The glorious day that all desert racers have been waiting for finally arrived as the 2019 Dakar Rally got started today. All the months of preparation were put into practice on the dunes around Pisco as stage one as the world’s toughest rally got underway.
The opening special stage took place after a 247-kilometre liaison route brought the Dakar convoy from Lima to Pisco – then it was 84 kilometres against the clock in the dunes. The journey south along Peru’s Pacific Ocean coastline was clearly enough to bring the best out of the rally’s serious competitors.
Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) wasted no time reminding everyone about his sand racing credentials as his Toyota Hilux flew out of the traps in Pisco. The two-time Dakar winner and his co-driver Mathieu Baumel (FRA) were two minutes quicker over the dunes compared with the second placed crew of Carlos Sainz (ESP) and co-driver Lucas Cruz (ESP) in the MINI John Cooper Works Buggy.
“We just try to do our best every day. Today we won the stage and tomorrow we’ll try our best again.” – Nasser Al-Attiyah
2018 FIA Cross Country Rally World Cup winner Kuba Przygonski (POL) completed the stage one car race podium in third place. Further familiar names such as Giniel de Villiers (ZAF), Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) and Cyril Despres (FRA) could also be found in the Top 10 on stage one. Sébastien Loeb (FRA) sits in 13th place overall after the first day of competition.
The bikers were quick to open the throttle on the opening stage of the 41st Dakar Rally. Honda rider Joan Barreda (ESP) blasted his way over the dunes to collect the 17th stage win of his Dakar career. While Barreda holds the early lead, he was joined in the Top 10 by Red Bull KTM Factory Team riders Sam Sunderland (GBR), Toby Price (AUS) and Matthias Walkner (AUT).
Results
2019 Dakar Rally Car Race Top 5 (after one stage)
1. Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT)/Mathieu Baumel (FRA) Toyota 01h01m41s
2. Carlos Sainz (ESP)/Lucas Cruz (ESP) Mini Buggy +01m59s
3. Kuba Przygonski (POL)/ Tom Colsoul (BEL) Mini Rally +02m00s
4. Vladimir Vasilyev (RUS)/Konstantin Zhiltsov (RUS) Toyota +02m18s
5. Yazeed Al-Rajhi (SAU)/Timo Gottschalk (DEU) Mini Rally +02m20s
70. Riley (AUS) / Hanks (AUS) Holden Australia +34min56s
2019 Dakar Rally Bike Race Top 5 (after one stage)
1. Joan Barreda (ESP) Honda 57m36s
2. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI) Husqvarna +01m34s
3. Ricky Brabec (USA) Honda +02m52s
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA) Yamaha +02m55s
5. Sam Sunderland (GBR) KTM +02m56s
6. Toby Price (AUS) KTM +03m08s
29. Rod Faggotter (AUS) Yamaha ++11m27s
87. B. Young (AUS) KTM +35m44s
119. J.A. Ferguson (AUS) KTM +58m18s
2019 Dakar Rally Truck Race Top 5 (after one stage)
1. Eduard Nikolaev (RUS) Kamaz 01h09m05s
2. Ton Van Genugten (NDL) Iveco +18s
3. Federico Villagra (ARG) Iveco +53s
4. Gerard De Rooy (NDL) Iveco +01m44s
5. Ayrat Mardeev (RUS) Kamaz +04m02s
2019 Dakar Rally SxS/UTV Race Top 5 (after one stage)
1. Reinaldo Varela (BRA) Can-Am 01h11m13s
2. Chaleco Lopez (CHI) Can-Am +01m27s
3. Gerard Farres Guell (ESP) Can-Am +02m32s
4. Ignacio Casale (CHI) Yamaha +03m39s
5. Casey Currie (USA) Can-Am +04m55s
2019 Dakar Rally Quad Race Top 5 (after one stage)
1. Nicolas Cavigliasso (ARG) Yamaha 01h17m15s
2. Jeremias Gonzalez Ferioli (ARG) Yamaha +03m55s
3. Tomas Kubiena (CZE) Ibos +08m22s
4. Gustavo Gallego (ARG) Yamaha +09m56s
5. Alexandre Giroud (FRA) Yamaha +10m41s
17. John Maragozidis (AUS) Yamaha +22m40s
