Image: Supplied.

Defending champion Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has rebounded on day five of the Dakar Rally to claim top honours, while it’s Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team) who continues to lead the overall standings.

Following his sixth-place finish on Wednesday, Australia’s Price capitalised on his starting position and made time on the rally front-runners.

Pushing hard right from the start, the two-time winner had moved into the lead by kilometre 152, where he maintained a strong pace, making the minimum of mistakes, crossing the line a minute ahead of Pablo Quintanilla (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing).

Following misfortune in the early stages, Andrew Short (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) put on a charge to wind up third, as Brabec and Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) locked out the top five. Former leader Sam Sunderland (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) has been ruled out with injury.

Overall, it’s Brabec who leads Price by 9m6s, followed by Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda Team), Quintanilla, and Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Monster Energy Honda Team).

Australian Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) wound up 23rd on day five for a ranking of 17th, as fellow Aussies Phillip Wilson (Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team), Ben Young (Duust Rally Team), Trevor Wilson (Husqvarna) and Matthew Tisdall (Bas Dakar KTM Racing Team) are now ranked in positions 65, 71, 94, and 113.

Detailed results