Dakar 2019 – Ricky Brabec wins Stage 4 and jumps to the top

Bruno Gomes

January 11, 2019

Ricky Brabec on a Honda is the new leader after Stage 4 of the 2019 Dakar Rally

Another day has passed on the 2019 Dakar Rally, and again we see a new rider on top of the overall standings. American Ricky Brabec (Honda) has had a great day on Stage 4 of this Dakar, being the fastest to complete the journey between Arequipa to Moquegua, the first part of a marathon stage.

With 406 km to cover, Brabec handed his rivals a lesson on how to ride without mistakes, and after a bad day on Stage 3, he attacked at full speed. Not only he made up for the time he lost previously, but the Honda rider also managed to climb to the top of the overall classification on the Dakar 2019, having now secured a lead with more than two minutes over Pablo Quintanilla. This was just the second Dakar stage win in Brabec’s career, and couldn’t come at a better moment, since Honda lost their main man, Joan Barreda, the day before.

Quintanilla, the Husqvarna rider, who clinched the lead of the race on Stage 3, had a really bad day, and now sees two KTM factory riders pretty close to him on the overall standings. Toby Price and Sam Sunderland finished the stage third and fourth, and those are the positions they’ve also secured on the main standings.

We recall that on a marathon stage, riders won’t be allowed to use any help form their teams when they reach the bivouac in Moquegua. They’ll need to work the bikes themselves, and then rest for the second part of this marathon stage, that will take them back to Arequipa, through the Peruvian dunes and with a special stage of 345 km against the clock.

Will Ricky Brabec maintain his lead?

Here’s the overall standings of the 2019 Dakar Rally after Stage 4

1. Ricky Brabec (USA) – Honda – 12h33m00s
2. Pablo Quintanilla (Chile) – Husqvarna – +2m19s
3. Toby Price (Australia) – KTM – +4m22s
4. Sam Sunderland (Great Britain) – KTM – +5m45s
5. Adrien van Beveren (France) – Yamaha – +8m56s