Price out as Cornejo holds Dakar lead

Former winner Toby Price has crashed out of second place in the Dakar, breaking his collarbone, as Honda’s Jose Ignacio Cornejo has maintained his lead with third place behind Kevin Benavides and Ricky Brabec in today’s stage nine.

After stopping to help injured Price, Briton Sam Sunderland carried on and finished an incredible fourth – despite having a crash trying to make up time. He’s now third in the overall race but 14 minutes behind. Honda’s Ricky Brabec also stopped to help Price, who was airlifted to hospital and has been confirmed as having a broken collarbone and extensive bruising.

Featuring a loop stage starting and finishing at the coastal city of Neom, day nine at the 2021 Dakar turned out to be a testing one. Covering a total distance of 579km, riders faced a 109km liaison that led into the 465km timed special. A mixture of fast gravel tracks and sandy valleys proved to be a huge challenge to all competitors as they made their way through the stage.

Third overall coming into stage nine, Sam Sunderland was the fourth competitor to take to the start of the special. With times between the top riders being very close, the Brit successfully passed the first three checkpoints inside the top five. Two kilometers from the fifth checkpoint, Sam unfortunately came across teammate Toby Price who had crashed heavily and needed medical assistance. Staying with Price until he was airlifted to hospital, Sunderland then continued on with the remainder of the stage. Finishing in a commendable fourth place once his time lost helping Price was recovered, the 2017 Dakar Champion lies third in the provisional overall standings.

Sam Sunderland:“Obviously, it’s been a pretty rough day today. I started off strong, and was making good progress, handling the tricky navigation well. Then I came across Toby lying in the riverbed with Brabec already stopped with him. I helped there till the helicopter arrived then set off again and tried to get back into a good rhythm. Around 100 kilometers or so after that I was opening up for the group I was with and was looking down at the road book, hit a rock and was sent over the handlebars. It was quite a big crash, quite a big impact, and luckily I wasn’t too badly hurt. But I damaged the road book tower on the bike had no navigation from then on. I managed to reach the finish by following others but that’s always hard. A really tough day for the team, but this is Dakar and it’s always a challenge. We’ll regroup and do our best again tomorrow.”

And there was more disaster for Yamaha as Ross Branch went out with a bike fault. His team-mates Jamie McCanney and Andrew Short are already out with machine issues.

David Knight took a solid 19th and is now 27th overall. Neil Hawker was 40th today and is 40th overall.

1	47	(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDES	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	04H 49′ 15”
2	1	(USA) RICKY BRABEC	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	04H 50′ 33”	+ 00H 01′ 18”
3	4	(CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	04H 50′ 49”	+ 00H 01′ 34”
4	5	(GBR) SAM SUNDERLAND	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	04H 59′ 26”	+ 00H 10′ 11”
5	52	(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNER	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	05H 03′ 34”	+ 00H 14′ 19”
6	88	(ESP) JOAN BARREDA BORT	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	05H 03′ 44”	+ 00H 14′ 29”
7	15	(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINO	SHERCO FACTORY	05H 05′ 58”	+ 00H 16′ 43”
8	21	(AUS) DANIEL SANDERS	KTM FACTORY TEAM	05H 06′ 32”	+ 00H 17′ 17”
9	9	(USA) SKYLER HOWES	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	05H 11′ 54”	+ 00H 22′ 39”
10	2	(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLA	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	05H 12′ 45”	+ 00H 23′ 30”
11	11	(SVK) STEFAN SVITKO	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	05H 17′ 14”	+ 00H 27′ 59”
12	42	(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	05H 18′ 07”	+ 00H 28′ 52”	00H 15′ 00”
13	27	(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUES	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	05H 21′ 03”	+ 00H 31′ 48”
14	87	(ESP) ORIOL MENA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	05H 23′ 19”	+ 00H 34′ 04”
15	26	(CZE) MILAN ENGEL	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	05H 25′ 31”	+ 00H 36′ 16”
16	74	(ESP) JAUME BETRIU	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	05H 28′ 24”	+ 00H 39′ 09”	00H 01′ 00”
17	33	(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL	SHERCO FACTORY	05H 29′ 49”	+ 00H 40′ 34”	00H 02′ 00”
18	17	(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	05H 29′ 51”	+ 00H 40′ 36”
19	101	(GBR) DAVID KNIGHT	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	05H 31′ 56”	+ 00H 42′ 41”
20	31	(CZE) MARTIN MICHEK	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	05H 33′ 49”	+ 00H 44′ 34”	00H 01′ 00”
21	32	(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINA	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	05H 44′ 37”	+ 00H 55′ 22”
22	95	(FRA) XAVIER FLICK	XTREM RACING	05H 46′ 34”	+ 00H 57′ 19”
23	44	(ESP) LAIA SANZ	GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM	05H 46′ 40”	+ 00H 57′ 25”
24	24	(DEU) SEBASTIAN BÜHLER	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	05H 47′ 43”	+ 00H 58′ 28”
25	29	(ROU) EMANUEL GYENES	AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM	05H 50′ 06”	+ 01H 00′ 51”
26	36	(CZE) JAN BRABEC	STROJRENT RACING	05H 53′ 25”	+ 01H 04′ 10”	00H 18′ 00”
27	39	(FRA) BENJAMIN MELOT	BENJAMIN MELOT	05H 58′ 58”	+ 01H 09′ 43”
28	80	(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESS	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	05H 59′ 12”	+ 01H 09′ 57”
29	48	(FRA) MATHIEU DOVEZE	NOMADE RACING ASSISTANCE	06H 00′ 11”	+ 01H 10′ 56”
30	53	(CZE) LIBOR PODMOL	PODMOL DAKAR TEAM	06H 03′ 49”	+ 01H 14′ 34”
31	54	(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERE	TEAM BAINES RALLY	06H 08′ 51”	+ 01H 19′ 36”	00H 20′ 00”
32	30	(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS	ZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM	06H 09′ 42”	+ 01H 20′ 27”
33	63	(POL) KONRAD DABROWSKI	DUUST RALLY TEAM	06H 15′ 04”	+ 01H 25′ 49”
34	108	(ESP) MARC CALMET	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	06H 23′ 01”	+ 01H 33′ 46”
35	76	(CZE) ROMAN KREJCI	BO!BETON TEAM	06H 23′ 06”	+ 01H 33′ 51”	00H 15′ 00”
36	37	(CZE) DAVID PABISKA	JANTAR TEAM	06H 25′ 30”	+ 01H 36′ 15”
37	25	(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	06H 31′ 25”	+ 01H 42′ 10”
38	41	(CHN) ZAKER YAKP	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	06H 33′ 40”	+ 01H 44′ 25”	00H 01′ 00”
39	19	(PRT) RUI GONCALVES	SHERCO FACTORY	06H 35′ 13”	+ 01H 45′ 58”	00H 15′ 00”
40	84	(GBR) NEIL HAWKER	NEIL HAWKER	06H 38′ 00”	+ 01H 48′ 45”
41	81	(SVK) ERIK VLCAK	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	06H 57′ 59”	+ 02H 08′ 44”
42	60	(FRA) STÉPHANE DARQUES	M.O.R.AL	07H 03′ 31”	+ 02H 14′ 16”
43	35	(MEX) JUAN PABLO GUILLEN RIVERA	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	07H 04′ 56”	+ 02H 15′ 41”
44	86	(FRA) CHARLIE HERBST	DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM	07H 09′ 39”	+ 02H 20′ 24”
45	46	(SVN) SIMON MARCIC	MARCIC	07H 11′ 03”	+ 02H 21′ 48”
46	67	(CZE) RUDOLF LHOTSKY	JANTAR TEAM	07H 24′ 14”	+ 02H 34′ 59”
47	78	(ITA) CESARE ZACCHETTI	CESARE ZACCHETTI	07H 29′ 12”	+ 02H 39′ 57”
48	65	(ITA) FRANCO PICCO	TEAM FRANCO PICCO	07H 30′ 30”	+ 02H 41′ 15”
49	99	(ESP) JAVI VEGA PUERTA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	07H 36′ 22”	+ 02H 47′ 07”
50	125	(FRA) FRÉDÉRIC BARLERIN	RALLYE FRED	07H 42′ 29”	+ 02H 53′ 14”
51	69	(BEL) WALTER ROELANTS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	07H 43′ 03”	+ 02H 53′ 48”
52	55	(CHN) ZHAO HONGYI	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	07H 43′ 19”	+ 02H 54′ 04”
53	79	(FRA) AMAURY BARATIN	HORIZON MOTO 95	07H 49′ 07”	+ 02H 59′ 52”
54	62	(AUS) ANDREW JOSEPH HOULIHAN	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	07H 49′ 17”	+ 03H 00′ 02”
55	70	(SAU) MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	07H 50′ 14”	+ 03H 00′ 59”
56	98	(ESP) SARA GARCIA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	07H 50′ 19”	+ 03H 01′ 04”	00H 15′ 00”
57	114	(ESP) ELADIO CARBONELL MENDEZ	PIKAERAS TEAM	07H 57′ 24”	+ 03H 08′ 09”
58	121	(FRA) GUILLAUME BARTHELEMY	TEAM RS CONCEPT	08H 03′ 01”	+ 03H 13′ 46”
59	71	(BHR) SALMAN MOHAMED HUMOOD FARHAN	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	08H 11′ 04”	+ 03H 21′ 49”
60	82	(IND) ASHISH RAORANE	ASHISH RAORANE	08H 21′ 05”	+ 03H 31′ 50”	00H 15′ 00”
61	22	(POL) MACIEJ GIEMZA	ORLEN TEAM	78H 00′ 00”	+ 73H 10′ 45”	62H 00′ 00”
62	97	(SVK) MARTIN BENKO	NORWIT RACING	78H 00′ 00”	+ 73H 10′ 45”	62H 00′ 00”
63	107	(ITA) GIOVANNI STIGLIANO	TEAM JBRALLY	79H 00′ 00”	+ 74H 10′ 45”	62H 00′ 00”

Overall

1	4	(CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	36H 51′ 00”
2	47	(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDES	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	37H 02′ 24”	+ 00H 11′ 24”	00H 02′ 00”
3	5	(GBR) SAM SUNDERLAND	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	37H 05′ 34”	+ 00H 14′ 34”
4	1	(USA) RICKY BRABEC	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	37H 08′ 26”	+ 00H 17′ 26”
5	88	(ESP) JOAN BARREDA BORT	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2021	37H 20′ 00”	+ 00H 29′ 00”
6	21	(AUS) DANIEL SANDERS	KTM FACTORY TEAM	37H 29′ 23”	+ 00H 38′ 23”	00H 07′ 00”
7	9	(USA) SKYLER HOWES	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	37H 31′ 25”	+ 00H 40′ 25”	00H 06′ 00”
8	15	(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINO	SHERCO FACTORY	37H 33′ 08”	+ 00H 42′ 08”
9	2	(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLA	ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	37H 51′ 37”	+ 01H 00′ 37”
10	11	(SVK) STEFAN SVITKO	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	38H 05′ 07”	+ 01H 14′ 07”
11	42	(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN	MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM	38H 08′ 48”	+ 01H 17′ 48”	00H 15′ 00”
12	27	(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUES	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	38H 39′ 03”	+ 01H 48′ 03”	00H 02′ 00”
13	31	(CZE) MARTIN MICHEK	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	38H 41′ 59”	+ 01H 50′ 59”	00H 03′ 00”
14	74	(ESP) JAUME BETRIU	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	39H 23′ 56”	+ 02H 32′ 56”	00H 06′ 00”
15	52	(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNER	RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM	39H 27′ 56”	+ 02H 36′ 56”	00H 02′ 00”
16	24	(DEU) SEBASTIAN BÜHLER	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	39H 54′ 12”	+ 03H 03′ 12”	00H 17′ 00”
17	32	(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINA	FN SPEED – KTM TEAM	39H 59′ 03”	+ 03H 08′ 03”
18	17	(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	40H 15′ 14”	+ 03H 24′ 14”
19	87	(ESP) ORIOL MENA	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	40H 43′ 05”	+ 03H 52′ 05”
20	44	(ESP) LAIA SANZ	GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM	41H 26′ 47”	+ 04H 35′ 47”	00H 10′ 00”
21	26	(CZE) MILAN ENGEL	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	41H 46′ 53”	+ 04H 55′ 53”	00H 01′ 00”
22	19	(PRT) RUI GONCALVES	SHERCO FACTORY	42H 36′ 14”	+ 05H 45′ 14”	00H 15′ 00”
23	30	(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS	ZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM	42H 43′ 52”	+ 05H 52′ 52”
24	54	(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERE	TEAM BAINES RALLY	43H 01′ 44”	+ 06H 10′ 44”	01H 01′ 00”
25	33	(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL	SHERCO FACTORY	43H 22′ 43”	+ 06H 31′ 43”	00H 02′ 00”
26	29	(ROU) EMANUEL GYENES	AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM	43H 27′ 25”	+ 06H 36′ 25”	00H 02′ 00”
27	101	(GBR) DAVID KNIGHT	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	43H 44′ 12”	+ 06H 53′ 12”	00H 24′ 00”
28	39	(FRA) BENJAMIN MELOT	BENJAMIN MELOT	43H 50′ 51”	+ 06H 59′ 51”	00H 01′ 00”
29	25	(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	44H 39′ 09”	+ 07H 48′ 09”
30	80	(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESS	BAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM	44H 58′ 55”	+ 08H 07′ 55”	00H 39′ 00”
31	63	(POL) KONRAD DABROWSKI	DUUST RALLY TEAM	45H 21′ 08”	+ 08H 30′ 08”
32	37	(CZE) DAVID PABISKA	JANTAR TEAM	45H 32′ 07”	+ 08H 41′ 07”	00H 01′ 00”
33	95	(FRA) XAVIER FLICK	XTREM RACING	45H 57′ 54”	+ 09H 06′ 54”
34	48	(FRA) MATHIEU DOVEZE	NOMADE RACING ASSISTANCE	46H 11′ 14”	+ 09H 20′ 14”	00H 05′ 00”
35	53	(CZE) LIBOR PODMOL	PODMOL DAKAR TEAM	46H 14′ 10”	+ 09H 23′ 10”	00H 15′ 00”
36	41	(CHN) ZAKER YAKP	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	46H 59′ 07”	+ 10H 08′ 07”	00H 42′ 00”
37	108	(ESP) MARC CALMET	FN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM	49H 32′ 28”	+ 12H 41′ 28”	00H 02′ 00”
38	46	(SVN) SIMON MARCIC	MARCIC	50H 33′ 39”	+ 13H 42′ 39”	00H 04′ 00”
39	86	(FRA) CHARLIE HERBST	DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM	50H 43′ 40”	+ 13H 52′ 40”	00H 23′ 00”
40	84	(GBR) NEIL HAWKER	NEIL HAWKER	51H 22′ 52”	+ 14H 31′ 52”	00H 02′ 00”
41	78	(ITA) CESARE ZACCHETTI	CESARE ZACCHETTI	52H 39′ 14”	+ 15H 48′ 14”	00H 12′ 00”
42	81	(SVK) ERIK VLCAK	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	52H 54′ 13”	+ 16H 03′ 13”	00H 26′ 00”
43	60	(FRA) STÉPHANE DARQUES	M.O.R.AL	52H 57′ 54”	+ 16H 06′ 54”	00H 22′ 30”
44	67	(CZE) RUDOLF LHOTSKY	JANTAR TEAM	53H 01′ 22”	+ 16H 10′ 22”	00H 31′ 00”
45	65	(ITA) FRANCO PICCO	TEAM FRANCO PICCO	53H 38′ 49”	+ 16H 47′ 49”	00H 21′ 00”
46	99	(ESP) JAVI VEGA PUERTA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	53H 49′ 33”	+ 16H 58′ 33”
47	70	(SAU) MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	MISHAL ALGHUNEIM	53H 50′ 21”	+ 16H 59′ 21”	00H 22′ 00”
48	98	(ESP) SARA GARCIA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	53H 52′ 27”	+ 17H 01′ 27”	00H 20′ 00”
49	55	(CHN) ZHAO HONGYI	WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM	54H 38′ 12”	+ 17H 47′ 12”
50	79	(FRA) AMAURY BARATIN	HORIZON MOTO 95	54H 56′ 15”	+ 18H 05′ 15”	00H 05′ 00”
51	35	(MEX) JUAN PABLO GUILLEN RIVERA	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	55H 36′ 03”	+ 18H 45′ 03”	00H 42′ 00”
52	121	(FRA) GUILLAUME BARTHELEMY	TEAM RS CONCEPT	55H 42′ 18”	+ 18H 51′ 18”	00H 05′ 00”
53	62	(AUS) ANDREW JOSEPH HOULIHAN	NOMADAS ADVENTURE	57H 27′ 22”	+ 20H 36′ 22”	01H 27′ 00”
54	69	(BEL) WALTER ROELANTS	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	57H 32′ 43”	+ 20H 41′ 43”	00H 07′ 00”
55	125	(FRA) FRÉDÉRIC BARLERIN	RALLYE FRED	59H 09′ 15”	+ 22H 18′ 15”	00H 00′ 30”
56	114	(ESP) ELADIO CARBONELL MENDEZ	PIKAERAS TEAM	59H 26′ 39”	+ 22H 35′ 39”	00H 26′ 00”
57	71	(BHR) SALMAN MOHAMED HUMOOD FARHAN	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	64H 28′ 39”	+ 27H 37′ 39”	01H 09′ 00”
58	22	(POL) MACIEJ GIEMZA	ORLEN TEAM	111H 48′ 43”	+ 74H 57′ 43”	62H 02′ 00”