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
Saudi Arabia lose to Morocco in final group match of Arab Cup
- Green Falcons had already qualified for quarterfinals
- Oman eliminated despite victory over Comoros
DOHA: Morocco booked their place in the Arab Cup knockout stages after defeating Saudi Arabia on Monday, but Oman’s victory over Comoros in their final group game was not enough to keep their campaign alive.
Needing only a draw to progress, Morocco took all three points against the Green Falcons, who missed a crucial second-half penalty.
The Saudis, already through to the knockouts, made several changes and began brightly, coming close to opening the scoring inside six minutes when Saleh Abu Al-Shamat’s looping header clipped the crossbar.
Despite the early pressure, Morocco kept their composure and took the lead when Tarik Tissoudali teed up Karim El-Berkaoui to put the Atlas Lions in front.
Saudi Arabia pushed for an equalizer and were handed a golden opportunity midway through the second half when Amin Zahzouh fouled substitute Abdullah Al-Hamdan inside the penalty area.
But the striker’s attempt at a “Panenka” sailed over the crossbar.
In the group’s other match, Oman defeated Comoros but were eliminated after failing to make up the required goal difference.
Knowing victory alone would not be enough, Oman began aggressively, creating a string of first-half chances through Issam Al-Sabhi, Zahir Al-Aghbari and Jameel Al-Yahmadi, only to be denied by profligacy and Comoros goalkeeper Ali Ahamada.
The breakthrough arrived in calamitous fashion just before the interval as Ahamada was dispossessed by Al-Sabhi inside the 6-yard box, allowing the forward to shoot into an empty net.
Al-Sabhi then doubled Oman’s lead with a header just before the break.
Comoros rallied after the break through a fine individual effort from Nassuir Hamidou to reduce the deficit, but further chances went begging and Oman held on for victory.
Despite finishing with four points, Oman bowed out of the competition, while Comoros concluded their debut Arab Cup campaign with three straight defeats.
