Red Bull KTM’s Toby Price has taken charge of day three at Dakar 21, leading the stage by one minute and 16s from Kevin Benavides.

Starting down in 29th was always going to be tough for Price, with the KTM 450-mounted rider having to catch and pass several rivals ahead in order to make up time. Using his formidable cross-country rally experience, the Australian was able to push hard right from the off, making light work of the tricky-to-navigate dunes near the start of the stage, before subsequently making up even more ground on the faster, desert tracks towards the finish.

Clawing back valuable minutes on his competitors and claiming a 13th career Dakar stage win, Toby now sits third in the provisional overall standings, less than one minute down on the current leader.

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ā€œEverything went well today ā€“ no crashes, the bike has been good, and I was able to find a good rhythm. Itā€™s great to win another stage, but itā€™s a bit like a yoyo at the moment ā€“ itā€™s difficult to lead a stage out from the front as you can lose a lot of time, and then you have to push hard the next day to make it all up again.

“Hopefully one day weā€™ll catch a bit of a break, the navigation wonā€™t be too tough, and I can stretch things out from the front. Right now, every day is crucial, and I think if it carries on like this, with everyone staying fit and their bikes working good, the battle for the win is going to go down to the very last day.ā€

Price’s British team-mate Sam Sunderland finished the stage in fifth place with Yamaha’s Jamie McCanney in 14th. David Knight came home in 37th, 11 behind Laia Sanz in 26th while reigning champion Ricky Brabec was one place ahead of her.

13
(AUS) TOBY PRICERED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 33′ 23”
247
(ARG) KEVIN BENAVIDESMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 34′ 39”+ 00H 01′ 16”
352
(AUT) MATTHIAS WALKNERRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 35′ 59”+ 00H 02′ 36”
49
(USA) SKYLER HOWESBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM03H 39′ 39”+ 00H 06′ 16”
55
(GBR) SAM SUNDERLANDRED BULL KTM FACTORY TEAM03H 41′ 47”+ 00H 08′ 24”
612
(FRA) XAVIER DE SOULTRAITHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING03H 42′ 13”+ 00H 08′ 50”
76
(ARG) FRANCO CAIMIMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 43′ 27”+ 00H 10′ 04”
821
(AUS) DANIEL SANDERSKTM FACTORY TEAM03H 44′ 45”+ 00H 11′ 22”
919
(PRT) RUI GONCALVESSHERCO FACTORY03H 45′ 42”+ 00H 12′ 19”
104
(CHL) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMOMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 46′ 32”+ 00H 13′ 09”
1122
(POL) MACIEJ GIEMZAORLEN TEAM03H 47′ 34”+ 00H 14′ 11”
1277
(ARG) LUCIANO BENAVIDESROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING03H 47′ 59”+ 00H 14′ 36”
1315
(ESP) LORENZO SANTOLINOSHERCO FACTORY03H 48′ 19”+ 00H 14′ 56”
1468
(GBR) JAMIE MCCANNEYMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 48′ 50”+ 00H 15′ 27”
1587
(ESP) ORIOL MENAFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM03H 49′ 20”+ 00H 15′ 57”
1642
(FRA) ADRIEN VAN BEVERENMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 49′ 45”+ 00H 16′ 22”
1718
(BWA) ROSS BRANCHMONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA RALLY TEAM03H 49′ 47”+ 00H 16′ 24”
1827
(PRT) JOAQUIM RODRIGUESHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY03H 49′ 51”+ 00H 16′ 28”
1931
(CZE) MARTIN MICHEKORION – MOTO RACING GROUP03H 50′ 26”+ 00H 17′ 03”
2036
(CZE) JAN BRABECSTROJRENT RACING03H 50′ 30”+ 00H 17′ 07”
2124
(DEU) SEBASTIAN BƜHLERHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY03H 51′ 26”+ 00H 18′ 03”
2211
(SVK) STEFAN SVITKOSLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM03H 51′ 37”+ 00H 18′ 14”
232
(CHL) PABLO QUINTANILLAROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING03H 52′ 38”+ 00H 19′ 15”
2474
(ESP) JAUME BETRIUFN SPEED – KTM TEAM03H 53′ 01”+ 00H 19′ 38”
251
(USA) RICKY BRABECMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 55′ 02”+ 00H 21′ 39”
2644
(ESP) LAIA SANZGAS GAS FACTORY TEAM03H 56′ 00”+ 00H 22′ 37”
2733
(IND) HARITH NOAH KOITHA VEETTILSHERCO FACTORY03H 56′ 41”+ 00H 23′ 18”
2817
(ESP) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIAFN SPEED – RIEJU TEAM03H 56′ 46”+ 00H 23′ 23”
2954
(FRA) CAMILLE CHAPELIERETEAM BAINES RALLY03H 57′ 48”+ 00H 24′ 25”
3088
(ESP) JOAN BARREDA BORTMONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM 202103H 58′ 12”+ 00H 24′ 49”
3132
(ESP) TOSHA SCHAREINAFN SPEED – KTM TEAM03H 58′ 25”+ 00H 25′ 02”
32142
(ITA) MAURIZIO GERINISOLARYS RACING03H 59′ 24”+ 00H 26′ 01”
3320
(POL) ADAM TOMICZEKORLEN TEAM04H 00′ 13”+ 00H 26′ 50”
3425
(NLD) PAUL SPIERINGSHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING04H 00′ 15”+ 00H 26′ 52”
3526
(CZE) MILAN ENGELORION – MOTO RACING GROUP04H 01′ 15”+ 00H 27′ 52”
3650
(IND) SANTOSH CHUNCHUNGUPPE SHIVASHANKARHERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY04H 04′ 15”+ 00H 30′ 52”
37101
(GBR) DAVID KNIGHTHT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING04H 12′ 06”+ 00H 38′ 43”
3880
(AUS) MICHAEL BURGESSBAS DAKAR KTM RACING TEAM04H 12′ 08”+ 00H 38′ 45”
3976
(CZE) ROMAN KREJCIBO!BETON TEAM04H 12′ 46”+ 00H 39′ 23”
4030
(LTU) ARUNAS GELAZNINKASZIGMAS DAKAR TEAM04H 13′ 47”+ 00H 40′ 24”