Friday 15th January 2021
14. Success at the Dakar Rally
Fatal accident tarnishes Peterhansel's victory
Stéphane Peterhansel wins the Dakar Rally for the 14th time, this time in Saudi Arabia. The last day is not only marked by jubilation, but also by sadness. French motorcycle rider Pierre Cherpin dies from serious head injuries.
Record champion Stéphane Peterhansel added another chapter to his sporting monument at the Dakar Rally. 30 years after his first triumph, the 55-year-old Frenchman won the 43rd edition of the legendary desert rally and celebrated his 14th overall victory. In addition, Peterhansel gave the German X-raid team the hoped-for successful title defense in the Mini.
Peterhansel, who in addition to eight successes in the car classification also triumphed six times on a motorcycle, could not be deprived of his comfortable lead on the final 200 kilometers in the direction of Jeddah. After twelve demanding stages through the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Peterhansel was ahead of the three-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah from Qatar in the Toyota Hilux (+ 13:51 minutes) and his teammate Carlos Sainz (Spain / 1: 00: 57 hours). Last year's winner Sainz won the final stage.
The German co-driver Timo Gottschalk finished the race together with his Polish driver Jakub Przygonski in the Toyota as fourth in the overall standings (+ 02:35:03 hours). Dirk von Zitzewitz, 2009 champion, clearly missed the podium, but made up for himself with his Saudi driver Yazeed Al Rajhi with two daily victories (7th and 10th stage).
Overall victory in the motorcycle classification went to Argentinean Kevin Benavides (Honda). However, the success was overshadowed by the death of the French amateur Pierre Cherpin. The 52-year-old died on Friday when he was transferred from Jeddah to his home country from serious head injuries that he sustained in a fall on the seventh stage. The Husqvarna pilot had been transported by helicopter to the hospital in Sakaka and had to undergo emergency surgery. Cherpin has been in an artificial coma ever since. Cherpin took part in the Dakar for the fourth time after 2009, 2012 and 2015. He is the 27th fatality among the participants since it was first held in 1978.
The Dakar Rally took place in Saudi Arabia for the second time. The legendary desert race had previously been held in South America for eleven years; the Dakar had withdrawn from Africa for safety reasons.
. (tagsToTranslate) Sport (t) Dakar Rally (t) Motorsport