Despite a small crash, Sam Sunderland extends his 2022 Dakar lead after Stage 4. The event was won by Monster Energy Honda rider Joan Barreda Bort, who was followed to the finish by his team-mate Pablo Quintanilla. But Sunderland’s 6th place means he has a 3 minute lead in the overall standings.
Initally the two factory Hondas were followed home by Danilo Petrucci, but the Italian was later handed a 10 minute penalty which dropped him to 15th. And this gave third and fourth to Rui Goncalves and Loreno Santolino, with both riding for the Sherco Factory team. It’s Goncalves first podium in the Dakar in his second time competing on the 465km special stage with his 450 SEF Rally.
Sam Sunderland: “Things were going well today until I had a small crash in a riverbed while checking my roadbook. I just clipped a rock and that was all it took to take me down. I was able to get up pretty quickly, just as Barreda came by, so I latched onto him to the finish. I’ll get some rest now and prepare myself for tomorrow.”
2022 Dakar Stage 4 Results:
- Joan Barreda Bort 4:07.06
- Pablo Quintanilla 4:10.43
- Rui Goncalves 4:14.05
- Lorenzo Santolino 4:15.02
- Luciano Benavides 4:16.01
2022 Dakar Overall Standings After Stage 4
- Sam Sunderland 15:30.01
- Matthias Walkner 15:33.01
- Adrien Van Beveren 15:34.55
- Daniel Sanders 15:37.08
- Lorenzo Sanolino 15:40.29
British rider David McBride finished the stage in 66th place, with David Mabbs 104th, and Simon Hewitt 129th from a total field of 141 classified riders. McBride is currently 52 overall, with Mabbs 92nd and Hewitt 127th.
Mirjam Pol has maintained her lead of almost 2 hours in the Women’s Trophy, and Mason Klein leads the Junior category from team-mate Bradley Cox. There’s a relatively close battle in the Veterans Trophy between Mikael Despontin, and David McBride, with the British rider currently 19 minutes and one second in arrears. Next up are two special stages based around Riyadh before the one rest day in the event on Saturday.
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