News 14 Jan 2019

Quintanilla regains control of Dakar with stage six victory

Price hangs onto third overall as compatriot Young advances.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has regained control of the Dakar Rally after claiming victory on stage six of the gruelling event.

With the rally now past the halfway stage and heading back towards the host city of Lima, stage six covered some of the same ground as previous stages, boasting 838 kilometres in total distance including a 336-kilometre timed special.

Lodging a time of 3h50m47s, Quintanilla narrowly edged Monster Energy Honda Team’s Kevin Benavides by a slender 1m52s, while defending champion Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) closed out the top three.

Fourth went to Australia’s Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), who’s still encountering issues with his injured wrist, followed by Adrien van Beveren (Yamalube Yamaha Rally). Overall in the classification it’s Quintanilla ahead of Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team), Price, Benavides and van Beveren.

Aussie Dakar rookie Ben Young (KTM) is now ranked 60th after finishing up 55th in the stage, while compatriots James Ferguson (KTM) and Rodney Faggotter (Yamalube Yamaha Rally) have been ruled out of the competition.

Stage seven of the 2019 Dakar Rally comprises the first looped timed special of the event, with riders covering 323 kilometres against the clock near the town of San Juan de Marcona.

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