The Dakar Rally tested competitors on the rocky route to AlUla, with Daniel Sanders maintaining his dominance in the Bike class, now leading by over 13 minutes. In the Challenger class, Corbin Leaverton moved to second overall, ahead of teammate Gonçalo Guerreiro. The Ultimate class saw setbacks for Sébastien Loeb, who retired due to a damaged roll cage, and Nasser Al-Attiyah, who dropped to seventh after mechanical issues. Meanwhile, Mattias Ekström stayed steady in third, with Henk Lategan holding the lead. Francisco "Chaleco" López finished second in the SSV class, navigating the challenging terrain with ease.
SAUDI ARABIA- - Toyota's South African Henk Lategan stretched his Dakar Rally lead on Thursday while a 10 minute penalty denied Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah a first stage win for Dacia after a dominant day in the Saudi Arabian desert.
Lategan led Saudi local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi, driving a Toyota for the Overdrive Racing team, by 10 minutes and 17 seconds overall after finishing third in the 428km stage five from Al Ula to Hail.
"We did a good job. It was a high pace, which means it was easy to make mistakes and lose time. I’m happy with the whole week, even if starting first the day after tomorrow wasn’t part of the plan," said Lategan.
Friday is a rest day with the second half of the two-week event starting on Saturday from Hail to Al-Duwadimi.
Five times Dakar winner Al-Attiyah had celebrated a first stage win for the Renault-owned Dacia brand but was then penalised for arriving at the finish without a spare wheel.
Toyota's American Seth Quintero was promoted to stage winner, his second of the event with the first also awarded some hours after the finish, by a single second after Al-Attiyah's penalty.
Al-Attiyah remained 35 minutes behind Lategan after starting the stage 35 minutes and 53 seconds adrift.
Without the penalty he would have had a career 49th stage win, one short of the record held jointly by Stephane Peterhansel and Ari Vatanen.
The 54-year-old is still waiting to extend his record of winning at least one stage in the Dakar Rally to 18 editions in a row.
There was no change at the top of the motorcycle category either, with Australian KTM rider Daniel Sanders seven minutes and two seconds clear of Spaniard Tosha Schareina. Botswana's Ross Branch stayed third.
"On the last 40 km, I had a little navigation instrument problem again. I’m just disappointed," said Sanders, who has led since day one.
"I’m glad it happened at the end of the stage when I was with other riders, otherwise I would have been stuck."
