Dakar 2017: Nasser Al Attiyah wins the first stage in cars

The 2017 Dakar Rally, presented as the "toughest" in its new South American stage, started on Monday in Asuncion with the victory in cars of Qatari Nasser Al Attiyah (Toyota) and in motorcycles of Frenchman Xavier de Soultrait (Yamaha).

Al Attiyah, despite suffering a fire on board his car, completed the 38.5 kilometers of the special stage in a time of 25 minutes and 41 seconds.

Spanish Xavier Pons (Ford) finished second, 24 seconds behind, and his compatriot Nani Roma (Toyota) was third, 29 seconds behind. Carlos Sainz crossed the finish line in fourth position, 33 seconds behind.

"Ten kilometers from the finish, we felt smoke in Mathieu's seat (Baumel, his co-driver), and a little fire. We had to slow down to finish the stage and at the finish line we were able to put it out," explained Al Attiyah after the stage.

The defending champion, Frenchman Stéphane Peterhansel, who was the first to start, could only manage twelfth place, 1 minute and 34 seconds behind the leader. A total of 318 vehicles (144 motorcycles, 37 quads, 87 cars, and 50 trucks) and 501 competitors participated in the race.

The Dakar Rally had its engines revving on Sunday with a symbolic start presided over by the Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes and his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales, who followed together the stage on Monday from the Paraguayan presidential residence.

"The Dakar not only integrates the world but also our countries (in South America). It is a sport that not only increases trade and tourism but also integration," said the Bolivian head of state.

- Tough day for Toby Price -

In the motorcycle category, Frenchman Xavier de Soultrait took the victory by completing the 38.5-kilometer route in 28 minutes and 20 seconds. Spanish Juan Pedrero García (Sherco) finished second, just two seconds behind, and American Ricky Brabec (Honda) completed the podium, 14 seconds behind.

The KTM brand, whose dominance has lasted for 15 years, did not start as expected as the defending champion, Australian Toby Price, finished in seventeenth place, with a delay of 1 minute and 21 seconds.

The race will be decided in 12 stages, from January 2 to 14 between Asuncion and Buenos Aires, and will cover approximately 8,800 kilometers, of which nearly 4,000 will be special stages.

The second stage, on Tuesday, will consist of 803 km, 275 of which will be timed, from Resistencia to San Miguel de Tucumán.

- The uncertainty of the altitudes -

The route of this edition is "very continental," according to the race director, Frenchman Etienne Lavigne, and it could be decided in the high Bolivian mountains as five stages will be disputed at more than 3,500 m in altitude.

As if that were not enough, one rest day will take place in La Paz, at 3,600 m, on January 8, something unprecedented in the history of the race.

The Dakar has never had such a long route at such a high altitude, and handling the lack of oxygen will be crucial for the final results.

"There is some uncertainty regarding the altitude. We don't know how the pilots or co-pilots will react, but neither do the assistants or mechanics. If we are not feeling well on a day, we can lose everything. And that's true for everyone, regardless of how much time we spent at altitude or how well prepared we are," said the defending champion, Stéphane Peterhansel.

AFP