Sunderland roars back to set up Dakar title charge on final stage
Dakar 2021 is heading to a sensational climax following Thursday’s penultimate Day 11. KTM-mounted Briton Sam Sunderland came from a quarter-hour behind to set up a KTM versus Honda fight to the finish. He won the day to split Honda rivals Kevin Benavides in the overall standings. Nasser Al Attiyah’s Toyota made a couple of minutes on Stephane Peterhansel in the cars, but the Frenchman takes a 15 minute advantage into the final day.
The car race was a pretty straightforward affair as overall leader Peterhansel and Edouard Boulanger‘s Mini buggy shadowed main rivals Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel’s Hilux. They swapped the advantage continually, with Attiyah finally eking out a lead of almost two minutes by the end to take his sixth and Toyota’s ninth 2021 Dakar stage win.
“I’m really happy to be here on day 11 without any technical problems with the car. There’s still one stage to go and we will see what the next day brings.”
Al-Attiyah, 50, explained
That leaves Mr. Dakar Peterhansel poised for an incredible 14th Dakar win after leading from day 2 in spite of scoring just one stage win. Neither of the leaders was consistently quickest through the day as both Carlos Sainz and Lucaz Cruz in the other Mini and Sheikh Al Qassimi both found themselves ahead of the pack through the day.
Sainz held on for third, while Qassimi lost time, dropping back to seventh behind Yazeed Al Rajhi and Dirk von Zitzewitz’ Hilux and ahead of SA hero Giniel de Villiers and Alex Haro’s Gazoo Hilux and Vladimir Vasilyev’s Mini. SA crews Shameer Variyawa and Dennis Murphy were provisionally 15th at the time of writing as Brian Baragwanath and Taye Perry’s Century Corvette slipped down the order in the final sector.
Overall behind Peterhansel, Attiyah and Sains all alone in third, the consistent Jakub Przygonski sits a safe-looking fourth ahead of a five car fight for fifth between Nani Roma’s Hunter, Al Qassimi, Vasilyev, de Villiers and Martin Prokop’s Ford.
Watch #DAKAR2021 – Stage 11 – AlUla / Yanbu – Car Highlights
Day eleven was however sensational among the two wheelers. It started with Argentine Honda rider Kevin Benavides leading overall overnight by a minute, over Californian teammate and first on the road today, Thursday winner Ricky Brabec. Spaniard Joan Barreda sat ten minutes adrift on the third Honda, with KTM hope, Brit Sam Sunderland 15 minutes off the lead but in a far more favourable eighth starting position.
Brabec and Benavides held the advantage early on with KTM rider Daniel Sanders leading and Husqvarna man Pablo Quintanilla splitting the Hondas. Then Barreda had a brilliant run through the long fourth sector to jump into contention and split his teammates overall. Sunderland meanwhile took eight minutes out of Benavides’ lead. But Barreda struggled to find the fuel oasis and ran out of fuel. He was out!
Sanders meanwhile piled on the pressure as he used his favourable starting position to speed past Brabec as he closed down to just 46 seconds off Benavides’ overall lead at the final waypoint. The Argentine however enjoyed a better run home to fend the flying KTM off overall. Sunderland did enough to take his first 2021 stage from Quintanilla and Benavides, with Brabec sixth behind KTM duo Daniel Sanders and Matthias Walkner.
“I knew that today was one of my last chances to try to win. I gave my all, all day. I didn’t manage to take quite enough time, but I’m happy.”
Sunderland, 31, who drew level with Benavides overall at one point, revealed
“It was a really cool stage, my favourite one so far. There was lots of variety and it was really difficult. I’m in a good position on my first Dakar.”
Sanders, 26, who could still claim a podium spot, added
All of which leaves a most intriguing situation heading into the short, sharp 227 km final day with Benavides 4 minutes and 12 seconds ahead of of 2017 winner Sunderland. 2020 winner Brabec is 7:13 off the lead, but the Californian starts in a far more favourable sixth versus Benavides setting off third and Sunderland the dreaded first bike away. All of which promises a truly epic bike race to the finish!
Watch #DAKAR2021 – Stage 11 – AlUla / Yanbu – Bike/Quad Highlights
In the Lightweight Vehicle category, rookie Quintero powered to another stage victory by an impressive 12m13s margin over Chilean Chaleco Lopez – who extended his overall lead – as Quintero’s fellow Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team driver Cristina Gutiérrez of Spain finished 30 minutes back on the day.
“Today went absolutely amazing. Our plan was to pick cars off all day and run smooth and that’s exactly what we did. We end up as the first over the line and the first on time. It blows my mind how well this Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team works.”
American Quintero, 18, said
Watch #DAKAR2021 – Stage 11 – AlUla / Yanbu – Light Weight Vehicle Highlights
Finally in the truck category, Russian Anton Shibalov grabbed his second stage victory with a 4m13s gap to compatriot Ayrat Mardeev with Andrey Karginov fourth and Dmitry Sotnikov fifth as Sotnikov holds a huge 39m58s advantage over Shibalov overall.
Watch #DAKAR2021 – Stage 11 – AlUla / Yanbu – Truck Highlights
Friday’s Stage 12 will see the convoy battle across 225km of special stage from Yanbu to Jeddah where this year’s edition will finish on the shore of the Red Sea.
Overall standings after Stage 11
Car
1. Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) X-Raid Mini 42h09m26s
2. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) Toyota Gazoo +00h15m05s
3. Carlos Sainz (ESP) X-Raid Mini +01h04m14s
Bike
1. Kevin Benavides (ARG) Honda 45h01m44s
2. Sam Sunderland (GBR) Red Bull KTM +00h4m12s
3. Ricky Brabec (USA) Honda +00h07m13s
Truck
1. Dmitry Sotnikov (RUS) Kamaz Master 45h51m33s
2. Anton Shibalov (RUS) Kamaz Master +00h39m58s
3. Ayrat Mardeev (RUS) Kamaz Master +01h11m30s
Lightweight vehicle
1. F Lopez (CHL) Can-Am 50h49m48s
2. Austin Jones (USA) Can-Am +00h18m24s
3. Aron Domzala (POL) Can-Am +00h54m16s
