2017 Dakar Rally: Stage 1 Results

The Dakar Rally doesn’t do gentle introductions, and the 2017 race was bang on form as the competitors left the starting line in Paraguay’s capital city, Asunción.
The competitors took to the short and sweet timed 39km special test stage north of the city before continuing onto a long road section to the overnight stop at Risestencia in Argentina.

Defending 2016 Dakar Rally Champion, Red Bull Factory KTM Racing Rally Team rider Toby Price made a steady start to the 2017 Dakar Rally, sitting in 11th place through the first checkpoint before slipping to 17th by the finish.

Price – “There were a lot of people right near the track and a bit of wildlife, so I just took it nice and easy and we’re through day one so far.” Price continued to say “tomorrow, just depends on where we are. It’s going to be a bit of a difficult day. We’ve just got to keep our heads switched on and keep on moving through and trying our best.”

The fastest of all in stage one was France’s Xavier De Soultrait but he is not expected to hold the overall rally lead overnight. The factory-supported Yamaha rider elected to speed during the return leg and cop a one minute penalty and drop to 10th overall so he doesn’t have to lead out the field on Stage 2, the first proper test of the event.

This penalty handed the overall lead to Sherco rider Juan Pedrero, ahead of American Monster Energy Honda Team rider Ricky Brabec, fellow team member Paulo Conclaves in in third and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland in fourth place.

Finishing in 17th, Price conceding over a minute in the overall standings on the short first stage – but there is still over four thousand kilometres of racing left to go.

Watch the stage 1 summary video below.

For more on the 2017 Dakar Rally, visit: www.dakar.com