Loeb’s strike cuts Carlos Sainz by 10 minutes, a third of his lead

lTo seventh stage of Dakar 2024 pronounced the verdict: victory will be decided in hand in hand between Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Loeb. Two old colleagues and rivals VKR that, as in the old days, They will compete for the prestigious Toaureg trophy. as if it were a world championship rally: in six final stages.

Today at 480 kilometers it separated Riyadh from Hell Davadimi (the longest stage of the Dakar) was won by a Frenchman who had to take risks… and he did it.

Leb’s solo concert

It was the same as open trackafter all, nine-time world champion arrived on the way to Ad-Dawadimi. He has no choice but to put in his best and try his best. Today turned out well because, firstly, He pulled away from Sainz at 10:31.which is a third of the advantage that the Madrid native had over the Frenchman.

Only in the first kilometers, in very difficult navigation area between canyonsLoeb had complex scenario for his starting position. At the first checkpoints they gave me three minutes, but then it went progresses until he ends the day with a 7:06 lead over Lucas Moraes and Armand Monleon and 10:31 about Sainzwho was never able to get close to the Frenchman, who started three minutes earlier.

Sainz leaves the longest stage of the Dakar with just 19 minutes ahead of Loeb. that in addition to the time it took from the leader today, it gets align strategic position with Audiwho in the coming days will no longer have two cards to play against him.

Ekstrom, K.O.

But the great revolution of that time was the liquidation Mattias Ekström the final victory in the test lies ahead. A Serious damage to the left steering knuckle of the rear suspension. He stopped the Swedish Audi #207 for more than three hours.

Initially, Stefan Peterhansel stopped to help the Swedish riderbut the damage was so great that The Frenchman resumed the march without solving his teammate’s problem. Monsieur Dakar was abandoned more than a quarter of an hour in this maneuver.