Argentine rider Kevin Benavides defended his Dakar championship by taking the victory in the third stage of Dakar 2024 on motorcycles, after penalties from the organizers for speeding in Chile adjusted the results a few hours after the stage’s completion. Pablo Quintanilla crossed the line first, with Joan Barreda finishing in second place.
Chilean rider Pablo Quintanilla had controlled a grueling stage stretching over 733 kilometers of shifting dunes, rough dirt, and scattered rocks. He pushed hard to separate himself from the group and overtook Spaniard Joan Barreda, who finished the stage in second. An ensuing penalties reshuffled the overall standings, sending Quintanilla through the results table on Sunday and eyeing the motorcycle general classification once again.
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However, two speed radars caught Barreda speeding, resulting in a 12-minute penalty for exceeding the 30 km/h limit in two sections where the limit was rigidly enforced. Quintanilla also faced a speeding penalty, losing 6 minutes after crossing a zone at 84 km/h where the speed limit was 30 km/h.
The Benavides family saw the elder brother clinch third place in the overall, preserving a podium position that remained unchanged in the general classification after the stage. Botswana’s Ross Branch had his own setback with a one-minute penalty.
Beyond the penalties, the stage unfolded with several notable moments: the start was marked by the withdrawal of British rider Sam Sunderland due to a mechanical issue, while a young rider Mason Klein led early on after the first kilometer, only to encounter his own motorcycle troubles shortly afterward.
The German rider Sebastian Buhler also had to withdraw after a crash at the 360-kilometer mark; he was transported by helicopter due to back pain but recovered enough to be conscious and move his limbs afterward.
With these incidents, Kevin Benavides capitalized on the misfortunes, including falls, mechanical issues, and penalties, to secure a stage victory in Dakar 2024’s third leg.
The podium for this stage was dominated by Hispanics, with Quintanilla, Cornejo, and Benavides securing the top positions. The previous podium included American Ricky Brabec and French rider Adrien Van Beveren, who trailed closely behind Ross Branch and Botswana in the general standings by minutes and seconds relative to Chilean Nacho Cornejo.
Despite the penalties and drama, Quintanilla, Cornejo, and the two Benavides brothers remained within the top ten of the overall standings, continuing to contest the title. Branch still led the general classification, but Cornejo was within striking distance, followed by Kevin Benavides at 20 minutes and Luciano Benavides at 27 minutes.
Across the motorcycle category, the field remained tightly packed, with as many as ten riders within thirty minutes of the leader. The category has proven volatile, with four different stage winners since the prologue, underscoring the unpredictable nature of Dakar’s endurance challenge.
The third stage, described as a midway marathon, covered 733 kilometers, of which 438 were timed. The route stretched from Ad Duwadimi to Al Samiya in Saudi Arabia, delivering one of the longest and most diverse days of the rally. The early dunes gave way to rocky sections and hard-packed terrain, testing both rider skill and machine reliability.
Officials noted additional pressure at the finish line, with mechanics given only two hours to repair cars in the indoor park before the next day’s stage. The rapid turnaround added to the challenge, demanding quick fixes and precise execution from everyone involved.
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