half escalated the difficulty with stones and rocks covering much of the final 119 kilometres leading to the finish line in Ha’il.
For the riders, it was a day of tight competition, as the top six were separated by less than two and a half minutes. In an impressive display of skill and determination, Kevin Benavides emerged victorious, navigating his way through the demanding stage to finish 31 seconds ahead of his brother, Luciano. Kevin’s triumph solidified his fifth-place ranking in the provisional overall standings, as he continues to close in on the rally leaders, stage by stage.
He added, “The two guys opening the stage – my brother and Nacho (Cornejo) – did a really good job, but I was able to catch them both by the end. I’m so proud to win the stage and have a 1-2 with my brother. It means I’ll be opening tomorrow, so hopefully I will do a good job. I’ll give it my all as always.”
Australian rider Toby Price delivered another solid performance, maintaining his position through the first half of the day and steadily closing in on the leaders during the second, more challenging half of the special. Price finished fifth, just over two minutes behind teammate Benavides.
Reflecting on the stage, Toby Price remarked, “The first half was all dunes and sand, then after a long liaison we went into the second part of the stage, which was all stones and off-piste tracks and stuff. The caps were a little harder to follow but it felt like we did a pretty decent job there too.”
He continued, “I’m happy with fifth for the stage, and it gives us a good position for tomorrow, but we’re just not quite where we need to be on time. I’m feeling good though, having fun out there, and now I’ll look forward to tomorrow.”
As the Dakar Rally progresses, riders are gearing up for the challenges that lie ahead, each stage bringing new obstacles and opportunities for competitors to showcase their skills and determination.