QIDDIYA: Veteran Spanish driver Carlos Sainz won the Dakar Rally for the third time on Friday, finishing with a comfortable winning margin in the first running of the event in Saudi Arabia.
The 57-year-old crossed the line in the 12th and final stage 6min 21sec ahead of nearest challenger and reigning champion Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar, who had managed to cut Sainz’s lead to just 24 seconds on Tuesday but fell back after navigation blunders.
“I feel very happy. There’s a lot of effort behind this. A lot of training, practice,” Sainz told the race’s website.
“It has been a flat out rally since the beginning. It was fantastic, a first time in Saudi Arabia, of course you can always improve but it was a fantastic effort,” he added.
Asked about defending his title next year Sainz said: “It’s too early to think about it, let me enjoy this.”
Sainz, the father of F1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr., seized control of the race from the third stage in his X-raid Mini.
He has now won the Dakar with three different manufacturers, having previously triumphed with Volkswagen in 2010 and Peugeot in 2018.
Stephane Peterhansel was third at 9min 58sec behind in his Mini. Both the Frenchman and Sainz won four stages in the marathon 12-day, 7,800-kilometer (4,800-mile) race.
Ricky Brabec triumphed in the motorbike section for Honda, becoming the first US rider to win the gruelling race.
Two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso finished 13th on his Dakar debut, nearly five hours behind the winner.
Alonso came second in one stage but his first participation in the Dakar was a bruising affair as the 38-year-old Spaniard suffered a double rollover in the 10th stage after hitting a dune at an awkward angle.
Spanish driver Carlos Sainz takes third Dakar Rally title after winning Saudi edition
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Spanish driver Carlos Sainz takes third Dakar Rally title after winning Saudi edition
- Asked about defending his title next year Sainz said: “It’s too early to think about it, let me enjoy this”
- He has now won the Dakar with three different manufacturers, having previously triumphed with Volkswagen in 2010 and Peugeot in 2018
Dubai Basketball stun Greek giants Olympiacos to win in overtime
- The score of 108-98 came in round 26 of EuroLeague and was the 12th victory of their debut season
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball recorded the 12th EuroLeague win of their debut season with a 108-98 overtime thriller against Olympiacos at Coca-Cola Arena.
From the first whistle, Dubai played with intent in front of the 6,500-strong crowd. Defensive pressure, fast breaks and fearless shot-making gave the home side early control, but like all big European basketball nights, the drama was far from over.
Olympiacos battled back, the intensity rose, and a last-second three-pointer sent the game into overtime, briefly silencing the crowd. But supported by one of the strongest home crowds Dubai has seen this season, the team rose to the occasion in the final five minutes.
Dubai Basketball’s head coach, Jurica Golemac, highlighted the importance of the home crowd’s support and said: “It was a very intensive game. A lot of physicality, a lot of energy. We were up and we didn’t lose the passion. We showed character in the end to win this game.
“Real Madrid is in two days. We’re playing at home, and hopefully even more fans will come. That support is very important for us — everyone feels like a family here.”
Dubai responded with composure and authority in the extra period, locking in defensively and moving the ball with confidence to close the game with a statement finish on a night that demanded character.
Mfiondu Kabengele dominated inside with a powerful double-double, while Dwayne Bacon and McKinley Wright delivered when it mattered most. Aleksa Avramovic set the tone early on both ends, and the collective effort once again highlighted Dubai’s growing identity — fearless at home, united under pressure.
With the regular season entering its defining stretch the Coca-Cola Arena continues to be a fortress, and belief around the team continues to grow as the race for the EuroLeague post-season heats up.
The next home game brings one of the most famous teams in the world to the Coca-Cola Arena, when Real Madrid will play Dubai at home for the first time on Thursday, Feb. 5.
