Sunderland wins Dakar stage in last-gasp victory bid

Briton Sam Sunderland took victory in today’s Dakar penultimate stage to move up to second in the overall standings. With just one day remaining, he trails Honda’s Kevin Benavides by just over four minutes.

Putting in an impressive performance through the demanding 464km timed special, the Brit made up over six minutes on his rivals.

Despite being shortened from its original 511km, the timed special on stage 11 still proved to be hugely challenging for all competitors. Featuring close to 100km of dunes as well as fast tracks through tricky-to-navigate canyons, the penultimate stage of the Dakar tested the already-exhausted riders to their limits.

Third overall coming into today’s stage and with an advantageous start position of eighth, Sam Sunderland set off 15 minutes behind the rally leader with every intention of chasing him down. Knowing the long special offered a great chance to improve his position in the overall classification, Sunderland made the best use of his speed and experience to close in on his rivals. Taking the lead of the stage by the fourth checkpoint at kilometer 215, the Brit remained in front on time from there to the finish. Although a small navigational error cost him some minutes in the final kilometers, Sam claimed the win on the stage and did enough to move himself up to second in the provisional overall standings.

Sam Sunderland: “I gave my all today – I knew this stage would be one of the best chances I had to make up time on the guys in front. It’s great to win the stage, but it means I have to open tomorrow for the last day, which will be hard. Still, anything can happen as we know, and I’ll keep fighting right to the end. It’s been another really long, tough stage but I’m grateful to be able to just race my bike through the desert, especially with everything that is going on in the world at the moment. I’m grateful to my team too for all the hard work they have put in to get us here. The plan now is to do my best again tomorrow and we’ll see where we are.”

David Knight finished 20th today for 25th overall. Neil Hawker was 34th today for 38th overall.

1	5	(GBR) SAM SUNDERLAND	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	04H 35′ 12”
2	2	(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLA	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	04H 37′ 52”	+ 00H 02′ 40”
3	47	(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDES	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	04H 41′ 36”	+ 00H 06′ 24”
4	21	(AUS) DANIEL SANDERS	KTM FACTORY TEAM	04H 43′ 46”	+ 00H 08′ 34”
5	52	(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNER	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	04H 44′ 39”	+ 00H 09′ 27”
6	1	(USA) RICKY BRABEC	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	04H 47′ 58”	+ 00H 12′ 46”
7	15	(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINO	SHERCO FACTORY	04H 50′ 21”	+ 00H 15′ 09”
8	11	(SVK) STEFAN SVITKO	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	04H 51′ 57”	+ 00H 16′ 45”
9	87	(ESP) ORIOL MENA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	04H 53′ 27”	+ 00H 18′ 15”
10	42	(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	04H 55′ 00”	+ 00H 19′ 48”	00H 05′ 00”
11	32	(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINA	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	04H 56′ 51”	+ 00H 21′ 39”
12	24	(DEU) SEBASTIAN BÜHLER	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	04H 59′ 01”	+ 00H 23′ 49”
13	9	(USA) SKYLER HOWES	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	05H 01′ 05”	+ 00H 25′ 53”
14	19	(PRT) RUI GONCALVES	SHERCO FACTORY	05H 02′ 18”	+ 00H 27′ 06”
15	31	(CZE) MARTIN MICHEK	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	05H 02′ 59”	+ 00H 27′ 47”
16	74	(ESP) JAUME BETRIU	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	05H 03′ 17”	+ 00H 28′ 05”
17	17	(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	05H 05′ 45”	+ 00H 30′ 33”
18	33	(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL	SHERCO FACTORY	05H 16′ 28”	+ 00H 41′ 16”
19	44	(ESP) LAIA SANZ	GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM	05H 26′ 49”	+ 00H 51′ 37”	00H 02′ 00”
20	101	(GBR) DAVID KNIGHT	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	05H 27′ 03”	+ 00H 51′ 51”	00H 05′ 00”
21	53	(CZE) LIBOR PODMOL	PODMOL DAKAR TEAM	05H 29′ 08”	+ 00H 53′ 56”
22	25	(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	05H 30′ 04”	+ 00H 54′ 52”
23	30	(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS	ZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM	05H 32′ 20”	+ 00H 57′ 08”
24	27	(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUES	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	05H 32′ 42”	+ 00H 57′ 30”	00H 20′ 00”
25	39	(FRA) BENJAMIN MELOT	BENJAMIN MELOT	05H 38′ 45”	+ 01H 03′ 33”
26	29	(ROU) EMANUEL GYENES	AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM	05H 39′ 10”	+ 01H 03′ 58”
27	26	(CZE) MILAN ENGEL	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	05H 40′ 35”	+ 01H 05′ 23”	00H 20′ 00”
28	48	(FRA) MATHIEU DOVEZE	NOMADE RACING ASSISTANCE	05H 51′ 20”	+ 01H 16′ 08”
29	54	(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERE	TEAM BAINES RALLY	05H 53′ 32”	+ 01H 18′ 20”	00H 22′ 00”
30	63	(POL) KONRAD DABROWSKI	DUUST RALLY TEAM	05H 59′ 17”	+ 01H 24′ 05”
31	37	(CZE) DAVID PABISKA	JANTAR TEAM	06H 08′ 45”	+ 01H 33′ 33”
32	80	(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESS	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	06H 13′ 40”	+ 01H 38′ 28”	00H 20′ 00”
33	36	(CZE) JAN BRABEC	STROJRENT RACING	06H 17′ 32”	+ 01H 42′ 20”	00H 55′ 00”
34	84	(GBR) NEIL HAWKER	NEIL HAWKER	06H 21′ 13”	+ 01H 46′ 01”
35	46	(SVN) SIMON MARCIC	MARCIC	06H 25′ 25”	+ 01H 50′ 13”
36	41	(CHN) ZAKER YAKP	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	06H 25′ 34”	+ 01H 50′ 22”
37	95	(FRA) XAVIER FLICK	XTREM RACING	06H 27′ 12”	+ 01H 52′ 00”
38	78	(ITA) CESARE ZACCHETTI	CESARE ZACCHETTI	06H 31′ 19”	+ 01H 56′ 07”
39	86	(FRA) CHARLIE HERBST	DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM	06H 32′ 34”	+ 01H 57′ 22”
40	108	(ESP) MARC CALMET	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	06H 39′ 25”	+ 02H 04′ 13”
41	81	(SVK) ERIK VLCAK	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	06H 40′ 45”	+ 02H 05′ 33”
42	67	(CZE) RUDOLF LHOTSKY	JANTAR TEAM	06H 43′ 21”	+ 02H 08′ 09”
43	60	(FRA) STÉPHANE DARQUES	M.O.R.AL	06H 43′ 41”	+ 02H 08′ 29”
44	76	(CZE) ROMAN KREJCI	BO!BETON TEAM	06H 48′ 07”	+ 02H 12′ 55”	00H 15′ 00”
45	65	(ITA) FRANCO PICCO	TEAM FRANCO PICCO	06H 49′ 01”	+ 02H 13′ 49”
46	99	(ESP) JAVI VEGA PUERTA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	06H 57′ 26”	+ 02H 22′ 14”
47	55	(CHN) ZHAO HONGYI	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	06H 58′ 30”	+ 02H 23′ 18”
48	98	(ESP) SARA GARCIA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	06H 59′ 50”	+ 02H 24′ 38”
49	70	(SAU) MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	07H 01′ 45”	+ 02H 26′ 33”
50	71	(BHR) SALMAN MOHAMED HUMOOD FARHAN	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	07H 13′ 36”	+ 02H 38′ 24”
51	79	(FRA) AMAURY BARATIN	HORIZON MOTO 95	07H 14′ 48”	+ 02H 39′ 36”
52	35	(MEX) JUAN PABLO GUILLEN RIVERA	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	07H 17′ 43”	+ 02H 42′ 31”
53	125	(FRA) FRÉDÉRIC BARLERIN	RALLYE FRED	07H 25′ 55”	+ 02H 50′ 43”
54	121	(FRA) GUILLAUME BARTHELEMY	TEAM RS CONCEPT	07H 26′ 02”	+ 02H 50′ 50”
55	62	(AUS) ANDREW JOSEPH HOULIHAN	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	07H 29′ 45”	+ 02H 54′ 33”
56	82	(IND) ASHISH RAORANE	ASHISH RAORANE	07H 35′ 45”	+ 03H 00′ 33”	00H 15′ 00”
57	114	(ESP) ELADIO CARBONELL MENDEZ	PIKAERAS TEAM	07H 38′ 54”	+ 03H 03′ 42”
58	69	(BEL) WALTER ROELANTS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	07H 43′ 07”	+ 03H 07′ 55”
59	51	(ESP) RACHID AL-LAL LAHADIL	MELILLA SPORT CAPITAL	07H 45′ 52”	+ 03H 10′ 40”
60	100	(FRA) AUDREY ROSSAT	TEAM RS CONCEPT	07H 50′ 46”	+ 03H 15′ 34”
61	58	(ESP) EDUARDO IGLESIAS SANCHEZ	FN SPEED – TEAM MONFORTE RALLY	07H 50′ 59”	+ 03H 15′ 47”
62	89	(SRB) GABOR SAGHMEISTER	SAGHMEISTER TEAM	08H 03′ 34”	+ 03H 28′ 22”
63	105	(ESP) FERNANDO DOMINGUEZ	CLUB AVENTURA TOUAREG	08H 06′ 12”	+ 03H 31′ 00”
64	85	(PRT) ALEXANDRE AZINHAIS	CLUB AVENTURA TOUAREG	08H 17′ 37”	+ 03H 42′ 25”	00H 15′ 00”

Overall:

1	47	(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDES	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	45H 01′ 44”		00H 02′ 00”
2	5	(GBR) SAM SUNDERLAND	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	45H 05′ 56”	+ 00H 04′ 12”
3	1	(USA) RICKY BRABEC	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	45H 08′ 57”	+ 00H 07′ 13”
4	21	(AUS) DANIEL SANDERS	KTM FACTORY TEAM	45H 34′ 49”	+ 00H 33′ 05”	00H 07′ 00”
5	9	(USA) SKYLER HOWES	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	45H 50′ 51”	+ 00H 49′ 07”	00H 06′ 00”
6	15	(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINO	SHERCO FACTORY	45H 51′ 10”	+ 00H 49′ 26”
7	2	(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLA	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	46H 02′ 02”	+ 01H 00′ 18”
8	42	(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	46H 27′ 30”	+ 01H 25′ 46”	00H 20′ 00”
9	11	(SVK) STEFAN SVITKO	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	46H 28′ 24”	+ 01H 26′ 40”
10	31	(CZE) MARTIN MICHEK	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	47H 16′ 39”	+ 02H 14′ 55”	00H 03′ 00”
11	52	(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNER	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	47H 31′ 04”	+ 02H 29′ 20”	00H 02′ 00”
12	27	(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUES	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	47H 40′ 42”	+ 02H 38′ 58”	00H 22′ 00”
13	74	(ESP) JAUME BETRIU	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	48H 08′ 51”	+ 03H 07′ 07”	00H 06′ 00”
14	32	(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINA	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	48H 28′ 16”	+ 03H 26′ 32”
15	24	(DEU) SEBASTIAN BÜHLER	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	48H 50′ 17”	+ 03H 48′ 33”	00H 18′ 00”
16	17	(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	49H 00′ 06”	+ 03H 58′ 22”
17	87	(ESP) ORIOL MENA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	49H 07′ 11”	+ 04H 05′ 27”
18	44	(ESP) LAIA SANZ	GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM	51H 09′ 48”	+ 06H 08′ 04”	00H 12′ 00”
19	26	(CZE) MILAN ENGEL	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	51H 12′ 53”	+ 06H 11′ 09”	00H 21′ 00”
20	19	(PRT) RUI GONCALVES	SHERCO FACTORY	51H 23′ 19”	+ 06H 21′ 35”	00H 15′ 00”
21	30	(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS	ZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM	52H 13′ 59”	+ 07H 12′ 15”
22	33	(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL	SHERCO FACTORY	52H 17′ 27”	+ 07H 15′ 43”	00H 02′ 00”
23	54	(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERE	TEAM BAINES RALLY	52H 53′ 41”	+ 07H 51′ 57”	01H 23′ 00”
24	29	(ROU) EMANUEL GYENES	AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM	53H 23′ 10”	+ 08H 21′ 26”	00H 02′ 00”
25	101	(GBR) DAVID KNIGHT	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	53H 29′ 18”	+ 08H 27′ 34”	00H 29′ 00”
26	39	(FRA) BENJAMIN MELOT	BENJAMIN MELOT	53H 55′ 04”	+ 08H 53′ 20”	00H 01′ 00”
27	25	(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	54H 13′ 48”	+ 09H 12′ 04”
28	80	(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESS	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	55H 21′ 07”	+ 10H 19′ 23”	00H 59′ 00”
29	63	(POL) KONRAD DABROWSKI	DUUST RALLY TEAM	55H 35′ 20”	+ 10H 33′ 36”
30	53	(CZE) LIBOR PODMOL	PODMOL DAKAR TEAM	55H 50′ 05”	+ 10H 48′ 21”	00H 15′ 00”
31	37	(CZE) DAVID PABISKA	JANTAR TEAM	56H 11′ 03”	+ 11H 09′ 19”	00H 01′ 00”
32	48	(FRA) MATHIEU DOVEZE	NOMADE RACING ASSISTANCE	56H 16′ 27”	+ 11H 14′ 43”	00H 05′ 00”
33	95	(FRA) XAVIER FLICK	XTREM RACING	56H 45′ 51”	+ 11H 44′ 07”
34	41	(CHN) ZAKER YAKP	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	57H 59′ 54”	+ 12H 58′ 10”	00H 42′ 00”
35	108	(ESP) MARC CALMET	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	60H 38′ 37”	+ 15H 36′ 53”	00H 02′ 00”
36	86	(FRA) CHARLIE HERBST	DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM	61H 47′ 20”	+ 16H 45′ 36”	00H 23′ 00”
37	46	(SVN) SIMON MARCIC	MARCIC	62H 08′ 46”	+ 17H 07′ 02”	00H 45′ 00”
38	84	(GBR) NEIL HAWKER	NEIL HAWKER	62H 24′ 17”	+ 17H 22′ 33”	00H 09′ 00”
39	78	(ITA) CESARE ZACCHETTI	CESARE ZACCHETTI	64H 04′ 04”	+ 19H 02′ 20”	00H 32′ 00”
40	81	(SVK) ERIK VLCAK	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	64H 14′ 45”	+ 19H 13′ 01”	00H 27′ 00”
41	60	(FRA) STÉPHANE DARQUES	M.O.R.AL	64H 31′ 19”	+ 19H 29′ 35”	00H 33′ 30”
42	67	(CZE) RUDOLF LHOTSKY	JANTAR TEAM	64H 54′ 09”	+ 19H 52′ 25”	00H 56′ 00”
43	99	(ESP) JAVI VEGA PUERTA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	65H 36′ 02”	+ 20H 34′ 18”
44	98	(ESP) SARA GARCIA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	65H 36′ 39”	+ 20H 34′ 55”	00H 20′ 00”
45	70	(SAU) MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	65H 45′ 27”	+ 20H 43′ 43”	00H 22′ 00”
46	65	(ITA) FRANCO PICCO	TEAM FRANCO PICCO	65H 48′ 44”	+ 20H 47′ 00”	00H 40′ 00”
47	55	(CHN) ZHAO HONGYI	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	66H 25′ 43”	+ 21H 23′ 59”	00H 02′ 00”
48	79	(FRA) AMAURY BARATIN	HORIZON MOTO 95	67H 37′ 39”	+ 22H 35′ 55”	00H 06′ 00”
49	35	(MEX) JUAN PABLO GUILLEN RIVERA	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	67H 45′ 21”	+ 22H 43′ 37”	00H 42′ 00”
50	121	(FRA) GUILLAUME BARTHELEMY	TEAM RS CONCEPT	68H 20′ 34”	+ 23H 18′ 50”	00H 05′ 00”
51	62	(AUS) ANDREW JOSEPH HOULIHAN	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	69H 43′ 55”	+ 24H 42′ 11”	01H 27′ 00”
52	69	(BEL) WALTER ROELANTS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	70H 49′ 14”	+ 25H 47′ 30”	00H 09′ 00”
53	125	(FRA) FRÉDÉRIC BARLERIN	RALLYE FRED	71H 28′ 07”	+ 26H 26′ 23”	00H 00′ 30”
54	114	(ESP) ELADIO CARBONELL MENDEZ	PIKAERAS TEAM	72H 31′ 23”	+ 27H 29′ 39”	00H 26′ 00”
55	58	(ESP) EDUARDO IGLESIAS SANCHEZ	FN SPEED – TEAM MONFORTE RALLY	72H 46′ 42”	+ 27H 44′ 58”	00H 01′ 00”
56	51	(ESP) RACHID AL-LAL LAHADIL	MELILLA SPORT CAPITAL	73H 18′ 10”	+ 28H 16′ 26”	00H 06′ 30”
57	105	(ESP) FERNANDO DOMINGUEZ	CLUB AVENTURA TOUAREG	75H 06′ 53”	+ 30H 05′ 09”	00H 25′ 00”
58	71	(BHR) SALMAN MOHAMED HUMOOD FARHAN	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	77H 21′ 59”	+ 32H 20′ 15”	01H 33′ 00”
59	100	(FRA) AUDREY ROSSAT	TEAM RS CONCEPT	78H 21′ 14”	+ 33H 19′ 30”	00H 21′ 00”
60	89	(SRB) GABOR SAGHMEISTER	SAGHMEISTER TEAM	78H 54′ 26”	+ 33H 52′ 42”	00H 41′ 00”