Van Beveren, Al-Attiyah Take Dakar Rally Stage 5 Wins; Howes New Motorcycle Leader
Jan. 5, 2023
Off Road Racer Staff
Four-time and defending Dakar Rally car class winner Nasser Al-Attiyah and motorcycle veteran Adrien Van Beveren won their respective classes in today's fifth stage of the event, the second consecutive loop stage based in Ha'il. Van Beveren's first stage win of this year's running, his first year of competing with Honda, came by just 13 seconds over Nacho Cornejo, and enabled him to grab fifth place in the overall rankings.
[caption id="attachment_275270" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
10 HOWES Skyler (usa), Husqvarna Factory Racing, Husqvarna, Moto, FIM W2RC, action during the Stage 4 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 4th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia[/caption]
But the big winner on the day may have been American rider Skyler Howes, the new overall motorcycle leader. Formerly a beloved privateer rider, Howes' first factory-backed Dakar with Husqvarna ended after five stages last year; this time around, he's got a two-minute advantage over Dakar legend Toby Price through as many stages. With four consecutive top-five stage finishes, Howes hasn't been out of the overall top 10 for a single day thus far. Incoming leader Daniel Sanders sunk to eighth overall after finishing 21st on stage, but the top eight remain split by less than 20 minutes.
[caption id="attachment_275264" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
200 AL-ATTIYAH Nasser (qat), BAUMEL Mathieu (fra), Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota Hilux, Auto, FIA W2RC, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI[/caption]
Al-Attiyah's second stage win of the event enabled him to add nearly two minutes on Carlos Sainz, who finished second on stage and currently sits fourth overall, and almost four on Stephane Peterhansel, who remains second overall. Good fortune continues to evade Sebastien Loeb, who finished ninth on stage and continues to approach the overall top 10, but still lost another likely stage win due to a crash that forced a wheel change.
[caption id="attachment_275263" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
400 BACIUSKA Rokas (lto), VIDAL MONTIJANO Oriol (spa), Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing, Can-Am, SSV, FIA W2RC, Motul, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI[/caption]
In T3 Lightweight Prototype, the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team continues to have the dominant vehicle, but which driver gets to benefit from the Overdrive OT3 continues to change day by day. Seth Quintero finally scored his first stage win of the year by nearly five minutes over Chaleco Lopez, but incoming leader Mitch Guthrie Jr. lost four hours on stage before halfway and later took penalties that have ended his hopes of an overall win. Guthrie's struggles opened the door for Guillaume De Mevius to take the class lead, but last year's T4 winner AJ Jones remains second, just over seven minutes behind.
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154 MORENO FLORES Francisco (arg), Dragon, Yamaha, Quad, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI[/caption]
Rokas Baciuska topped the stage rankings in T4 as Rodrigo Luppi padded his overall lead slightly on Eryk Goczal, while Francisco Moreno Flores cut seven minutes into Alexandre Giroud's class lead with a stage win of his own. Ales Loprais completed the stage winners on the day to continue extending his overall lead in the trucks.
[caption id="attachment_275262" align="alignnone" width="1024"]
508 LOPRAIS Ales (cze), POKORA Petr (cze), VALTR Jr Jaroslav (cze), Instaforex Loprais Praga, Praga, Trucks, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia[/caption]
2023 Dakar Rally Stage 5 winners were as follows:
Top
10 HOWES Skyler (usa), Husqvarna Factory Racing, Husqvarna, Moto, FIM W2RC, action during the Stage 4 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 4th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia[/caption]
But the big winner on the day may have been American rider Skyler Howes, the new overall motorcycle leader. Formerly a beloved privateer rider, Howes' first factory-backed Dakar with Husqvarna ended after five stages last year; this time around, he's got a two-minute advantage over Dakar legend Toby Price through as many stages. With four consecutive top-five stage finishes, Howes hasn't been out of the overall top 10 for a single day thus far. Incoming leader Daniel Sanders sunk to eighth overall after finishing 21st on stage, but the top eight remain split by less than 20 minutes.
[caption id="attachment_275264" align="alignnone" width="1024"] 200 AL-ATTIYAH Nasser (qat), BAUMEL Mathieu (fra), Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota Hilux, Auto, FIA W2RC, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI[/caption]
Al-Attiyah's second stage win of the event enabled him to add nearly two minutes on Carlos Sainz, who finished second on stage and currently sits fourth overall, and almost four on Stephane Peterhansel, who remains second overall. Good fortune continues to evade Sebastien Loeb, who finished ninth on stage and continues to approach the overall top 10, but still lost another likely stage win due to a crash that forced a wheel change.
[caption id="attachment_275263" align="alignnone" width="1024"] 400 BACIUSKA Rokas (lto), VIDAL MONTIJANO Oriol (spa), Red Bull Can-Am Factory Racing, Can-Am, SSV, FIA W2RC, Motul, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI[/caption]
In T3 Lightweight Prototype, the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team continues to have the dominant vehicle, but which driver gets to benefit from the Overdrive OT3 continues to change day by day. Seth Quintero finally scored his first stage win of the year by nearly five minutes over Chaleco Lopez, but incoming leader Mitch Guthrie Jr. lost four hours on stage before halfway and later took penalties that have ended his hopes of an overall win. Guthrie's struggles opened the door for Guillaume De Mevius to take the class lead, but last year's T4 winner AJ Jones remains second, just over seven minutes behind.
[caption id="attachment_275266" align="alignnone" width="1024"] 154 MORENO FLORES Francisco (arg), Dragon, Yamaha, Quad, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia - Photo Frederic Le Floc’h / DPPI[/caption]
Rokas Baciuska topped the stage rankings in T4 as Rodrigo Luppi padded his overall lead slightly on Eryk Goczal, while Francisco Moreno Flores cut seven minutes into Alexandre Giroud's class lead with a stage win of his own. Ales Loprais completed the stage winners on the day to continue extending his overall lead in the trucks.
[caption id="attachment_275262" align="alignnone" width="1024"] 508 LOPRAIS Ales (cze), POKORA Petr (cze), VALTR Jr Jaroslav (cze), Instaforex Loprais Praga, Praga, Trucks, action during the Stage 5 of the Dakar 2023 around Hail, on January 5th, 2023 in Hail, Saudi Arabia[/caption]
2023 Dakar Rally Stage 5 winners were as follows:
- Bikes: Adrien Van Beveren, 4:27:28
- Quads: Francisco Moreno Flores, 5:49:21
- Cars: Nasser Al-Attiyah, 4:13:23
- Lightweight Prototype: Seth Quintero, 4:59:55
- SSV: Rokas Baciuska, 5:02:52
- Truck: Ales Loprais, 5:06:57
- Bikes: Skyler Howes, 23:16:37
- Quads: Alexandre Giroud, 28:46:12
- Cars: Nasser Al’Attiyah, 20:47:36
- Lightweight Prototype: Guillaume De Mevius, 24:15:39
- SSV: Rodrigo Luppi, 25:13:20
- Truck: Ales Loprais, 24:30:26