Daniel Sanders' dominance of the Dakar Rally motorcycle category has continued with a fourth stage win out of five, including the prologue, in this year's event.
The Australian, on his KTM, stretched his lead to 13 minutes, 26 seconds on provisional results, after winning the 415 km stage four from Al-Henakiyah to Al Ula in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Sanders is the first motorbike rider to win four specials in a single edition since American Ricky Brabec in 2021. Wednesday's triumph was his seventh career Dakar stage victory.
"Chucky" won the stage by 15 seconds from Honda's Tosha Schareina. But the Spaniard, who is now second overall, said he gifted Sanders the win as he did not want the handicap of leading out Thursday's fifth stage (subsequent riders benefit from following the leader's track).
Schareina, who led Sanders by 2m 33s when 32 km from the finish said, "I pushed from the start, caught up with Daniel at the refuelling, then we rode together. In the end, I tried to stay calm, I lost a couple of minutes to avoid opening tomorrow."
""A little bit of cat and mouse at the end," said Sanders after more than five hours in the saddle. "I knew there was a good chance to extend the overall lead after I lost so much time yesterday, which was out of my control.
"It was important to get that back, now tomorrow the pressure is back on to try and not lose too much and open really well."
Botswana's Ross Branch in third is 26:10 behind, followed by Americans Skyler Howes (27:01) and defending champion Brabec (29:13).
The marathon route began on volcanic terrain before winding through technical tracks flanked by the AlUla canyons. A rocky ride it was demanding on riders and machines, as Toby Price and his British co-driver, Sam Sunderland found out in the Ultimate car category.
Having already had several punctures the partnership of two-time Dakar motorbike champs were already facing a fall from their overnight sixth place when they came to a halt after 324 km and had to wait for their service truck.
They managed to get moving again and after more than ten hours on the road managed to finish, more than five hours adrift of stage winner Yazeed Al-Rajhi, but still in the race.
They are now 51st overall.
Local hero Al Rajhi, the world rally-raid championship runner-up for the last two years, has drawn a lot of support from his Saudi countrymen.
He is now second behind South African Henk Lategan whose overall lead was cut to 6:54.
with agencies
