Bike leader tumbles out of the Dakar

Al-Ula - The Dakar Rally’s 10th stage was a day of contrasts. Yazeed Al Rajhi added another car stage win to Toyota’s 2021 collection ahead of Nasser Al Attiyah and overall leader Stephane Peterhansel, maintained his 17-minute lead.

It was far more dramatic in the motorcycles, however as overall leader Jose Ignacio Cornejo Flormino took a tumble and retired.

He has relinquished the overall lead to Honda team-mates Kevin Benavides and Ricky Brabec, now split by just 51 seconds overall.

The car race was relatively straightforward.

Al Rajhi and Dirk von Zitzewitz’s Made-in-SA Hilux may have been pipped to the first waypoint by his Saudi compatriot Yazir Seadian’s Century.

But from there on the home hero dominated as he maintained a two-minute advantage over his pursuers.

Al Attiyah and Matthieu Baumel’s Toyota Gazoo Racing Hilux and Peterhansel and Edouard Boulanger’s Mini were never more than a few seconds apart behind as they traded places throughout.

Carlos Sainz and Luis Cruz stormed back to fourth in the other Mini ahead of Jakub Przygonski and Timo Gottschalks Hilux and Giniel de Villiers and Alex Haro’s Gazoo Hilux.

Carlos Sainz remains third, an hour adrift, and a similar gap ahead of Przygonski.

Florimo, running second at the time, crashed, remounted and struggled home, only to be advised to withdraw by the medical team.

Flormino was listed as third overall, but will not race any further. –