With just one-day remaining in the 42nd running of the Dakar Rally, Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team riders Jamie McCanney and Franco Caimi recorded their best team results of the event so far, with each placing inside the top-10 in the motorcycle class aboard their WR450F rally machines. Finishing the two-day marathon stage in style, Dakar rookie Jamie McCanney continued his good form and secured his best result of the rally to date in sixth. Just one position behind, Franco completed today’s 744-kilometre stage in seventh.

Monster Energy Honda Team’s Ricky Brabec holds on to the overall leadership of the 2020 Dakar Rally. The American is poised to tackle the final stage which could be a historical one for the Honda squad. 

Starting from the remote bivouac in Shubaytah, like all competitors Jamie and Franco competed in today’s stage on the exact same bikes on which they completed stage 10. With outside assistance forbidden during the two-day marathon stage, each rider worked on their own bikes ahead of the start, riding today’s stage on the same tyres used on stage 10. 

With his confidence notably boosted following his seventh-place finish on stage 10, Jamie McCanney was the seventh rider to start today’s special stage. Initially dropping a handful of positions, the Manxman improved his pace throughout the sandy stage to pass through the 271-kilometres marker in sixth. With just one stage of the event remaining, Jamie tonight sits 15th in the provisional overall standings, and as the second-best Dakar newcomer.

The second leg of the marathon stage unfolded without setbacks for the Monster Energy Honda Team. Today, in the penultimate special of the rally, the pretenders to the podium got one second-to-last chance to close the gap on the 2020 Dakar Rally race leader.  Today’s stage, featuring 100 kilometres of dunes at the beginning of the special, favoured those in pursuit of the frontrunners and a group soon formed including Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec and Kevin Benavides, all of whom made it to the final destination in Haradh without difficulties.

Chilean rider José Ignacio Cornejo finished fourth on the day, less than three minutes behind his fellow-countryman Quintanilla, who took the spoils. Cornejo now has the possibility of attacking tomorrow in the concluding stage in a bid to be among the prize-winners.

Ricky Brabec holds on to the lead that he has held since day three. The American managed well the advantage at the head of the general rankings, in spite of having dropped 12 minutes to the day’s eventual winner and now has everything in his favour in his bid for the outright Dakar Rally 2020 victory.

Joan Barreda opened the track after yesterday’s win and was followed by his Monster Energy Honda squad-mates, Brabec and Benavides. The handicap eventually led him to concede 14’48 to the stage winner. Barreda now lies in fifth place overall but is by no means out of the running for a final podium place in the race.

The final stage will be decided tomorrow between Haradh and Qiddiyah. A 374- kilometre special which will feature a 20-kilometre Qiddiya Trophy GP, obligatory for the riders who finish on the final podium of this edition of the Dakar, although the result will have no effect on the final standings of the rally.

The second leg of the marathon stage unfolded without setbacks for the Monster Energy Honda Team. Today, in the penultimate special of the rally, the pretenders to the podium got one second-to-last chance to close the gap on the 2020 Dakar Rally race leader.  Today’s stage, featuring 100 kilometres of dunes at the beginning of the special, favoured those in pursuit of the frontrunners and a group soon formed including Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec and Kevin Benavides, all of whom made it to the final destination in Haradh without difficulties.

Chilean rider José Ignacio Cornejo finished fourth on the day, less than three minutes behind his fellow-countryman Quintanilla, who took the spoils. Cornejo now has the possibility of attacking tomorrow in the concluding stage in a bid to be among the prize-winners.

Ricky Brabec holds on to the lead that he has held since day three. The American managed well the advantage at the head of the general rankings, in spite of having dropped 12 minutes to the day’s eventual winner and now has everything in his favour in his bid for the outright Dakar Rally 2020 victory.

Joan Barreda opened the track after yesterday’s win and was followed by his Monster Energy Honda squad-mates, Brabec and Benavides. The handicap eventually led him to concede 14’48 to the stage winner. Barreda now lies in fifth place overall but is by no means out of the running for a final podium place in the race.

The final stage will be decided tomorrow between Haradh and Qiddiyah. A 374- kilometre special which will feature a 20-kilometre Qiddiya Trophy GP, obligatory for the riders who finish on the final podium of this edition of the Dakar, although the result will have no effect on the final standings of the rally.

Jamie McCanney – Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team said: “Today was everything I hoped the Dakar Rally would be – a really enjoyable stage that was slow and safe and a lot of fun. Yesterday was a strange day but it set me up for a good day today – being closer to the front and among faster riders was cool. A few riders passed me but when Quintanilla came passed, I followed him to the finish. I felt like I rode well and really enjoyed the dunes. It was cool to experience a true marathon stage and to then follow it up with my best result of the rally so far. I’m looking forward to the final day now.”