Home » Short-Lived Podium Swap for Van Beveren Due to Time Penalty

Short-Lived Podium Swap for Van Beveren Due to Time Penalty

The podium swap was short-lived for Adrien van Beveren, who not only lost his chance at the stage victory but also had to let go of his spot on the podium after receiving a time penalty. Luciano Benavides claimed the win, while an impressive four KTM riders from Boekel’s Bart van der Velden’s team made it into the Rally2 top ten.

Adrien van Beveren, the Frenchman, was well on his way to his first stage win of the 2025 Dakar Rally during the grueling 428 km special. This would have also catapulted him to third in the overall standings. However, a two-minute penalty shattered those hopes. As a result, Ross Branch temporarily slipped off the podium, but the Botswanan rider, on his Hero, managed to hold onto third place overall.

The time penalty gave Luciano Benavides the opportunity to secure the stage win from AlUla to Hail. Van Beveren, riding for Honda, had to settle for second place, while Ignacio Cornejo (Hero) took third. Once again, it was a vibrant and competitive podium! The second part of the marathon stage was characterized by endless rocks, much to the riders’ frustration, as they eagerly await more sand-based terrain.

Daniel Sanders had a tough day, as he was penalized three times for exceeding speed limits in designated zones, leading to a substantial 8-minute and 10-second penalty. Despite this, the Australian still holds the overall lead but must tread carefully to avoid further mistakes. His closest rival, Toscha Schareina, is now just seven minutes behind, with Ross Branch trailing by 18 minutes. With Van Beveren gaining momentum and eyeing the podium, the second half of the grueling 2025 Dakar Rally promises plenty of action.

Rally2 and the KTM Riders of Bart van der Velden

Heading into the rest day, the leader of the Rally2 category is a Red Bull KTM Factory Team rider. Edgar Canet, a young talent who switched last-minute from Bart van der Velden’s BAS World KTM Racing Team to KTM’s factory squad, has proven the decision was a wise one. Making minimal mistakes, Canet currently holds 10th place in the overall standings, with a gap of 1 hour, 1 minute, and 44 seconds.

Bart van der Velden, meanwhile, started this year’s rally with eight riders in his BAS World KTM Racing Team. Heading into the rest day, an impressive four of them are in the Rally2 top ten. This achievement highlights the skill level of the riders and the quality of their equipment and maintenance. Tobias Ebster (+0H 16’ 39’’) and Michael Docherty (+0H 31’ 07’’) are currently in second and third place in the Rally2 standings, securing a strong showing for the team.

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