good stage for Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz, who today found it difficult to open the track. The man from Madrid and his co-driver were able to minimize the damage from the good race made by the current champion, Nasser Al-Attiyah, and opened a considerable distance with other favorites: Loeb and Peterhansel. Sainz not only did not make any mistakes despite the unfavorable position in which he did it, but he also benefited from the rest of the drivers who did. Loeb and Peterhansel They have been the two great victims of the day. The Spaniard’s teammate at Audi lost 32:22, while Loeb fared even worse, with a loss of more than an hour compared to the leader of the race. It can practically be said that both have said goodbye, prematurely and unexpectedly, to their aspirations for victory.
Carlos Sainz explained his feelings when entering the finish line. “It’s been really hard, yeah. There were a lot of stones. We have punctured once and, like yesterday, we try to be careful not to puncture a second time because if you run out of wheels… it’s bad. it’s gotten endlessIt has been hard, long and required a lot of concentration to avoid breaking the tires”, he pointed out. The Spanish’s Audi lost 5:05 over Al-Attiyah, who started today in a favorable seventh position. A totally reasonable and acceptable distance in these circumstances. «This second day has been very hard. I have had a prick… but well, we’re happy to have finished it without any more problems. I needed good weather today to not get unstuck, yesterday we got lost and gave up time but today I’m much happier,” Al-Attiyah acknowledged. With this cut, Al-Attiyah is close to 2:12 behind Sainz, so he will try to take the lead from him this Tuesday. «Five minutes recovered is very good, it’s good news. Tomorrow we are going to try to do the same as today », she warned.
In the motorcycle category, the victory went to Mason Klein, who rides a KTM identical to those of the official team. The young Californian driver, just 21 years old, has managed to win his first stage win on the Dakar. Joan Barreda (Honda), he was the best Spaniard with a sixth place, although he suffered tremendously and reached the finish line in great pain. A blow caused by a stone has left him without feeling in his right leg. The dominator of the day has been Daniel Sanders (GasGas), the same as this past Sunday until the penalties for speeding took away the partial victory. On this occasion he has slowed down in the final stretch so as not to have to open the track tomorrow, the day the bonuses begin for those who ride the longest in the lead. “It’s too early to get out in front, I preferred to stop and give up a few minutes so that other riders can take the lead. I haven’t trained much in navigation this year and it’s better to get more rhythm before taking command of the stages. Last year the average time lost for the one who opened the track was 15 or 17 minutes.”, acknowledged Sanders.
Barreda will undergo different tests today to verify the real extent of his physical problems but it is not expected that he will have any problems to take the start of the third stage that is disputed between Al-Ula and Ha’il, on 447 kilometers of special, although the total route counting the links reaches 670 km. The best rally in the world begins its stage of difficulty.
Stage 2 Provisional Classification
1. Mason Klein (BAS World KTM) a
2. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) a 1:09
3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) a 1:13
4. Ross Branch (Hero) a 1:58
5. Toby Price (KTM) a 2:16
6. Joan Barreda (Honda) at 2:32
7. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) at 3:10
Provisional motorcycle general classification
1. Mason Klein (BAS World KTM) 9h 38:28
2. Toby Price (KTM) a 1:41
3. Joan Barreda (Honda) at 2:03
4. Kevin Benavides (KTM) a 2:25
5. Daniel Sanders (GasGas) at 2:55
