Another twist on the tracks of the Dakar. The northerner biker Adrien Van Beveren regained the lead in the general classification this Wednesday by finishing in fourth place in today’s stage, 375 kilometers between Wadi Ad Dawasir and Bisha in Saudi Arabia.
There are still two specials, one of which is particularly long of 346 kilometers on Thursday. Even if the pilot from Hazebrouck is the leader, he will need a lot more concentration to hope to win the rally because the podium will be played in a pocket square.
It’s rare to finish a Dakar with so many drivers still in the game to win. I think it’s really going to be the decisive step. Now I don’t want to change my plan, I gave my best every day. I have tried to be as efficient as possible in my [navigation], in my speed, in everything, every day and that led me to be at the head of the Dakar two days from the finish.
The pilot had many withdrawals from the legendary rally. His Yamaha team manager Alexandre Kowalski is crossing his fingers for this year.
He knows that we must remain humble and modest in relation to this race. We too stay focused. The road is still very long before the finish line.
Adrien Van Beveren is ahead of his British brother-in-law Sam Sunderland (5’49) and the Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (6’15) before the start of the eleventh stage between Bisha and Bisha. The northerner will start in front of his competitors and will therefore have to open the way for them. “It’s something I like to do and usually do pretty well. I trained a lot, a lot for that in Morocco.
Since I started the rally in 2016, I have made navigation a point of honor and to understand navigation well, to interpret a road book. And I think all of that will be of use to me more than ever. “ Departure of the penultimate special at 5:10 am French time.