Kevin Benavides of the HRC factory effort has won the 9th stage of the 2021 Dakar rally. The rider from Argentina holds a commanding lead over fellow HRC rider Nacho Cornejo as the Japanese brand started to really put its stranglehold on the event. 

14:47 Kevin Benavides wins (provisionally…)

Although Ricky Brabec and Sam Sunderland should both recover fifteen minutes at the end of the day, they have both finished more than 20’ behind the day’s quickest rider. The stage victory should therefore go to Kevin Benavides for the second time this year.

13:40 Cornejo reaches the finish

Nacho Cornejo has just reached the finishing line on the day’s special. The Chilean is unlikely to win, because his team-mate Kevin Benavides boasted a lead of more than two minutes over him at the last time check point. Also, the result will have to take account of the time retrieved by Ricky Brabec and Sam Sunderland in order to ascertain the outcome of this eventful special!

13:14 Benavides hammers home his advantage

After 320 km, Kevin Benavides still leads Nacho Cornejo, but now has an advantage of 2’33’’. Adrien van Beveren has taken advantage of Luciano Benavides’ crash to move into third place, 9’35’’ behind the leader. Matthias Walkner is in the Frenchman’s wake, just twenty seconds behind. However, once again, these standings do not take account of the time that Ricky Brabec and Sam Sunderland will retrieve at the end of the stage.

12:37 Luciano Benavides crashes

Luciano Benavides, who was in third place after 239 km, has crashed after 242 km. The Argentinean has injured his shoulder and has been airlifted by helicopter to the hospital in Tabuk.

12:15 Struggles for Barreda

Joan Barreda seems to be in greater difficulty than his rivals on the day’s special. Though he was in the leading group over the first kilometres, the Spaniard had fallen back to 15 minutes behind before completing 200 km. He is trying to regain time, however, because after 237 km, he now trails Kevin Benavides by 13’47’’.

11:48 Benavides moves in front of Cornejo

After 239 km, Nacho Cornejo has lost more than two minutes to Kevin Benavides who has moved into the lead. Luciano Benavides, Kevin’s brother, completes the top three, 3’37’’ behind his sibling. Adrien van Beveren still occupies fourth position, more than seven minutes behind.

11:09 Cornejo keeps his rivals at a distance

After 198 km, Nacho Cornejo still holds a lead of a little less than a minute over Kevin Benavides. Luciano Benavides, trailing Cornejo by 4’31 is for the moment out of reach of Adrien van Beveren, who is more than seven minutes behind the stage leader. However, attention should be paid to the times of Ricky Brabec and Sam Sunderland who respectively lost 15 and 14 minutes whilst waiting with Toby Price for medical assistance to arrive.

10:37 Price airlifted to Tabuk

Toby Price has been taken to hospital in Tabuk for X-rays and has therefore been forced to exit the race prematurely due to his accident.

10:33 Cornejo keeps the pace up

After 157 km, Nacho Cornejo leads Kevin Benavides by 51’’. Luciano Benavides is in third place, 3’42’’ behind with less than a minute’s lead over the Yamaha ridden by Adrien van Beveren. Ricky Brabec, who stopped to assist Toby Price after his heavy fall, has lost more than 20 minutes, but they should be struck off at the end of the stage by the race officials.

10:11 Price falls

Toby Price has crashed after 155 km and has injured his left arm and shoulder. It’s a major blow for the Australian who was only one minute behind Nacho Cornejo in the general standings. Indeed, the Spaniard has moved back into the lead on the stage, after 157 km.

09:49 Broken engine for Branch

Following Franco Caimi yesterday, now Ross Branch has fallen foul of engine problems. The man from Botswana is unable to repair it, meaning it is another blow for Yamaha!

09:33 Brabec tied for the lead with Cornejo

After 91 km, Ricky Brabec and his team-mate Nacho Cornejo lead the stage with the same time. Kevin Benavides trails by only five seconds, while Toby Price has regained the time he lost earlier, to move back to within 12’’ of the leaders. Sam Sunderland and Luciano Benavides are also within the same minute, just ahead of the Yamaha duo of Ross Branch and Adrien van Beveren.

09:21 Van Beveren leads the Yamaha clan

The 43rd Dakar is a difficult edition for Yamaha! Following the withdrawals of Andrew Short, Franco Caimi and Jamie McCanney, Adrien van Beveren and Ross Branch are the two remaining official representatives of the Japanese constructor. After 63 km, it is the Frenchman who is flying the brand’s flag, climbing to fourth position, one minute behind Nacho Cornejo, but Ross Branch only trails his team-mate by 17’’ in tenth place, making it a close run thing!

08:59 Tricky navigation could trip up the riders…

Toby Price and Joan Barreda appear to have encountered a few difficulties at the start of the special. After 63 km, the Australian has lost 1’10’’, while the Spaniard has lost virtually the same amount of time. The Honda trio of Nacho Cornejo, Ricky Brabec and Kevin Benavides currently lead the battle and are within the same minute. They will have to keep a watchful eye on Adrien van Beveren, however, who has reached the first WP only 43’’ behind...

08:31 Price has already taken a few seconds from Cornejo

Toby Price already leads at the first way point, with an advantage of 48’' over Nacho Cornejo and another Honda ridden by Ricky Brabec. Their team-mate Joan Barreda, fifteen minutes back in the general standings, is second for the moment, 31’' behind the Australian.

08:02 Gelažninkas, Gyenes and Melot neck and neck

Maurizio Gerini was the leader at the start of the stage on Monday, but suffered a fall thirty kilometres from the finishing line. Although he was able to complete the stage, the Italian was forced to drop out of the rally, leaving Arūnas Gelažninkas, title holder Emanuel Gyenes, and Benjamin Melot to battle for victory in the Original by Motul category. Less than 2’30 separate the three men with only four stages to go.

07:50 Cornejo is at the start

Nacho Cornejo is the first to take starter’s orders on the ninth special. Will the Chilean, who leads the general standings by just over a minute in front of Toby Price, be able to hold on to this status and once again battle for victory?

07:36 Cornejo opens the way

Although yesterday the role was fulfilled by Ricky Brabec, today it is the turn of Nacho Cornejo to open the way for his rivals for the first time this year. What’s more, so far, nobody has managed to transform this position into a stage victory. Cornejo could well spring a surprise and further increase his lead in the general standings. However, he will have to keep a watchful eye on Toby Price, his nearest pursuer, as well as his team-mates Kevin Benavides and Joan Barreda, who both lost precious time on Monday and will be seeking to claw it back.

07:25 A stroll by the seaside…

The first kilometres of the day’s stage will run along the coast of the Red Sea, then head towards quicker tracks and sandy tracks, before returning to Neom. Even if the backdrop of this special appears idyllic, it will nevertheless be one of the most demanding on the 43rd edition of the Dakar. The competitors will have to be wary of navigational difficulties, but also mechanical problems and punctures.

Full results HERE.