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Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom drove his Audi hybrid to victory within the 13km-long prologue of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Ekstrom edged out France’s nine-time World Rally champion Sebastien Loeb (BRX) by a second.
“It is all the time good to start out in a great way, however, in fact, the day is lengthy and the rally is even longer,” stated Ekstrom.
“A superb finish to 2022, however tomorrow is the actual begin. We’ll must try to be targeted for an additional two weeks.”
The Swede’s Audi teammate Stephane Peterhansel — the Dakar nice who has received the occasion 14 instances (eight in a automotive and 6 on a motorcycle) — rounded out the opening podium of the forty fifth version of the Dakar.
Reigning champion Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar completed 12sec adrift in fourth in his Toyota.
“Ending behind the trio just isn’t a foul outcome from the attitude of preventing for the stage win tomorrow, which might turn out to be useful to open stage 2 proper earlier than the important thing third stage,” the Qatari stated.
The prologue acts as a technique to decide the order of the highest 10 starters within the first stage correct on Sunday, a 603km run together with 368km of timed specials.
That was not misplaced on Ekstrom, who stated it was “actually good… (as) a junior within the sport, to start out from the again so I’ve some tracks to comply with”.
“The race is on,” added Peterhansel, also known as “Mr. Dakar”.
“You place your helmet on in the beginning and you recognize you might be about to be launched into the thick of it.
“We completed first, third and sixth. Personally, I did higher than I anticipated. The course was extra favorable to pure rally or rally-cross drivers, which I am not, so it was a great outcome. I am not used to arising with methods, however I will be in a great place to select my beginning order for tomorrow.”
Worth pips Sanders
Australian KTM rider Toby Worth edged compatriot Daniel Sanders (GasGas) within the motorcycle part, with Botswana’s Ross Department (Hero) in third, 9sec behind.
Defending title holder Sam Sunderland (GasGas) got here in tenth.
“It is a actually good begin,” stated Worth. “I do not know if it is a good factor. For certain, it is good to select your beginning spot, however I do not know if it will be a bonus or an obstacle.
“Final yr, the technique we had was mainly fully the unsuitable course of what I wanted to do. I am going to simply depart my thoughts open.
“Lengthy levels to go, in 14 days, loads can occur. It is good to win the prologue right this moment, nevertheless it’s not going to ensure something. We’ll keep on two wheels, have enjoyable and benefit from the desert.”
This yr’s Dakar stretches 8,549 km over 15 days of racing, together with a four-day tour into the as but unexplored desert dunes of the huge Rub’ al-Khali, or Empty Quarter.
Some 790 riders, drivers and co-drivers set off in an array of bikes, vehicles, quads, vehicles and light-weight autos when the race began on the shores of the Crimson Sea. It finishes within the jap Saudi metropolis of Dammam on January 15.
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