Carlos Sainz dominates in the queen stage of the Dakar

2024-01-11 16:37:44

Updated Thursday, January 11, 2024 – 15:37

The Spaniard took advantage of the withdrawal of the until now leader of the general classification, the Saudi Jazeed Al Rajhi, stuck after capsizing on the dunes

Sainz, during this Thursday’s stage.Andrew EatonEFE

Carlos Sainz amans the dunes of the first part of the queen stage of the Dakar, divided into two days to travel more than 550 kilometers over the Empty Quarter and which has already claimed the first victim, the until now leader of the general classification, the Saudi Jazeed Al Rajhiremoved after overturning on the dunes.

Sainz, for whom everything turned out against him this Thursday, became the virtual leader of the general classification after that abandonment. His excellent leadership was combined with the withdrawal of Al Rajhi and the bad start of the current champion and great rival for the title, Qatar. Nasser Al-Attiyahwhich had to open a track over the desert and which took more than seven minutes after the first 50 kilometers.

In fact, in camp C, the last of the seven located in the desert through which all the ‘top ten’ of the race passed, Sainz was 24 minutes and 26 seconds ahead of Al-Attiyah, sixth, and 5 minutes and 29 seconds to swedish Matthias Extrwhich ends second.

The Audis dominated this first part of the stage, which was shortened due to the lack of gasoline in the dunes. In fact, Ekstrm joined the fight for the Dakar, as he is already second and is 16 minutes behind Madrid after snatching second place from Al-Attiyah, who finished the day about 21 minutes behind Sainz in the general table, although They are provisional, pending the end of the stage this Friday.

Thus, those from Audi did first and second, and only the Frenchman Sebastian Loeb was close, at 5 minutes and 53 seconds, in this stage that covers more than 550 kilometers this Thursday and this Friday through the most inhospitable area of ​​the Empty Quarter, it will be resumed this Friday from 6:15 in the morning, which will finish reveal the general classification after the first week of Dakar 2024, which was claimed this Thursday by the withdrawal of Al Rajhi.