Brabec Leading 2020 Dakar Rally
A
fter seven of 12 stages of the
2020 Dakar Rally, Californian
Ricky Brabec holds a sizable
lead (24 minutes, 48 seconds)
over Chilean Pablo Quintanilla
(Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
Factory Racing) and Brabec's
teammate, Jose Ignacio Cornejo.
Riding for the factory Monster
Energy Honda Team, Brabec
has been in stupendous form in
the 2020 event, taking two stage
wins (Stages Three and Six),
maximizing his chances when
rivals around have either crashed
or suffered mechanical troubles
in the grueling 12-stage event.
One of those protagonists has
been Australia's defending Dakar
Champion, Toby Price. The Red
Bull KTM rider has also taken two
stage victories (Stages One and
Five), but has suffered myriad
race-affecting issues, like his
roadbook shearing in two on the
first stage, losing time when the
waypoint marked in his roadbook
on Stage Three was incorrectly
marked, and having his rear tire
come off the rim on Stage Six,
with Husqvarna's Andrew Short
playing good Samaritan and do-
nating his rear wheel to Price so
he could stay in the race.
As a result, Price drops to
fourth in the standings, 28 min-
utes, 48 seconds off Brabec.
The 2020 Dakar Rally has
seen a few slices of history as
Ross Branch (BAS KTM Dakar
Racing Team) became the first
stage winner to hail from Botswa-
na. The Dakar sophomore came
from 14th off the start to charge
his way to the Stage-Two victory
but came crashing down to earth
(literally) on Stage Three, where
he dropped the KTM and injured
his shoulder.
Branch is still in the event,
and now sits 27th at the time of
writing.
Andrew Short (Rockstar En-
ergy Husqvarna Factory Racing)
IN
THE
WIND
P36
Ricky Brabec has
done everything right
so far in his quest
to become the first
American to win the
Dakar Rally.
