1. Price finally hits the front, but can he hold on with two stages left?
It’s taken twelve stages, but Toby Price has finally taken the lead of Dakar 2023 and he did it with great aplomb.
With a 28-second deficit to Skyler Howes heading into the stage, Price’s ploy to play the long game has paid off handsomely up to now and he made sure this stage counted. Price led for the first two checkpoints, before he dropped back to finish third for the day behind eventual stage winner Jose Cornejo Florimo and fellow Aussie, Daniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders.
Price in jovial conversation with Daniel 'Chucky' Sanders prior to the 12th stage. Photo: Julien Delfosse/DPPI/LiveMedia Credit: IPA/Sipa USA
All Toby needs to do is to maintain or extend his lead in the final two stages and win number three is his.
2. Chucky is back to his best, with a top five finish awaiting him. A podium maybe?
Chucky was back to his usual best, storming to second on stage 12. Photo: Fr..d..ric Le Floc...h/DPPI/LiveMedia Credit: IPA/Sipa USA
But a podium? It sounds a little far-fetched, but, we’re talking about Chucky here. This is a rider who just doesn’t quit, nor does he know when to slow down. He only knows two things - to go hard and fast. Stage 12 was proof that he was back to his normal self, snatching second place at the end of the stage from his fellow Australian, Toby Price, not that the KTM rider cared too much about that.
Daniel Sanders was all smiles after the 12th stage of Dakar 2023. EPA/Andrew Eaton Credit: Andrew Eaton/EPA
3. Loeb makes it five stages in a row
Sebastian Loeb and Fabian Lurquin with their stage medals after winning their fifth stage in a row and the sixth of the event. Photo: Julien Delfosse/DPPI/LiveMedia Credit: IPA/Sipa USA
In a comprehensive performance, Loeb stormed through the second part of the Empty Quarter marathon to take out stage 12, his sixth stage win of event by 3’19” over Audi’s Mattias Ekstrom and a further 12” over Nasser Al-Attiyah of Toyota Gazoo Racing. The latter remains the current overall leader by 87 minutes with two stages to go.
Loeb has also equalled another record in this rally, joining Vatanen as the only other person to win five Dakar stages in a row. Vatanen achieved this feat in 1989, going on to win the rally for Peugeot.
Ari Vatanen won five stages in a row to take out the 1989 Paris-Dakar Rally for Peugeot. Photo: Francois LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Credit: Francois LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
4. Molly claims another top 10 stage finish with a top 10 overall again possible
The Empty Quarter has proven to be a very happy place for Molly Taylor, with the Australian driver and American Andrew Short hauling in more time to finish the stage sixth in the T4 Modified Production SSV class.
Molly Taylor and Andrew short are now eyeing off the top ten in the general classification, following a sixth place stage finish. Photo: Fr..d..ric Le Floc...h/DPPI/LiveMedia Credit: IPA/Sipa USA
After the disaster of stage 10, which saw her drop to 15th and fall two hours behind tenth place, the gap between herself and 10th, currently held by Xavier de Soultrait and Martin Bonnet, is now 33 minutes. We’ll be cheering on Molly and Andrew over the final two stages.
5. Schey brothers score another top 20 stage result in Classic Dakar
Peter and Christopher Schey have racked up another top 20 stage finish in the Classic Dakar, with the Victorian pair and their Nissan Terrano coming through in 20th for the day.
The brothers have also improved their ranking in the general classification, jumping up three spots to now sit 31st. A top-30 finish in Classic Dakar now seems very much a reality.
With two stages remaining, we continue to wish them all the best en route to Dammam.
Catch the stage 12 highlights tonight from 5pm (AEDT) on SBS and any time via SBS On Demand.
