The Dakar Rally 2023 saw a dramatic day on stage six, with French pilot Stéphane Peterhansel and his Audi team facing a serious setback. A 200-kilometer crash disrupted the route, turning the stage into a difficult day for Audi. In the same moment, Spanish driver Carlos Sainz also experienced a mishap, adding to the day’s challenges for the field.
<pPeterhansel, who sat second overall in the rally standings, collided with his Audi. His co-driver, Edouard Boulanger, required medical attention from the rally’s emergency team. Boulanger suffered back pain and was evacuated for further assessment at a hospital. The team confirmed the incident and the subsequent medical steps taken at the scene.
<pCarlos Sainz, a Dakar teammate, waited for assistance during the incident, underscoring how quickly misfortune can strike in a rally of this scale.
Luciano Benavides wins on motorcycles
Argentine rider Luciano Benavides on a Husqvarna secured victory in stage six of the 2023 Dakar Rally for the motorcycle category. Although an initial results update briefly credited Skyler Howes of the United States as the stage winner, Husqvarna later confirmed Benavides as the winner, strengthening their position in the general classification with the second place finish overall. Spaniard Joan Barreda, riding for Honda, finished in fourth place on the stage.
Benavides completed the 358-kilometer special route between Ha’il and Riyadh in 3 hours, 14 minutes, and 38 seconds, marking his first Dakar stage win this year. The route featured dunes and challenging sand sections, transitioning to a 300-kilometer link leg that led to the Riyadh bivouac for the night.
At the finish, Benavides held a 1 minute and 3 second lead over Howes, with Toby Price of Australia sitting 3 minutes and 32 seconds behind in the general standings. Howes had led the stage early, aided by a 1 minute and 36 second time bonus that helped shape the final times. The overall picture showed a close battle with Howes in front, and Price pressing for another strong finish.
Among other notable efforts, Adrien van Beveren of France, riding for Honda, challenged for a strong finish after winning the previous stage by a slim 13-second margin over Chilean Nacho Cornejo, who is also on a Honda. Cornejo began Friday’s stage second in the overall standings and posted a strong time at the first checkpoint, only to see Howes hold the best early time by five seconds behind the leading Husqvarna rider. Van Beveren then posted a faster time, aided by bonuses, and moved into a competitive position as the stage progressed.
American riders also featured prominently, with Howes maintaining the lead on the stage while others battled for position. Barreda of Spain finished in tenth place, about 1 minute and 4 seconds behind Howes, despite breaking a finger in a crash the week before and continuing to ride. Cornejo’s pace remained strong, with occasional time bonuses helping stay in touch with the leaders as the stage covered rough terrain and demanding climbs.
A notable surge from Husqvarna closed the gap in the classification, shifting momentum as Cornejo gained ground but faced continued pressure from Howes, Price, and Benavides. The race stayed tight as the field moved toward the second half of the event, with close times and strategic bonuses shaping the standings as the riders approached the distant checkpoints and finish lines.
Heading toward the later kilometers, the pursuit of stage glory remained fierce. Howes continued to press his advantage, edging Price by a narrow margin and keeping a handful of seconds ahead of Cornejo and Benavides. The stage results helped redefine the general classification, with Benavides extending his team’s lead and Howes holding a comfortable gap over Price and others as the rally moved deeper into the Saudi desert landscape.
In the final marcha, the overall standings reflected intense competition among riders, with positions tight and the outcome still to be decided as the rally advanced. The day’s actions underscored the unpredictable nature of Dakar, where strategy, terrain, and timing combine to create a varied and demanding race that tests a driver’s skill and a team’s endurance under pressure.
Related posts:
Dakar 2023: Al-Attiyah, Sainz, and Beveren lead after dramatic fifth stage Dakar 2023: Loeb defies daytime fatigue with stage wins as Al-Attiyah clings to overall lead; Howes regains moto supremacy Dakar 2024: Benavides Wins Dramatic Final to Seize Dakar Crown Dakar Rally Highlights: Loeb Extends Lead as Al-Attiyah Pursues Fifth Touareg Loeb extends Dakar 2023 stage win streak; Al-Attiyah still leads as motorcycles heat up Loeb Extends Dakar Record as Bikes Stir the Penultimate Stage Dakar Rally Stage 3: Weather, Wins, and a Dramatic Shift in the Lead false Dakar 2024 Stage 3 Recap: Penalties Shake Up the Motorcycle Leaderboard Dakar 2024: Stage Tensions, Mechanical Setbacks and the Climb for Victory Carlos Sainz’s Fourth Dakar Triumph: Keys to Dominance and Strategy Carlos Sainz strengthens Dakar lead after Loeb’s navigation error