Europe 1 with AFP 6:43 p.m., January 10, 2023, modified at 6:44 p.m., January 10, 2023

Frenchman Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive) won his third stage victory in the Dakar rally on Tuesday after 686 km between Ryad and Harad full of twists and turns, including that of Carlos Sainz who gave up before returning to the race.

And two in a row.

French driver Sébastien Loeb won the 9th Dakar, linking Riyadh and Haradh, on Tuesday January 10.

After a day of rest on Monday, the Habs maneuvered well to claim their third stage victory in this 2023 edition. 

Lithuanian Vaidotas Zala finished second of the day (3 min 7 sec) and Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit third (4 min 18 sec), offering an exclusively Prodrive podium.

Stage 9️⃣ - Cars



Provisional top 3:


Sébastien Loeb


Vaidotas Zala


Guerlain Chicherit



Three @prodrive cars on today's podium.



Follow the other categories live:https://t.co/BrruP0oEtI#Dakar2023pic.twitter.com/LKUAXVY0Z7

— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 10, 2023

>> READ ALSO

- Victim of an attack on the Dakar 2022, Philippe Boutron will be "at the start next year"

Loeb stays behind overall

Probably deprived of final victory due to the consequent delay (1h 40 min) on the first Nasser Al-Attiyah (Toyota), Loeb temporarily fulfilled part of his contract: to win an additional stage victory after his successes in the 4th and 8th to earn points for the world championship and get back on the podium.

As announced, he attacked and opened the track with Al-Attiyah in the first part of the event in the dunes, before taking the upper hand and distancing the Qatari, four-time winner of the event, by 11 min and 8 sec, according to the provisional results.

With his co-driver Fabian Lurquin, the Alsatian is only 19 minutes behind the second, the young 25-year-old Brazilian Lucas Moraes (Toyota) who is continuing his good performance in his first Dakar.

Henk Lategan meanwhile gave up his second place in the general classification after losing 40 minutes due to a mechanical problem.

>> READ ALSO

- "Notoriety has dropped in France": the Dakar begins in relative anonymity

Another blow for Sainz

The other highlight of the day is the new blow for the Spaniard Carlos Sainz.

The three-time winner of the event retired from the Dakar 2023 after his Audi rolled over, the organizers announced.

A few minutes later, ASO however raised the hypothesis of a reversal of Sainz.

The pilot having finally asked the medical helicopter en route to the hospital to turn around to accompany him to his car, where he was joined by his assistance.