2024-01-04 17:28:55
A 28 kilometer prologue will open hostilities in the 46th edition of the Dakar Rallywhich starts this Friday, January 5, a little later than usual, and for the fifth consecutive year the race will run entirely in the territory of Saudi Arabia. Ahead, 7,891 kilometers (4,727 timed) and many unknowns that will be cleared up throughout the 12 stages, ending on January 19.
This year the caravan will follow a different path than previous editions in the saudi desert and will have unprecedented starting and ending scenarios in Al-Ula and Yanbu, respectively. The route will go from the northwest to the southeast of the country and vice versa, stopping in the capital, Riyadh, at the halfway point of the rally.
The stages in the northern area will offer a more varied route, alternating sand and dunes with stony terrain, while in the southern part the most inhospitable desert on the planet will take center stage, the so-called Empty Quarter. The 48-hour, 766-kilometer marathon stage that will test the endurance of drivers and machines will take place here on January 11 and 12.
#Dakar2024
The journey of 5 years around Saudi Arabia ????️ pic.twitter.com/1PBdKGjBjU— Ministry of Sport (@mosgovsa_en) January 2, 2024
The pilots will have to cross the largest desert of the Arabian Peninsula in two days, with a few military-style provisions and a tent to rest, without any type of assistance. “The organization will surprise the participants, it will force them to leave their comfort zone and we can see big differences,” anticipates Nani Roma, the only Spanish driver who can boast of having won the Dakar in cars and motorcycles and who this year returns to the competition with Ford, after a year of absence, after fighting a battle against cancer.
Al-Attiyah against everyone
Nasser Al Attiyahundisputed dominator of the Dakar in recent years with Toyota and holder of five Touareg trophies, will once again be the rival to beat, despite the fact that it faces a year of transition with the Prodrive Hunter, awaiting the arrival of Dacia in 2025. The Qatari, who will share a team with the one who was his direct rival in the last edition, Sébastien Loeb, does not mince words and immediately rules out the Audi ‘army’ led by Carlos Sainz and Stephane Peterhansel: “I’ll give them three days now home,” he says.
Sainz, who at 61 years of age is pursuing the dream of winning his fourth Dakar with the innovative RS Q e-tron prototype, powered by electric energy, defends Audi’s possibilities in what is probably the last attempt by the German manufacturer before finally turning his attention to in his Formula 1 project. “It can be a winning car, but I don’t deny that it is difficult. With four motors, software, sensors… there are many things that cannot go right at some point. We will see,” he warns, cautiously. “At least we want to be on the podium,” adds the Frenchman Peterhansel, ‘monsieur Dakar’, the most successful driver in the history of the Dakar, with 14 Touaregs in his showcases (six trophies in motorcycles and eight in cars).
Health adjustments and car upgrades ???????? #Dakar2024 @NaniRoma pic.twitter.com/RRdJFs1oI2
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 3, 2024
In addition to Carlos Sainz and Nani Roma, the Spanish representation on four wheels is one of the largest and we should not lose sight of Armand Monleón, co-driver of Lucas Moraes, and Dani Oliveras, co-driver of Yacopini, both in Toyota. Isidre Esteve also aspires to the ‘Top 20’ with his Hilux T1+, while Laia Sanz (Astara) and Pau Navarro (Mini) can give some surprises in their adventure and Cristina Gutiérrez and Gerard Farrés will try to win their respective categories (T3 and T4) in Light vehicles.
Schareina’s opportunity
Joan Barreda, the Spaniard with the most stage victories (29) in the Dakar, has had to ‘find a life’ after his departure from the powerful Honda structure and faces a new stage in Hero. The Torreblanca rider acknowledges that the Indian motorcycle “is different”, but he feels good away from the focus of the favorites, without pressure: “I would like to fight for the top five. We have improved the bike, we have tried to polish small details and I am confident,” Joan certifies.
Fine-tuning the engines and mastering the turns during private tests before the big day ???????? #Dakar2024
???? A.S.O. | DPPI Images | Antonin Vincent pic.twitter.com/5icozVhiKI
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 3, 2024
His place in the official Honda team has been taken by the Valencian Tosha Schareina, a revelation rider in the World Raid Championship and who at 28 years old faces his third Dakar with conviction: “Honda has given me a great opportunity and I want to take advantage of it. I would be lying if I said that I am not going to fight for final victory,” he says.
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In a race without clear favorites and more than a dozen drivers who aspire to do everything on two wheels, Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) from Salamanca also seeks to be in a ‘top five’ that he already had within his reach in 2021, when he signed his best result in the race (6th).
Kevin Benavides, defender of the motorcycle crown, arrives at the Al-Ula bivouac shaken: “I’m not at my best level. This year I have broken almost everything,” explains the Argentine, who has experienced an ordeal since winning the Dakar 2023. In February he fractured his femur, in the summer, his wrist, and just a month ago, in the preparation stage for KTM in California, he broke his fibula and had to undergo surgery again.
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