Dakar Rally rookie Toby Price has achieved his most spectacular finish yet in the world’s biggest off-road race, finishing second in the 688-kilometre Stage 6 between Antofagasta to Iquique.
It was the Australian Desert racer’s best finish so far as the 2015 Dakar Raly concludes the first half of the nearly 9000km distance.
There’s nothing like that feeling of accomplishing something you really wanted Photo | @dakar http://t.co/H5CNEB6Xo4 pic.twitter.com/u7n7lI9F9q
— Toby Price (@tobyprice87) January 9, 2015
Price admits being surprised by the result, “I caught a bit of dust at first but then I made my way around some of the guys and was in the clear.
“I almost missed a way point at one stage but I turned back and got it.
After that I kept motoring along and I didn’t get lost one bit,” he said.
Competitors will now get the chance to regroup, rest and recuperate on Saturday during the rally’s one rest day.
The KTM 450 Rally rider trailed Portuguese Helder Rodrigues by just a minute and 10 seconds after more than three-and-a-half hours of special stage, with another Portuguese, Paolo Goncalves finishing third.
Special Fan Pic of the day! Thanks @rodrigueshelder / Fan Pic especial! Gracias @rodrigueshelder #Dakar2015 pic.twitter.com/JgaZYA5Wk2
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 10, 2015
The result was Price’s third top-five finish in the first six days of the gruelling, 14-day South American epic after he was fifth on Day 1 and fourth on Day 2.
Defending champion Marc Coma (KTM) lost ground to Joan Barreda Bort, who leads the rally by over twelve minutes, as the pair finished eighth and sixth for the day.
Riders now have one day to rest and recover as the event, which traverses Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, reaches its mid-event rest day.
Rest day for the @dakar. All the support from Aus has been overwhelming. Photo | @dakar http://t.co/H5CNEB6Xo4 pic.twitter.com/jTKkVLWbfe
— Toby Price (@tobyprice87) January 10, 2015
Sunday’s Day 7 of the Dakar challenge will then begin with a climb to 3,500 metres for the start of the Bolivian marathon stage, where riders will compete in the rarefied air with instructions to follow their road books with great care.
Dakar Rally Stage Six, Antofagasta to Iquique – 688km
1 5 Rodrigues (Prt) Honda 03:40:10
2 26 Price (Aus) KTM 03:41:20 00:01:10
3 7 Goncalves (Prt) Honda 03:41:52 00:01:42
4 31 Quintanilla (Chl) KTM 03:46:21 00:06:11
5 18 Svitko (Svk) KTM 03:46:52 00:06:42
6 2 Barreda Bort (Esp) Honda 03:47:30 00:07:20
7 12 Israel Esquerre (Chl) Honda 03:49:08 00:08:58
8 1 Coma (Esp) KTM 03:49:24 00:09:14
9 11 Faria (Prt) KTM 03:49:44 00:09:34
10 21 Jakes (Svk) KTM 03:54:09 00:13:59
Overall Standings After Stage 6:
1 2 Barreda Bort (Esp) Honda 21:38:35
2 1 Coma (Esp) KTM 21:51:02 00:12:27
3 7 Goncalves (Prt) Honda 21:55:47 00:17:12
4 31 Quintanilla (Chl) KTM 22:08:32 00:29:57
5 26 Price (Aus) KTM 22:12:19 00:33:44
6 5 Rodrigues (Prt) Honda 22:14:39 00:36:04
7 11 Faria (Prt) KTM 22:19:02 00:40:27
8 18 Svitko (Svk) KTM 22:20:02 00:41:27
9 14 Duclos (Fra) Sherco Tvs 22:31:31 00:52:56
10 12 Israel Esquerre (Chl) Honda 22:39:23 01:00:48
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