Dakar 2023: Luciano Benavides secures stage eleven, Howes leads overall

The eleventh stage of the 2023 Dakar saw another Benavides take centre stage. While Kevin Benavides was leading the way in the general standings yesterday, today it was brother Luciano who played a starring role, winning the stage. With a time of 2:57:59, the factory Husqvarna rider finished ahead of Australian Daniel Sanders, +1:38 behind, and Toby Price who rounded out the podium +1:56 from the winner. This eleventh stage was also the first of two Marathon specials, which means that once the stage concludes no rider (not even factory riders) can receive any technical support or modify the bike, so they will use the very same machines again tomorrow. With this result, Luciano Benavides achieves his third stage win of the current Dakar edition.

Difficulty for Ross Branch, Skyler Howes leads once more

---

Skyler Howes finished fourth, +2:09 from Benavides. The American closed just ahead of Pablo Quintanilla, Sebastian Buhler and Romain Dumontier, the latter finishing first in the Rally 2 category. Stage ten winner Ross Branch finished this stage in 19th place, more than ten minutes behind Benavides. The rider, originally from Botswana, got into more than a little difficulty after having to open proceedings as yesterday's stage winner.

The day’s results make for another change in the general standings, with Skyler Howes moving back into the lead. The American had lost this position after yesterday’s stage, won by Ross Branch, but has immediately regained it. With a time of 38:47:43, Howes precedes the two KTM riders of the Red Bull factory racing team, or rather Toby Price and Kevin Benavides. The former currently lies just 28 seconds behind, while the Argentinian is at +2:44. The gaps are bigger from fourth down, with Quintanilla at +14:14 followed by Van Beveren, +15:24, and the winner of today’s stage, Luciano Benavides, sixth with +18:06 to make up.