As the name suggests, the Empty Quarter is not exactly teeming with conventional architectural or cultural tourist attractions.
Yet, for rally-raid enthusiasts, it is a staggering treasure trove with dunes that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Millions? Billions, perhaps? Who knows, it is hard to count while in the throes of sand fever.
The riders and crews were even willing to jump out of their sleeping bags in the dead of night to tackle a 508 km road section and plunge into this sea of dunes for a pivotal 118 km special that set the stage for their stay in the Empty Quarter.
Pablo Quintanilla, who cut his teeth in Chile’s Atacama Desert turned up the heat today and added another notch to his belt.
It did not take a genius to figure out the right approach to the special among the top riders.
The Rally GP starting order is flipped for the “48H Chrono” beginning tomorrow, so the biggest advantage will go to the latest starter among the 17 entrants still in contention in this class.
Adrien Van Beveren’s game plan seemed spot on, with an interesting fifth place at km 0 and a knack for surfing the dunes that gave him a realistic shot at the stage win.
It was almost impossible for the Frenchman to lose. Almost. In the end, he was pipped at the post by just 37 seconds by his Monster Energy Honda teammate, Pablo Quintanilla.
The Chilean notched up his eighth Dakar stage win and bagged the prime slot for stage 6A.
In his twelfth appearance in the Dakar, where he has twice snagged the runner-up’s spot (2020 and 2022), “Quintafondo”, sixth overall at 26′47″ back, will have the deck stacked in his favour, but he still needs to play his cards right to bump Ross Branch from the hot seat and emerge as the leader of the Honda squad, which has another three riders in hot pursuit of the Botswanan: Cornejo (second at 1′14″), Brabec (third at 3′47″) and Van Beveren (fourth at 18′10″).
Pablo Quintanilla 7
Stage: 1st Overall: 6th
After two awful days everything fell into place. I went flat out but it wasn’t easy because the glare of the sun made it hard to see the tracks.
It was tough but I managed to set a fast pace and had a great stage.
I wasn’t expecting this type of soft sand because I heard it had rained in the last few days, but I had fun anyway on my bike.
I’m happy to be in this position ahead of the 48 Hour Chrono, it’ll help me and perhaps unlock some opportunities.
RallyGP Results – Stage 5
1 Quintanilla Pablo 7 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 01H 32′ 53
2 Van Beveren Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team +0.37
3 Price Toby 18 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +1.39
4 Sanders Daniel 4 AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +2.58
5 Klein Mason 43 USA BAS World KTM Racing Team +3.01
6 Evan Branch Ross 16 BWA Hero Motorsports Team Rally +3.42
7 Brabec Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +3.48
8 Svitko Stefan 142 SLO Slovnaft Rally Team +4.10
9 Howes Skyler 10 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +4.22
10 Benavides Kevin 1 ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +5.35
11 Cornejo José Ignacio “Nacho” 11 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +6.11
Rider Standings
1 Evan Branch Ross 16 BWA Hero Motorsports Team Rally 19H 05′ 03″
2 Cornejo José Ignacio “Nacho” 11 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +1.14
3 Brabec Ricky 9 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +3.47
4 Van Beveren Adrien 42 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team +18.10
5 Benavides Kevin 1 ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +21.17
6 Quintanilla Pablo 7 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +26.47
7 Benavides Luciano 77 ARG Husqvarna Factory Racing +30.36
8 Price Toby 18 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +31.36
9 Sanders Daniel 4 AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +37.44
10 Michek Martin 10 CZE Orion Moto Racing Group +39.52
12 Howes Skyler 10 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +48.37