Several riders have already completed the first stage of the Dakar 2024, with Ricky Brabec being the fastest among them. However, the victory could potentially go to Ross Branch.
Here’s why: The American from Monster Energy Honda outpaced Mason Klein (Korr Offroad Racing/Kove) by 25 seconds to finish at the top. However, Branch stopped to assist Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy Honda), and according to the Dakar website, the 25 minutes he lost are expected to be returned to him.
The rider from Botswana, representing Hero MotoSports, posted the 16th fastest time, trailing Brabec by 16m10s. If the time deduction is confirmed, Branch will be the one to claim the win this Saturday. Klein would drop to third place, while Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing Team) would lose the top three spot.