Dakar 2024: the 3rd stage for Lucas Moraes, Sébastien Loeb in difficulty

Sébastien Loeb a perdu un temps précieux. MAXPPP – Andrew Eaton

The Saudi Yazeed Al-Rahji took the lead in the general classification of the Dakar-2024 at the end of the third stage won, with just nine seconds in advance, by the Brazilian Lucas Moraes, and which saw the French Sébastien Loeb , victim of three punctures, lost big.

Third last year, the Brazilian from Toyota was faster at the wire than Mattias Ekström (Audi) in this first "marathon" stage. of the 2024 edition, spanning two days, with in its first part a long special of 440 km alternating rocky roads and sandy tracks.

"All the credit goes to Armand (Monleon, his co-pilot, Editor's note), the navigation was very difficult. I had good speed, we even stopped to give Seth (Quintero) a spare tire so he could finish,” Moraes congratulated . The Saudi Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota) completed the podium, at 1 min 09, and took the lead in the general classification 29 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz (Audi), who finished 6th on Monday at 3 min 29.

Fourth at 1 min 33, the Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah (Prodrive), five-time winner of the Dakar, of which he won the last edition, was in the lead until km 404, but his third puncture of the day was fatal for the stage victory.

The tile for Loeb

Same problem for Sébastien Loeb, one of the favorites who lost big on Monday after three punctures, also finishing 22 minutes behind Al-Attiyah, another favorite of the event. "The third (puncture) came 100 km from the finish. It had to be repaired. So pierce the tire, insert a wick, re-inflate with the compressor…

Then it lost (air pressure in the tire). So, we had to stop every 20 km to re-inflate, all that to succeed in finishing,” regretted the Alsatian. Third overall before the 3rd stage, Sébastien Loeb drops to 9th place. "We lose 25 minutes but the Dakar is still long, I hope it's still possible", he hoped.

Sunderland throw in the towel

On the two-wheel side, the Argentinian Kevin Benavides (KTM), defending champion, climbed to 1st place in the stage thanks to the penalties inflicted on his competitors. Virtual winner, the Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) was given a 6-minute penalty for speeding and fell to 7th place.

On arrival, the competitors were entitled to two hours of assistance on their vehicle, not a second more, before joining a bivouac "summary&quot ; where cars and motorcycles are placed in parc ferme before leaving on Tuesday. The American Ricky Brabec (Honda) finished 2nd at 1 min 11. The Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) took 3rd place (+ 2 min 51).

🤙 Feelin' that flow on Stage 3 of #Dakar2024 pic.twitter.com/e5K5Sirdes

— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 8, 2024

The Botswanan Ross Branch (Hero) winner on Saturday, comes 5th (+ 3 min 18) and retains his 1st place in the general classification, ahead of the Chilean Ignacio Cornejo, winner on Sunday, 6th Monday at 3 min 34. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) is behind in 16th position (+ 12 min 56).

The stage was marked by the abandonment of the Briton Sam Sunderland (GasGas), double winner of the rally-raid (2017, 2022) following a crash. a mechanical problem. He had already had to abandon last year, from the 1st stage, due to a fall.

Tuesday, the terrain will be rolling for the 4th stage but navigation promises to be tricky on this long route of 631 km for 299 km of special between Al-Salamiya and Al-Hofuf.