Branch maintains second spot as Dakar Rally nears climax
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday January 16, 2024 11:50
This marked three days in second position for Branch as the race nears its conclusion on Friday.
On the other hand, Ricky Brabec increased his lead to 42 seconds from the one second lead he held on stage seven. The American finished seventh yesterday as Argentinian, Kevin Benavides, bagged a stage win on the day.
Branch is cautious in an effort to avoid any slip-ups as the race nears the finish line.
“Today was a long one and it was a little bit risky with the camel grass and the dunes. All in all it was a good stage. We lost a little bit of time, but it was nothing serious. We just tried to manage the whole stage to be in a good position for tomorrow (today). The bike is in a good state and I am feeling very strong and ready to go on,” Branch told the Hero Motorsport media team after the race.
A distance of 639km awaits Branch and his rivals in today’s stage nine. The competitors will have to battle the windy and cold front as per the weather update in Ha'il, Saudi Arabia this morning. It is anticipated to be a difficult day for the competitors as the navigation could become complicated with the competitors having to guess where the tracks are rather than following them visually.
Today’s terrain includes a rocky plateau which will require steadiness and technical skill to find the right pace. On a sad note, the Dakar Rally yesterday announced the death of Spanish rider Carles Falcon who suffered a heavy fall on stage two. He was treated by the medical team since the accident but succumbed to the injuries yesterday.