Monster Energy Sweep Dakar Stage 10

Back-to-back Dakar Rally stage sweeps by Monster Energy/Honda Team riders have increased the gap over the competition, putting Monster Energy in an excellent position as Dakar winds down to just two stages left in the 15-day long/12-stage opening round of this year’s FIM World Rally Raid Championship.

With a close Stage 10 victory on Wednesday over teammate Jose “Nacho” Cornejo, his first stage victory of the ’24 Dakar and 10th of his career, overall motorcycle division leader Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda Team) inched even closer to the world’s most prestigious off-road racing title as he clocked the best time in the 612 km stage with 3:51:39, putting an additional 3:45 on current 2nd place overall racer Ross Branch (Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy). Following ten stages of Dakar Brabec, the 2020 Dakar champion, leads Branch by 10:54 (44:45:28 to 44:56:22), with Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda Team) in 3rd place, less than a minute back of Branch (11:46 behind Brabec).

Joining Brabec on today’s Stage 10 podium, completing the Monster Energy podium sweep, was Cornejo. The Chilean great and winner of three stages over the past two weeks brought his Honda CRF450 Rally home with a time of 3:51:41, just two seconds back of Brabec (and 18 seconds out front of Van Beveren, who Cornejo is battling for the third and final podium position).

Sand, rock and close attention to navigation clues was, again, the call of the day on Stage 10 as the competitors returned to where it all began this year with he Alula Loop. The teamwork between Brabec and Van Beveren would be key, following the Stage 10 refueling stop, as not only did they push each other to the point where Brabec was able to extend his lead on Branch, it also brought AVB closer – less than a minute – to the No. 2 spot (behind Branch).

In the side-by-side racing class at Dakar, SSV division, Monster Energy’s Sara Price became the first American woman to win a stage in the Dakar Rally. Price, along with navigator Jeremy Gray, stood atop the Dakar stage podium for the first time as the South Racing/Can-Am team were victorious on Stage 10, coming in with a time of 3:51:19 to win by 22 seconds over Team MMP’s Jerome De Sadeleer and Michael Metge. With the stage victory Price and Gray moved within 20 minutes of SSV division leaders Xavier De Soultrait and Martin Bonnet (Loeb Racing) with two stages remaining.

Stage Quotes

Brabec: “The day was good. It took me 100 kilometers or so to catch Adrien (Van Beveren). You know, he was riding really well. The navigation wasn’t easy. I think we did the first 50 kilometers straight into the sun, so that was really difficult. Yeah, since I caught Adrien, we just kind of rode together the rest of the way. Made some tiny mistakes, but I dunno, I guess other people made some mistakes too, so we came out in a good position for tomorrow – and also for the last day. Let’s keep fighting and, yeah, we have a little bit of a lead, but there’s still two more days. Let’s see what happens.”

Branch: “Today was super fun. I had so much fun. Just before refueling there (I) lost the track a little bit, had a stupid, small error and I lost a lot of time. But all-in-all it was a really great day. I really enjoyed the terrain and the navigation. I rode with Toby (Price, KTM) and Quinty (Monster Energy/Honda Team’s Pablo Quintanilla) for a while and that was fun. Lost some time, yeah, but it’s not the end yet. I’m going to keep on fighting until the last kilometer. But a good day on the bike is a good day overall. I’m over the moon. Everything is clicking. The team is amazing. The bike is awesome. I’m just in a really happy place. And a happy rider is a fast rider.”

Van Beveren: “I did a really strong stage. I’m sure of that. The early morning was really difficult, but to stay open all day and minimize the mistakes was really good. Podiums back to back was really good, and looking forward to tomorrow to make up some more time.”

Price: “It was absolutely amazing to be able to win this stage. It means a lot. Not only were we the first American to do it, but we were the third female to ever win a Dakar stage. So this is big, history-making, and I hope to make America proud by doing so. But we still have two more stages left and a lot more work to do, because the bigger picture is, hopefully a chance at this overall, or a podium.”

Notes:

• So not only did Monster Energy’s Sara Price (South Racing/Can-Am) become the first American woman to win a Dakar stage, her boyfriend, fellow American Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda Team) won today’s stage as well. And as near as anybody can tell, the two became the first couple to win stages on the same day at Dakar.
   
• Holla back to everybody in Botswana! Monster Energy-fueled Ross Branch (Hero Motosports), a native Botswanan, when asked about how people back in his homeland are reacting to his monumental run at the Dakar title/overall podium finish. “The guys are going crazy. Sport brings the country together and the all of Botswana’s going crazy. I’ll fight to the end and, hopefully, make everyone proud,” he beamed.
   
• Brabec’s plan for the next two stages? “I’m going to use some energy and try and secure something a little bit more so Stage 12 is a bit more relaxing for me.”
   
• Added Monster Energy/Honda Team manager Ruben Faria: “Tomorrow is Stage 11 and David Castera (Dakar Rally organizer) has said it’s going to be the most difficult stage, so we need to take care. Ricky (Brabec) will open with Nacho (Cornejo) and Adrien (Van Beveren) just behind in support, but they are also fighting for the podium.”
   
• Thursday’s Alula to Yanbu Stage 11 will be a make or break, possibly literally, <500 km run for the field. This stage is what’ll decide Dakar. Mapped out by race organizers to be one final downright brutal test of man, woman and machine, Stage 10 harkens back to Stage 2, which tripped up a bunch of the field last week. Rugged terrain throughout, miscues will be punished heavily and navigational guffaws can put you back in the sharp rocks for longer than you’d planned. Tire reps will be wringing their hands from sun up to sun down with this one.

Dakar Stage 10 Motorcycle Results

Monster Energy Motorcycle Standings @ Dakar (after Stage 10)

Monster Energy Dakar SSV Class

Dakar’s Stage 11 runs nearly 500 km from Alula to Yanbu, featuring what race organizers are calling the most difficult route layout through the entire 12 stages. For more information, including “Live” timing and scoring, visit www.dakar.com