Dakar 2022 – Stage 2

We went into Stage 2 of the 2022 Dakar Rally with Australian Daniel Sanders holding a three-minute lead and opening the stage, ahead of Pablo Quintanilla, Matthias Walkner, Adrien Van Beveren, and Sam Sunderland. Toby Price meanwhile suffered a navigation error that saw a P22 result for Stage 1, dictating the same starting position for today’s stage.

Stage 2 would provide a big shake-up of the front runners, as the challenge of opening the stage bit Sanders on his GasGas machinery, ending up on the wrong side of a canyon for the finish.

The stage saw Sunderland move into the overall lead from Yamaha’s Adrien Van Beveren, with Sanders dropping to third 3m29s off the leader in the provisional results before a 10-minute penalty pushed him down to seventh. Walkner, Howes and Lorenzo Santolino completed the top five, with Toby Price moving into 15th. Price now sits 32m48s off the front runner, having closed the gap significantly.

The second full stage also brought about some route changes, with downpours over the last days causing flooding, including washing out the Al Artawiyah bivouac for the Marathon stage, with the Stage 2 destination camp instead changed to Al Qaisumah, with the 338.43-kilometre special stage unchanged, mainly featuring dunes.

Daniel Sanders found himself on the wrong side of canyon nearing the end of stage two, and had to make a quick decision. Instead of turning back, he opted to jump his GasGas RC 450F clean over it to get himself back in the race, which, fortunately, worked. From there it was a hard charge to the finish line, however a 10-minute penalty saw the rider lose a number of places as the results updated.

Daniel Sanders – P28

“Today was pretty wild to begin with as it was pretty cloudy and the stage was super-fast early on. I had a good day going until after a fuel stop where I went down the wrong side of a canyon and lost a little bit of time. In the end I had to jump over it to get out of it but once back on the right line I pushed on to the finish. A little frustrating but I was able to make up some time in the dunes so all in all, not a bad day really.”

Toby Price’s second day at the 2022 Dakar proved a better one, with the Aussie building his pace throughout the day and fighting his way up the order. Completing the stage as fifth fastest, he earnt himself a strong start position for day three, where Price will aim to cut his deficit to the leaders once again.

Toby Price – P5

“Today went a lot better than yesterday, and I was able to claw back a little time on the leaders. It’s always tough when you lose a big chunk of time early on, but it’s still very early days and there’s a lot of racing left. The bike is really good – I’m feeling really comfortable – so let’s continue tomorrow and see what happens.”

Australian Andrew Houlihan meanwhile finished the day in 110th and sits 112th overall.

Joan Barreda started the day from a favourable position to attack, let no-one stand between him and his goal, completing the special with a surplus of five-and-a-half minutes over the stage’s nearest rider.

Joan Barreda – P1

“I’m happy with today, especially after yesterday’s hard day, where several riders got lost. To make up time in the general standings is good, and we have to be aware that there are ten days ahead and that anything can happen. We are physically in good shape and we are looking forward to it. We have worked all year to get here in good shape, so now is the time to get it all out. I am also happy to be the third rider in the history of the Dakar with the most stage victories. I’m proud of the work I’ve done over the years and the mark I’ve left.”

Starting sixth on stage two of the 2022 Dakar Rally, Sam Sunderland put together a faultless display of riding and navigation to catch the front runners, lead the stage, and then bring his RC 450F Rally home in a fine second place. The strong result moves the Brit to the top of the provisional leaderboard.

Sam Sunderland – P2

“It was an interesting day today and it certainly went a bit more smoothly than yesterday, which is what I wanted. I started sixth and focused on just pushing hard to catch the leaders. There was some tricky navigation, but I figured out the way pretty quickly and caught up to Van Beveren. We then caught up with a few more of the leading guys so from there onwards we took it in turns to navigate and it was a pretty cool way to end the stage.”

Completing stage one in 14th place, defending Dakar Champion Kevin Benavides made the very best use of his starting position to make up time on his rivals. With his KTM 450 RALLY performing perfectly, Benavides was able to work his way up the rankings as the day progressed, moving into the top three by the halfway point. From there, the experienced Argentinian maintained a strong pace to the finish, ultimately claiming third, just under six minutes down on the stage winner.

Kevin Benavides – P3

“Today was a good day, especially after such a tough day yesterday. I started near the back and was able to push really hard. The special today was really fast in places, but also quite complicated – you had to know where to attack and where to focus on your navigation. It’s only day two and everything can happen at the Dakar – there are always ups and downs. I’m looking forward to the next few days.”

Starting the special stage as the 10th rider to set off, Skyler was quickly up to speed and chasing down the riders ahead of him, once again pushing hard but not taking any unnecessary risks so early on in the event. Enjoying the fast tracks and wet sandy conditions, the American was soon knocking on the door of a top-three finish, eventually bringing his FR 450 Rally home in fourth.

Skyler Howes – P4

“The stage went well for me – I felt pretty comfortable riding on the wet sand. The dunes and the fast, sandy tracks were a lot of fun to ride, so today was really enjoyable, especially after some of the stresses of yesterday. I felt like I rode at a pretty good pace, and I’m happy with my result. It puts me in a good position for stage three, so I hope I can maximise on that. My focus is just to keep putting in solid rides, and make sure that I stay focused on the navigation. Overall, I’m really happy with how today went.”

Joaquim Rodrigues of Hero Motosports was sixth, behind Toby Price, with Stefan Svitko of the Slovnaft Rally Team seventh.

Maintaining excellent form Adrien Van Beveren entered the high-speed special in fourth, and used his superior navigational skills to open the stage together with the other leading riders. Maintaining his strong pace throughout, he ultimately completed the stage as the eighth fastest competitor, advancing to second in the overall provisional classification.

Adrien Van Beveren – P8

“I’m happy about today’s stage, it looks like our navigation strategy has paid off again. My priority over the stage was to keep checking the road book and making the right changes of direction while still keeping a good pace and it has worked well. I have a good start position for tomorrow, so I will try and continue doing what I have been doing for these first two days and stay focused. It’s only been two stages so there’s a long way to go.”

It was also a positive day of racing for Andrew Short who, after a difficult first stage where he fell foul to a tricky note in the roadbook, clawed back 10 minutes on the provisional leader at the close of stage two. Completing the special as the ninth fastest rider ensures a beneficial starting position for stage three, where the American will once again focus on reeling in the riders ahead of him.

Andrew Short – P9

“Today went a lot better for me. My speed was good and the terrain was awesome. Very motocross-style in between the wide-open sections and overall it was just a great day on the bike. After refuelling I did make a small navigational mistake but otherwise today was much more positive and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Tech3 KTM Factory Racing’s Danilo Petrucci suffered a technical issue early on in the stage that brought his day to a premature end.

Tonight the Dakar convoy congregates at the Al Qaisumah bivouac due to the proposed Marathon bivouac at Al Artawiyah being washed out by heavy rains.

Stage 3 has also been affected due to the change of today’s bivouac. Race organisers yesterday decided to cancel the first sector of the special, so riders will not have to complete the 368-kilometre timed stage. The first riders are expected to arrive back in Al Qaisumah at approximately 13:00.

Source: MCNews.com.au

Dakar 2022 – Stage 1B

It was Australian Daniel Sanders flying the GasGas flag at the head of the 2022 Dakar field, claiming top honours for the prologue yesterday, with Stage 1 today reinforcing that was no fluke as he again proved fastest again after choosing a strategic 15th place start for the day.

Stage 1 was a loop for Ha’Il, covering 546 km, including 334 km of special, with navigation catching out many riders including Toby Price who lost significant time as a result.

Add a section of wet, sandy desert tracks due to overnight rain and the additional hazard, along with the usual demanding sand dunes, fast, rough tracks, and challenging navigation ensured a seriously demanding opening stage.

For Sanders, the game plan worked perfectly, allowing him to win the stage by over two-minutes to extend his place at the top of the overall provisional classification. Opening stages are a situation fraught with uncertainty, however that will now be the challenge for Stage 2 for the Aussie.

Daniel Sanders – P1

“So far things are shaping up really good. After winning the Prologue yesterday I got to choose my starting position and opted to start in 15th and then focus on chasing after the guys up front. There was some tricky navigation near the end of the special but I kept cool, avoided any huge errors and then l lead the stage to the end. This was great for me as it made sure I focused on my roadbook and as I’ll lead out tomorrow – it was good to get a little experience of riding alone up front. I’m excited for tomorrow and looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

In stark contrast to his winning ride on stage one of last year’s Dakar Rally, Toby Price unfortunately endured a hugely frustrating opening stage. As one of the many riders to run into the same navigational issue, the Australian would eventually complete the special 47 minutes down on countryman Sanders.

Toby Price – P22

“The stage was a bit of a rough one for me today. There was one note that just didn’t seem to add up properly, didn’t quite make sense to me, so I ended up getting lost for 45, maybe 50, minutes. So, not a good way to start the rally. But it’s early days and let’s see what happens. No crashes, so that’s good, but a costly navigation mistake. I’ll keep my head down and keep at it and see what tomorrow brings.”

Pablo Quintanilla produced a fine performance today for Honda, arriving at the Ha’il bivouac satisfied with securing another runner-up spot on the stage.

Pablo Quintanilla – P2

“It was a tough, complicated day. Last night it rained and washed out some tracks, the route was barely visible. I tried to push throughout the whole stage, even at the note at kilometre 268, where there was a hidden waypoint that was very difficult to find. I took it easy, navigated well and in the end it turned out to be a good day. It was very physically demanding, with a lot of changes of direction, on tracks that were not very visible, very fast and stone-filled… but I feel good, with good pace. I think it was a great day.”

Matthias Walkner pushed hard from the start and, throughout the opening six waypoints, made up good time on the riders ahead of him. Running into a navigational issue mid-way between waypoints six and seven, Walkner was able to quickly find his way and end the stage in a strong third place.

Matthias Walkner – P3

“It was a good day but super tricky with the navigation today. The rain certainly made the sand harder and things a little more challenging, but a few of us worked together, riding in a fast, strong group at the end of the stage to make sure that we arrived at the finish in a good way. In the morning the rain made the sand firmer and really nice to ride on, but at the end of the day it was much more challenging and harder to ride on. Although today was a hard day, it’s only the first day of the rally. We saw it last year, you can lose or win 30 minutes or so, but at this early stage in the race that doesn’t mean too much.”

Adrien Van Beveren made a highly positive start to his Dakar campaign by completing the special as the fourth fastest rider, despite entering as the 10th rider, with the event very much a war of attrition for Yamaha, looking at last year’s results.

Adrien Van Beveren – P4

“Today was tricky, but really enjoyable. I made a small navigation error early on but nothing major and my pace was where it needed to be also. So, it was a slow start but then I was able to ride with Pablo Quintanilla and this really improved my speed. There was some really difficult navigation near the end, but I found my way through and then opened the stage to the finish. I entered the stage in 10th and completed it as the first rider so this has been a great day for me. The focus for tomorrow will be to build from this result and start to build some momentum.”

Enjoying a strong debut ride aboard GasGas machinery, Sam Sunderland was well placed and running up front with the leading riders until until finding one of the waypoints late on in the 334-kilometre special proved anything but easy. After losing valuable time along with many of his rivals, Sunderland quickly found his way and pushed to the end of the special to secure his sixth-place finish.

Sam Sunderland – P6

“The first proper day is done and it’s safe to say that we went straight in at the deep end! My navigation was good all day but when we got to kilometre 276 there was a waypoint which was really difficult to find. A few of us went around in circles but once I found it my only option was to push as hard as I could to make up for lost time. It’s been a tough first day but there’s such a long way to go, hopefully tomorrow will go a little more smoothly.”

Ross Branch, like his teammate Adrien, moved forward during the stage to join the leading group of riders before a small crash slowed his progress. Remounting quickly and chasing down the leaders once again, a minor navigational error then cost the Botswana native a couple of minutes, completing the special as the eighth fastest rider.

Ross Branch – P8

“It was an up and down day today but overall I’m happy. I had a crash early on, around kilometre 130 and then I made a pretty big mistake with my navigation, which was frustrating. I lost a couple of minutes there but I’m all good otherwise. I feel good, and my bike is running perfectly. I’m now focused on tomorrow and looking forward to making up for lost time”

Skyler Howes claimed Husqvarna Factory Racing’s best result, the American completed the 546-kilometre stage as the 10th fastest rider despite a navigational issue hampering his performance.

Faring well during his first ever Dakar Rally special stage, Danilo Petrucci was able to benefit from his starting position of 33rd and follow the tracks ahead of him, ending up P12. Arriving at the troublesome waypoints after the leading riders, the Italian was able to avoid issues and went on to enjoy a notably positive result but did score a one-minute penalty, the ex MotoGP star 33-minutes behind the race leader.

Danilo Petrucci

“I’m really, really happy to finish my first real Dakar stage. I was so nervous at the start. Generally, all went ok for me but the 120 kilometers after the refueling seemed really, really long for me, especially with the big dunes.”

Aussie privateer Andrew Houlihan kicked off his Dakar campaign with a P117 result, four hours off leading time.

The second stage of the Dakar, set to take place tomorrow, will be dominated by dunes. There will be several stretches of dunes occupying about a quarter of the 338-kilometre special stage.

With a total of 568 kilometres, this was intended to be the only marathon stage of the 2022 Dakar, finishing in Al Artawiyah, but due to a heavy downpour yesterday which flooded the originally planned site, the bivouac has been moved to Al Qaisumah. As a result, there is no scheduled marathon stage and RallyGP riders will be able to receive external mechanical assistance like on any other race day.

Dakar 2022 Results Stage 1 (Stage 1B Provisional)

Dakar 2022 Provisional Standings after Stage 1 (Provisional)

2022 Dakar Rally schedule

Source: MCNews.com.au

Dakar 2022 – Stage 1A

Daniel Sanders, who claimed top rookie honours and finished just outside the podium last year, grabbed his maiden Dakar stage win in the opener short special of Dakar 2022 overnight.

It was a first in more than one way, as the Australian also netted GASGAS its first triumph in the most prestigious rally raid on Earth. As the icing on the cake, it was the first victory for the new 450 platform being used across the GASGAS, KTM and Husqvarna team, the latest showpiece of the Mattighofen factory, unveiled in Morocco last year. GASGAS is the 13th constructor to take a stage in Dakar, the rally had not feted a new winner since 2010, when Sherco and Aprilia opened their accounts.

After departing Jeddah along the Red Sea for a northbound 225 km transfer, the starting shot for the qualifying stage was fired at the entrance to the Medina region. The opening 19 km sprint was a sign of things to come: sandy tracks and dunes in an all-sand timed sector in which the entrants crowned and gobbled up dunes, sometimes even broken ones, and climbed to an altitude of close to 400 metres.

On this power hike, competitors were expected to bring their A game from the beginning for the special before the caravan then headed north-east for a 614 km liaison to Ha’il, where the grand start podium awaited the participants for tomorrow’s stage 1B on a loop course.

Pablo Quintanilla crossed the finish-line twelve seconds adrift of the day’s winner, Daniel Sanders. The prologue’s conversion factor, a coefficient of five, put him one minute behind the Australian, with the Monster Energy Honda Team rider now lying in second place in the rally’s overall standings.

Daniel Sanders – P1

“It’s cool to win my first Dakar special. I was really comfortable in the stage, the bike was handling unreal. It’s cool to show some speed, but the navigation has to start tomorrow. Looking forward to a long race. I knew I had to be fast in the prologue. If there’s not too much navigation, I can be in the top 3 or 5 in the prologue. This will give me a good spot to start from 10th to 15th tomorrow, I get to choose. It’s cool to win my first Dakar special.”

Pablo Quintanilla – P2

“I’m very happy with the way we have started the year. It was a short prologue, but it was intense, fast, with dunes and some rocks, but it helped me to get my nerves sorted out and start to get into the swing of things little by little. My goal was to finish in the top four and I finished second, so I did it and I’ll be able to choose a good starting position for tomorrow, which is an important stage with over 300 kilometres of special. It will be complicated. It will be important to start from the rear. We hope to have a good first week of rallying.”

Ross Branch was third quickest on a day where riders were most definitely playing a tactical game.

KTM Factory Racing duo Kevin Benavides of Argentina was P4 and Austria’s Matthias Walkner P5.

Kevin Benavides – P4

“It’s never easy to get started at the Dakar. There are always some nerves and lots of emotion. I was feeling a bit rigid at the beginning, but I managed to relax as I got into the stage.”

Former champion Sam Sunderland was seventh behind Adrien Van Beveren, while two-time winner Toby Price was one place further back in eighth.

Joan Barreda was the second rider in the RallyGP group to take the start. With a lot of dust in the air over the opening stretches and without any major references ahead, the Spaniard posted tenth on the day. Honda team-mate American Ricky Brabec opted not to push too hard on the first day and took P12, however, without dropping any significant time to his rivals.

Ricky Brabec – P12

“I think the Dakar really starts tomorrow. It was just a prologue and a big transfer day. Today was just really for starting positions. I didn’t do the best, so it looks like I’m going to be starting from the front, more or less, tomorrow. There is still the whole Dakar to race; we have twelve days more of racing. So today was a kind of transfer day just to get to Ha’il. The team is here. We are looking healthy, so let’s keep moving forwards, keep the spirits high and let’s keep the finish in sight.”

In his usual fashion, José Ignacio Cornejo produced a fairly reserved prologue. The Chilean from Iquique, who is 25th, will pick up the pace as the race progresses and was happy to be well back in the pack during the opening stage.

José Ignacio Cornejo – P21

“Today, there was a lot to be gained, but even more to be lost in the middle of the pack of 15, so I decided to play it safe. I lost some time today, but I’ll get opportunities to claw it back in the coming days.”

MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci completed his first dip at Dakar in P23.

Aussie privateer Andrew Houlihan made a safe start to his second Dakar campaign and finished Stage 1A in 115th.

Tomorrow’s stage

On Saturday evening, at the drivers’ briefing, the top finishers chose the starting order for tomorrow’s stage 1B, a looping stage in Ha’il, including 333 kilometres of special stage. Friday fast man Daniel Sanders selected start position #15. Pablo Quintanilla will start in fourteenth position, whilst Brabec will start from fourth and Barreda from sixth. Cornejo will start in the same position he finished today.  It will be run over sandy tracks, reaching an altitude of 1,300 metres, with a fair degree of navigational complexity.

However, not all of the route will be against the clock: a total of 181 kilometres of liaison section will complete the day’s 514-kilometre total. The departure from the Ha’il bivouac will be at 0545 and the first riders are expected to arrive back at the bivouac from 1245 (local time) onwards.

Dakar 2022 Results Prologue (Stage 1A)

1. SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team 00:55’30
2. QUINTANILL Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +00:01’00
3. BRANCH Ross BWA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +00:01’55
4. BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +00:02’00
5. WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +00:02’35
6. VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +00:02’40
7. SUNDERLAND Sam GBR Gas Gas Factory Team +00:02’55
8. PRICE Toby 18 Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +00:02’55
9. SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +00:03’00
10. BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +00:03’00
11. RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +00:03’05
12. BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +00:03’55
13. BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +00:04’05
14. MICHEK Martin CZE Orion Moto Racing Group +00:04’15
15. COX Bradley RSA BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM +00:05’30

Source: MCNews.com.au

Dakar 2022

Marking the first round of the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and awarding extra points due to its classification as an FIM Marathon Rally, the 44th edition of the Dakar is building up to be more important than ever. Covering 12 stages from January 1 to January 14, and totalling close to 8,000 kilometres, the race promises to provide the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and navigation as it travels through the Saudi desert.

Today, the 1st of January, the caravan for the 44th Dakar sets out from Jeddah to Ha’il, with the return to a traditional date for an innovative and unprecedented stage on the Dakar. Motorcycle competitors face a new development in 2022: a short 19-kilometre qualifying special stage. Everyone will have to fight for their place over the short distance against the clock. Though customary in the FIA World Championship car category, this will be a first on the Dakar for everybody. The times achieved on the special will be used to determine the starting orders for the following day and will produce an initial classification. 

The 15 quickest riders will be able to choose their place among the first 15 starting positions the following day. The quickest rider will have his choice in regards to starting preference which is always an important strategy as opening the way can be a very tricky task. 

KTM want Dakar back!

Honda brought KTM’s amazing 18-year reign to an end when Ricky Brabec took victory in 2020 on the CRF. In 2013, Honda returned to the Dakar Rally after a 23-year absence but it took Big Red until 2020 to break KTM’s stranglehold on the Dakar. It was an emotional victory that also coincided with the loss of a Dakar great when Portuguese star Paulo Goncalves crashed on stage seven of Dakar 2020 and died as a result of his injuries. 

Kevin Benavides then made it two in a row for Honda with victory in 2021 but then in a high profile defection joins KTM for Dakar 2022! 

Kevin Benavides

“After all the work we have done on the new bike, it’s really important to give it a final test in the sort of terrain we’re going to face. I enjoyed the shakedown, and the bike feels really good – I immediately had a good connection with the bike and was able to test a lot of things. The bike is definitely on-point with the suspension and the engine and everything. Now it’s time to get everything prepared, focus on the race, and start the show.”

Dakar legend and five-time winner Marc Coma has been appointed special adviser for KTM during the fortnight in Saudi Arabia. 

The KTM “dream team” decked out in Red Bull colours is made up of three former Dakar winner with Australian Toby Price (the winner in 2016 and 2019) alongside Benavides after signing a new two-year contract. 

A year recovering from injury saw Toby Price off his bike for much of the 2021 season. However, now close to being fully fit, the Aussie is confident that the testing and development done to the new KTM 450 RALLY over the course of the year will pay off, Price is very much focused on securing his third victory at the Dakar.

Toby Price

“The Red Bull KTM bike is feeling really good at the moment and I’m just super keen to get the race underway now. The event itself is looking like it’s going to be a really tough 12 days in the desert and a massive test as per usual. I need to make sure I stay consistent, try and make it to the rest day in a good position and then see what the second week brings.”

After the trials and tribulations of COVID-19 both Benavides and Price made their return to competition last October for the Rallye du Maroc. While at the Rallye du Maroc, Matthias Walkner grabbed the title of world champion, even before the finale. 

Matthias Walkner

“I think I don’t have so much pressure because I’ve had a really good season and I have the world championship title in my pocket, but of course our main goal is again to stay on the top in the Dakar. If I can continue again in a top three position it would be amazing. Right now, I feel super, super excited and motivated, I think more than ever, because it may be my last Dakar because my contract after this Dakar is finished”. 

Danilo Petrucci, recently retired from MotoGP and a surprise guest who will enjoy the much sought-after status of official rider, is ready to seize the unique opportunity of a radical change in style, after the Italian’s 169 starts in the MotoGP! 

However, this reconversion started in an extraordinary manner, with a broken ankle on 8th December during training followed by an initial positive COVID test result on Saudi soil that was soon revealed to be a false positive after a blood test! 

The Italian has already started to feel the heat even before the desert, which he will discover in the coming days. Nevertheless, at the age of 31 years, the track biker can point to genuine off-road experience which perhaps may allow him to become the best rookie in 2022… 

Danilo Petrucci

“After a really difficult couple of days I am finally allowed to race. I was on my bike at the shakedown when I received the message that my Covid test had come back positive. Thankfully, a blood test returned a negative result, and I was cleared to compete. I still need to take a lot of care, especially with my ankle, but I’m really looking forward to the race now. I want to say a big thank you to all the team for their help over the past week, too.”

Petrucci is not the only famous road racer to be starting Dakar 2022 as Carlos Checa also joins the desert racers at Dakar for the first time but will be on four wheels. 

Sherco

The official KTM team will not be the only one to start the 44th edition of the Dakar with a new machine. French constructor Sherco, which achieved a 7th-place finish with Lorenzo Santolini in January 2021 when all its bikes made it to the finish of the rally, will also be showing off its new weapon in the desert.

The three official riders will thus now be able to count on a 450 SEF Rally that is s full 12 kilograms lighter, despite the fact that it has three litres’ more fuel capacity. The Nîmes-based brand’s technicians have announced that the machine is 80 per cent modified, with the objectives of greater sharpness and better distribution of weight. However, it is also a more “simplified” machine compared to its initial design which is now nine years old.

GASGAS

In what will be GASGAS Factory Racing’s third official participation in the Dakar Rally, they take former race winner Sam Sunderland and young charger Daniel Sanders into the battle.

Knowing to expect the unexpected at the Dakar, the 2022 edition will mark Sam Sunderland’s ninth start at the prestigious annual event. A previous race winner in 2018, the Brit has an abundance of experience and certainly possesses the skills needed to challenge for a place on the overall podium.

Sam Sunderland

“We’re just one day away from the Prologue and the start of the Dakar so it’s a pretty exciting time! We had a really positive shakedown a couple of days ago, so we’re all set to get things started. The Dakar always throws up some surprises, so it’ll be important to stay focused, keep looking forwards, and stay calm. For sure I’m aiming for a strong result and I think it’s certainly possible to get on the overall podium once again.”

Delivering a highly impressive fourth-place result at the Dakar just under one year ago, the ever-confident Daniel Sanders returns to the race following a solid season competing in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in 2021. With the Aussie ultimately claiming a bronze medal in the FIM series, and now armed with even more experience, he has a serious shot of success at the 2022 Dakar.

Daniel Sanders

“The shakedown went really well and it was a good chance to run the bike in, set it up for the race, and make sure everything is spot on for the start. It was good to loosen up the body on the bike a little bit too and shake out the nerves before the serious stuff starts. I felt great on the bike, everything was perfect, and I really can’t wait to get this race underway.”

Husqvarna

Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes will represent Husqvarna Factory Racing with the two-man team set to compete on the new FR 450 Rally.

Crashing out of the 2021 Dakar on stage nine, Luciano Benavides was forced to spend the start of his 2021 season recovering from an injury to his shoulder. Determined to get back on the bike and back racing as soon as possible, the young Argentinian returned to competition at the first round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in Kazakhstan, where he claimed an impressive sixth place overall.

A solid seventh-place result at the Silk Way Rally further increased Benavides’ confidence and he was able to carry that momentum into the Rallye du Maroc where his consistency enabled him to secure another top-six finish. Now, heading into the 2022 Dakar, Luciano is back to full fitness and feels more motivated than ever to secure his best result at the legendary event.

Luciano Benavides

“2021 has been a long, tough year for me. It started well with the Dakar where I had good speed, but then my crash forced me out of the event. It took a lot of rest and training to get my shoulder up to strength, but thankfully I was able to get back on the bike quite early on and begin to build my pace again. The first couple of world championship rounds went ok at Kazakhstan and Silk Way, I was able to slowly build my confidence, but I knew I was a little bit off the pace. We spent a lot of time in the middle of the year developing the new bike and then when we rode it in Morocco it was definitely a big step forward for me. Not only did the bike perform really well, but it also helped me and my confidence – I felt comfortable straight away and from that the speed came more easily. The team have done an incredible job – many hours working and testing and I’m pleased with the result. Now, looking ahead to the next Dakar I’m happy with where I am both mentally and physically, and with my speed. The bike and the team are working really good right now, so I believe we have an excellent package for Dakar and will be able to fight for strong results. For sure, it’s going to be tough as always, but this will be my fifth Dakar and I think I’m better prepared than ever.”

Signing for the Husqvarna factory in April, Skyler Howes competed in his first international event for the team just over one month later at Rally Kazakhstan. The likeable American immediately impressed, converting his speed and enthusiasm into two stage wins.

Gelling well with the team and with the bike, Howes continued to deliver strong performances for the rest of the world championship season, mixing it with the more established racers while also gaining valuable experience along the way. Securing fifth place and finishing as the top privateer at the 2021 Dakar, Skyler is now looking forward to competing at the event for the first time as a fully supported factory rider and will be hoping to make the best use of his excellent navigational skills on the technical terrain while fighting for a top result.

Skyler Howes

“The year has gone really well for me – it’s been my first season as a factory racer and that has made a huge difference, it’s been great to just focus on my racing, which I feel is reflected in my results. Going into the Dakar in January, I’m definitely more prepared than I ever have been, but at the same time my goals remain the same – give it my all, stay safe, but try to come out the other side with the very best result possible. The Dakar is tough, and you can pretty much guarantee you’re going to have difficult days. The key is to keep looking forward and focus on that final result – that’s what keeps me going and keeps me motivated. The new bike we have been developing throughout the year has been another massive improvement for me. In years past, I’ve just turned up at the Dakar and often ridden a bike for the first time at that event. Now, I’ve been given the chance to not only spend a lot more time on that bike, but also have a massive input into its development. That’s had the effect that I feel really at home on the new FR 450 Rally and I’m looking forward to taking it to Dakar. At the end of the day, I’ll be happy if I give it my all and have fun, hopefully the final result will reflect that too.”

Yamaha

Following on from a highly rewarding season of racing in the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, Yamaha’s Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team takes on Dakar 2022 with Adrien Van Beveren, Ross Branch, and Andrew Short.

Alexandre Kowalski – Yamaha Europe Off-Road Racing Manager

“Entering Dakar 2022 is an exciting time for the team following a whole year of continuous hard work from the mechanics and technicians, and of course the riders who have achieved so much in 2021. Behind the scenes we have developed the bike so much and it has been put to the test throughout the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. With Ross winning in Kazakhstan and Adrien ending the season as vice world champion, it clearly proves that we are heading in the right direction. Because of the success this year the team spirit is really high, and this is really important at such a long race like the Dakar. Anything can happen at this event, but I know the riders have all worked so hard to build up and prepare themselves in the best possible way. Now, we can look forward to the Dakar with confidence and I have a strong belief that it will be a successful race for the riders and the team as a whole.”

Leading the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team into the desert at the 2022 Dakar Rally is Adrien Van Beveren. With his impressive second place finish in the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship still fresh in his mind, the Frenchman used the entire series as part of his preparations for the 2022 Dakar. Rounding out his highly positive season with three stage wins and a second-place overall result at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in November, Van Beveren is feeling fit, strong, and is undoubtedly back to his very best.

Adrien Van Beveren

“I’ve just completed my final training sessions ahead of the Dakar and I’m feeling really strong and ready for the race. The whole of 2021 has been great for me. Round by round in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship I had a solid strategy of being consistent and minimising mistakes. I was able to execute my plan perfectly and end the season as vice world champion, which I was really pleased about for both myself and the team. To avoid some unnecessary pressure, I’m looking at the Dakar as just another race and a continuation of my progress throughout the last year. For sure it is a huge race that everyone in rally focuses on, but I will take it day by day, stage by stage, and apply the same mindset that took me to success in this year’s world championship.”

For Ross Branch, 2021 was something of a learning year in what was only his first full season of rally racing. Demonstrating his capabilities with an impressive win at Rally Kazakhstan, the Botswana native posted impressive stage finishes at all rounds of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with a few unfortunate incidents hampering his overall results. Undeterred and with a renewed focus, Ross looks to harness his raw speed to successfully reach the Dakar finish line on January 14.

Ross Branch

“This year has flown by, and Dakar is now just around the corner. I’m really excited for it. A fresh start, new stages, and I think it’s going to be a really good race. During the last year the team have been working super-hard and this is really motivating as a rider to see as it just inspires me to put everything that I have into my training and preparation. My goal for the race is to finish each stage. It sounds modest but it’s such a long and wild race where anything can happen. Staying trouble free will be so important and now with my experience from racing all year in 2021, I’m in a really good place mentally ahead of the Dakar. I’ve got a great team behind me, and everything is in place for a successful race. I can’t wait to get started.”

Lining up with his sights set on securing his best ever result at the Dakar Rally is the third and final Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team rider, Andrew Short. With the American knowing the importance of safely completing each and every stage, as well as how chaotic the first few days of the Dakar can be, the 39-year-old is fully focused on achieving his goal.

Andrew Short

“I’m really looking forward to Dakar 2022 and it’ll actually be my fifth time racing the event. For this one I want to beat my best finish of sixth and to do that it’s super important to finish every stage safely. Each year I seem to experience some kind of problem early in the race so my focus will be on getting through week one without any major issues, then I’ll have the option to ramp things up in week two if I need to. Overall, you never really know how this race will go but I’ll be doing everything in my power to ensure the best result possible and have no regrets when the race comes to an end.”

Honda

And of course then we have our reigning champions, Honda.  Monster Energy Honda Team finished with a historic one-two at the previous Dakar.   Undoubtedly, the team’s intention for this 2022 Dakar Rally edition is to achieve a hat-trick of triumphs in this, the most arduous era of the Dakar; one featuring greater competition than ever before. With this objective in mind, the team line up the following squad: Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec, José Ignacio Cornejo and Pablo Quintanilla. The Monster Energy Honda Team – with former rider Ruben Faria as General Manager – is made up of a total of 26 members from six different countries.

Ricky Brabec

“Everything has been great this year: the team is looking good, we’re working hard and we’re all excited to be here for another edition of the Dakar Rally here in Saudi Arabia. It’s a great desert, a great country to compete in. For me, obviously, the expectations are high: we want to win. The whole team wants to win… There are a lot of people here who could win. For me personally, we are trying to do things right and get to the finish in one piece and without mistakes. Obviously, strategy plays a big part, but it’s difficult when you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. We are fine, the rally starts tomorrow. We’re closing the year great and hoping for a better start to the new year with a place on the podium. Follow us! Wish us all the best.”

Pablo Quintanilla

“With one day to go until the start of the Dakar and after completing the scrutineering and the shakedown where we had the bikes tested, everything is now relaxed. I feel very good and confident about what is ahead. We’ve had a great season, where we won in Morocco and then pre-season training with the whole team in Chile that has given us a lot of motivation, a lot of desire to go out and compete in this race.”

José Ignacio Cornejo

“We passed the scrutineering and everything is all set to start the Dakar Rally 2022 tomorrow. I am happy and looking forward to starting this edition of the race. We have had a great 2021, with some good training and a lot of teamwork. Both the bike and the team are very solid and I’m happy to be here to kick off another Dakar. Tomorrow we will have the prologue, which will define the starting positions for the first stage. I’m all set to tackle my seventh Dakar.”

Joan Barreda

“Everything is ready and in good order to take the start. I am very happy because this year I have had a fine season, winning the Andalucía Rally and also the Baja, so we will try to stay on the right track over the opening days of the race and hopefully we will have a great rally.”

Ruben Faria – Monster Energy Honda General Manager

“The first win is the team making it to Jeddah, getting through the PCR test and being all negative. For me, this is already a triumph. We are practically the same team as last year and we have only changed two or three members of the team; we are well organised and with a clear objective in mind. The riders are also in great shape. They have had a very intense build-up to the Dakar with good results and, moreover, without any injuries. They are highly motivated.

“We passed the scrutineering and everything went well. Ricky spoke about his goal at the official press conference and he was very clear: to win the Dakar. And what he said makes sense after winning and finishing runner-up in the previous two editions. Last year, Nacho was in first place with just three days to go when he fell. Now he is highly motivated and feels comfortable on this type of terrain. Joan is probably the fastest of the whole bivouac. Last year he was having a very great race but he had a mishap on the penultimate day and his chances slipped away. Even so, he is always a rider to be reckoned with. Last but not least, Pablo Quintanilla is the new rider in the team although he has already completed in two races, winning the Rallye du Maroc. I think we have four riders who will be in the battle for the overall rally win. From my point of view, this year it will be a battle to the end, because the other teams also have very strong riders.

“Our goal is to win because we have already won the two previous races. But the Dakar is thirteen days of racing and a lot of things can happen. We have a great, very reliable bike. For me, it’s the best bike in the whole Dakar. Also this year, the Japanese technicians who couldn’t be here last year because of Covid issues have been able to join us and we also have a Showa suspension technician. The Dakar, however, is so unpredictable and evenly matched that only when you cross the finish line on the final day will the winner of the race be known. We only have one secret: work and work, putting the team before family and friends. It can go well or badly, but if you don’t do your best, you don’t get results.”

Huge field

The official list of starters is made up of 409 racing vehicles, including 144 bikes (of which 33 will race in the Original by Motul category), 20 quads, 87 T1 cars, 2 T2s as well as 48 T3 lightweight prototypes, 47 T4 SSVs, 56 trucks (T5) and lastly 5 vehicles in the Open category. 

Behind their handlebars and wheels, 206 competitors will be participating for the first time on the Dakar, whilst 121 riders, drivers and co-pilots with “Legend” status will be taking part for the 10th time or more. The contingent of ladies has also significantly increased, totaling 28, including 3 100% female crews. With regard to the nationalities represented, France is predominant with 170 participants, ahead of Spain (74) and the Netherlands (64).  Aussie privateer Andrew Houlihan (#62 – KTM 450 Rally Factory Replica) is competing in his second Dakar.

Each evening at the bivouac, they will be joined by the 142 vehicles participating in the 2nd edition of the Dakar Classic, comprising a caravan of 301 competitors.

What lays ahead

Starting in Jeddah and finishing in Ha’il, the first day of racing will feature a short 19-kilometre timed special stage, taking place between two very lengthy liaison sections for a total stage of 834 kilometres. The special stage will take place over dirt tracks featuring the occasional small dune, which will give the riders a reminder of their skills in the sand. Finishing positions for the special stage will be important, as they will allow the top finishers to be able to choose their starting positions for the following stage.

Source: MCNews.com.au