Three stages from the final finish, the Frenchman is nearly 40 minutes behind the leader.
Giniel De Villiers won Tuesday the 9and stage of the Dakar 2022 contested in Saudi Arabia. The South African (Toyota) completed the loop around Wadi Ad Dawasir in 2h23’08, nine seconds ahead of his compatriot Henk Lategan playing in the same team. Toyota signs a hat-trick as Nasser al-Attiyah takes 3and seat (+1’04). The Qatari, leader of the general classification, inflates his lead by one minute and seven seconds over his runner-up Sébastien Loeb (Prodrive), 5and of the day at 2’11 from De Villiers. Three stages from the end of the race, the Alsatian is 39 minutes and 5 seconds behind Al-Attiyah, on track to win his 4and Dakar.
We are still a long way behind Nasser.
Sebastien Loeb
“Apart from yesterday (Monday) when we had a problem with a new part changed on the rest day, we had a good race again today. We finished 3rd in the stage and we have a good lead over Sébastien Loeb. We are happy that the Toyota is going well but also that we are getting closer to the finish“, welcomes the leader. “We did a good special, without any particular problems, explained for his part Loeb on arrival. This special did not necessarily lend itself to making big gaps. There is not much more to do, so we continue to attack. We are not in a position to make calculations, we are still way behind Nasser. We’ll see at the end“.
Suspense among motorbikes
In motorcycles, another change of leader with the takeover of Matthias Walkner. After today’s stage won by the Chilean José Ignacio Cornejo (Honda), the Austrian from KTM has a 2’12 lead over the Briton Sam Sunderland. “There is no strategy, you have to stay focused on the road book, there are two long stages left and the last one can also be complicated, don’t let go and make a mistake, explains the new leader. The gaps are very tight in the Top 5 and the slightest mistake could change everything, we have to stay focused. There is indeed only 12’57 difference between him and the 6th, Joan Barreda Bort. “Anything can happen in the next stages, it’s very tight, confirms the Argentine title holder Kevin Benavides (KTM), 5th at 10’22. We all give the maximum every day, but it’s always open. Ten minutes is nothing. I have to keep fighting because everyone wants the same thing: to win.»