Dakar

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

Stage11

Dakar press

09:55 Price goes on the attack
Toby Price wants to make amends for yesterday. The KTM rider is setting a scorching pace from the get-go, enough to put him in first place after 47 kilometres. Kevin Benavides is surely motivated to shine in front of his home crowds and was just 36 seconds slower.

10:02 Meo pulling out all the stops
Antoine Meo is one of the bikers who messed up their navigation big time yesterday and can therefore throw caution to the wind this morning. The Frenchman posted the second-fastest time at km 47, only 18 seconds behind teammate Toby Price.

10:51 Price still in the lead at CP2
Toby Price is still ahead of Kevin Benavides at CP2. The Argentinian is just 50 seconds back, whereas Antoine Meo is in third place at 1'02'.

11:04 Barreda gets lost!
Drama at the Dakar! Joan Barreda, the second-placed rider in the general classification, strayed away from the course and is now trying to find his way back. The Spaniard is bang in the middle of the town of Medanitos!

11:21 Price overtakes Meo
Toby Price is still holding the reins of the race. The KTM rider has 1'10' over teammate Antoine Meo and 1'25' over Kevin Benavides after 147 km of racing. Ricky Brabec is currently fourth, while Matthias Walkner is conceding 7'45'.

11:54 Joan Barreda gives up!
The 2018 Dakar is anything but short on drama. Joan Barreda has decided to throw in the towel after yesterday's difficult stage. The Spaniard, exhausted and nursing a knee injury for the last four days, has withdrawn from the rally despite sitting in second place.

12:46 Price still going solo
Toby Price could well grab his first stage win since the rally started. The Aussie is firmly in command of the race, with 1'35' over a dogged Kevin Benavides. Antoine Meo is currently in third place, 1'47' back.

:Y:

13:34 Price turns it up to eleven
Toby Price has finally ended his drought at the Dakar after dominating today's stage from A to Z. The KTM rider beat a stubborn Kevin Benavides by 1'38' and moved up to second place overall as after teammate Joan Barreda withdrew from the rally.

13:51 Meo third on the day
Antoine Meo faded near the end, but his time was still good enough for third in today's stage, 6'31' behind teammate Toby Price. Ricky Brabec (+7'34') was fourth, while overall leader Matthias Walkner rode conservatively and came in 11'01' behind the winner.

End of Stage 11 overall

3th Toby Price + 39:17 (stage winner) :Y: :Y: :Y:

18th Rodney Faggotter + 3:21:17 (16th on the stage) :Y:

61th Scott Britnell + 20:33:33 (50th on the stage) :Y:

Cheers David

 

[Mackka]

Go Toby Go , stay in the groove now!
Congratulations
Mackka :Y: :Y: :Y:

 

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

Not happy Jan

Stage 12

05:15 Digging deep
Stamina will be key for the bikers in their second marathon stage. Their arms will suffer on hundreds of turns and stony sections. For the cars and trucks, today's long stage will require careful interpretation of the road book to avoid getting stuck in the ros.

06:05 Course changes :N:
Slight changes have been made to the course of stage 12 for motorbikes and quads. They will start after the cars but at the same place as them, so they will not follow a separate route in the first part of the stage. These changes have shortened the stage by 91 km.

And then this :N:

Dakar Rally organisers have cancelled Thursdays 12th stage for both bikes and quads categories due to weather concerns.
Due to run a distance of 723 km from Fiambala to San Juan, Thursdays running was supposed to make up the second part of the marathon stage, where overnight assistance from teams is prohibited.

However prevailing weather conditions had put a question mark over the running of the stage from the very beginning, with the organisers initially deciding to alter the route.

Now, the organising team, led by Race Director Marc Coma, has decided to cancel the stage altogether on safety grounds.

This has cost Toby big time.

Cheers David

 

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

Stage 13 Dakar press

05:50 Walkner in their sights
Although the general standings seem to be tipped in favour of Matthias Walkner, anything can still happen on the way to Cordoba. Kevin Benavides and Toby Price will be on the attack, to protect their positions but also hoping to take advantage of any slip-ups by the Austrian. For all the other riders, it will also be the penultimate opportunity to grab the spotlight and finish the Dakar without any regrets.

06:54 Price opens the way
Toby Price is the first rider to get to grips with the days 424-km long special. The Australian will be intent on putting pressure on Kevin Benavides who will be starting after him, whilst Antoine Meo will try and take advantage of the tracks left by the two men to put in a sterling performance.

07:58 Meo on the attack
As has often been the case in the rallys second week, Antoine Meo is on the attack! The official KTM rider has produced the best time after 46 km of the special, 46 seconds ahead of his team-mate Toby Price and 108 in front of Kevin Benavides.

08:32 Price takes the lead
Opening the way does not seem to be much of a problem for Toby Price. The Australian, who won the day before yesterday, has completed 97 km with the best time, 53 seconds ahead of Antoine Meo. Kevin Benavides trails by 139 whilst Matthias Walkner is in control mode, 517 behind the current stage leader.

09:08 Price still leads at half-way
Toby Price has completed the first part of the special with just a lead of just a minute over his team-mate Antoine Meo. Kevin Benavides is hanging in there, but still trails his pursuer in the general standings by 210, whilst the provisional race leader Matthias Walkner is not taking any risks and lies 638 behind the Australian.

14:05 Price resumes the special
Toby Price has started the second part of the days special. The KTM rider knows that this is perhaps his last chance to put pressure on Kevin Benavides and Matthias Walkner.

15:05 Price stays on course
Toby Price continues to lead the special at WP5, 53 seconds in front of his team-mate Antoine Meo. The gap between the two KTM riders is stable, while Kevin Benavides, in third, is gaining on them and is now only 133 behind Price. Matthias Walkner is playing it safe, 714 behind the stage leader.

15:54 Price under threat from Benavides
Kevin Benavides is determined to win a special stage in his home country. The Argentinean is therefore putting Toby Price under serious pressure and is now only 49 seconds behind. Antoine Meo trails the current stage leader by 129.

:Y: :Y: :Y:

17:04 Toby Price wins stage 13!
Two days after his first victory on the rally, Toby Price has grabbed a second success on the way to Crdoba on completion of a stage he has led from almost start to finish. Kevin Benavides has finished the day in second place, 203 behind, and therefore keeps second place in the general standings ahead of the Australian.

End of Stage 13 overall

3th Toby Price + 27:45 (stage winner again) :Y: :Y: :Y:

16th Rodney Faggotter + 3:51:36 :Y:

61th Scott Britnell + 22:33:01 :Y:

What a ride by Toby, what else can he do, lost 50 minutes on stage 10, stage 9 & 12 cancelled, had to lead the way in stage 13 and wins also wins stage 11, with under 28 minutes from the overall lead and with one stage to go, an improbable task. Be safe.

Cheers David

 

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

Stage 14 final

Dakar press

08:14 Almost there...
It is not the time to flag or be submerged by the pressure of winning a first Dakar at 31 years old for Matthias Walkner. The Austrian has a comfortable lead in the general standings, but still has to stay focused on his task, all the more so since Kevin Benavides and Toby Price will be on the attack during this last stage, since second place in the general standings is still up for grabs

08:28 Reverse order
For the last stage, the bikes and quads will start the stage in mixed order. Just this once, the last riders in the general standings will start first. As a result, the first bike will start just before the first car!

11:19 Benavides leads at WP1
Kevin Benavides is aiming to secure second place in the general standings and shine one last time before his home crowd. As a result, the Argentinean has gone on the attack, leading Antoine Meo by 9 seconds and Toby Price by 13 seconds after 48 km. Matthias Walkner is not taking any risks and trails the stage leader by 207.

11:57 Benavides nears the finish
Kevin Benavides is only 21 kilometres from his first victory on the rally. The Argentinean has reached WP2 with a lead of 48 seconds over Toby Price and 203 over the excellent Daniel Oliveras. Matthias Walkner trails the stage leader by 448 as he cruises to his first Dakar.

12:12 Benavides wins at home
A stage winner on his first Dakar in 2016, Kevin Benavides has once again shone this year, even taking the lead in the general standings at one point. However, the Argentinean, who finishes the Dakar in second behind Matthias Walkner, was still waiting for a stage victory, to finish his rally on a happier note and he has accomplished this feat in Crdoba, 54 seconds in front of Toby Price. Antoine Meo completes the days podium.

12:17 Matthias Walkner wins the Dakar!
Finishing with the eighth best time on the last stage 538 behind Kevin Benavides, Matthias Walkner has played it safe in Crdoba. The official KTM rider has won his first Dakar at the age of 31 years and enables KTM to remain unbeaten since 2001!

End of Stage 14 overall

3th Toby Price + 23:01 (second on the stage, legend, in October he was having a metal rod remove from his femur) :Y: :Y: :Y:

16th Rodney Faggotter + 3:58:16 (4th Dakar, solid ride for the Yamaha team) :Y: :Y: :Y:

61th Scott Britnell + 23:01:49 (first Dakar, Malle class (unassisted) the real heroes) :Y: :Y: :Y:

Toby Price, femur after Dakar last year.

The Winners

Moto - 139 bikes started, 85 finished

1st KTM M Walkner (AUT)

2nd Honda K Benavides (ARG)

3rd KTM T Price

Quad - 49 started, 32 finished

1st. Yamaha. I Casals (CHL)

Cars - 92 started, 43 finished

1st Peugeot C Sainz (ESP) second Dakar win, he failed to finish the previous five Dakar's

SxS - 11 started, 6 finished

1st. Can-Am. R Varela (BRA) Second year for this class, 1000cc turbo

Trucks - 44 started, 19 finished

1st. Kamaz E Nikolas (RUS)

Well done to all the Aussies :Y:

Cheers David

 

[LONEWOLF]

The Quads and bikes did ok but the Trucks took a beating...

That x-ray looks like a horror break..... Ouch...

LW....

 

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

Dakar Rally: Toby Price finishes third over in comeback from broken leg
RALLY
Will Dale
January 21, 2018 1:51pm
WILL DALE@willdale956
Source: FOX SPORTS

Toby Price celebrates third place on Dakar with a shoey on the podium

Source: Getty Images

ADD another remarkable injury comeback to the Toby Price story.
A year on from snapping his right femur in a crash on the Dakar Rally, an injury that forced him off his beloved motorcycles for almost a full year, Price claimed third position in the 2018 event.

Last years early exit aside, Price has now finished third or better in the other three Dakars he has started and he already has his sights set on securing the top spot again in 2019

Three podiums is really amazing. After the year I had, its a dream come true, for sure, he said.

It was rough, but with twelve months under our belt well be ready to go for the next one.

And how do you celebrate such a feat? With possibly the rankest shoey on record.

Standing on the podium in downtown Cordoba, Price sipped Red Bull from a motocross boot that has done the hard yards through the hottest part of the rally in Argentina but a boot that claimed two stage victories.

Not that Price would have believed any of it possible 12 weeks ago.

He had his last surgery barely nine weeks before the start of the rally. Getting stuck into proper riding and training? Just six weeks ago.

Price hadnt navigated his way with a rally-style road book in a competitive event on a motorcycle since that fateful fourth stage of Dakar last year.

Even when his name was announced in KTMs factory line-up for the 2018 race, Price was unsure what would happen after he rode over the starting podium in Peru on January 6.

I didnt even expect this finish, he said.

A lot of people didnt even expect me to be at the start line. I knew Id be at the start line, but I didnt know what shape I would be in.

Twelve weeks ago it was looking pretty grim. Six weeks ago I started training and riding.

To have twelve months off and not do any roadbooks, navigation or any races at all and then come straight back into the biggest race of the year ... on the toughest one in years as well.

Its a sentiment echoed by virtually all of his rivals

1st & 3rd

Cheers David

 

[isolation]

Well done mate, thanks for taking the time to post this, much appreciated.

After all he's been through, it an amazing achievement... Well done Toby!

 

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

Thanks for the kind words Isolation, it was a bit of a effort :Y:

Hope the members of pa enjoyed my posts, I was a virgin, this being my first ever thread. As a new member I wanted to contribute to this site and it's members, wasn't sure if I was on the right track but the likes spured me along as well as Toby and the Dakar itself.

Cheers
David

 

[isolation]

Nailed it mate, loved it :Y:

I wish my riding skills were a fraction of Toby's

 

[Goldchaser1]

Thanks for the updates adventure,3rd on a comeback was an awsome effort,that kids talented no end!
AMA supercross is off to a interesting start to with a few injurys etc,tomac and musquin struggling a bit if anyone follows it.....

thanks again :Y:

 

[Adventure.b4 dementia]

No probs, I haven't followed the AMA since Chad Reed's earlier days, would like to see him move to the Dakar

22. Chad Reed

Cheers David

 

[Simmo]

Yeah Thanks Bud. God running commentary, as I always missed the updates on TV.
Thanks @Adventure.b4 dementia

 

[Simmo]

Yeah Thanks Bud. Good running commentary, as I always missed the updates on TV.
Thanks @Adventure.b4 dementia

 

[Goldchaser1]

No probs, I haven't followed the AMA since Chad Reed's earlier days, would like to see him move to the Dakar

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/11697/1516870133_images_2.jpg
22. Chad Reed

Cheers David

On a husky 450,self funded ride,at 35 hes still fast but mid pack lately but he was injuried off season,he can still run top ten for sure,think hes enjoying less pressure and his twighlight years......

 

[isolation]

I remember seeing Chad at a Monster Energy Supercross event at Parramatta stadium years ago... untouchable

 

[Mackka]

True Aussie Spirit , Toby extremely well done. Thanks abt for bringing it to us and loved the photos with commentary.
Mackka :Y: