It can be said that Ricky Brabec (Honda) He had a great day at Dakar, taking the stage win and gaining a bigger advantage in the general classification over his direct rival Ross Branch (Hero). But not everything went according to his plans. The Californian slowed his pace in the final stretch to prevent the track from opening up in the rally’s terrifying penultimate stage. But his strategy went wrong and his teammates Cornejo and Van Beveren They crossed the finish line in 2 and 20 seconds respectively. Brabec will have the bonus advantage but will be left alone ‘in danger’ tomorrow in the last big navigation test of this edition.
In any case, Honda showed its full potential and teamed up to take the podium on the tenth stage, following the performance of three riders (out of six) who reached the end of the Dakar with options. Adrien Van Beveren why third Just over 11 minutes behind Brabec in the general classification, he made an aggressive effort today, opening up the track and leading the way for his leader, who started second.
Branch, who started fifth, completed the first half of the stage in an extraordinary manner and became the fastest until he reached 180 km. Brabec caught Van Beverem and took control until the end. Moving alongside the Frenchman, he managed to get away from Branch by 3:45. The only thing missing was Nacho Cornejo completing Honda’s strategy with a stage win, beating the Chilean by just 2 seconds.
As a result, Brabec will be able to face the decisive eleventh stage in the 480 kilometer timed special stage between Al Ula and Yanbu with a difference of 10’58” in the classification. It is already enough to start dreaming about the Touareg conquered four years ago.
The motorcycle general continues:
1. RICKY BRABEC (HONDA) 44H 45′ 28”
2. ROSS BRANCH (HERO) 10′ 54”
3. ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN (HONDA), 11′ 46”
4. JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO (HONDA), 13′ 48”
5. KEVIN BENAVIDES (KTM), 32′ 43”
6. TOBY PRICE (KTM) 42′ 00”
7. LUCIANO BENAVIDES (HUSQVARNA) 51′ 42”
8. PABLO QUINTANILLA (HONDA TEAM 5H 02′ 41”
Source: Informacion
Gregory Robert is a sports aficionado and a writer for “Social Bites”. He provides in-depth coverage of the latest sporting events and trends, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the world of sports.