What Dakar 2024 Day 4 Bike Report
Where Al Hofuf, Saudi Arabia
When Tuesday 9 January 2024
Community International
Chilean takes second day win to lead Botswana Hero
Chilean Honda rider Jose Florimo stormed to his second Dakar day win of 2024 as he benefited Botswana’s Ross Branch losing a little time when the Hero rival tumbled late in the day, to move ahead in the overall bike race on Wednesday. Branch, who ended fourth on the day sits a close second to Florimo overall. His fellow Southern African riders also enjoyed a good day in the saddle.
The day started with a dice as Branch initially led the way on his Hero ahead of his closest rival Florimo, KTM privateer Stefan Svitko and South African R2 leader Bradley Cox on another privateer BAS KTM. Florimo had moved ahead of Svitko and Argentine Benavides brothers, Kevin’s KTM, and Luciano on his Husqvarna by the second waypoint, with Branch sixth behind Spanish Hero teammate Joan Barreda, as Cox slipped back.
Florimo continued to lead at mid-distance as Californian Ricky Brabec moved up to second on his Honda from Luciano and Kevin Benavides, Frenchman Adrien van Beveren’s Honda, and Branch, after Svitko hit trouble. Of the Southern Africans, Cox slipped back to 27th as 2023 Malle Moto winner Charan Moore rode into the top 30 on his Husqvarna, Zimbabwean Ashley Thixton impressed riding well into the top-40 on his similar machine. KTM duo Ronald Venter sat 71st and no assistance Malle Moto man Stuart Gregory 93rd.
The order settled down into the afternoon as Florimo led Brabec Home to a Honda 1-2, his eighth Dakar day win and his second of 2024. Kevin Benavides however provided the sting in the tail when he jumped Branch, who took a tumble and lost a little time in the final sector, and van Beveren to end up third ahead of those two, with Luciano Benavides sixth. Barreda followed from American Skyler Howes’s Honda and Rui Goncalves’ on his Sherco. Bradley Cox fought back to 25th on the day as Charan Moore came home 29th, Ashley Thixton lay 38th, Ronald Venter 87th and Stuart Gregory 97th.
Florimo’s win on top of a one minute speeding penalty for Branch on Monday, sees the Chilean now leading overall from the Botswana Hero by a minute and fifteen seconds. Brabec sits third from Kevin Benavides, van Beveren and Luciano Benavides. Cox is 21st overall and 8th in Rally 2, Moore 28th and 13th in R2. Thixton was provisionally 40th, Venter 71st and Gregory 76th. Wednesday’s 118 km route comprises dunes all the way to Shubaytah. Your Dakar daily bike report is powered by Tork Craft tools.
Issued on behalf of Dakar 2024 Bikes Daily
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