Carlos Sainz's
fourth Dakar
will not arrive in 2021. After a rally marked by his navigation errors, the reigning champion could not overcome in the marathon stages and this Tuesday several mechanical problems left him without the possibility of celebrating another title.
With only three days to go, Sainz reached the finish line with 22 minutes lost with the leader, the eternal
Stephane Peterhansel
, and his deficit grew to exceed one hour.
Quite possibly the Frenchman will take his fourteenth Dakar, eighth in the car category, and if a misfortune befalls him, Qatari
Nasser Al Attiyah
continues to lurk
.
This Tuesday, Sainz started the attack on a more linear, faster route, ideal for his riding, far from the labyrinthine roadboak of the first week, but just at the beginning, a shock.
Before reaching kilometer 100 of a 465 kilometer special from Neom to Neom, in Saudi Arabia, a puncture delayed him, another later hindered him again and already far from the first, almost at the end of the stage, a problem with the braking system knocked him out permanently.
It was his blackest day on the Dakar, where he will also be proud to be on the podium for the fifth time - he finished third in 2011 - as he has more than two hours ahead of fourth-placed
Khalid Al Qassimi
, from Abu Dhabi .
In the motorcycle category, the scenario was drawn in a very similar way: the leader, the Chilean
José Ignacio Cornejo
, did not make any mistakes and extended his advantage over the second,
Kevin Benavides
, and over the fifth,
Joan Barreda
, who already victory is very difficult.
The half hour of more that Barreda drags seems irrecoverable at this point, although on two wheels the changes are more common.
Also Spanish
Lorenzo Santolino
stood out
on the day
, who was placed among the top 10 in his third participation in the raid.
In the two previous appointments, he had to leave due to accidents.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
Dakar Rally
More engine Carlos Sainz's extreme set-up for the Dakar: "Don't think about age, think about winning"
More engine Prince Al-Attiyah's plan against punctures: Dakar Rally leader after prologue stage
More engine Carlos Sainz borders on victory and Peterhansel gives three minutes
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