Dakar 2021 stage 10 – Saudi Yazeed Al Rajhi won this Wednesday at Al Ula. Two stages from the end, Friday in Jeddah, Stephane Peterhansel keeps 17 minutes ahead of Nasser al-Attiyah and more than an hour over Carlos Sainz.
Saudi Arabia’s local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi came on strong in the closing portion of today’s 10th stage of the marathon — a 342km/213-mile run through the sand between spectacular rockpiles from Neom on the Red Sea to Al-Ula — to take his second stage win in the car category, but it took a risky gamble to close the deal. The Overdrive Toyota driver pushed on to the finish on a flat tire.
STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 10 – DAKAR 2021 – AL RAJHI WINNER
Pos
Driver
Car
Time/Gap
1
Stephane Peterhansel
Mini
37hr33m06s
2
Nasser Al-Attiyah
Toyota
17m01s
3
Carlos Sainz
Mini
1hr03m44s
4
Jakub Przygonski
Toyota
2hr18m43s
5
Nani Roma
BRX
2hr50m22s
6
Khalid Al Qassimi
Peugeot
3hr13m14s
7
Vladimir Vasilyev
Mini
3hr14m56s
8
Giniel de Villiers
Toyota
3hr43m28s
9
Martin Prokop
Ford
3hr45m46s
10
Christian Lavieille
Optimus
4hr30m52
“We went fast, and Dirk (von Zitzewitz, navigator) also did a great job. However, with 30 km to go, we had a flat tire,” related Al-Rajhi. “We decided to push on, reasoning that we were almost there. The tire ended up torn to pieces, but we finished with it. It was risky, but we wanted to win. We thought that stopping would cost us 1m20s, whereas easing up a little might only cost us 45s.”
Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah — driving a similar Toyota Hilux for Toyota Gazoo Racing — finished second, 2m04s behind, leading home overall Dakar leader Stephane Peterhansel (X Raid MINI JCW) by 49s to close the gap to the Frenchman. However, he still trails by 17 minutes with just two stages remaining.
“Navigating wasn’t easy, but I’m rather happy the stage went without a hitch,” said Al-Attiyah. “I think tomorrow will decide the Dakar. It’s going to be a tricky stage, but we’ll do our best. There’s no strategy — we’ll just keep driving fast. Of course, Stephane is under the most pressure because he’s the leader, but I’m also under pressure: If I can’t make it, I’ll finish second.”
Advertisement
DAKAR 2021 STAGE 10 – AL RAJHI WINNER AT AL ULA DAKAR 2021 STAGE 10 – AL RAJHI WINNER AT AL ULA
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
