José Ignacio Cornejo Florimo winner of the second stage on motorcycle, Adrien Van Beveren in the top 10 of the general classification

Botswana’s Ross Branch retains the lead in the general classification but lost a good part of his lead on Sunday.

Today’s special stage promised, on paper, a high-level fight. She kept all her promises. The general classification has already been shaken up a little, during the second stage of the Dakar, 463 kilometers long, linking Al-Henakiyah to Al-Duwadimi, Sunday January 7. José Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Honda) signed the best scratch time (4h23’41”), securing a sixth stage victory on the Dakar. The Chilean did well in the thirty kilometers of dunes – the first of this 46th edition – at the start of the route.

The Argentinian Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna, + 6’35”) and Pablo Quintanilla (Honda, +6’48”) complete the podium. Ross Branch retains the lead in the general classification but has lost precious minutes. While he took the lead on Saturday with almost 12 minutes ahead of his runner-up, he now only has a lead of 2’30” over José Ignacio Cornejo Florimo. Having gone as a scout because of his first place, Ross Branch was able to benefit from the bonuses which reward those who ensure navigation at the front of the race.

Adrien Van Beveren is moving forward slowly

Already in difficulty the day before, Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) shaved off a few seconds during the day’s special (+12’08”, 10th), to now be in ninth place in the general classification, with 20’54 ” behind leader Ross Branch. Another driver in difficulty on Saturday but who recovered really well on Sunday, the reigning world rally raid champion, Luciano Benavides, second when crossing the line at Al-Duwadimi, a good time which allows him to return to the fifth place in the general classification, at 17’33”.

Author of a nice poker game the day before, which allowed him to finish third, Mason Klein (Kove) was forced to stop to repair his motorcycle. Stopping for almost two hours, the American saw his chances of final victory suddenly disappear.

Finally, Kevin Benavides (Red Bull Ktm Factory Racing), the eldest of the brotherhood and title holder, has on the other hand had a series of bad times since the start of the rally-raid. In difficulty during the previous stage, the latter did little better on Sunday (+20’05”, 19th). He still remains on the edge of the top 10 overall (12th), 24 minutes behind the leader.