AL-HENAKIYAH, Saudi Arabia: Sebastien Loeb struggled to complete Stage 3 of the Dakar Rally on Tuesday after rolling his car near the start, a setback that is likely to cost him his dream of a first title in the event.
The nine-time World Rally Champion went off the road 12 kilometers into the 327km-stage between Bisha and Al Henakiyah. After a nasty bounce his Dacia performed several impressive rolls, which seriously damaged the vehicle.
The 50-year-old Frenchman and his Belgian co-driver Fabian Lurquin set off again after a five-minute stop for repairs, but struggled throughout the rest of the stage.
Loeb, who has finished second three times in the Dakar Rally, ended the stage in 4 hours 20 minutes 12 seconds, more than an hour behind the day’s winner, 19-year-old South African Saood Variawa.
“We were able to continue but suddenly the steering rod broke, I think because of the rollover,” said Loeb at the finish.
“Then we had a problem with the engine overheating. We tried to finish the stage. We managed to do so, but we lost an hour.
“It wasn’t the kind of day we prefer. We lost an hour and we got the feeling that we were in ‘it’ up to our necks. But it is what it is, we just have to continue. We’ll keep on racing and we’ll see, even if winning the rally is starting to look complicated.”
Variawa, in a Toyota, finished 33 seconds ahead of Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit in a Mini.
Another South African Toyota driver, Henk Lategan retained the overall lead after finishing 12th on the day, 7mins 31sec behind Variawa.
Variawa is 41st, 7 hours 47 minutes 11 seconds behind after losing eight hours the day before following a head-on collision with team-mate and compatriot Giniel de Villiers.
Loeb sits 16th, almost an hour and a quarter off first. He also lost 30 minutes on Sunday when a fan problem caused his engine to overheat.
Reigning champion Carlos Sainz had retired on Monday after his Ford Raptor flipped, damaging its roll bar.
With rain forecast, the stage was shortened from the original 496 km.
In the motorbike competition, Spaniard Lorenzo Santolino, riding a Sherco and making his seventh appearance in the Dakar Rally, won a stage for the first time.
Australian Daniel Sanders still leads the overall standings.
The Rally through Saudi Arabia ends on January 17 in the Empty Quarter desert.
Sebastian Loeb limps home as teenager wins Dakar stage
https://arab.news/zm63x
Sebastian Loeb limps home as teenager wins Dakar stage
- The nine-time World Rally Champion went off the road 12 kilometers into the 327km-stage between Bisha and Al Henakiyah
Aston Villa stun Arsenal with Buendia’s last-gasp winner
- Matty Cash drove home a low shot to give Villa the lead in the 39th minute to reward his side’s positive approach
- No team in the top flight can match Unai Emery’s Villa side over the last 10 games
BIRMINGHAM: Aston Villa ended Premier League leaders Arsenal’s long unbeaten run as Emiliano Buendia scored with virtually the last kick of the game to secure a thrilling 2-1 win that put his side right in the thick of the title battle at Villa Park on Saturday.
It looked as though Leandro Trossard’s equalizer would extend Arsenal’s run without a defeat to 19 games in all competitions but a scintillating duel was decided in dramatic fashion when Buendia fired home after a late scramble.
Matty Cash drove home a low shot to give Villa the lead in the 39th minute to reward his side’s positive approach before substitute Trossard equalized from close range seven minutes after the restart with his 50th Premier League goal.
After that it was a whirlwind of attacking play with both sides unwilling to settle for a point. But it was Villa who secured a ninth win in their last 10 Premier League games to spark delirious celebrations from the home fans.
Victory moved them into second place with 30 points from 15 games, with Arsenal on 33. Manchester City could close Arsenal’s lead to two points if they beat Sunderland later on Saturday.
“Incredible, the feeling to score that goal and help the team get the win, an important win against the table leaders,” said Buendia, who was close to leaving in the summer.
“It shows the character of the teams in this league, they did well to try to block the shot with three players on the floor. I saw the space and had the opportunity.”
No team in the top flight can match Unai Emery’s Villa side over the last 10 games and Arsenal’s defeat at the hands of their old manager once again will trigger alarm bells.
Emery masterminded home and away Villa wins over Arsenal in the 2023-24 season when Mikel Arteta’s side ended up falling short by two points to Manchester City in a gripping title race.
While this defeat will not cause panic, the manner of it was a body blow to the north Londoners.
“The manner that it happened at the end it was really difficult to take,” Arteta said. “In the second half we were dominant after scoring the goal but had periods where we allowed too much space. Then at the end there is some chaos in the box and we end up losing the game. It’s painful.”
With Cristhian Mosquera’s injury in the midweek win over Brentford meaning Arsenal went to Villa without him, Gabriel and William Saliba — their three center backs — there was a vulnerability about them that has been absent this season.
Arsenal keeper David Raya made a superb save to deny Ollie Watkins while the tireless Declan Rice had to make some crucial interceptions for his side.
Eberechi Eze had a goal ruled out for offside for the visitors but it was Villa who took the lead when a cross flicked into the path of Cash at the back post and he did not hesitate as he smashed a low shot past Raya.
Trossard has a habit of scoring big goals for Arsenal and obliged again as Saka’s cross shot was pushed into his path by Martinez and the Belgian was never going to miss.
For a while Arsenal seized control but Villa roared back and produced some thrilling counter-attacks, one of which saw Boubacar Kamara take too long to shoot and another which ended with Watkins again denied by Raya.
As the game swung back and forth Martinez finger-tipped a ferocious shot by Martin Odegaard over the bar before Saka’s goal-bound shot was blocked on the line.
Donyell Malen should have put Villa back ahead but dragged a shot wide and in stoppage time it was Arsenal who were hunting the winner until an astonishing goalmouth scramble at the other end saw Raya twice make saves before the ball arrived at the feet of Buendia who lofted a shot through a crowd and into the net.
