Ha’il (Saudi Arabia): Frenchman Adrien van Beveren of Monster Energy Honda Team won the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally 2023 while Jose Ignacio Cornejo — the Chilean known by all as Nacho — was placed second, here on Friday.
Van Beveren and Nacho finished the 374 kilometers of special stage circuit Ha’il-Ha’il just separated by 13 seconds, dominating clearly on a demanding terrain composed of small dunes with camel grass.
Pablo Quintanilla was 10th, but his time can be revised due to his assistance to Joan Barreda after the crash of the Spaniard.
“This stage win was a late anniversary present! It feels great to reach this performance, I am really happy! I did a good navigation at the beginning, then I opened around 200 kilometers. The terrain was really difficult but I could reach my goal,” said Van Beveren.
In the overall standings, the competition is still very close between the main contenders. Adrien Van Beveren — who has 4th as his personal best in the Dakar Rally — is in fifth position just four minutes and 22 seconds from the current leader.
Pablo Quintanilla is in 7th position, with 9 minutes and 55 seconds to the leader. Cornejo is ranked in 9th place and has 17 minutes and 32 seconds of delay.
“This was a great stage overall for the team, I am quite happy to contribute to this good result. I think I have found my rhythm and that is also the consequence of the permanent improvements our team is working on in our Honda CRF 450 Rally,” Cornejo said.
The sixth stage will leave the Ha’il region in the direction of Riyadh. This special stage will have 367 kilometers (less 100 than initially foreseen) and a liaison of 300 km. The route will continue to travel from coast to coast with the longest stage of this Dakar, which also contains the longest special stage.
Speedometers will easily hit triple digits on the fast ample tracks that take the first half of the course through extensive plateaus. A sequence of dunes will bring some variety and ramp up the suspense in the final third of the stage. By the end of this day, riders and machines will have already completed nearly 2500 kilometers of specials.
–IANS