South Africa’s Henk Lategan wins Dakar Rally prologue

South Africa’s Henk Lategan won the Dakar Rally prologue in the cars category on Friday, kicking off the sixth edition in Saudi Arabia that will stretch nearly 8 000km across 12 stages.

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Lategan, driving a Toyota Hilux, finished a second clear of Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom over the 29km run in Bisha, with five-time Dakar champion Nasser al-Attiyah of Qatar third.

The prologue times do not count towards the overall standings but those in the top 10 get to choose their starting position for the first stage on Saturday, a 499km route featuring 413km of timed sectors.

Sebastien Loeb came seventh but Carlos Sainz, who became the oldest winner of the race last year at the age of 61, was down in 25th place.

Loeb, a nine-time world rally champion, is chasing a first Dakar crown in his ninth attempt.

Colourful caravan of cars, bikes, quads and trucks

Australian Daniel Sanders was the quickest of the motorbikes on his KTM, ahead of Botswana’s Ross Branch and Spanish teenager Edgar Canet.

Reigning champion Ricky Brabec of Honda came home fourth fastest.

A 434-strong colourful caravan made up of cars, bikes, quads and trucks set out from Bisha for the opening prologue.

Twelve stages now await the 778 competitors from 72 countries, with a January 17 finish in Shubaytah, on the border of the United Arab Emirates.

This year’s route includes a second 48-hour stage in the Empty Quarter, a vast sea of sand with dunes as far as the eye can see.

The 47th running of the event may be called the Dakar, but the last time the Senegalese capital actually hosted the finish was way back in 2007 – the security situation in Mauritania forced the 2008 cancellation.

It moved then to South America until finding a new home in Saudi Arabia since 2020.

The Saudis are spending billions to turn the conservative Arab monarchy often criticised for its human rights record into a major sporting force as it tries to diversify its economy away from oil.

The 12-stage route of the 47th Dakar Rally, which kicked off with a prologue in Bisha, Saudi Arabia, on Friday and ends in Shubaytah on January 17:

January 3, prologue: Bisha – Bisha, 79km (29km special)

January 4, 1st stage: Bisha – Bisha, 499km (413)

January 5+6, 2nd stage: Bisha – Bisha, 992km (947km) for motorbikes; 1 058km (967km) for cars

January 7, 3rd stage: Bisha – Al-Henakiyah, 847km (495km)

January 8, 4th stage:  Al-Henakiyah – Alula, 588km (415km)

January 9, 5th stage: Alula – Hail, 492km (428km)

January 10, REST DAY – Hail

January 11, 6th stage: Hail – Al-Duwadimi, 828km (604km)

January 12, 7th stage: Al-Duwadimi – Al-Duwadimi, 719km (455km) for motorbikes; 742km (478km) for cars

January 13, 8th stage: Al-Duwadimi – Riyadh, 733km (483km) for motorbikes; 737km (487km) for cars

January 14, 9th stage: Riyadh – Haradh, 589km (357km)

January 15, 10th stage: Haradh – Shubaytah, 635km (115km) for motorbikes; 640km (120km) for cars

January 16, 11th stage: Shubaytah – Shubaytah, 539km (307km) for motorbikes; 507km (275km) for cars

January 17, 12th stage: Shubaytah – Shubaytah, 131km (61km)

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