The Argentine brothers Kevin and Luciano Benavides they occupied the motorcycle category podiumbelow the Chilean winner José Ignacio Cornejoin the seventh stage that restarted this Sunday the Dakar Rally Saudi Arabia 2024after a day of rest in Riyadh.
The pilots traveled 873 kilometers (483 timed) from the Saudi capital to Al Duwadimi after which Kevin (KTM) He arrived with a difference of just 32 seconds compared to the winner, who thus achieved his third stage on a personal level and fourth for his country in the current edition of the race.
In third place was the youngest of the Benavides, Lucianowith a disadvantage of 3 minutes, 12 seconds in relation to the trans-Andean.
The American Ricky Brabec (Honda) finished in fifth place (+7m.26s.) below the Botswana Ross Branch (+6m.36s.), who put his lead in the general classification in check with a difference of just one second.
Brabecchampion in 2020, must drive without margin of error in the next station to not lose the first place in the global positions, which was achieved after the 48-hour time trial in the desert of Empty Quarter.
The Argentine brothers maintain their chances of fighting for the title
The Chilean Cornel follows him at 6m.48s. In third position in the category and further back are the Argentines, with the possibility of fighting for the title. Kevin Benavidez, current champion and also winner in 2021, He advanced to the fifth step, behind the Frenchman Adrien van Bereven (Honda), with 24m.39s. to discount.
The disadvantage of Luciano, driver of the official Husqvarna team, It is expressed in 43m.12s. in eighth place in the general classification.
In cars, Sebastian Loeb maintains the advantage
In cars, the French Sebastien Loeb (Prodrive) He achieved his second partial victory in a row, third in the current edition, and reduced his distance from the division leader, the Spanish, by ten minutes. Carlos Sainz (Audi).
Loebnine-time champion of the World Rally Championship (WRC), He advanced to second place in the global classification due to the setback of the Swede Mattias Ekströmwho was left out of the fight due to a problem with the suspension of his Audi.
The advantage of Sainzcandidate for his fourth title after those achieved in 2010, 2018 and 2020is now exactly 19 minutes ahead of the Frenchman and 1 hour, 35 seconds ahead of the Brazilian Lucas Moraes (Toyota), who this Sunday took second place on the podium of the stage ahead of the two-time title champion, the Qatari Nasser Al Attiyah (Prodrive).
Source: Ambito
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