Neom (Saudi Arabia) (AFP)

The setbacks got the better of Sébastien Loeb, who threw in the towel on Monday in a Dakar-2021, of which he was one of the favorites with his compatriot Stéphane Peterhansel, who saw his runner-up Nasser Al-Attiyah get even closer in the standings general.

Benefiting from this fourth stage victory between Sakaka and Neom in Saudi Arabia, the Qatari is less than five minutes (4:50) behind the Frenchman, who has already registered his name 13 times on the record of the event ( six times on a motorcycle, seven times on a car).

Nine-time world rally champion, Sébastien Loeb was less successful in this raid event: he had to resolve to retire for the third time in five participations.

Due to two successive punctures, it stopped at kilometer 83 of today's stage.

Loeb was stuck for several hours with his co-pilot Daniel Elena for lack of additional spare wheels, while waiting to be repaired.

The day before, a choice had been made by his BRX team: to give as many spare tires as possible to the Alsatian's teammate, the Spaniard Nani Roma, better classified overall and double winner of the Dakar.

- A fatal choice -

This sporting choice may seem logical but got the better of the French champion, already behind by more than thirteen hours overall, who threw in the towel, as in 2016 and 2018 with Peugeot.

Nasser Al-Attiyah, for his part, had another good day with a success which brought his total of stage and prologue victories to 40 since his first participation in 2004.

"We tried to do our best, the marathon stage is never easy but I'm happy with these two days. We have four days left, it won't be easy but we will try every day", cautiously commented the triple winner of the rally-raid (2011-2015-2019) at the finish of the special, 375 kilometers long.

A distance swallowed in 2 hours 56 min 56 sec by Al Attiyah, with an arrival on the shores of the Red Sea.

Overall, Stéphane Peterhansel retains first place with a 4 min 50 sec lead.

But on Monday, at the start of the last week, he gave the Qatari pilot more than three minutes.

"It is played by the minute. We found ourselves in the first car fairly quickly and in the last part, I missed a few notes from Edouard's roadbook and we made U-turns, we lost a very small little time ", explains" Monsieur Dakar ".

In motorcycles, a French favorite has also given up: Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna), who occupied fourth place in the general classification, fell heavily at kilometer 267. Supported by the Dakar medical service, he suffers from a cervical trauma and was taken to Tabuk hospital for further examinations.

It was the Chilean Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Honda) who won this 8th stage of the Dakar-2021 on motorcycles, in 3 hours 08 min 40 sec.

His first victory in the 43rd edition of the Dakar.

He had won two in 2020.

In the general classification, Cornejo Florimo, who took the lead the day before, increased his lead over his first pursuer, Toby Price, now relegated to 1 min 6 sec.

Briton Sam Sunderland (KTM), 4th on the stage, is 3rd overall at 5:57 a.m., while Ricky Brabec is 6th, 17:42 a.m. from the leader.

Tuesday, the 9th stage will take the competitors to the shores of the Red Sea, in a loop of 579 km at the start and finish of Neom.

The seaside atmosphere should not last too long, the organization promising rolling but very sandy tracks making this special one of the most demanding of the fortnight.

© 2021 AFP