RALLY DAKAR 2022

Sunderland and Al-Attiyah enjoy their victory in Dakar

The 44th edition of the Dakar Rally has reached the end of the stage 12 dispute. Sam Sunderland(image above) has been crowned champion in motorcycles. Pablo Quintanilla could not close the distance that separated him from the British, despite winning the last special of the championship, and he had to conform to the second place. The final podium has been completed by the Austrian Matthias Walkner. There has been no last-minute surprise in coaches. Nasser Al-Attiyah had met with a Dakar that had been face to face since the first stages. Sébastien Loeb has not been able to fight against the Toyota and has had to conform to the second position. Complete the podium of the Saudi Yazeed Al-Rajhi category.

Sam Sunderland has achieved a new Dakar that is added to what he achieved in 2017. He marches from Arabia Saudi, in addition to a special victory, more in his achievements, what he achieved in stage 8. The 'biker' was elated after reaching the meta: «I am very happy. These last stages have been difficult and stressful for navigation. It was both complicated and, for a moment, no iba bien. At times I thought I was going to explore the head. In the last ten minutes, I was sure I was going to win. When I hear myself decide that I have just won my second Dakar, I get emotional… it's a sueño hecho realidad. This year has not been my best season, but when Dakar is won it is because one has won I am very happy».

Pablo Quintanilla has had to settle for the second place in the final, at a distance of 3 minutes and 27 seconds from the lead, despite having given everything in the last round: «The race has been very difficult and it has been all. This is a good result for me with a new team. We've been fighting since the beginning. It has been hard on a physical and mental level, but I am very happy with my results during my career. I wanted to thank the entire team for their incredible work throughout the weeks. Also to all those who support me, especially to all the Chileans who always write to me. I think my Dakar has been more stressful. The second week has been marked by the strategy and has been difficult. The most important thing is to give the best of a mismo. Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't».

Matthias Walkner was very satisfied with his performance after the end of the competition. The Austrian completed the podium of a category that he had maintained in villing the followers of the rally until the final: «If someone had guaranteed me to enter the 'top 3' before the rally, it had been signed. You can spend many things on the track and spend many hours with the bike. Kevin Benavides has had problems, Daniel Sanders has suffered a fall. He can pass any thing. There are always good and bad moments, so at the end I'm happy that everything has gone so well, even though it was stressful. We have the first and third with a new motorcycle, what is very good. I'm going to celebrate this podium that almost tastes like victory. I gave it all during the 12 stages».

Yazeed Al-Rajhi has closed the podium of the category, thus achieving his best result in a Dakar. El Saudí has ​​a magnificent performance before his audience. He was happy and grateful for it at the end of the competition: “I am very happy and wanted to give thanks to those who accompany me: to my team, to the mechanics, to Jean-Marc Fortin, but also to the organizers who dominate much of the theme. I manage to climb the podium, but the most important thing is that all the competitors have been able to enjoy the race in Arabia Saudí. I am also very happy for the spectators who have been able to see us and, by the way, also for this first podium. Si Dios quiere, ya no we will get down with it».

'Chaleco' López has been proclaimed the new champion of the Dakar, on this occasion in the T3 category, led by Sebastian Ericksson and Cristina Gutiérrez: “I have been very conservative. We went from less to bad. It's a race of resistance. We were able to have a good navigation and we didn't have much trouble, we didn't lose time. Finally, this competition is more constant, and I have fewer problems. We were the team that, from time to time, was more constant. We didn't break, we hicimos un buen trabajo and we just won. Last year was different, because we were attacking, attacking, attacking. Now we kept conserving that it's very different. Another way of managing the competition, but we finally enjoy it the same».

Autonews