Australia's Daniel Sanders has claimed the overall lead after winning stage three of the Dakar Rally.
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Sanders (Red Bull GasGas), 28, from Three Bridges east of Melbourne, finished the stage six minutes and 19 seconds ahead of American Skyler Howes (Husqvarna), with 21-year-old American Mason Klein (BAS World KTM) a further 40 seconds behind.
However, leading out on the stage Klein was able to collect the five minutes and 52 seconds of time bonuses available and is second on overall rankings, four minutes and four seconds behind Sanders. Howes is now fourth overall, 8m35s off the pace.
Australia's two-time champion Toby Price (Red Bull KTM), 35, was sixth on the stage 12m14s behind Sanders and is sixth on the overall rankings, 11 minutes behind the leader.
American Ricky Brabec became the second former Dakar champion to crash out. The Honda rider fell after 274km and was transported to hospital in Ha'iI conscious and able to move.
The 2022 champion Sam Sunderland, from the UK, crashed out with a broken shoulder blade just 52km into stage one.
Argentinian Kevin Benavides (Red Bull KTM) was fourth on the stage and is third overall 6m53s behind, with Spain's Joan Barreda Bort (Monster Energy JB) was fifth on the stage and is fifth overall.
Sanders said he and Price were able to break away from their competitors in the dunes on the stage after a tough start.
"We struggled a bit at the start. It was really hard through the deep sand and rock. Then it was a case of pushing again," he told the Dakar Rally website.
"The goal was to get to refuelling and find out where everyone was and then sort of pick up. The guys out front were doing a good job opening. I ended up as the third rider through the stage at the end, so it was still important to keep focus on the navigation, because the guys out front had been opening all day.
"At one moment they can make a mistake and lose focus. It ended up OK.
"Me and Pricey pushed all the way to the end. We broke away from the guys in the dunes. I was surprised that the big kangaroo could still follow me!
"It was good, because we were two Aussies pushing through at the end and to pull away from some fast guys is pretty good."
Price, formerly from the Hunter Valley, was happy with his performance reminding everyone that there were 12 stages left in the world's most arduous motorsport event.
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"All in all it's been a good stage, we really didn't make any mistakes and we pushed where we could, where we felt comfortable," Price posted on Facebook.
"For sure, we probably lost a little bit of time today, but it's all part of it - we're only on day three. There's a long way to go yet."
Price, who is based on the Gold Coast, won the 2019 and 2016 Dakar bike titles and was 10th last year after crashing out in 2021 and coming third in 2020.
TOP 10 AFTER STAGE 3
- DANIEL SANDERS (AUS)
- MASON KLEIN (USA) +4m4s
- KEVIN BENAVIDES (ARG) +6m53s
- SKYLER HOWES (USA) +8m35s
- JOAN BARREDA BORT (ESP) +10m37s
- TOBY PRICE (AUS) +11m
- PABLO QUINTANILLA (CHL) +16m56s'
- ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN (FRA) +214m30s
- MATTHIAS WALKNER (AUT) +22m02s
- ROSS BRANCH (BWA) +23m42s
Michael Hartshorn
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
Since starting in 1985 at the then Melbourne Herald, journalism has taken me around Australia from Victoria, to the Northern Territory, Cairns in Queensland and now Port Stephens. After all those years there is still something special about informing and connecting with readers.
