Australian motorcycle star Toby Price has had a tough day in the Dakar Rally and he’s battered and bruised but remains only a minute off Chilean leader Jose Ignacio Cornejo.
Halfway leader Price finished second in Monday’s marathon 709km eighth stage in Saudi Arabi but fell further behind. He is now one minute and six seconds off Conejo.
“It was really tough for me today. I struggled with focusing a lot this morning with the road-book. I was a little bit tired from yesterday’s crash,” Price said.
“It was good to make it to the finishing line with me, myself and the bike. I’m glad I’m here and we’ll fix everything up tonight, then get ready for the last few days.”
Price hurt his chin in the prior crash and received stitches, but had no broken bones.
“The chin’s alright. It’s just a little bit hard to eat. It’s a little bit swollen and I’ve got a bit of a headache, but it’s not too bad,” he said.
“There are no bones broken or anything, I just got some stitches in the cut. It’s all good, it’s fine.”
Price, on his Red Bull Factory KTM, had his lead snatched away in the seventh stage of Sunday, when he finished eighth.
Riders have now finished the two-day marathon stage, which they had to complete themselves without external assistance.
Four stages remain in the gruelling endurance race across Saudi Arabia.
French Husqvarna rider Xavier De Soultrait, who led after Wednesday’s fourth stage, crashed out of the rally and was flown to hospital in Tabuk for X-rays. Organisers said he remained conscious.
Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah won the eighth stage in the car category to claw back more than three minutes from leader Stephane Peterhansel.
The Toyota Hilux 4×4 driver, chasing his fourth Dakar title, dominated the stage from Sakaka to Neom, with Frenchman Peterhansel third, his lead cut to four minutes and 50 seconds.
It was Al-Attiyah’s fifth stage win of this year’s event, including the prologue, and 40th of his career.
“It’s difficult to say (about the chances of winning the event) because the buggies are more comfortable, better traction and big wheels, less punctures,” he said.
“From the start until now, we have had eight flat tyres, so it’s not easy.”
