2018 Dakar Rally Stage 3 Motorcycle Results
The longest stage of the 2018 Dakar Rally so far – stage 3 – brought the motorcycle grid over 300 miles through sand and dunes with 190 of those miles timed. Before reaching San Juan de Marcona in the Ica region of Peru, the riders’ largest challenges came from navigation.
One rider remained consistent throughout stage 3, the reigning Dakar Rally Champion Sam Sunderland. The British rider, who claimed a 16th-straight title for the factory KTM team last year, was able to claim the stage win in 3 hours 20 minutes and 43 seconds (3.20:43).
He finished stage 3 of 14 in the 40th edition of Dakar Rally 3:03 minutes ahead of Monster Energy Honda CRF 450 Rally pilot Kevin Benavides (Argentina) and 3:55 ahead of Benavides’ teammate, the American Ricky Brabec.
With his victory, the second that includes stage one, the Red Bull KTM 450 Rally pilot Sunderland now has the overall lead. He is 4:38 minutes ahead of Benavides, and 5 minutes ahead of Husqvarna’s Pablo Quintanilla (Chile).
“That was a tough day – there was a lot of off-piste riding and some of the dunes were really difficult to navigate and even climb,” Sam Sunderland says. “It made the whole day that little bit more physical, too. I’m happy to get another win, but it’s still early days yet and we have a long way to go. The bike felt really good today, even in the soft sand it was still pulling really well. I made a couple of mistakes in the middle of the stage, but thankfully they didn’t cost me too much time.”
As for America’s Andrew Short, the former Supercross pilot finished 25th in stage 3 aboard Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing FR 450 Rally. He is now 23rd overall.
Click here to read the report for stage 2, which was won by Honda’s Joan Barreda Bort.
2018 Dakar Rally: Overall Motorcycle Results after Stage 3 of 14:
| Pos. | N° | Drive-Team | Mark-Model | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 |
SAM SUNDERLAND
|
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM | 06h 44′ 23” |
| 2 | 47 |
KEVIN BENAVIDES
|
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | 06h 49′ 01” |
| 3 | 10 |
PABLO QUINTANILLA
|
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING | 06h 49′ 23” |
| 4 | 8 |
TOBY PRICE
|
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM | 06h 51′ 51” |
| 5 | 20 |
RICKY BRABEC
|
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | 06h 52′ 23” |
| 6 | 2 |
MATTHIAS WALKNER
|
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM | 06h 53′ 13” |
| 7 | 4 |
ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN
|
YAMALUBE YAMAHA OFFICIAL RALLY TEAM | 06h 55′ 00” |
| 8 | 19 |
ANTOINE MEO
|
RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM | 06h 55′ 17” |
| 9 | 7 |
FRANCO CAIMI
|
YAMALUBE YAMAHA OFFICIAL RALLY TEAM | 06h 57′ 25” |
| 10 | 23 |
XAVIER DE SOULTRAIT
|
YAMALUBE YAMAHA OFFICIAL RALLY TEAM | 06h 57′ 33” |
| 11 | 3 |
GERARD FARRES GUELL
|
HIMOINSA RACING TEAM. | 06h 57′ 54” |
| 12 | 68 |
JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO
|
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | 06h 58′ 21” |
| 13 | 9 |
STEFAN SVITKO
|
SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM | 07h 03′ 05” |
| 14 | 5 |
JOAN BARREDA BORT
|
MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM | 07h 07′ 08” |
| 15 | 33 |
DANIEL NOSIGLIA JAGER
|
HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING | 07h 11′ 12” |
| 16 | 77 |
LUCIANO BENAVIDES
|
KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM | 07h 12′ 26” |
| 17 | 15 |
LAIA SANZ
|
KTM FACTORY RACING TEAM | 07h 14′ 51” |
| 18 | 40 |
JOHNNY AUBERT
|
GAS GAS MOTORSPORT | 07h 15′ 57” |
| 19 | 61 |
ORIOL MENA
|
HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY | 07h 16′ 56” |
| 20 | 12 |
JUAN PEDRERO GARCIA
|
SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY | 07h 16′ 59” |
| 21 | 44 |
RODNEY FAGGOTTER
|
YAMALUBE YAMAHA OFFICIAL RALLY TEAM | 07h 18′ 07” |
| 22 | 18 |
ALESSANDRO BOTTURI
|
BOTTURI ALESSANDRO | 07h 20′ 48” |
| 23 | 54 |
ANDREW SHORT
|
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING | 07h 29′ 03” |
| 24 | 17 |
ARMAND MONLEON
|
DAMING RACING TEAM | 07h 32′ 24” |
| 25 | 60 |
JONATHAN BARRAGAN NEVADO
|
GAS GAS MOTORSPORT | 07h 36′ 55” |
