A shorter day in the saddle saw Mathieu Doveze stage a remarkable turnaround in todays stage, an impressive 2nd place in the Rally 2 class and Paolo Lucci showcasing consistency with a solid 3rd place, while Toni Mulec maintained a strong position at 5th. Bradley Cox, unfortunately, faced a gnarly crash but emerged with no severe injuries, but still having to nurse it to the finish. Tomas de Gavardo and Yoshio Ikemachi also had commendable rides, safely returning to the bivouac.
However, the team suffered another setback as Francisco Arredondo had to be airlifted after a crash – we wish him a speedy recovery. Tomorrow brings a seemingly easier day with an 118km Special, but a 727km liaison. Given the toughness of this year’s Dakar, the 118km special is sure to test riders even over a short distance.