Zala takes surprise day one lead
THE Dakar Rally entered a new era as the event raced through the Saudi Arabian desert for the first time on yesterday’s 319km run along the Red Sea from Jeddah to Al Whjh.
The race had already claimed its first victim when former truck racer Martin Kolomy crashed his Ford in Friday’s shakedown and it was not much better for several others as the Dakar claimed more victims on the opening day, but there was no stopping unknown Lithuanian Viadotas Zala from taking the car win, while 2019 winner Toby Price won on two wheels.
It was a dramatic day among the cars as Qatari 2019 winner Al Attiyah made the early running in the lead in his SA-built Toyota Hilux ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz snr’s Mini buggy and Jakub Przygonsk’s AWD Mini, but the Pole was soon in trouble, so Attiyah led by mid distance from a resurgent duo Stephane Peterhansel in the second Mini buggy and Qassimi’s Peugeot, the Minis of Orlando Terrannova and surprise package Viktor Zala’s AWD Mini. Frenchman Mattieu Serradori sat a fine sixth in his SA-built Century Buggy ahead of Bernhard Ten Brinke and Fernando Alonso in two more factory Toyotas, but SA hope Giniel de Villiers was languishing in 14th, suffering no less than four punctures on his Hilux.
Then Al Qassimi emerged in the lead from the fifth waypoint at 254km, ahead of surprise package Zala, Al Attiyah, Terranova and Sainz, before Qassimi was just as quickly gone from the front in a day of punctures and drama, to leave Zala to come home the shock winner. He ended up two minutes clear of Mini teammates Peterhansel and Sainz, with Nasser Al Attiyah the best of the rest from SA Gazoo Toyota Hilux teammate Bernhard Ten Brinke after the team suffered 11 punctures through the day.
Perhaps the result of the day from a South African car point of view, was the Johannesburg built and developed Century buggy that came in a brilliant sixth in Serradori’s hands, while Alonso finished his first Dakar stage a troubled 11th, but not quite as tormented as SA Toyota teammate De Villiers, who lost 23 minutes in his clearly hobbled Hilux.
Other cars of South African interest are the two Red-Lined Nissan Navaras, with which British driver Thomas Bell enjoyed a solid run to 35th and SA pair Hennie de Klerk and Johann Smalberger were 61st after losing an hour at mid distance.
In the motorcycles, defending Dakar champion Price rode his KTM to victory over Californian Honda Rider Ricky Brabec, another former KTM under winner Matthias Walkner, Kevin Benavides on a Honda, Sam Sunderland (KTM) and Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna). From a Southern African point of view on two wheels, Botswana ace Ross Branch rode his KTM home a fine fourteenth and SA rookie Aaron Mare ended 34th as he found his Dakar feet.
It was a good first day for the other Southern African riders, not least lady rookies Taye Perry and Kirsten Landman who rode their KTMs home in a provisional 73rd and 95th respectively, no-assistance pair Stuart Gregory (KTM) in 86th and Wessel Bosman (Husqvarna) who was 135th as we wrote and Zimbabwe’s Graeme Sharp (KTM), who came in 93rd.
The second 367km day into the deep Arabian Desert from Al Wajh to Neom is the the first part of the Super Marathon stage – a significant navigational challenge.