Dakar 2020
Day Seven – Rest Day – Riyadh

After the first six gruelling days of the 2020 Dakar Rally, riders have enjoyed a day of rest to mark the mid-way point in Riyadh, with Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda Team) leading the combined standings with a 20min-56s lead over Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna Factory Rally Team), with Toby Price (KTM Factory Racing Team) the leading KTM mounted rider.

Dakar Rally Stage Toby Price KTM RALLY Dakar Rally — Toby Price was regulated to third overall, after losing a tyre on Stage Six

Toby Price notably had the tyre come off his rear wheel in Stage Six, receiving assistance from Andrew Short to get moving, which saw him outside the top ten, and drop to third overall.

Jose Cornego and Joan Barreda of the Monster Energy Honda Team completed the top five, giving Honda three of the top five riders at the mid-way point, while Matthias Walkner and Luciano Benavides represented KTM in sixth and seventh.

Dakar Rally José Ignacio Cornejo restday rallyzone — Monster Energy Honda Team currently hold three of the top five positions, with Brabec topping the list

KTM mounted Skyler Howes and Stefan Svitko are running eighth and ninth, while top ranked Yamaha rider is Franco Caimi with the Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team.

Aussie Rodney Faggotter (Yamaha Motor Australia) has also been putting in a strong effort sitting just outside the top-10 in 13th place after Stage Six, with Ben Young currently sitting 66th, Trevor Wilson 88th, and Matthew Tisdall 108th. New Zealand’s Phillip Wilson also currently ranks 63rd.

Stage Seven onwards

After a well-earned rest day, competitors now leave Riyadh for the final week of racing, and Stage Seven incorporates the longest special of the 2020 Dakar Rally, sure to be a hugely challenging return to competition. Heading south-west, racers will need to rely on their navigational skills to tackle the scattered dunes.

Dakar Rally Stage Pablo Quintanilla Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing — Pablo Quintanilla

Looping back to Wadi Al-Dawasir, Stage Eight takes place in the south of Saudi Arabia. Unique to this stage is a 40-kilometre straight line, which will be a huge contrast to the mountain ranges riders will encounter on the same day.

With the end of the event drawing ever nearer, Stage Nine will be the longest of the 2020 Dakar Rally. Totalling 886 kilometres, riders will venture north-east to Haradh where they’ll be faced with hard and rough terrain. Cautious riding will be the name of the game in order to reach the finish ahead of Stage 10 and the event’s second marathon stage.

The second marathon begins with riders encountering 30 kilometres of rolling sand dunes, testing their endurance and ability to navigate. Adjoining with Stage 11, competitors will need to conserve their bikes as no mechanical assistance is permitted at the end of the stage.

Dakar Rally Stage Andrew Short Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing — Andrew Short stopped to assist Toby Price in Stage 6

Saudi Arabia’s finest dunes welcome competitors during the initial 80 kilometres of the 744-kilometre Stage 11. Riders will also be mindful of reaching the end of this penultimate leg of the event safely and successfully completing the second part of the marathon.

Friday, January 17 marks the end of the 2020 Dakar Rally, with a 447-kilometre stage from Haradh to Qiddiya.

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Results following Stage 6 – Dakar Rally 2020

Combined Standings
Stage 6

Combined Standings

Pos.	Rider	Time/Gap
1	Ricky Brabec	23h 43′ 47”
2	Pablo Quintanilla	+ 00h 20′ 56”
3	Toby Price	+ 00h 25′ 39”
4	Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo	+ 00h 25′ 41”
5	Joan Barreda Bort	+ 00h 32′ 58”
6	Matthias Walkner	+ 00h 33′ 39”
7	Luciano Benavides	+ 00h 39′ 02”
8	Skyler Howes	+ 01h 04′ 50”
9	Stefan Svitko	+ 01h 07′ 49”
10	Franco Caimi	+ 01h 10′ 24”
11	Adrien Metge	+ 01h 14′ 18”
12	Andrew Short	+ 01h 36′ 39”
13	Rodney Faggotter	+ 01h 48′ 55”
14	Lorenzo Santolino	+ 02h 19′ 33”
15	Jaume Betriu	+ 02h 24′ 08”
16	Martin Michek	+ 02h 26′ 28”
17	Maciej Giemza	+ 02h 36′ 00”
18	Laia Sanz	+ 02h 36′ 21”
19	Juan Pedrero Garcia	+ 02h 38′ 17”
20	Maurizio Gerini	+ 02h 38′ 34”

Stage 6

Pos.	Rider	Team	Time/Gap
1	Ricky Brabec	Monster Energy Honda Team 2020	04h 36′ 28”
2	Joan Barreda Bort	Monster Energy Honda Team 2020	+ 00h 01′ 34”
3	Matthias Walkner	Red Bull KTM Factory Team	+ 00h 02′ 45”
4	Pablo Quintanilla	Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing	+ 00h 04′ 55”
5	Luciano Benavides	Red Bull KTM Factory Team	+ 00h 05′ 02”
6	Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo	Monster Energy Honda Team 2020	+ 00h 05′ 16”
7	Franco Caimi	Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team	+ 00h 08′ 13”
8	Paulo Gonçalves	Hero Motosports Team Rally	+ 00h 08′ 16”
9	Stefan Svitko	Slovnaft Rally Team	+ 00h 10′ 56”
10	Skyler Howes	Klymciw Racing	+ 00h 15′ 03”
11	Toby Price	Red Bull KTM Factory Team	+ 00h 16′ 33”
12	Adrien Metge	Sherco Tvs Rally Factory	+ 00h 16′ 37”
13	Maurizio Gerini	Solarys Racing	+ 00h 20′ 16”
14	Jacopo Cerutti	Solarys Racing	+ 00h 22′ 32”
15	Laia Sanz	Gas Gas Factory Team	+ 00h 22′ 45”
16	Rodney Faggotter	Yamaha Motor Australia	+ 00h 23′ 40”
17	Jaume Betriu	Fn Speed Team	+ 00h 23′ 59”
18	Martin Michek	Moto Racing Group (Mrg)	+ 00h 24′ 07”
19	Juan Pedrero Garcia	Ls2 Aventura Touareg	+ 00h 25′ 16”
20	Jamie Mccanney	Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team	+ 00h 26′ 06”