Petrucci becomes the first ex-MotoGP rider to win a stage on the Dakar

He almost saw in the avalanche of problems of the last few weeks signs that he had to give up on his first Dakar: serious ankle injury in training and false positive test to Covid-19 on the eve of departure from Jeddah (Saudi Arabia). From, Danilo Petrucci lost his cell phone, his passport and a mechanical problem plunged him into the darkness of the general classification.

But “Petrux” is a surprising being. The Italian, although totally inexperienced in rally-raid, very quickly adapted to navigation in the desert. In the top 3 of the fourth stage on Wednesday before a penalty ejected him from this accessit (another incident), the double winner in MotoGP with Ducati resumed his express learning this Thursday January 6 around Riyadh with the desire to do well, but certainly not the idea of ​​winning his first stage!

The 31-year-old former track rider was credited with the second fastest time before Toby Price (KTM), the unofficial winner, was penalized five minutes for speeding in a restricted zone. The Australian thus leaves his place to the Italian, who posted a message on social networks: “I’m crying like a baby, I can’t write. »

Stage 5 🏍

🥇 Danilo Petrucci
🥈Ross Branch
🥉 Jose Ignacio Cornejo

All the results 👉 https://t.co/VWALrQijEI# Dakar2022 pic.twitter.com/kXwvfia5Q2

- DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 6, 2022

Fortunately, before succumbing to emotion, the former Ducati and Tech3 MotoGP official recounted his day at the bivouac in Riyadh. And despite Toby Price's penalty, Danilo Petrucci handled himself like a true desert pro. This stage success is not stolen, after an intimidating start to the special.

“There was a camel on the track. To avoid it, I drove into… camel grass. I fell quite heavily but luckily I didn't hurt myself.. The motorcycle was quite damaged and difficult to fly. I then took this special stage as a learning stage.

Kevin (Benavides, Honda) caught me and I let him go because there was a lot of dust. Then, at the neutralization to refuel, Daniel (Sanders, GasGas) joined us again. We have come a long way together. Then we arrived on the three Yamahas. They told me “Go, go! » But what do you mean, “go”? he wondered. In reality they were slower than us.

At this moment, so I said to myself: “I’m going to attack”. I passed everyone, but then we had difficulty finding a Way-point (WP). I looked around and finally spotted him. I don't know why Daniel didn't find it. So I left again. The two Yamahas were on my heels, they let me open the track.

Then, at the end of the stage there were large dunes. (Ross) Branch passed me, he was going too fast, I'm afraid in the dunes. »

Not a daredevil for a penny then, Danilo Petrucci joins his four-wheel counterpart Henk Lategan (Toyota) among the first winners on this Dakar 2022.