Five things we learned from Dakar 2023

The Dakar Rally of 2023 is run and done and will most certainly be remembered for one of the most nail biting finishes we’ve seen in this event for many years. There’s been plenty of key moments, but here are the five defining moments from this year’s event.

Argentina's Kevin Benavides and Australia's Toby Price delivered a Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 1-2 in the Bike category of Dakar 2023. Photo: EPA/Andrew Eaton Credit: Andrew Eaton/EPA

1. The one that got away from Toby

A 12 second lead at the beginning of the stage to a 43 second defeat by his teammate at the end - it’s a Dakar that definitely slipped through the fingers of Toby Price and it hurts. A lot.

Australia'a Toby Price of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing after placing second in the Bike category of Dakar 2023. Photo: EPA/Andrew Eaton Credit: Andrew Eaton/EPA

The Australian and two-time champion did everything right throughout the rally. He played a well calculated, calm and thought out campaign that kept him at the pointy end of each stage throughout and he inherited the lead when it mattered most, with just two days left.

But it all went sour on that final stage. He conceded that 12 second lead that he had at the first checkpoint and then dropped almost two minutes at the halfway point, before managing to retrieve back some time near the end. But the damage was done. Price was struggling to find each of the checkpoints, which cost him all that time he lost. In the end, his Argentinian teammate, Kevin Benavides, won fair and square and deservedly so.

But whilst Toby might be hurting right now and may be for a while, the sentiment back home is one that is very proud of his efforts and for that, he should be congratulated. We’re proud of you Toby.

2. Benavides keep that winning feeling going for Argentina

It’s almost been one month since Lionel Messi and Argentina guided themselves to FIFA World Cup glory against France in nearby Qatar. And now, the South American nation picks up another major sporting trophy in the Dakar, courtesy of Kevin Benavides.

Kevin Benavides celebrates his second Dakar victory. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images) Source: AFP / FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images

The Argentine, who is teammates to Price at KTM, made the most of staying in contention throughout the two weeks alongside the Australian. But the defining moment in the penultimate stage on Saturday, when he stopped at 55 km to tend to fellow KTM factory rider Matthias Walkner, who had injured his back. Benavides spent up to 23 minutes being by Walkner’s side and stayed with the medical crew until the Austrian was airlifted to hospital.

Benavides' request to have his race time adjusted by virtue of his action was thankfully given the all clear by officials, keeping him in the overall mix. From that point on, he rode the rest of the rally as if his very life depended on it.

It paid off massively - he is now a two-time winner of this prestigious rally as his 2023 effort will be one that will be talked about for years to come.

Kevin Benavides is assisted into wearing a traditional "bisht" cloak by Qatari driver Nasser al-Attiyah, as the pair celebrate their Dakar 2023 success. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) Source: AFP / FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images

3. Al-Attiyah makes it five

The cars component of Dakar 2023 was all about Naser Al-Attiayh.

The Qatari driver for Toyota Gazoo fended off every challenge that he faced throughout the entire two weeks of competition and barely raised a sweat in the process.

Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel celebrate after winning the cars component Dakar 2023. Photo: EPA/Andrew Eaton Credit: Andrew Eaton/EPA

From Audi’s three pronged electric hybrid attack to Sebastian Loeb’s perennial attempt to win a maiden Dakar, Al-Attiyah weathered each of the storms from both parties and led all but the opening two days to completely dominate the cars component of this rally.

He would take his fifth win by 80 minutes ahead of Loeb, who again finished the bridesmaid despite his gallant attempts to fight back, followed by standout Brazilian rookie Lucas Moraes in third place.

4. Goczal Jnr snatches the T4 class win, as Baciuska rues a costly final stage

Much like the outright class in the bike component, the T4 Modified Production SSV class went down to the final stage of this year’s event, and it was fought out between two of the rising stars of Rally Raid.

Lithuania’s Rokas Baciuska headed into the final stage with a 3’24” gap on Poland’s Eryk Goczal. Both were running Can-Am buggies and both had been trading blows for much of this rally. But much like what happened to Toby Price, Baciuska’s hopes of an outright win in T4 slipped through his fingers.

Rokas Baciuska was gracious in defeat, after steering issues in the final stages robbed him of outright victory in the T4 class. Photo: ASO/F. Le Floc'h/DPPI

Midway through the 136 km stage, the front gimbal on the steering had failed and the Lithuanian had to spend 25 minutes to repair the issue and make it to the stage finish safely. It effectively ended his chance of winning and handed the outright win to Goczal, who was overcome with emotion at the end of the stage.

Eryk Goczal embraces his father Marek, after finding out he won the T4 class outright. The 18 year old Polish driver became the youngest competitor in the race's history to win a class outright in any discipline. Photo: ASO/F. Le Floc'h/DPPI

He had created Dakar history early in the rally, becoming the youngest competitor to win a stage at 18 years of age, and he's now become the youngest competitor to win outright in the rally's 45 year history.

5. Taylor and Schey brothers make it home

Last but not least, we applaud the gallant efforts of Molly Taylor and the Schey brothers of Peter and Christopher, who have successfully made it to the end of this year’s rally.

For Molly, we had our fingers crossed that a top ten finish in T4 was still possible and headed into the final stage just 9’30” adrift in 12th position. Sadly, the challenge by herself and Andrew Short was derailed by a puncture during the last stage, which extinguished those chances. But they made it to the end of the stage in 21st and would finish 12th outright in the T4 class.

Molly Taylor and Andrew Short overcame a puncture on the final stage to finish 12th outright in T4, eclipsing Molly's previous best result of 14th last year. Photo: Florent Gooden/DPPI/LiveMedia Credit: IPA/Sipa USA

Molly leaves the event not only bettering her previous best finish of 14th from last year, but with a big smile on her face. She is sure to be back better and stronger in 2024.

Peter and Christopher Schey finished 28th outright in the Classic Dakar. Photo: ASO/Photop

Meanwhile in Classic Dakar, the Schey’s objective to make it to the end was successfully accomplished, finishing 28th overall. We offer a massive congratulations to Peter and Chris for ticking off their bucket list achievement.

Catch the final stage highlights tonight from 5pm AEDT on SBS and anytime on SBS On Demand, along with all previous stages of Dakar 2023.