After another two tough stages in the 2019 Dakar Rally, Hillston’s Toby Price is still well in the hunt to pick up his second title in the challenging endurance event.
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He started the fourth stage sitting just over 15 minutes behind the first placed Pablo Quintanilla. Price was able to shrink that lead substantially with a third-place finish on the fourth stage while Quintanilla finished well down the pack in 14th.
The Australian’s podium finish in the stage saw him jump into third in the general classification and shave off over 10 minutes in his gap to the leader which also changed with American Ricky Brabec taking over.
At the end of the stage, Price admitted that it had been a tricky stage.
“It was a long stage, and a lot of it was made up of rocky tracks and rivers, they are the worst for my wrist,” he said on his Facebook page.
“I did have one get-off along the way but luckily not too bad. I’m not comfortable but it is the way it is, and I have to work around it.”
Stage five saw the riders cover a massive 776km and while Price finished the stage in ninth, he was able to shave off another minute to be sitting three minutes and 21 seconds behind first place. Price was pleased with his pace across the tricky stage.
“Starting in groups of 10 on the beach means that you not only have to fight for position with other riders, you have to keep an eye on your navigation while dodging the rocks and dust thrown up by the guys in front,” he said.
“My pace today was good, but I cased out on one drop and that put a lot of strain through my wrist again. I was able to continue, but I am really thankful for the rest day now.”
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