Al-Rajhi wins Dakar Rally stage 4 as Al-Attiyah slips to seventh
Saudi Arabia’s Yazeed Al-Rajhi triumphed in stage 4 of the Dakar Rally on Wednesday, while five-time winner Nasser Al-Attiyah fell to seventh overall after mechanical issues.
The 415km stage between Al Henakiyah and Al Ula ended at a bivouac where competitors are without their support teams ahead of Thursday’s marathon leg.
Al-Rajhi dominated in his Overdrive, completing the stage in 4 hours, 26 minutes, and 40 seconds, 4 minutes and 51 seconds ahead of South Africa’s Henk Lategan. The victory propelled Al-Rajhi to second overall, 6 minutes and 54 seconds behind Lategan, who drives a Toyota.
Al-Attiyah’s run was marred by a puncture and a broken suspension arm, forcing him to wait for teammate Cristina Gutierrez to lend him a replacement part. “Now the car is fine, but my only option is to attack,” he said.
In the motorcycle category, Australian Daniel Sanders claimed his fourth stage win, completing the course in 5 hours, 10 minutes, and 33 seconds. Spain’s Tosha Schareina, who had led late, deliberately ceded the lead to preserve his bike and tyres, finishing 15 seconds behind Sanders.
Thursday’s stage covers 428km from Al Ula to Hail before a rest day on Friday.
(Source: AFP)
