Current Dakar Rally title holder American Ricky Brabec wasnā€™t holding back in his first contact with the Saudi desert in Dakar 2021.

Brabec set the best time of the 101 motorcycle participants in this edition of the Dakar to become the first leader of the race. The prologue had a factor 4 (time x 4) for the general standings of the race.

“Today was good. Pretty short ā€“ just a ten-kilometre prologue. Nothing to really lose or nothing to gain. Just enough to shake the bugs out of the bike and the body,” said Brabec.

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“Weā€™re now ready for the actual start. Tomorrow we start nice and early. We came away with first and second place in the prologue for me and Joan.

“So tomorrow Joan and I will open the way and hopefully it will go well. Itā€™s a long race but I think strategy will start to play in, but as of now, itā€™s time to get lunch, get the gear off and time to focus.”

Tomorrow sees the first stage of the Dakar 2021, which will be contested entirely on-track between Jeddah and Bisha. Competitors can expect 277 kilometres of special timed out of a 622-kilometre total trek.

The route will pass through several valleys with several sections requiring deft roadbook reading skills. Some of the stony sections could prove detrimental to the tyres.

Yamaha’s Jamie McCanney was the leading Brit in 11th with Sam Sunderland 26th, David Knight finished in 46th and Neil Hawker 57th.

11
(USA) RICKY BRABECMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202100H 06′ 01”
288
(ESP) JOAN BARREDA BORTMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202100H 06′ 07”+ 00H 00′ 06”
321
(AUS) DANIEL SANDERSKTM FACTORY TEAM00H 06′ 14”+ 00H 00′ 13”
418
(BWA) ROSS BRANCHMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM00H 06′ 15”+ 00H 00′ 14”
524
(DEU) SEBASTIAN BƜHLERHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY00H 06′ 17”+ 00H 00′ 16”
67
(USA) ANDREW SHORTMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM00H 06′ 18”+ 00H 00′ 17”
747
(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDESMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202100H 06′ 21”+ 00H 00′ 20”
82
(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLAROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING00H 06′ 23”+ 00H 00′ 22”
93
(AUS) TOBY PRICERED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM00H 06′ 23”+ 00H 00′ 22”
1027
(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUESHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY00H 06′ 24”+ 00H 00′ 23”
1168
(GBR) JAMIE MCCANNEYMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM00H 06′ 24”+ 00H 00′ 23”
1222
(POL) MACIEJ GIEMZAORLEN TEAM00H 06′ 27”+ 00H 00′ 26”
139
(USA) SKYLER HOWESBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM00H 06′ 28”+ 00H 00′ 27”
146
(ARG) FRANCO CAIMIMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM00H 06′ 30”+ 00H 00′ 29”
1577
(ARG) LUCIANO BENAVIDESROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING00H 06′ 30”+ 00H 00′ 29”
1615
(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINOSHERCO FACTORY00H 06′ 32”+ 00H 00′ 31”
1742
(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVERENMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM00H 06′ 33”+ 00H 00′ 32”
1852
(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNERRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM00H 06′ 33”+ 00H 00′ 32”
1912
(FRA) XAVIER DE SOULTRAITHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING00H 06′ 35”+ 00H 00′ 34”
2019
(PRT) RUI GONCALVESSHERCO FACTORY00H 06′ 36”+ 00H 00′ 35”
2111
(SVK) STEFAN SVITKOSLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM00H 06′ 38”+ 00H 00′ 37”
2287
(ESP) ORIOL MENAFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM00H 06′ 39”+ 00H 00′ 38”
2320
(POL) ADAM TOMICZEKORLEN TEAM00H 06′ 41”+ 00H 00′ 40”
2431
(CZE) MARTIN MICHEKORION – MOTO RACING GROUP00H 06′ 41”+ 00H 00′ 40”
254
(CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMOMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202100H 06′ 51”+ 00H 00′ 50”
265
(GBR) SAM SUNDERLANDRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM00H 06′ 55”+ 00H 00′ 54”
2736
(CZE) JAN BRABECSTROJRENT RACING00H 06′ 55”+ 00H 00′ 54”
2817
(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIAFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM00H 06′ 56”+ 00H 00′ 55”
2974
(ESP) JAUME BETRIUFN SPEED – KTM TEAM00H 06′ 56”+ 00H 00′ 55”
3032
(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINAFN SPEED – KTM TEAM00H 06′ 58”+ 00H 00′ 57”
3195
(FRA) XAVIER FLICKXTREM RACING00H 06′ 58”+ 00H 00′ 57”
3244
(ESP) LAIA SANZGAS GAS FACTORY TEAM00H 07′ 03”+ 00H 01′ 02”
3329
(ROU) EMANUEL GYENESAUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM00H 07′ 04”+ 00H 01′ 03”
3454
(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERETEAM BAINES RALLY00H 07′ 04”+ 00H 01′ 03”
3550
(IND) SANTOSH CHUNCHUNGUPPE SHIVASHANKARHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY00H 07′ 06”+ 00H 01′ 05”
3626
(CZE) MILAN ENGELORION – MOTO RACING GROUP00H 07′ 07”+ 00H 01′ 06”
3725
(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGSHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING00H 07′ 08”+ 00H 01′ 07”
3873
(KWT) MOHAMMED JAFFARDUUST RALLY TEAM00H 07′ 12”+ 00H 01′ 11”
3980
(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESSBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM00H 07′ 15”+ 00H 01′ 14”
4063
(POL) KONRAD DABROWSKIDUUST RALLY TEAM00H 07′ 16”+ 00H 01′ 15”
4153
(CZE) LIBOR PODMOLPODMOL DAKAR TEAM00H 07′ 19”+ 00H 01′ 18”
4230
(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKASZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM00H 07′ 20”+ 00H 01′ 19”
4333
(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTILSHERCO FACTORY00H 07′ 20”+ 00H 01′ 19”
4437
(CZE) DAVID PABISKAJANTAR TEAM00H 07′ 21”+ 00H 01′ 20”
4539
(FRA) BENJAMIN MELOTBENJAMIN MELOT00H 07′ 23”+ 00H 01′ 22”
46101
(GBR) DAVID KNIGHTHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING00H 07′ 23”+ 00H 01′ 22”
4741
(CHN) ZAKER YAKPWU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM00H 07′ 28”+ 00H 01′ 27”
4870
(SAU) MISHAL ALGHUNEIMMISHAL ALGHUNEIM00H 07′ 43”+ 00H 01′ 42”
4948
(FRA) MATHIEU DOVEZENOMADE RACING ASSISTANCE00H 07′ 45”+ 00H 01′ 44”
5076
(CZE) ROMAN KREJCIBO!BETON TEAM00H 07′ 48”+ 00H 01′ 47”
5199
(ESP) JAVI VEGA PUERTAPONT GRUP YAMAHA00H 07′ 51”+ 00H 01′ 50”
52142
(ITA) MAURIZIO GERINISOLARYS RACING00H 07′ 51”+ 00H 01′ 50”
5346
(SVN) SIMON MARCICMARCIC00H 07′ 52”+ 00H 01′ 51”
5460
(FRA) STƉPHANE DARQUESM.O.R.AL00H 08′ 07”+ 00H 02′ 06”
5559
(ITA) TIZIANO INTERNORALLY POV00H 08′ 21”+ 00H 02′ 20”
5686
(FRA) CHARLIE HERBSTDRAG’ON RALLY TEAM00H 08′ 23”+ 00H 02′ 22”
5784
(GBR) NEIL HAWKERNEIL HAWKER00H 08′ 24”+ 00H 02′ 23”
5879
(FRA) AMAURY BARATINHORIZON MOTO 9500H 08′ 31”+ 00H 02′ 30”
5965
(ITA) FRANCO PICCOTEAM FRANCO PICCO00H 08′ 32”+ 00H 02′ 31”
6067
(CZE) RUDOLF LHOTSKYJANTAR TEAM00H 08′ 33”+ 00H 02′ 32”

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