Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price set the pace on today’s opening stage of Dakar 2021 which was run over 623km of rocky and sandy terrain.

The rocky nature of the course also made bike preservation a priority, especially with the new-for-2021 tyre rules that allow the top riders a maximum of only six rear tires over the course of the event.

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Ninth fastest in the qualifying Prologue, Price used the first 75km of stage one to slowly build his confidence and speed.

Placing second at kilometer 92, the two-time Dakar champ then moved into the lead, maintaining a strong pace to the finish. Leading the provisional standings by 23 seconds, Price will open Mondayā€™s stage two.

ā€œOverall, the day has gone well. Navigation was certainly tricky today ā€“ it was hard to find the right pistes and valleys and annoyingly I managed to get lost a little bit on the last few kilometers to the finish,” said the former champ.

“Other than a few other little mistakes, the rest of the stage was good. Iā€™m happy with how I looked after the bike and the tires because with the new rules we really have to be careful.

“Looking ahead at the whole race, I think there are going to be some big swings in the standings ā€“ the plan is to try and stay consistent and not lose too much time.

“Iā€™m opening tomorrow so hopefully I wonā€™t make too many big mistakes and we can keep this momentum going.ā€

Monster Honda’s Kevin Benavides was second with a 23-second gap with Mattias Walkner third and Britain’s Sam Sunderland fourth.

Jamie McCanney finished 19th on his Monster Yamaha with reigning champion Ricky Brabec in 24th. David Knight was 37th, four places behind Laia Sanz while Neil Hawker ended in 58th.

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(AUS) TOBY PRICERED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 18′ 26”

247
(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDESMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 18′ 57”+ 00H 00′ 31”
352
(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNERRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 18′ 58”+ 00H 00′ 32”
45
(GBR) SAM SUNDERLANDRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 20′ 29”+ 00H 02′ 03”
515
(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINOSHERCO FACTORY03H 22′ 49”+ 00H 04′ 23”
612
(FRA) XAVIER DE SOULTRAITHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING03H 23′ 01”+ 00H 04′ 35”
76
(ARG) FRANCO CAIMIMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 23′ 14”+ 00H 04′ 48”
89
(USA) SKYLER HOWESBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM03H 23′ 51”+ 00H 05′ 25”
977
(ARG) LUCIANO BENAVIDESROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING03H 26′ 03”+ 00H 07′ 37”00H 01′ 00”
1031
(CZE) MARTIN MICHEKORION – MOTO RACING GROUP03H 26′ 36”+ 00H 08′ 10”
1187
(ESP) ORIOL MENAFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM03H 26′ 55”+ 00H 08′ 29”
127
(USA) ANDREW SHORTMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 27′ 16”+ 00H 08′ 50”
1342
(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVERENMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 28′ 01”+ 00H 09′ 35”
1411
(SVK) STEFAN SVITKOSLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM03H 28′ 05”+ 00H 09′ 39”
1518
(BWA) ROSS BRANCHMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 28′ 13”+ 00H 09′ 47”
164
(CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMOMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 30′ 50”+ 00H 12′ 24”
1717
(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIAFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM03H 31′ 03”+ 00H 12′ 37”
1822
(POL) MACIEJ GIEMZAORLEN TEAM03H 31′ 39”+ 00H 13′ 13”
1968
(GBR) JAMIE MCCANNEYMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 33′ 10”+ 00H 14′ 44”
202
(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLAROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING03H 33′ 56”+ 00H 15′ 30”
2120
(POL) ADAM TOMICZEKORLEN TEAM03H 33′ 56”+ 00H 15′ 30”
2288
(ESP) JOAN BARREDA BORTMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 34′ 05”+ 00H 15′ 39”
2327
(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUESHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY03H 34′ 53”+ 00H 16′ 27”
241
(USA) RICKY BRABECMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 36′ 58”+ 00H 18′ 32”
2521
(AUS) DANIEL SANDERSKTM FACTORY TEAM03H 38′ 17”+ 00H 19′ 51”00H 07′ 00”
2632
(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINAFN SPEED – KTM TEAM03H 43′ 32”+ 00H 25′ 06”
2719
(PRT) RUI GONCALVESSHERCO FACTORY03H 45′ 07”+ 00H 26′ 41”
2836
(CZE) JAN BRABECSTROJRENT RACING03H 45′ 36”+ 00H 27′ 10”
2924
(DEU) SEBASTIAN BƜHLERHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY03H 50′ 20”+ 00H 31′ 54”
3026
(CZE) MILAN ENGELORION – MOTO RACING GROUP03H 53′ 36”+ 00H 35′ 10”
3133
(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTILSHERCO FACTORY03H 54′ 19”+ 00H 35′ 53”
3274
(ESP) JAUME BETRIUFN SPEED – KTM TEAM03H 56′ 29”+ 00H 38′ 03”
3380
(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESSBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM03H 56′ 45”+ 00H 38′ 19”
3444
(ESP) LAIA SANZGAS GAS FACTORY TEAM03H 58′ 18”+ 00H 39′ 52”00H 03′ 00”
3554
(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERETEAM BAINES RALLY03H 59′ 21”+ 00H 40′ 55”
3629
(ROU) EMANUEL GYENESAUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM04H 00′ 20”+ 00H 41′ 54”
37101
(GBR) DAVID KNIGHTHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING04H 02′ 00”+ 00H 43′ 34”
38142
(ITA) MAURIZIO GERINISOLARYS RACING04H 02′ 27”+ 00H 44′ 01”
3937
(CZE) DAVID PABISKAJANTAR TEAM04H 04′ 08”+ 00H 45′ 42”
4030
(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKASZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM04H 04′ 24”+ 00H 45′ 58”
4141
(CHN) ZAKER YAKPWU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM04H 05′ 29”+ 00H 47′ 03”
4239
(FRA) BENJAMIN MELOTBENJAMIN MELOT04H 06′ 52”+ 00H 48′ 26”
4350
(IND) SANTOSH CHUNCHUNGUPPE SHIVASHANKARHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY04H 08′ 21”+ 00H 49′ 55”
4476
(CZE) ROMAN KREJCIBO!BETON TEAM04H 09′ 21”+ 00H 50′ 55”
4595
(FRA) XAVIER FLICKXTREM RACING04H 10′ 04”+ 00H 51′ 38”
4653
(CZE) LIBOR PODMOLPODMOL DAKAR TEAM04H 12′ 24”+ 00H 53′ 58”
4763
(POL) KONRAD DABROWSKIDUUST RALLY TEAM04H 13′ 03”+ 00H 54′ 37”
4825
(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGSHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING04H 13′ 48”+ 00H 55′ 22”
4948
(FRA) MATHIEU DOVEZENOMADE RACING ASSISTANCE04H 15′ 57”+ 00H 57′ 31”
50108
(ESP) MARC CALMETFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM04H 28′ 13”+ 01H 09′ 47”
5146
(SVN) SIMON MARCICMARCIC04H 28′ 35”+ 01H 10′ 09”
5297
(SVK) MARTIN BENKONORWIT RACING04H 40′ 12”+ 01H 21′ 46”
5367
(CZE) RUDOLF LHOTSKYJANTAR TEAM04H 43′ 10”+ 01H 24′ 44”
5486
(FRA) CHARLIE HERBSTDRAG’ON RALLY TEAM04H 44′ 40”+ 01H 26′ 14”
5570
(SAU) MISHAL ALGHUNEIMMISHAL ALGHUNEIM04H 44′ 42”+ 01H 26′ 16”
5679
(FRA) AMAURY BARATINHORIZON MOTO 9504H 45′ 09”+ 01H 26′ 43”
5760
(FRA) STƉPHANE DARQUESM.O.R.AL04H 49′ 04”+ 01H 30′ 38”
5884
(GBR) NEIL HAWKERNEIL HAWKER04H 50′ 25”+ 01H 31′ 59”
59121
(FRA) GUILLAUME BARTHELEMYTEAM RS CONCEPT04H 52′ 45”+ 01H 34′ 19”
6065
(ITA) FRANCO PICCOTEAM FRANCO PICCO04H 52′ 51”+ 01H 34′ 25”
6173
(KWT) MOHAMMED JAFFARDUUST RALLY TEAM05H 02′ 47”+ 01H 44′ 21”
6278
(ITA) CESARE ZACCHETTICESARE ZACCHETTI05H 06′ 59”+ 01H 48′ 33”
6359
(ITA) TIZIANO INTERNORALLY POV05H 07′ 40”+ 01H 49′ 14”
6485
(PRT) ALEXANDRE AZINHAISCLUB AVENTURA TOUAREG05H 09′ 33”+ 01H 51′ 07”
6535
(MEX) JUAN PABLO GUILLEN RIVERANOMADAS ADVENTURE05H 12′ 27”+ 01H 54′ 01”
66125
(FRA) FRƉDƉRIC BARLERINRALLYE FRED05H 19′ 56”+ 02H 01′ 30”
6798
(ESP) SARA GARCIAPONT GRUP YAMAHA05H 23′ 24”+ 02H 04′ 58”
6862
(AUS) ANDREW JOSEPH HOULIHANNOMADAS ADVENTURE05H 25′ 27”+ 02H 07′ 01”
6955
(CHN) ZHAO HONGYIWU PU DA HAI DAO DAKAR RALLY TEAM05H 28′ 08”+ 02H 09′ 42”
7081
(SVK) ERIK VLCAKSLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM05H 36′ 49”+ 02H 18′ 23”
7190
(ITA) FRANCESCO CATANESETUTTOGRU05H 37′ 30”+ 02H 19′ 04”
72107
(ITA) GIOVANNI STIGLIANOTEAM JBRALLY05H 37′ 33”+ 02H 19′ 07”
7393
(ITA) LORENZO PIOLINICARAVANSERRAGLIO RALLY RACING TEAM05H 38′ 31”+ 02H 20′ 05”
74115
(NLD) OLAF HARMSENBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM05H 40′ 07”+ 02H 21′ 41”
75133
(ITA) DAVIDE COMINARDICOMINARDI05H 44′ 31”+ 02H 26′ 05”
7658
(ESP) EDUARDO IGLESIAS SANCHEZFN SPEED – TEAM MONFORTE RALLY05H 44′ 58”+ 02H 26′ 32”
77114
(ESP) ELADIO CARBONELL MENDEZPIKAERAS TEAM05H 46′ 53”+ 02H 28′ 27”
7869
(BEL) WALTER ROELANTSHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING05H 49′ 52”+ 02H 31′ 26”
7999
(ESP) JAVI VEGA PUERTAPONT GRUP YAMAHA05H 50′ 25”+ 02H 31′ 59”
8071
(BHR) SALMAN MOHAMED HUMOOD FARHANHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING06H 02′ 45”+ 02H 44′ 19”

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