Saturday’s stage six opened week 2 at Dakar in disastrous form for the leading Southern African bikers when both Ross Branch and Bradley Cox crashed out within the first 100 kilometres of the brutal 604 km special.
Mostly by: Motorsport Media
Another South African, Aaron Mare however stepped up to the plate to lead the way early on, before racing home eleventh on a day where Honda riders Ricky Brabec and Adrien van Beveren took the day from Branch’s Hero Moto teammate José Ignacio Cornejo.
The day started on the wrong foot for two South African champions. 2024 World Rally 2 Champion, Bradley Cox took a tumble on his BAS World KTM. He remounted but soon stopped with neck pains to be airlifted out of the race. Almost concurrently Botswana’s 2024 World Rally Raid Moto Champion Ross Branch crashed his Hero Moto. Ross was able to walk to the casevac helicopter, but he too, is out of Dakar 2025.
Meanwhile after stage 7 yesterday, KTM’s Daniel Sanders, picked up his fifth stage win in part thanks to his flair and in part thanks to beginning the special in ninth place.
Tosha Schareina, third in the stage and second overall, also benefited from the compact race situation near the end of the special.
Unfazed by the challenge of starting in second place, Hondas Adrien Van Beveren skilfully defended his podium spot with the help of a big haul of bonuses for opening the road. As things stand, the Frenchman is now 26′07″ behind Sanders in the ranking, with Brabec in fourth place at 33′19″.
South African Aaron Mare enjoyed another solid day in 13th while amateur rookie compatriots Dwain Barnard rode 51st and Willem Avenant 95th.
There’s still a way to go…
More SA Car Pain, But Lategan still leads.
Dakar legend Giniel de Villiers was forced to withdraw his Gazoo Hilux after navigator Dirk von Zitzewitz suffered neck pain. The SA-built WCT Amarok crewed by Daniel Schröder and Henry Köhne, and Zimbabwean William Battershill and his SA navigator Stuart Gregory’s Century CR6 also failed to start the day. French legend crew Guerlain Chicherit and Alex Winocq’s Mini also rolled out on Saturday…
South African overall leaders Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings’ Gazoo Hilux lost time in the final sector to see Saudi home hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk’s Hilux close to within 21 seconds, with Ekstrom ten minutes adrift in third.