Dakar 2024, Stage 3 – Lucas Moraes wins by a breath, Sébastien Loeb loses big

Dakar 2024 – Ranking Stage 3:

General classification :

• David Castera, Director of the Dakar, did not lie: the third stage of the 2024 edition, contested this Monday January 9 between Al Duwadimi and Al Salamiya (Saudi Arabia) was harsh on the competitors! Starting with Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin (Bahrain Raid Xtreme).
• The nine-time world rally champion (WRC) lost 22 minutes to his teammate and rival Nasser Al-Attiyah (Prodrive) following various mechanical problems. Of all the drivers classified as "favorites" at the start of this event, the Alsatian is undoubtedly the one who did the least well on this stony special. Guerlain Chicherit (Toyota) also wastes a lot of time (25 minutes).
• At Audi, we had a good day. Despite a disadvantageous opening position, Stéphane Peterhansel and Édouard Boulanger had a great day and did not get lost. Their teammates Carlos Sainz-Lucas Cruz and Mattias Ekström-Emil Bergkvist narrowly missed the scratch but are in a very good position in the general classification (2nd and 3rd).
• For Toyota, it’s a party! Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk take the lead of the 2024 Dakar by just seconds on Ekström. The Saudi, however, misses the stage victory because it goes to Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon! The Brazilian, revelation of the Dakar 2023 (3rd overall for his first participation) finished this stage with a bang! This is his first stage victory in the competition.
• Leading mid-stage, Guillaume de Mévius and Xavier Panseri (Toyota) stopped for more than 20 minutes to repair their Hilux T1+.
• Competitors have two hours to repair their 4×4 this evening. External assistance provided by their team's mechanics is exceptionally authorized before entering a summary bivouac, typical of the stage-marathon concept.

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