The 436km stage from Ha’il to AlUla, where the Dakar started 11 days ago was a Sebastian Loeb playground, leading from start to finish ending 4:14 ahead of Carlos Sainz, the overall rally leader.
Initially, Audi used their ‘forces’ to good effect, Ekström running ahead to give Sainz a clear path, and Stephane Peterhansel deliberately dropping behind in case Sainz needed help. He didn’t.
With four stages remaining, and a 24 minute lead in hand, Sainz could afford to be careful. The Spaniard was embroiled in a tight fight with Lucas Moraes, the pair swapping podium positions every few hundred kilometres, until km 343 when Sainz finally brushed off the Toyota Gazoo Racing pair.
Guerlain Chicherit, Guillaume de Mevius had their own private battle behind the leading trio, not more than three minutes behind the leading threesome.
Mathieu Serradori joined the fight in his Century Racing CR6-T, while Giniel de Villiers and Guy Botterill were holding on in their TGR Hiluxes. De Villiers dropped out of the top 10 as did Seth Quintero, their places taken by Vaidotas Zala in his X-Raid Mini, running the Dakar Experience, and Denis Krotov. Peterhansel moved into the top 10 as the stage neared the end, while Moraes dropped 11 minutes after struggling with navigation.
Serradori ended a brilliant third, from de Mevius, a standout performance from Guy Botterill/Brett Cummings in their TGR Hilux in fifth – their best stage of the rally – and Krotov in sixth.
Peterhansel brought his Audi home in seventh, followed by Moraes with Ekström and Dumas rounding out the top 10.
Navigation issues also affected de Villiers while Quintero had mechanical issues finishing in 12th and 16th places on the day.
– Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI
A standout performance over the last two days belonged to 18-year-old Sa’ood Variawa/Francois Cazalet, who started yesterday 8th stage in 50th positing, racing through to the 19th best time and today, also had his best stage with the 14th best time.
Chicherit dropped back to 15th at the end.
Stage results:
Loeb, Sainz (+4:14), Serradori (+4:48)
Overall after stage 9:
Sainz, Loeb (+20:33), Moraes (+1:12:02)
Adrien Van Beveren won his second stage on the Dakar and the 5th of his career. The #42 Honda rider opened the way for the majority of the route, picking up 5’36’’ in bonuses.
Ricky Brabec finished second, 42’’ behind with Pablo Quintanilla in third, 4’29’’ further back, giving Honda a 1-2-3.
Ross Branch completed the stage in 5th, 7’09’’ behind the Frenchman. In the general rankings, Brabec extends his lead of 42’’ this morning to 7’09’’ over Branch, while Van Beveren has moved above Cornejo. The Frenchman is now 3rd, 11’16’’ behind his American team-mate, while Nacho drops back to 13’46’’ away from the lead. Hero rider Ross Branch is still sandwiched between the three Hondas.
