Price, Peterhansel Score First Stage Wins of 2022 Dakar Rally as Van Beveren Takes Bike Lead

The streak of overall lead changes in the motorcycle class of the 2022 Dakar Rally is up to four stages in a row, as Adrien Van Beveren once again tops the overall standings after Stage 10’s route from Wadi Ad Dawasir to Bisha. The French rider may not have won the stage—former overall winner Toby Price took those honors, with a time of 3:05:32, for his first stage win of the rally—but Van Beveren’s third place finish on stage enabled him to assert a 5:59 lead over Sam Sunderland with just two days remaining. Incoming leader and 2018 winner Matthias Walkner made a navigation error to cede the overall lead, finishing 26^th on stage.

200 Peterhansel Stephane (fra), Boulanger Edouard (fra), Team Audi Sport, Audi RS Q e-tron, Auto FIA T1/T2, action during the Stage 6 of the Dakar Rally 2022 around Riyadh, on January 7th 2022 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Price was far from the first racer to take his first stage win of the rally on the 375-kilometer special stage, though. While 14-time event winner Stephane Peterhansel’s hopes of defending his 2021 title were essentially over before they started, he finally added to the Audi RS Q e-tron’s stage victory haul today, with a blistering time of 2:52:43 that made for his 82^nd career stage win. SSV driver Rokas Baciuska took his first stage win of the rally as well after a consistent top-five overall run, while quad racer Marcelo Medeiros scored his second stage win to climb to sixth in class.

Of the event’s overall leaders, only truck racer Dmitry Sotnikov took a stage win on Wednesday, adding 1:27 to his lead over Kamaz teammate Eduard Nikolaev. Meanwhile, Light Prototype standout Seth Quintero continues his pursuit of a record-setting number of stage wins with yet another victory; since his mechanical issues on Stage 2, he hasn’t given up a single triumph. Chaleco Lopez remains the class leader despite finishing more than half an hour behind Quintero on stage.

#183 Medeiros Marcelo (bra), Team Marcelo Medeiros, Yamaha YFM700R, Quad, W2RC, action during the Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally 2022 between Wadi Ad Dawasir and Bisha, on January 12th 2022 in Bisha, Saudi Arabia – Photo Frederic Le Floch / DPPI

2022 Dakar Rally Stage 9 winners were as follows:

• Bikes: Toby Price (AUS), 3:05:32
• Cars: Stephane Peterhansel (FRA), 2:52:43
• Trucks: Dmitry Sotnikov (RUS), 3:14:15
• Quads: Marcelo Medeiros (BRA), 4:11:04
• Light Prototype: Seth Quintero (USA), 3:22:11
• SSV: Rokas Baciuska (LTU), 3:36:55

#500 Sotnikov Dmitry (rus), Akhmadeev Ruslan (rus), Akhmetzianov Ilgiz (rus), Kamaz-Master, Kamaz 43509, T5 FIA Camion, action during the Stage 10 of the Dakar Rally 2022 between Wadi Ad Dawasir and Bisha, on January 12th 2022 in Bisha, Saudi Arabia – Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

2022 Dakar Rally overall leaders after Stage 9 are as follows:

• Bikes: Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), 33:27:06
• Cars: Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT), 33:13:37
• Trucks: Dmitry Sotnikov (RUS), 35:58:08
• Quads: Alexandre Giroud (FRA), 42:21:01
• Light Prototype: Chaleco Lopez (CHL), 39:43:03
• SSV: Austin Jones (USA), 40:55:24

The Dakar Rally takes on its crucial penultimate stage on Thursday, with the 346-kilometer Bisha loop offering numerous technical challenges before Friday’s return to Jeddah. Coverage of Stage 9 will air on the Olympic Channel tonight at 8PM ET, with extended highlights also streaming on NBC Sports digital platforms.