Australia's Daniel Sanders continues to lead the 2023 Dakar Rally despite finishing eighth on Stage 4 of the world's toughest endurance race.
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Two-time Dakar champion Toby Price had a strong day in wet conditions and has climbed to fifth after finishing fourth, two minutes and 24 seconds behind stage winner Spain's Joan Barreda Bort.
Bort (Monster Energy JB) finished the stage 16 seconds ahead of Chile's Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy Honda) with American Skyler Howes (Husqvarana) third one minute and five seconds off the pace.
Sanders (Red Bull GasGas), 28, from Three Bridges east of Melbourne, leads the event by three minutes 33 seconds from Howes with Kevin Benavides (Red Bull KTM) third (+4m05s) and Bort fourth (+4m30s).
Rookie American Mason Klein (BAS World KTM) was on track for his second stage victory but was hindered by a fuel pump problem and finished 10th and sits sixth in the general rankings 10m05s behind Sanders.
Red Bull KTM rider Price, who grew up in the Hunter Valley, is seven minutes and 17 seconds behind Sanders.
"All in all I had a good day, just keeping it on two wheels and completing each day. The section of dunes at the beginning of the stage today was quite tough to ride through," Price posted on Facebook.
"After all the rain the sand sucks you in a lot more and that makes things even more physical and makes the fuel consumption go up a little, too.
"At this point in the race my body is feeling good, the bike is feeling really good, so yeah, I'm happy as Larry."
TOP 10 AFTER STAGE 4
- Daniel Sanders (Aus)
- Skyler Howes (USA) +3m31s
- Kevin Benavides (Arg) +4m05s
- Joan Barreda Bort (Esp) +4m30s
- Toby Price (Aus) +7m17s
- Mason Klein (USA) +10m05s
- Pablo Quintanilla (Chl) +11m05s
- Adrien Van Beveren (Fra) +18m
- Luciano Benavides (Esp) +21m16
- Matthias Walkner (Aut) +28m25
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
