Australia's Toby Price is fourth at the halfway mark of the 2023 Dakar Rally, just one minute and 58 seconds behind leader American Skyler Howes despite finishing 17th on Stage 8.
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The two-time Dakar champion was one of the leading riders out on the stage and had to exercise caution in difficult wet conditions, while providing "perfect tracks" for the riders behind to follow.
Fellow Aussie Daniel Sanders was one of the big movers on the stage finishing second, three minutes and 15 seconds behind winner Ross Branch of Botswana.
The result cut an important 12 minutes off the 28-year-old's time from the overall lead and he is now seventh, 7m3s behind Howes.
Price, who grew up in the Hunter Valley, was looking forward to the rest day at the halfway point of the rally.
"I lost a little time today riding up near the front, but my overall position is still decent," the 35-year-old posted after the stage.
"In the leading group today we were leaving perfect tracks for the guys behind to follow, so it was inevitable that we would lose some minutes.
"The rocks were super-slippery, too, which meant it was best just to ease off a little rather than risk a crash."
Sanders took advantage of a enforced break for riders on Stage 7 because conditions were too dangerous to compete and benefitted from following the opening group on Stage 8.
"We had sort of a rest day yesterday. We got to switch off the brain and try to eat a little bit, get the energy levels back up. I'm still fighting this stomach bug a little bit," Sanders, from Three Bridges east of Melbourne, said.
"Hopefully I'm on the mend now, and tomorrow is another rest day, so I'll rest up and come out swinging on stage 9.
"The navigation was really difficult, the guys did a really good job, it was wet and stony and slick.
"It was really easy to follow their tracks. I'm really happy to achieve this result today before moving on to the second part because these last few days were not nice."
Price's Red Bull KTM teammate Kevin Benavides from Argentina and American Mason Klein are 13 second behind in equal second.
Klein finished third on Stage 8, 3m33s behind Branch, with Monster Energy Honda pair Pablo Quintanilla, from Chile, and Adrien Van Beveren a further three minutes back in fourth and fifth respectively.
Top 10 after Stage 8
- Skyler Howes (USA)
- Kevin Benavides (Arg) +13s
- Mason Klein (USA) +13s
- Toby Price (Aus) +1m58s
- Pablo Quintanilla (Chl) +2m45s
- Adrien Van Beveren (Fra) +2m49s
- Daniel Sanders (Aus) +7m03s
- Joan Barreda Bort (Esp) +7m21s
- Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Chl) +19m32s
- Matthias Walkner (Aut) +22m35s
Previously
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.
