The British Sam Sunderland, from the Spanish Gas Gas team, which is supported by the Austrian brand KMT, achieved his second Dakar in the motorcycle category, following winning it in 2017, by winning the general classification ahead of the Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Honda), winner of the twelfth stage disputed this Friday between Bisha and Jeddah, and the Austrian Matthias Walkner (KMT).
It was not an official team that took the victory, but following 18 years in a row in which a KTM prevailed in the desert, the Japanese Honda added two editions in a row achieving the victory, So in 2022 the Austrian breaks this streak and takes her first ‘Touareg’ in Saudi Arabia.
And he does it with surprise since they ‘snatched’ Honda, the current champion until this Friday, the Argentine Kevin Benavides; but the 36 minutes lost on the second day of competition and, above all, the mechanical problems of stage 10 prevented him from fighting to defend his crown.
One that Quintanilla fought to keep Honda until the last stage, despite the fact that the timed section (special) had only 163 kilometers and a majority of the track, without excessively complicating the pilots beyond some difficulty in navigation. Finally, he might only cut 3’25 ”which served to certify his second place in the general classification, 3’27” behind Sunderland.
Third, at 6’47 ”, it was a Walkner who, despite taking the lead in the ninth stage, he might not maintain that place of privilege.
Barreda finishes fifth
The best Spanish on two wheels was a Joan Barreda (Honda) who raced from the fifth stage with the fractured clavicle. He fell back in eighth and still finished fifth overall. For his part, Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) finished in 12th position, 58’26 ”behind the winner.
A twelfth stage, disputed between Bisha and Jeddah, which, as expected, did not change the first places of the general classification but which had a fight until the end. Quintanilla took five seconds from the American Ricky Brabec (Honda) and 18 “to the Australian Toby Price (Honda) to finish a Dakar in which he equaled his best result (2nd in 2020).
Five first classified of the 12th Stage in motorcycles:
- Pablo Quintanilla (CHI-Honda): 1h40 ‘
- Ricky Brabec (USA-Honda): a 5”
- Toby Price (AUS-KTM): 18 ”
- Nacho Cornejo (CHI-Honda): at 29 ”
- Joan Barreda (ESP-Honda): a 1’13”.
Dakar provisional classification in the motorcycle category:
- Sam Sunderland (GBR-Gas Gas): 38h47’30”
- Pablo Quintanilla (CHI-Honda): at 3’27 ”
- Matthias Walkner (AUT-KTM): a 6’47”
- Adrien Van Beveren (FRA-Yamaha): a 18’41”
- Joan Barreda (ESP-Honda): a 25’42”.
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