Published in: News
2023 Dakar Motorcycle Summary - Halfway Through One of the Toughest Dakar Rallies Ever...
Written by Willem Avenant
In recent years, competitors have clamored for a harder, longer, and tougher Dakar. The organizers of the Dakar clearly listened. The race has broken, battered and beaten the competitors—and mother nature has been giving them everything she has. Will they persevere?
On New Year’s Eve, as we bid farewell to 2022, the largest contingent of American Dakar Rally racers in history heralded in the new year with a 13 km prologue at the Sea Camp, 73 kilometers north of the Saudi Arabian city of Yanbu, on the coast of the Red Sea.
• Prologue
As the 11 American riders lined up for the prologue (a short introductory race/course to determine the starting order of the first stage), they had everything to lose and nothing to gain. A fact that was brought home quickly as a rider crashed out of the race during the prologue. Nacho Cornejo (Monster Energy Honda) also crashed in the first turn, likely costing him any chance of a podium, and our very own Jacob Argubright had a scare in the same corner.
“Four hundred meters into the prologue at the second note I came way too fast into it came into a skid and laid the bike down and slid into the berm and even got the airbag to deploy,” Argubright said. “Just a nice slide, no big damage to me or the bike. As Soon as I did it, I instantly felt better and then rode really well. Just had to shake the nerves I guess.”
Among the 11 Americans lining up were the American Rally Originals team, a group of five friends hoping to be the first Americans to finish the Malle Moto class in the Dakar.
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• Stage 1
Stage 1 was a 601 km loop around Sea Camp. The reigning world champion and Dakar title holder, Sam Sunderland, unfortunately crashed out in a rocky section 52 km into the special with a broken shoulder blade.
This was the first sign that this was going to be a very different Dakar. American Mason Klein looked like he was going to take his first Rally GP stage win, but fellow American and first American to win the Dakar Rally, Team Honda’s Ricky Brabec took the win for the first stage, as Klein was awarded a speed penalty.
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• Stage 2
Stage Two took riders from the Sea Camp, heading inland, to Al-’Ula. This stage was the day of rocks and will be remembered for the rest of their lives by each competitor. Many Dakar veterans called it the toughest Dakar stage of their lives.
Listening to the feedback from the riders, phrases like “hellacious,” “terrible,” “toughest stage of my life,” and “never have I ridden a stage like that” were common as they recounted the stage, which was essentially a giant rock garden. Matthias Walkner (Red Bull KTM team rider and 2018 Dakar Rally winner) crashed in the rocks going about 110km/h, hurting his wrist.
While being brutal for many, Klein made himself proud by taking his first-ever Rally GP stage win. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna Factory Racing team rider, recent Sonora Rally winner and Dakar veteran) made it to third place on the podium. Second place went to the German Sebastian Bühler from Hero Motorsport.
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• Stage 3
Stage 3 was supposed to be a 668 km run from Al-’Ula to Ha’il, but it was cut short due to severe weather and rain.
Disaster struck for Ricky Brabec, and his dream of another Dakar podium vanished, as he crashed out of the race 274 km into the special. The good news is that Ricky is doing well and should recover quickly.
While being a bad day for Brabec, Howes was third for the day, Klein second, and Australian Daniel “Chucky” Sanders took the top step on the podium for Stage 3.
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• Stage 4
Stage 4 was a loop around Ha’il, covering 574 km. It was a wet day, and the riders started getting into some big dunes.
Another day and more attrition, with Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero Motorsport) crashing out with a broken leg after 90 km of the special. Unfortunately, that was not the only bad news of the day. Klein was doing well and navigating great and was on his way to another stage victory. But he suffered problems about 50 km before the finish line with what turned out to be water in his fuel. However, he still managed 10th for the day.
Stage 4 was a day of fuel problems with Ross Branch (Hero Motorsport) and Sebastian Bühler both struggling with fuel issues. With Rodrigues out and Branch losing so much time, Hero’s chances of a podium have all but disappeared.
Howes was the example of consistency, taking third for the day behind Pablo Quintanilla and Joan Barreda Bort, who was suffering from a broken toe. But it was a very sad day for the American Rally Originals in the Malle Moto class, as Kyle McCoy unfortunately crashed out, breaking his leg. Kyle came off close to the finish line in a series of deep ruts, and he still rode to the finish with a severely broken leg.
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• Stage 5
Stage 5 was another loop around Ha’il, this time 645 km of sand, sand and more sand.
While there was no American on the podium, it was Howes’ day, as he moved into first place overall, leading the general rankings.
Unfortunately, another American rider had to retire from the race. Ace Nilson crashed hard in the dunes and was in severe pain, but he finished the stage nonetheless. A CT scan revealed that Nilson had a broken sternum as well as several non-displaced fractured transverse vertebrae.
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• Stage 6
Stage 6 was the longest stage of this year’s Dakar, with 918 km from Ha’il to Riyadh. It was a day of more sand and more bad weather, with the special amended due to the rain. After the special, riders had to make their way back to Riyadh in the rain on a local highway, something that proved more dangerous than anything they have raced on. While Howes held on to his overall lead, the top seven riders were all within 13 minutes apart. Howes came in second for the day, just behind stage winner and teammate Luciano Benavides. Toby Price (Red Bull KTM) was right on their heels in third.
It was another very bad day for the American Rally Originals, with David Pearson having to unfortunately withdraw from the race after five stages with no penalties. Running into some soft sand in the dunes, he went over the handlebars, tearing muscles in his thigh and fracturing one of his vertebrae. Incredibly, he still finished the stage, serviced his bike and it was only after passing out in the food line that the medical team intervened.
Pearson’s teammate Paul Neff had electrical issues, his stator motor bolt loosened up and disconnected, causing his battery not to charge. But he managed to finish the special and used four batteries getting back to the bivouac. It took him most of the night to get to camp and it was touch and go to stay in the race.
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• Stage 7 and 8
Initially Stages 7 and 8 were modified because of flooding at Al Duwadimi. But the organization ended up canceling stage 7 for the bikes and quads given the rain, as well as the overall level of exhaustion by even the top riders.
While there was not a racing stage for Stage 7, riders had to still get from Riyadh to Al Duwadimi for the start of Stage 8, roughly a 500km ride in the rain and cold. It was also a “light marathon” stage, meaning that once riders left Riyadh, their crews and support had to stay behind, forcing the competitors work on their bikes themselves if there were any issues.
Stage 8 was an 822 km ride from Al Duwadimi back to Riyadh. It proved to be a navigational challenge, and with the rest day looming, riders were giving it all they had. Klein was hoping for another stage win, and thought he had in the bag. But it was “Kalahari Ferrari” Ross Branch’s time to shine with a stage win for Hero Motorsport, with Klein being docked time for speed penalties. Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM) picked up second place on the stage, and Klein inked a third.
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So, after eight days of racing, and six stages still left, we head into a well-deserved rest day.
From the 11 Americans who started, there are 7 still left standing. And for this second part of the race, riders are heading into the deep sands and high dunes of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter.
“The course is super demanding and challenging, the weather and rain making it even harder. Some mornings having to get up at 2 am and riding liaisons in the dark in rain and freezing temps,” said Howes. “It’s been fun, I am having a blast. The pace is incredibly high, we are pushing really, really hard out there every day, and the bodies are taking a beating, everybody is feeling it.”
In the Orignal by Motul class, Americans Jim Pearson, Mo Hart and Paul Neff are still in the fight representing the American Rally Originals team. Jacob Argubright sits at 25th overall and Petr Veclk is in 61st place.
Overall Skyler Howes is still leading the race, trailed by Kevin Benavides from Red Bull KTM by a mere 13 seconds, and Mason Klein, also by 13 seconds—putting two Americans on the top step halfway through the toughest Dakar of recent times. The top six spots are all within three minutes of each other and anything can happen.
After all, this is Dakar.