Schareina dominates the dunes to take victory on stage 11

Monster Energy Honda HRC rider Tosha Schareina gave a masterclass in the dunes to take the stage eleven victory on the Dakar Rally today and strike a massive dent into the overall standings as the penultimate stage threw up an unexpected curveball before it had even started.

The weather played an important part on the second to last day of this year’s Dakar Rally with dense fog delaying the start of the special stage at Shubaytah for three and a half hours.  Due to the late start of the stage and the impact it would have upon the latter riders having to complete the end of the stage in amongst the huge dunes in the dark, the decision was made to reduce the original 308kms distance to 152kms.

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Yesterday’s short special stage had played an important role in today’s strategy with many riders slowing in the final phase so as not to have to open the way today; a calculated move that could pay off today.  All eyes were on Monster Energy Honda HRC’s Tosha Schareina starting in 17th, who realistically was the only rider that could reel in overall leader Daniel Sanders.  Soaring across the first part of the dunes, by the 81km mark he was just two seconds shy of the provisional stage leader Luciano Benavides as he mounted his challenge to claw back as much time as he could.  The Spaniard excelled in the Empty Quarter dunes and by 112km had taken over the top spot with nearly a minute in hand and more importantly six minutes up on Sanders.  It was a phenomenal fightback as his strategy paid off resulting in him winning the stage and gaining a massive 7’31” on Sanders to now leave the gap between them at just nine minutes after 52 hours of racing.

Super sand surfer Adrien Van Beveren also took time out of the top two overall despite crashing a third of the way in today after a big dune jump.  Luckily unhurt and with no damage to his Honda CRF450 RALLY, he has solidified his third place on the overall podium sitting just 15’15” back.  This final week has seen the Frenchman shine as he fought back from a rollercoaster of a first week to podium contention on his tenth Dakar Rally.

Ricky Brabec’s plan to really grab some time back was scuppered by the shortened distance but nonetheless he brought his Honda CRF450 RALLY to the finish line in fourth, just 3’48” back from Schareina. He still occupies fifth overall with a margin of six minutes now to Luciano Benavides just ahead of him, however as a two-time Dakar champion he’ll keep fighting to the final finish line.

Also slightly disappointed to not be able to make up some overall time was Skyler Howes, who was the third Rally GP rider off the line today.  After what has been a gruelling rally for the moustached American, he made sure to enjoy himself in the limitless dunes of the Empty Quarter as he strengthened his sixth place overall.

With the riders back at the Shubaytah bivouac they’ll rest up before tomorrow’s final day of racing where stage 12 will offer up a spectacular feast for the eyes with a mass start.  The bikers will set off in waves of 15 in the reverse order of the general standings, so all of Monster Energy Honda HRC will ride out together with just 61km of special stage across the desert lying between them and the finish line at the bivouac as the curtain falls on this formidable edition of the Dakar Rally.

Rally GP Result – Stage 11

Rally GP Provisional Standings After Stage 11