Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1324381
Dakar 2021 Gets Underway A t time of publishing this issue, the 2021 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia had run the Prologue and two official stages, with the lead see-sawing between the Honda and KTM factory riders. Monster Energy Honda Team 2021's current Dakar Champion Ricky Brabec drew first blood by taking the Prologue Day ahead of teammate Joan Barreda and new KTM star, Australian Daniel Sanders. Held over just 6.8 miles, the Prologue victory meant Brabec would open the road on Stage One, and he paid the price by getting lost early in the 172 miles stage from Jeddah to Bisha, as he dropped over 13 minutes in the opening 23 miles. The result was a 24th position on the stage and in the overall standings, dropping him to 18:32 behind new overall leader, Red Bull KTM Factory's two-time Dakar Champion and Stage One winner, Toby Price. However, come Stage Two's 283.9-mile stage from Bisha to Wadi Ad-Dawasir it all went pear- shaped for Price. The Australian struggled in the sand dunes and suffered fueling problems on his KTM, finishing 32 minutes behind stage victor Barreda in 28th position and dropped to 15th overall, 17:39 off new leader Barreda. Price's teammates Sam Sun- derland and Matthias Walkner both struggled on Stage Two, with Briton Sunderland losing 23 minutes to find himself 12th in the standings, 12:50 off Barreda. It was much worse for Austrian Walkner, with a clutch problem ensuring he lost more than two hours, dropping him to 46th in the rally and all but ending his hopes of a second Dakar title. For Barreda, his Stage Two win, for the 25th of his Dakar career, hoisted the Spaniard into the Rally lead, 6:23 ahead of Brabec, who clawed his way back toward the head of the field, finishing second on the day behind Barreda. Botswana's Ya- maha Factory Racing pilot Ross Branch sits third in the overall standings after claiming fourth on Stage Two. "It was a very good stage," Barreda said following Stage Two. "We were forced to attack from the very first kilometer until the end and the truth is that it went well. But this is only the sec- ond stage of the Dakar and we know that tomorrow it will be dif- ficult starting from the front once again. You have to stay calm, try not to make any mistakes, and take it stage-by-stage." Brabec's topsy-turvy Rally high- lighted the plight of the rider who wins the stage and is therefore required to start first the following day, thus having to do all the navi- gation for other riders to follow. "I'm not sure if I want to win a stage for the rest of this Dakar," Brabec said after Stage Two. "(Opening the road) bit us hard yesterday. It's going to be a long Dakar. We have 10 days left. IN THE WIND P20 Barreda took his 25th Dakar stage win on Stage Two and moved into the overall lead by 6:23 over 2020 Champion Ricky Brabec. PHOTO: HONDA HRC