Southern Africa stars at Dakar
ON A sensational second day of Dakar 2020, southern African competitors Ross Branch, Giniel de Villiers and Conrad Rautenbach took a historic hat-trick of wins in the motorcycle, car and side-by-side classes.
Botswana motorcycle hero and multiple South African Cross Country champion Branch (KTM) stormed home to a sensational and historic maiden Dakar stage win, 2009 SA Dakar winner De Villiers had a far better day to win the car race in his SA-built Toyota Hilux.
It was also a strong day for Zimbabwean ex-SA rally champion Rautenbach who led the way as he fought up to third in the Side by Side class in another day of surprises as the race sped to Neom in Saudi Arabia.
2018 Dakar Rookie of the Year Branch put in a mesmerising performance to run second behind Honda rider Joan Barreda before moving his KTM into the lead of the motorcycle race at the day’s third waypoint. Quite astoundingly, Branch was the only privateer among a factory rider-dominated top 15 motorcycles as KTM’s Sam Sunderland disposed of Husqvarna rider Pablo Quintanilla for third from ahead of Argentine brothers Kevin (Honda) and Luciano Benavides (KTM) and Barreda (Honda). Sunderland now leads the bikes from Quintanilla and Kevin Benavides with Branch sixth.
It was a tough day for overnight motorcycle leaders Toby Price (KTM) and Ricky Brabec (Honda), but not quite as bad as for SA rookie Aaron Mare, who retired after injuring a wrist. A little further back in the bikes, Zimbabwe’s Graeme Sharp (KTM) rode in 74th, Original class man Stuart Gregory (KTM) 87th and SA’s lady riders Kirsten Landman (KTM) 87th and Taye Perry (KTM) 113rd albeit after running as high as 58th, while Wessel Bosman (Husqvarna) was lying 132nd. Yesterday was the first part of the bike and quad Marathon stage, which restricts elite riders to just 10 minutes of maintenance work at the end of the day.
De Villiers enjoyed a steady day after his tough four-puncture first stage to move up from his fourteenth starting spot to fifth by the first waypoint and then second behind Saudi home hero Yazeed al Rajhi’s similar SA-built Toyota by the end of the fourth sector. De Villiers then took advantage of Al Rahji’s last sector woes to move into the lead and take the day from Mini driver Orlando Terranova, Sheik Al Qassimi’s Peugeot and Frenchman Mattieu Serradori, who delivered a sensational fourth in his South African-built Corvette-powered Century buggy.
PH Sport driver Rautenbach meanwhile rose from a thirteenth place start to sixth, third and second before taking the sideby-side class lead from Spaniard Hinojo Lopez and then becoming immersed in a five-way fight for the win into the final sector.
Of the other Southern African four-wheeler competitors, Mike Horne was navigating Cyril Despres in eighth in the side by sides while Red-Lined Nissan car pair, SA Treasury one crew Hennie de Klerk and Johann Smalberger stormed from 59th to 33rd on the day, with Thomas Bell’s similar Sabertooth car 49th.
It was another dramatic day as the rest of the car top 10 ebbed and flowed behind the consistent De Villiers and flying Al Rajhi, who had taken complete advantage of his home knowledge to lead the way and open up a significant stage lead.
Today’s third stage comprises a 427km loop around Neom. Can our southern African heroes keep this incredible ball rolling?