Dakar Rally 2024 results: Stage 11 Brabec on the brink of victory #2

Penultimate stage and crunch time with Ricky Brabec holding a ‘comfortable’ 11-minute lead ahead of Ross Branch, plus Honda team-mates Adrien Van Beveren and Jose Cornejo fighting it out for the final podium place, the second-last day was always going to be a big one.
420 kilometres of special showed the ’24 Dakar was not giving up yet on its hard nature with the longest test of the second week and on hard going, “brittle” the organisers called it with sharp rocks and no rest yet for tired bodies and knackered hands and wrists.

Heres a cool bit from today’s stage when car co-drivers are better in the rocks than you...

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It proved a fascinating stage to witness with Ross Branch doing all he could, the only thing he could, and going all-out for the win and with that to claw back some of the 11-minute deficit on the race leader.
The daily stage result was duked out between Branch and Adrien Van Beveren for a while but the hero rider eventually posting the fastest time of 4hr57m51s.
Ricky Brabec, was doing all he could opening the way after winning the stage yesterday and was equal to branch, even if he was losing time on the clock. It’s never easy and always loses time but somehow the American managed it perfectly thanks to the crucial gained bonus time awarded back – 05m45s in total which makes him second for the day having conceded just 32seconds to his rival.
We know from experience we ain’t heading for no Tour de France finale tomorrow where riders concede the race on the penultimate day, cruising in to the finish, drinking champagne on the way. Last year proved that when Kevin Benavides pipped Toby Price on the final stage by less than one minute.
Anything can happen, and all those cliches, but Ricky Brabec has played this game perfectly. Because he pulled the pin when he needed to this week it means he, in theory at least, can cruise home tomorrow, mindful of Branch’s time but not stressing his bike or risking anything.

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Bums must be squeaking a little in the Honda camp after Jose Nacho Cornejo, winner of three stages this Dakar and a podium contender, lost time with a mechanical failure today. Basically his front fuel tank pump failed and when the tank ran out, he had to stop, pour it from the back into the front and carry on. The team and Brabec can’t not be thinking about mechanical issues with just 328 kilometres to go.
Luciano Benavides and Toby Price finished more than four and six and a half minutes behind the best time. They finished ahead of Brad Cox, best Rally 2 rider in sixth position, followed by Kevin Benavides, Daniel Sanders, Martin Michek and Stefan Svitko completing the top 10.
It means the KTM Group, baring a disaster for anyone ahead on the last day, will be nowhere near the podium positions in this Dakar.
Harith Noah really has made a name for himself on the Sherco this second week. He’s gone from fighting for the final podium place in Rally 2 class to challenging the GP riders on the stages and for the overall in class. 11th today and second in class, Harith is on for India’s best-ever Dakar finish as he overtakes Romain Dumontier overall. The pair are split by just 29 seconds setting up a dramatic final stage.
His Sherco teammate Rui Goncalves went out today after unluckily crashing early on and injuring his shoulder, leaving Noah as the final Sherco in the race.
Provisional results have Jane Daniels posting her best result of the race so far in 44rd.