The 2016 edition of the Dakar rally continued on Saturday, with debutant Antoine Meo, veteran Carlos Sainz and Honda’s Locas Bonetto winning in their respective categories.
Today’s special stage was split across two parts, with the competitors conversing 230 kms in Bolivia, before crossing the border during a neutralised period to begin the second part of the timed stage. The route featured river beds and many are expected to reach Salta, the end point of today’s stage, well after midnight.
Bikes: Debutant Antoine Meo takes win, Goncalves stays first
The bikes category saw debutant Antonie Meo take his maiden win in stage seven, having already made a positive impression with a third place stage in stage three.
The KTM rider completed the stage in 2:27:27, beating Honda’s Kevin Benavides by one minute and 53 seconds. Standings leader Paulo Goncalves finished well down the order, but was awarded 10 minutes and 57 seconds by the organisers for helping Matthias Walkner, elevating him to third place.
The Peru rider continues to lead the overall standings, ahead of the KTM duo of Toby Price and Stefan Svitko, with Meo moving up to fifth following today’s win.
Cars: Sainz wins as Loeb retakes lead
After playing second fiddle to teammate and debutant Sebastien Loeb, veteran rally driver Carlos Sainz took his first win of 2016 Dakar on Saturday, with a time of 3:19:03.
Loeb finished marginally behind in second place, 38 seconds to be precise, with last year’s winner Nasser-Al Attiyah beating the Stephane Peterhansel to secure third place.
Miko Hirvonen was fifth fastest, less than a minute behind his much more experienced Mini teammate Attiyah.
With today’s second place, Loeb retakes the lead in the overall standings, with Peterhansel just over two minutes behind behind the Frenchman. Sainz rounded off an-all Peugeot podium finish.
Quads: Bonetto breaks Yamaha’s stranglehold
Until now, the quads category in Dakar has been an all-Yamaha affair, with Honda riders barely managing to finish in the top 10,
However, Yamaha’s stranglehold in the fabled cross-country rally ended on Saturday, when seventh Honda’s Locas Bonetto outpaced Pablo Copetti-ridden Yamaha by 29 seconds in a shortened seventh stage. Walter Nosiglia brought more cheer for the Japanese manufacturer, making it two Honda quads in the top three.
Behind the trio, Patronelli brothers finished fourth and fifth, but continue to lead the overall standings, with two-time winner Alejandro leading the duo.
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