🥉3rd Outright at the Dakar Rally 🥉
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price has finished 3rd outright at the close of the 42nd edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
Stage 11 - 5th
Thursday at the Dakar marked the second half of the event’s marathon stage.
After camping out in a temporary bivouac at Shubaytah the night prior, riders entered the special running the same tyres and having carried out the minimum of maintenance due to no outside assistance being permitted overnight.
With less technical navigation, the real challenge for all was managing fuel levels, with the soft sand causing many to come close to running out by mid-stage.
Price pushed hard from the beginning of the stage and soon caught the riders ahead where he found it difficult to make up any more time and was forced to ride in a group to the finish, finishing 5th and sat 3rd overall.
“I was able to make up a fair amount of time today but with the stage cut short yesterday, it was difficult to get enough people between myself and the leaders. All-in-all it’s been a good day with very similar conditions to yesterday really – very fast and open. The sand has made for some tough going and like a few people today, I nearly ran out of fuel before kilometre 229. I managed to get in with about one litre left in the tank. One day to go now and I’m still feeling good so we’ll see what tomorrow brings."
Stage 12 - 3rd
Outright Standings - 3rd 🥉
Lying third overall going into the 447-kilometer 12th and final stage of the event it was always going to be a huge ask for Price to make up the necessary time on the race leader.
🥈 Pablo Quintanilla (CHL), Husqvarna, 40:19:02
5. Matthias Walkner (AT), Honda, 34:53:49
