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IN THE WIND P52 "It's always difficult, this kind of stage," said winner Barreda. "Everybody is really fast over this terrain. It's exciting to start like this, but sometimes it can be dangerous. You always need to take care. I think I rode a good stage; I've got a good feeling and we are ready for more stages." Fourth on the day went to top Yamalube Yamaha Rally rider Adrien Van Beveren, who ex- plains "I didn't dare to go on all- out attack" in the first stage. The Frenchman had a rough year last year, which included a devastat- ing crash while leading the Dakar Rally. After overcoming multiple injuries, the factory Yamaha rider is ready to redeem himself at the Dakar. The Red Bull KTM trio of Sam Sunderland, Toby Price and de- fending Dakar Champion Matth- ias Walkner followed in fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Price, the reigning FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion, started the race nursing an injury, a broken scaphoid in his right wrist which he broke while training three weeks ago. Price under- went surgery, placing a screw in the broken bone, which he says "should be half-decent." "There's still a little bit of pain, for sure. The scaphoid's not the best bone to be breaking, but I'm still comfortable. If we're in the right position and the wrist can put up with the pressure and everything, then we'll definitely go full gas." Despite starting outside the top spots, the KTM trio will un- doubtedly be a force in the 2019 Dakar Rally against the factory teams of Honda, Yamaha and Husqvarna, who are all desper- ate to put a stop to the mighty orange win streak in Dakar. Fac- tory KTM has 17 straight Dakar Rally motorcycle wins. But as 2016 Dakar Rally Champion Toby Price well knows, anything can and does happen in the world's toughest rally race, commenting, "Even if KTM has been winning every- thing for a while, no one is the boss of the Dakar." American rider Andrew Short carded 12th on the day, and is another rider who will likely rise through the ranks as the race progresses. The supercross con- vert has learned quite a bit since being thrown into the fire one year ago and will look to improve on his 17th-place result. Klymciw Racing teammates Garrett Poucher and Skyler Howes of the U.S. finished within seconds of each other in the first stage, the rookie contestants collecting 45th and 46th aboard their Garrett Off-road Racing- backed KTMs. Nathan Rafferty, the final American motorcycle rider in the field, reached the fin- ish in 96th place. Jean Turner Overall Bike: Day 1 1. Joan Barreda (Hon) 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Hus) +01:34 3. Ricky Brabec (Hon) +02:52 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yam) +02:55 5. Sam Sunderland (KTM) +02:56 6. Toby Price (KTM) +03:08 7. Matthias Walkner (KTM) +03:12 8. Kevin Benavides (Hon) +04:00 9. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Hon) +05:22 10. Xavier De Soultrait (Yam) +05:54 11. Paulo Goncalves (Hon) +06:41 12. Michael Metge (Shr) +06:49 13. Andrew Short (Hus) +06:53 45. Garrett Poucher (Hus) +19:22 46. Skyler Howes (Hus) +19:28 96. Nathan Rafferty (KTM) +41:03 Honda's Joan Barreda has fired first, winning the first stage of Dakar. PHOTOGRAPHY BY HONDA HRC