Price’s gain is worth pain
AUSTRALIAN motorbike rider Toby Price is battling intense pain as he closes in on winning his second Dakar Rally.
The 2016 Dakar champion, who was in sixth place after the opening stage and has since stayed in touch with the frontrunners, finally bagged the overall lead with a thirdplace finish during the 360km eighth stage.
Price led for most of the stage, from San Juan de Marcona up the Peruvian coast to Pisco, before defending champion Matthias Walkner and Pablo Quintanilla overtook him late on.
But the 31-year-old Queenslander, who had surgery on his fractured wrist in December, was more than content with the result.
“Today, I knew it had to count. That was my maximum ... I can’t do any more,” Price said. “My wrist is on fire. There’s times when you can rest and when you can’t. You’ve just got to somehow shut (the pain) off.”
Two final stages, from Pisco to Pisco (313km) and then on to Lima (112km), stand between Price becoming the 10th man to win the motorbike event at least twice in its 41year history.
He holds a 63-second advantage over Quintanilla heading into the penultimate stage, with fellow KTM rider Walkner more than six minutes back.
Overnight motorbike leader Ricky Brabec was out of yesterday’s stage after 56km when his Honda engine failed, the same fate he suffered last year.
Unlike Price, cars leader Nasser Al-Attiyah has more breathing room. Apart from a puncture, he remained remarkably blunder-free and extended the lead he’s held for all but one day to 29 minutes to 46.
Barring a major mistake, the Qatari will win the world’s toughest rally for a third time today after taking the title in 2011 and 2015. He’s been runner-up three other times, including last year.
His biggest rival, 13-time champion Stephane Peterhansel, found trouble along with defending champion Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres in the dunes of Ica.
Peterhansel got stuck in the sand twice, dropping him from second in the general standings to fourth.
He can still fight for a podium place with Nani Roma and Sebastien Loeb, who are seven minutes ahead.