The eleventh stage of the Dakar Rally in the truck category once again delivered a familiar pattern at the front. In the fast and treacherous setting between Bisha and Al Henakiyah, Ales Loprais once more demonstrated his class. The Czech driver claimed his fifth stage win of this edition on terrain that clearly suits him. With a margin of 2 minutes and 31 seconds, he kept Vaidotas Zala behind him, yet in the overall standings the Lithuanian retained a comfortable lead.
High speed and no room for errors
The 346 kilometer special stage was defined by high speeds, long straight sections and a maze of intersections and tracks. This was not a stage where sheer power made the difference, but one that demanded focus and precise navigation. Small mistakes could immediately cost significant time, especially for crews starting further back who had to work their way through dust, traffic and faster buggies.
From the opening part of the stage, a direct duel developed between Loprais and Zala. The Czech took the initiative and managed to maintain his pace, while Zala drove intelligently and limited his losses. Midway through the stage, the gap briefly grew to around three minutes, but in the final section the overall leader managed to contain the damage. As a result, his lead in the general classification remains at 16 minutes and 30 seconds, with two stages and 416 kilometers of specials still to come.
Van den Brink solid but without winning margin
Mitchel van den Brink had a solid yet controlled day. The Dutchman started strongly and even led the stage in the early part of the special, but after around 120 kilometers he had to concede some time. He eventually finished third, 4 minutes and 19 seconds behind the stage winner. In the overall standings, little changed. Van den Brink remains in third place, more than 35 minutes behind Zala. The gaps were simply too small today to truly open up the classification.
Dutch presence further down the results
Behind the top three, other Dutch crews also made their mark. Kay Huzink delivered a strong performance and finished fifth. By making smart use of the pit stop moment, he managed to overtake Martin Macik and then pushed hard after the neutralization toward the finish. Gert Huzink followed shortly after. He deliberately chose to ease off the pace slightly after the neutralization, given the steeper and rockier sections and the large number of vehicles that needed to be overtaken from the back of the field.
Richard de Groot had a steady day with the Firemen Rally Team and secured a top ten finish. Martin van den Brink finished ninth despite a puncture and significant time loss in the dust. The DDW Rallyteam of Egbert Wingens faced serious difficulties after early turbo issues around kilometer 43 and is still on the way to the bivouac, with a deficit that has already grown to several hours.
Standings stabilize toward the final phase
In the overall classification, Zala remains firmly in the lead. Loprais follows at just over a quarter of an hour, while Mitchel van den Brink holds on to third place. Behind them, the gap is substantial, with Kay Huzink in fourth at a considerable distance. With two stages remaining, a major turnaround now seems possible only in the event of serious setbacks for the leaders.
Looking ahead to stage twelve
Friday features the penultimate stage of the rally. The route includes a long liaison of more than 400 kilometers and a 311-kilometer special toward Yanbu. The profile once again promises high speeds, several riverbeds, and tricky sections where sharp navigation will remain crucial. For Mitchel and his team, the mission is clear: keep applying pressure and capitalize on every opportunity that still presents itself.
Results stage 11
1. Aleš Loprais 03:19:59
2. Vaidotas Žala +00:02:31
3. Mitchel van den Brink +00:04:19
5. Kay Huzink +00:06:21
6. Gert Huzink +00:08:55
8. Ben de Groot +00:10:51
9. Martin van den Brink +00:11:55
10. Richard de Groot +00:13:27
13. Marnix Leeuw +00:34:36
??. Egbert Wingens
