Delete
Nani Roma during the Dakar stage EP
The Victory Nani Roma Needed Most

The Victory Nani Roma Needed Most

The Catalan driver achieves his first stage win since 2015, marking Ford's debut, while in motorcycles Schareina intentionally concedes two minutes to Sanders

David Sánchez de Castro

Miércoles, 15 de enero 2025, 13:25

The grand finale of this Dakar 2025 is here, set in one of the world's harshest environments. The Rub al-Khali desert, home to the Empty Quarter, has opened its gates to the toughest rally raid, ready to challenge those daring enough to face it. In Wednesday's short special, a perfect prelude to Thursday's events, it was clear there would be no room for error.

Strategy has taken center stage in the mere 120 timed kilometers of this tenth stage. Both in cars and motorcycles, everything is still to be decided, but it's on two wheels where Daniel Sanders is closest to victory... if he can endure. Not leading the way in the Shubaytah loop dunes, where the bivouac is set until Friday, is critical for everyone, making winning a goal few pursued this Wednesday. Evidence of this is the narrow gap between the winner (Michael Doherty, his first victory) and the tenth place (Tosha Schareina), just 10 minutes apart.

The Valencian has been keeping a cool head for several days. Tuesday's unfortunate fall left him shaken, more mentally than physically, compounded by the fatigue from ten days of competition. On this day, he deliberately dropped two minutes behind Daniel Sanders, increasing the gap between them to 16 and a half minutes. This is far from insurmountable, considering the more than 300 kilometers of the Empty Quarter's infernal dunes yet to be contested.

"In the end, I slowed down to avoid leading tomorrow. I feel good physically despite yesterday's fall, just the typical fatigue from nearly two weeks of racing. Tomorrow I can start behind Sanders. He has a significant advantage, 17 minutes, so it will be difficult, but anything is possible," he briefly stated upon arriving at the bivouac.

Sinking of Al-Attiyah

If the motorcycle stage was mentally challenging, it was no less so for cars. Navigation is proving especially critical for four-wheel drivers, and with only three stages left, every mistake is doubly costly. Nasser Al-Attiyah explains well that, barring a miracle, he won't achieve his sixth 'touareg' in 2025. Once again, he got lost at the start of the special on Wednesday, finishing over 20 minutes behind the winner and nearly 10 more behind Henk Lategan, who regains the overall lead. "It's the most disappointing day of my life," Al-Attiyah summarized graphically, as he bids farewell.

The day's victory went to Nani Roma. The veteran Spanish driver, the only one from the Armada to win a Dakar in both motorcycles and cars, redeemed himself in a stage where he overcame a poor start and can finally dedicate it to his son Xavi, paraplegic from an accident at just 15. Roma has shown he can overcome any life challenge and feel like a champion again, whether it's his son's severe setback or the bladder cancer that kept him out of the 2023 edition. A personal and Ford's vindication, debuting their Dakar record and leaving their debut with some satisfaction after the first week's disappointment.

The final battle for the Dakar 2025 victory will be fought this Thursday between Lategan and Al Rajhi. The gap between them is just 2 and a half minutes, making the Shubaytah loop a crucial and decisive stage for the car category's resolution. On paper, the Saudi has a slight advantage over the South African, but it seems it will be a stage focused on avoiding mistakes rather than making the right moves. Al Rajhi himself can attest, as his hopes nearly sank in an untimely dune where he got stuck. If he encounters another similar problem this Thursday, the crown will go to Lategan.

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

todoalicante The Victory Nani Roma Needed Most