Dakar motorcycle stage 2: Ross Branch shows the way on his private KTM

The South African rider Ross Branch, best debutant of the Dakar last year (13th), takes advantage of the mistakes of the favorites during the second day to claim his first victory in 2020 with his satellite BAS Dakar KTM Racing Team ! Explanations, video and results.

Second day, and already a lot of movement in the classification of the Dakar motorcycle 2020: the intricacies of navigation during the 367 km of special between Al Wajh and Neom – in northern Saudi Arabia – have trapped several experienced riders, starting with Toby Price (KTM) who won .

• Dakar 2020 – Stage 1 : Price sets the scene
• MNC special file :

The defending champion, who started first following his victory over the, quickly got lost in his choice of routes with Ricky Brabec (Honda) and his teammate Matthias Walkner on his heels. After only 160 km, Price was already 13’31 behind Honda official Joan Barreda who had taken over the controls and seemed well on their way to victory..

Joan Barreda, discreet the day before, led for a long time in front of Ross Branch (KTM) and Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) before getting lost in turn in the last kilometers: "Bang Bang" turns in circles for four precious minutes! Bad operation also for Laia Sanz, who dropped 20 minutes after a fall on her Gas Gas (28th overall)…

On arrival, the Botswanan driver Ross Branch surprised with his first success on the Dakar, 1’24 ahead of Sam Sunderland below, who succeeds Toby Price overall. The two KTM riders precede Pablo Quintanilla’s Husqvarna and Kevin Benavides’ Honda. 

Van Beveren "disappointed" with start in Saudi Arabia

Barreda saves the furniture with the 6th place of stage, while the "Yamaha Boy’s" Xavier de Soultrait and Adrien Van Beveren finish in 9th and 13th positions respectively. The gap is already widening in the general: if the first three (Sunderland, Quintanilla and Benavides) stand in 1’30, Brabec (5th) accuses 4’11, Barreda (8th) is at 6’09 and Price (9th) tumbles to 7’34 !

More worrying on the French side: De Soultrait, first French driver, only appears in 12th place with 10’11 ahead of his teammate Van Beveren who is relegated to 13’01. Sherco pilots Adrien Metge and Johnny Aubert are respectively 16th and 18th in the provisional classification.  

"It’s not going exactly as I would like it to be," admits Adrien Van Beveren, who like all his rivals is discovering a new racing landscape and therefore new navigation routes. "I give priority to navigation because it is difficult, but during this time I do not accelerate and I lose minutes. I am losing ground because I am not going fast enough and in addition I am rocks".

The northerner pilot damaged his front wheel by hitting a stone, which did not help him to find his bearings: "I’m disappointed with the way things are going, but I have to evacuate my anger and I hope tomorrow I’ll be better ".

Results of stage 2 of the Dakar motorcycle 2020 

1.  ROSS BRANCH LOW DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 03H 39 ’10’ ‘ 
2.  SAM SUNDERLAND RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 03H 40 ’34’ ‘+ 00H 01’ 24 ”
3.  PABLO QUINTANILLA ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING 03H 41 ’31’ ‘+ 00H 02’ 21 ”
4.  KEVIN BENAVIDES MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 03H 42 ’50’ ‘+ 00H 03’ 40 ”
5.  LUCIANO BENAVIDES RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 03H 42 ’54’ ‘+ 00H 03’ 44 ”
6.  JOAN BARREDA BORT MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 03H 44 ’07’ ‘+ 00H 04’ 57 ”
7.  JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 03H 44 ’08’ ‘+ 00H 04’ 58 ”
8.  MATTHIAS WALKNER RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 03H 45 ’09’ ‘+ 00H 05’ 59 ”
9.  XAVIER DE SOULTRAIT MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 03H 45 ’18’ ‘+ 00H 06’ 08 ”
10.  ANDREW SHORT ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING 03H 46 ’10’ ‘+ 00H 07’ 00 ”
11.  RICKY BRABEC MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 03H 47 ’55’ ‘+ 00H 08’ 45 ”
12.  PAULO GONÇALVES HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 03H 48 ’42’ ‘+ 00H 09’ 32 ”
13.  ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 03H 48 ’58’ ‘+ 00H 09’ 48 ”
14.  FRANCO CAIMI MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 03H 49 ’00’ ‘+ 00H 09’ 50 ”
15.  TOBY PRICE RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 03H 51 ’23’ ‘+ 00H 12’ 13 ”
16.  RODNEY FAGGOTTER YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA 03H 56 ’27’ ‘+ 00H 17’ 17 ”
17.  LORENZO SANTOLINO SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 03H 57 ’35’ ‘+ 00H 18’ 25 ”
18.  ADRIEN METGE SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 03H 57 ’42’ ‘+ 00H 18’ 32 ”
19.  ANTONIO MAIO YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING 03H 58 ’40’ ‘+ 00H 19’ 30 ”
20.  JUAN PEDRERO GARCIA LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG 03H 58 ’59’ ‘+ 00H 19’ 49 ”
21.  SEBASTIAN BÜHLER HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 03H 59 ’13’ ‘+ 00H 20’ 03 ”
22.  JOHNNY AUBERT SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 03H 59 ’14’ ‘+ 00H 20’ 04 ”
23.  MILAN ENGEL MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG) 04H 01 ’38’ ‘+ 00H 22’ 28 ”
24.  SKYLER HOWES KLYMCIW RACING 04H 03 ’58’ ‘+ 00H 24’ 48 ”
25.  ADAM TOMICZEK ORLEN TEAM 04H 06 ’31’ ‘+ 00H 27’ 21 ”
26.  STEFAN SVITKO SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM 04H 07 ’31’ ‘+ 00H 28’ 21 ”
27.  MAURIZIO GERINI SOLARYS RACING 04H 08 ’43’ ‘+ 00H 29’ 33 ”
28.  MACIEJ GIEMZA ORLEN TEAM 04H 10 ’22’ ‘+ 00H 31’ 12 ”
29.  IVAN JAKES JAKES DAKAR TEAM 04H 11 ’28’ ‘+ 00H 32’ 18 ”
30.  PAUL SPIERINGS HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING 04H 11 ’31’ ‘+ 00H 32’ 21 ”
31.  JAUME BETRIU FN SPEED TEAM 04H 16 ’54’ ‘+ 00H 37’ 44 ”
32.  JAN BRABEC BIG SHOCK RACING 04H 17 ’28’ ‘+ 00H 38’ 18 ”
33.  MARTIN MICHEK MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG) 04H 18 ’10’ ‘+ 00H 39’ 00 ”
34.  JAMIE MCCANNEY MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 04H 18 ’47’ ‘+ 00H 39’ 37 ”
35.  PATRICIO CABRERA KAWASAKI CHILE CIDEF 04H 21 ’32’ ‘+ 00H 42’ 22 ”
36.  SEBASTIEN LAGUT NOMADE RACING 04H 21 ’48’ ‘+ 00H 42’ 38 ”
37.  GARRETT POUCHER KLYMCIW RACING 04H 22 ’08’ ‘+ 00H 42’ 58 ”
38.  LAIA SANZ GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM 04H 23 ’02’ ‘+ 00H 43’ 52 ”
39.  LOIC MINAUDIER TEAM ALL TRACKS 04H 25 ’12’ ‘+ 00H 46’ 02 ”
40.  MOHAMMED BALOOSHI DUUST RALLY TEAM 04H 26 ’55’ ‘+ 00H 47’ 45 ”
41.  MARIO PATRAO KTM FACTORY TEAM 04H 27 ’02’ ‘+ 00H 47’ 52 ”
42.  ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS 04H 27 ’45’ ‘+ 00H 48’ 35 ”
43.  CESAR PARDO KTM PERU RALLY TEAM 04H 28 ’03’ ‘+ 00H 48’ 53 ”
44.  OLIVIER PAIN TEAM JOG – NOMAD RACING 04H 28 ’27’ ‘+ 00H 49’ 17 ”
45.  CARL JOHAN BJERKERT HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING 04H 28 ’46’ ‘+ 00H 49’ 36 ”
46.  ABDULLAH AL SHATTI DUUST RALLY TEAM 04H 30 ’51’ ‘+ 00H 51’ 41 ”
47.  MYUNGGUL RYU KLYMCIW RACING 04H 31 ’51’ ‘+ 00H 52’ 41 ”
48.  FAUSTO MOTA XRAIDS TEAM 04H 46 ’43’ ‘+ 01H 07’ 33 ”
49.  JACOPO CERUTTI SOLARYS RACING 04H 47 ’51’ ‘+ 01H 08’ 41 ”
50.  EMANUEL GYENES AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM 04H 48 ’25’ ‘+ 01H 09’ 15 ”
51.  HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 04H 54 ’46’ ‘+ 01H 15’ 36 ”
52.  FLORENT VAYSSADE TEAM VAYSSADE FLORENT 04H 58 ’50’ ‘+ 01H 19’ 40 ”
53.  SANTOSH CHUNCHUNGUPPE SHIVASHANKAR HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 04H 59 ’44’ ‘+ 01H 20’ 34 ”
54.  ARNOLD BRUCY BRUCY RACING TEAM 05H 00 ’16’ ‘+ 01H 21’ 06 ”
55.  GUILLAUME CHOLLET DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM 05H 01 ’54’ ‘+ 01H 22’ 44 ”
56.  ROMAN KREJCI IVAR CS TEAM 05H 01 ’56’ ‘+ 01H 22’ 46 ”
57.  ZHANG MIN WU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM 05H 08 ’21’ ‘+ 01H 29’ 11 ”
58.  ROMAIN LELOUP TEAM REPAR’STORES 05H 12 ’10’ ‘+ 01H 33’ 00 ”
59.  PETR VLCEK PETR VLCEK 05H 13 ’57’ ‘+ 01H 34’ 47 ”
60.  GIORDANO PACHECO CALIDOSO RACING TEAM 05H 15 ’43’ ‘+ 01H 36’ 33 ”
61.  KRZYSZTOF JARMUZ 115MOTO 05H 25 ’21’ ‘+ 01H 46’ 11 ”

Provisional general classification Dakar motorcycle 2020 

1. SAM SUNDERLAND RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 07H 05 ’22’ ‘ 
2.  PABLO QUINTANILLA ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING 07H 06 ’40’ ‘+ 00H 01’ 18 ”
3.  KEVIN BENAVIDES MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 07H 06 ’54’ ‘+ 00H 01’ 32 ”
4.  MATTHIAS WALKNER RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 07H 07 ’22’ ‘+ 00H 02’ 00 ”
5.  RICKY BRABEC MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 07H 09 ’33’ ‘+ 00H 04’ 11 ”
6.  ROSS BRANCH LOW DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM 07H 09 ’41’ ‘+ 00H 04’ 19 ”
7.  LUCIANO BENAVIDES RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 07H 11 ’23’ ‘+ 00H 06’ 01 ”
8.  JOAN BARREDA BORT MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 07H 11 ’31’ ‘+ 00H 06’ 09 ”
9.  TOBY PRICE RED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM 07H 12 ’56’ ‘+ 00H 07’ 34 ”
10.  JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 2020 07H 13 ’56’ ‘+ 00H 08’ 34 ”
11.  ANDREW SHORT ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING 07H 14 ’46’ ‘+ 00H 09’ 24 ”
12.  XAVIER DE SOULTRAIT MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 07H 15 ’33’ ‘+ 00H 10’ 11 ”
13.  ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 07H 18 ’23’ ‘+ 00H 13’ 01 ”
14.  PAULO GONÇALVES HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 07H 18 ’32’ ‘+ 00H 13’ 10 ”
15.  FRANCO CAIMI MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 07H 24 ’36’ ‘+ 00H 19’ 14 ”
16.  ADRIEN METGE SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 07H 30 ’17’ ‘+ 00H 24’ 55 ”
17.  RODNEY FAGGOTTER YAMAHA MOTOR AUSTRALIA 07H 41 ’54’ ‘+ 00H 36’ 32 ”
18.  JOHNNY AUBERT SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 07H 42 ’39’ ‘+ 00H 37’ 17 ”
19.  ANTONIO MAIO YAMAHA FINO MOTOR RACING 07H 43 ’01’ ‘+ 00H 37’ 39 ”
20.  SKYLER HOWES KLYMCIW RACING 07H 43 ’20’ ‘+ 00H 37’ 58 ”
21.  JUAN PEDRERO GARCIA LS2 AVENTURA TOUAREG 07H 44 ’14’ ‘+ 00H 38’ 52 ”
22.  LORENZO SANTOLINO SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 07H 47 ’00’ ‘+ 00H 41’ 38 ”
23.  STEFAN SVITKO SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM 07H 49 ’11’ ‘+ 00H 43’ 49 ”
24.  MILAN ENGEL MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG) 07H 53 ’06’ ‘+ 00H 47’ 44 ”
25.  SEBASTIAN BÜHLER HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 07H 53 ’59’ ‘+ 00H 48’ 37 ”
26.  MAURIZIO GERINI SOLARYS RACING 08H 01 ’57’ ‘+ 00H 56’ 35 ”
27.  MACIEJ GIEMZA ORLEN TEAM 08H 03 ’21’ ‘+ 00H 57’ 59 ”
28.  LAIA SANZ GAS GAS FACTORY TEAM 08H 06 ’20’ ‘+ 01H 00’ 58 ”
29.  MARTIN MICHEK MOTO RACING GROUP (MRG) 08H 11 ’30’ ‘+ 01H 06’ 08 ”
30.  JAN BRABEC BIG SHOCK RACING 08H 14 ’23’ ‘+ 01H 09’ 01 ”
31.  JAMIE MCCANNEY MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM 08H 17 ’00’ ‘+ 01H 11’ 38 ”
32.  SEBASTIEN LAGUT NOMADE RACING 08H 17 ’07’ ‘+ 01H 11’ 45 ”
33.  JAUME BETRIU FN SPEED TEAM 08H 19 ’06’ ‘+ 01H 13’ 44 ”
34.  CARL JOHAN BJERKERT HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING 08H 29 ’04’ ‘+ 01H 23’ 42 ”
35.  PAUL SPIERINGS HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING 08H 29 ’48’ ‘+ 01H 24’ 26 ”
36.  GARRETT POUCHER KLYMCIW RACING 08H 32 ’51’ ‘+ 01H 27’ 29 ”
37.  JACOPO CERUTTI SOLARYS RACING 08H 33 ’04’ ‘+ 01H 27’ 42 ”
38.  ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS ARUNAS GELAZNINKAS 08H 34 ’04’ ‘+ 01H 28’ 42 ”
39.  MARIO PATRAO KTM FACTORY TEAM 08H 34 ’22’ ‘+ 01H 29’ 00 ”
40.  LOIC MINAUDIER TEAM ALL TRACKS 08H 34 ’27’ ‘+ 01H 29’ 05 ”
41.  MOHAMMED BALOOSHI DUUST RALLY TEAM 08H 35 ’14’ ‘+ 01H 29’ 52 ”
42.  PATRICIO CABRERA KAWASAKI CHILE CIDEF 08H 36 ’47’ ‘+ 01H 31’ 25 ”
43.  OLIVIER PAIN TEAM JOG – NOMAD RACING 08H 40 ’53’ ‘+ 01H 35’ 31 ”
44.  ADAM TOMICZEK ORLEN TEAM 08H 42 ’38’ ‘+ 01H 37’ 16 ”
45.  CESAR PARDO KTM PERU RALLY TEAM 08H 43 ’23’ ‘+ 01H 38’ 01 ”
46.  ABDULLAH AL SHATTI DUUST RALLY TEAM 08H 48 ’18’ ‘+ 01H 42’ 56 ”
47.  MYUNGGUL RYU KLYMCIW RACING 09H 02 ’36’ ‘+ 01H 57’ 14 ”
48.  SANTOSH CHUNCHUNGUPPE SHIVASHANKAR HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY 09H 03 ’14’ ‘+ 01H 57’ 52 ”
49.  IVAN JAKES JAKES DAKAR TEAM 09H 04 ’05’ ‘+ 01H 58’ 43 ”
50.  EMANUEL GYENES AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM 09H 05 ’07’ ‘+ 01H 59’ 45 ”
51.  FAUSTO MOTA XRAIDS TEAM 09H 14 ’44’ ‘+ 02H 09’ 22 ”
52.  GUILLAUME CHOLLET DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM 09H 43 ’05’ ‘+ 02H 37’ 43 ”
53.  GIORDANO PACHECO CALIDOSO RACING TEAM 09H 44 ’25’ ‘+ 02H 39’ 03 ”
54.  ARNOLD BRUCY BRUCY RACING TEAM 09H 45 ’57’ ‘+ 02H 40’ 35 ”
55.  ROMAN KREJCI IVAR CS TEAM 09H 46 ’56’ ‘+ 02H 41’ 34 ”
56.  PETR VLCEK PETR VLCEK 09H 51 ’58’ ‘+ 02H 46’ 36 ”
57.  ROMAIN LELOUP TEAM REPAR’STORES 09H 53 ’38’ ‘+ 02H 48’ 16 ”
58.  FLORENT VAYSSADE TEAM VAYSSADE FLORENT 09H 55 ’54’ ‘+ 02H 50’ 32 ”
59.  HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTIL SHERCO TVS RALLY FACTORY 10H 19 ’02’ ‘+ 03H 13’ 40 ”

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