Marie Mahé, Media365, published on Saturday January 4, 2025 at 3:20 p.m.
This Saturday, the first stage of the Dakar was won, among the motorcycles, by the Australian Daniel Sanders, already winner of the prologue the day before, and by the American Seth Quintero, among the cars, who recovered some time after helped another competitor.
Daniel Sanders does it again. This Saturday, on the side of Saudi Arabia, the Australian, already winner of the prologue the day before, won, in the motorcycle category, the first stage of the 2025 edition of the famous Dakar rally-raid. The KTM rider, now 30 years old, aims to become the second Australian in history to win this prestigious event on a motorcycle, after his compatriot Toby Price, winner of the 2016 and 2018 editions. This Saturday, Sanders, winner of the last edition of the Morocco rally, took the lead of this special from kilometer 151. The Australian was then never overtaken again, despite strong competition which was ultimately not that far behind him. At the finish, after a total of 413 kilometers of effort, Daniel Sanders set a time of 4h41'27 and also pushed back his first two pursuers, namely Ricky Brabec, defending champion, and Ross Branch, two minutes behind. On his Honda, the first Frenchman, Adrien Van Beveren, finished in eighth place of the day, after falling, almost a quarter of an hour from first position.
Quintero takes victory from Chicherit
In the car category, Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit long believed he would win the first stage. In this same special, the favorites for the final victory had decided to slow down, in order to be able to start in a more than favorable position for the “48 hours” which will follow. At the wheel of his badly damaged Mini, the Tricolore (46 years old) finished this day, around Bisha, made up of 413 kilometers of special, in a time of 4h35'53. However, after helping a competitor who suffered an accident, Seth Quintero was able to recover time and dislodge the Habs from first place. Chicherit, who saw a first stage victory on the Dakar for his team since 2021 escape him, finds himself in second place in the general classificationwith a total of 45 seconds behind the American Seth Quintero (Toyota). Frenchman Sébastien Loeb (Dacia) finished 24th, 11 minutes behind the winner of the day. Sunday and Monday will take place the “48 hours flat”. It is a special of almost 1,000 kilometers, without assistance and over two days. Opening the road, as Seth Quintero will have to do, following his victory today, could well be a big disadvantage.
