Australia's Toby Price is third after stage one of the 2023 Dakar Rally which claimed one of the race favourites and 2022 champion Sam Sunderland who crashed out with a broken shoulder blade just 52km into the race.
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After winning the prologue from fellow Aussie Daniel Sanders, Price finished third on the first stage. He was 39 seconds behind stage winnner American Ricky Brabec from the Monster Engery Honda team and 20 seconds behind his Red Bull KTM teammate Argentinian Kevin Benavides.
Sanders was equal fourth with Spain's Joan Barreda Borta, 45 seconds behind Brabec.
British rider Sunderland posted the fastest time at the first checkpoint, 37 kilometres into the race, but crashed out 15km down the road.
Sunderland was flown to Yanbu, where he was diagnosed with a broken shoulder blade.
Originally from the NSW Hunter Valley, Price won the 2019 and 2016 Dakar bike titles and was 10th last year after crashing out in 2021 and coming third in 2020.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Stage one was a 601km loop course starting and finishing at Sea Camp which included a 367km timed section.
The 588km stage two from Sea Camp to Alula features a 430km special, or timed section, with boulder fields, canyons and sand dunes to contend with.
The Top 10 after Stage 1
- RICKY BRABEC (US) 04h14m10s
- KEVIN BENAVIDES (ARG) 04h14m29s +19s
- TOBY PRICE (AUS) 04h14m49s +39s
- JOAN BARREDA BORT (ESP) 04h14m55s +45s
- DANIEL SANDERS (AUS) 04h14m55s +45s
- MASON KLEIN (USA) 04h15m24s +1m14s
- PABLO QUINTANILLA (CHL) 04h16m17s +2m7s'
- ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN (FRA) 04h18m27s +4m17s
- SKYLER HOWES (USA) 04h19m22s +5m12s
- MATTHIAS WALKNER (AUT) 04h19m36s +5m26s
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
