Ross Branch wins the penultimate Dakar special

A second 2024 Dakar stage win for Ross Branch, after the victory that saw him leading the way in the general standings at the end of day one. The Botswanan has been the only rider to really pose a threat to Ricky Brabec in the most important race of the year.

Branch tries, Brabec resists

Having won Stage 10, Ricky Brabec opened the day’s special, receiving a 5’45” time adjustment that saw him conclude this penultimate stage of the 2024 Dakar in second place. The winner was his closest rival Ross Branch, who had a practically perfect day. Unfortunately for the Botswanan, the time adjustments have benefitted the American, who has amassed more than 18 minutes until now, compared to just 4 for Branch. In the general standings, Brabec leads over Ross Branch by 10’22”, while Adrien Van Beveren, third in today’s stage, lies 14’31” from his team-mate in the general standings. Fourth for Luciano Benavides with the factory Husqvarna ahead of Toby Price and Kevin Benavides with the RedBull KTM Factory Racing machines, the trio respectively 4’38”, 6’31” and 9’08” from the leader. The KTM team, which also comprises the Husqvarna and GasGas riders, has struggled to find the competitiveness of recent editions this time around, with all the bikes placing almost an hour behind Brabec.

The Rally2 battle

Placing between the two factory KTMs was the Bas World KTM Racing Team’s 450 Rally Replica, ridden by youngster Bradley Cox, sixth in the day’s standings and first in the Rally2 class. While the result of the main RallyGP race looks clear cut, the battle is still very much on in the Rally2 class. With just 175km to the finish line, the current leader is Indian rider Harith Noah with the Sherco, who made a slow start but has gradually climbed to eleventh place overall and first in the Rally2 class with just one special to go. Behind the Indian is Romain Dumontier with the Husqvarna, just eighteenth today, which caused him to lose the overall lead. Third for the aforementioned Bradley Cox who, thanks to today’s stage win, now lies just 6’28” from Harith Noat.