2023 Dakar Rally Is Over, And We Have A New Champion

It was the closest Dakar Rally that many of us can remember, coming down to a matter of seconds in the final stage. KTM factory rider Kevin Benavides took the victory. It was his second; he also won 2021’s race on a Honda. He was less than a minute ahead of teammate Toby Price—and Price said that Benavides might not have passed him on the last day, were it not for the race organizers futzing around with the waypoint system.

What, the ASO is being blamed for messing things up, again? Nothing new there, and the Parisian arrogance with which the organizers dismiss most complaints has to be pretty galling. But if you sign up for the Dakar Rally, you should know you’re also signing to race under the ASO’s rules and management, and if that means you get a tank of contaminated gasoline (which happened to some front-runners this year, again)—well, you’ve got to suck it up and carry on. You don’t have to like it, you just have to put up with it, if you want to challenge the world’s biggest motor race.

Same goes for the ASO’s announcement that the Dakar Rally will return to Saudi Arabia annually until 2030. Some people don’t like the Saudi Arabian regime’s laws, other people think the idea of running this rally raid inside a single country is a lame departure from the race’s history. Doesn’t matter—you want to race the Dakar, you’ve got to put up with it.

Anyway. Back to the racing! After Australian Price got second, third went to Skyler Howes (Husqvarna factory team). It’s a massive achievement for the mustachioed American rider, as he literally sold everything he owned to pay for his privateer ride only a couple of years back. Now he is a constant top-five threat at the rally, and is probably going to challenge for the championship for the next few years.

Although, the competition is harder than ever. Along with savvy veterans like Pablo Quintanilla and Adrien Van Beveren, who earned fourth and fifth for Honda, there are up-and-coming kids like Daniel Sanders (GasGas) and Mason Klein (Bas World privateer team). Every year it seems there’s a newcomer who has blistering speed; as more of these riders figure out the navigation and pacing necessary to win, the top-10 will be very crowded in years to come.

What about Gareth Jones, the Welsh ex-pat who rode under a Canadian flag this year? Mister Jones was 73rd overall, spending a lot of time riding with IOMTT racer James Hillier, who fancied a stab at the Dakar this year. Well-done on both of them, but especially Jones, as it’s been some time since a Canadian raced and finished Dakar.

Finally, props to the Kove factory team. After a couple of lean years, it seems the secondary factory teams (Sherco, Hero, etc.) are getting to the point where they can challenge Dakar’s top squads again, but Kove went into Dakar with low expectations from most onlookers. Using made-in-China 450s, the three-man team explicitly went into the race only focused on completion, not competition—but as the race went on and the bikes held up, it turned out that the riders were competitive as well, with Sunier Sunier ending in 46th overall. If Kove comes back to the race next year, they’ll have a lot of valuable experience to build on, and who knows? Maybe they’ll turn out to be a threat in years to come.

2023 Dakar Rally final results

Pos.	N°	Exp.	Drive-Team	Team	Time	Variation	Penality
1	47		(arg) KEVIN BENAVIDES	RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING	44h 27′ 20”		00h 03′ 00”
2	8		(aus) TOBY PRICE	RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING	44h 28′ 03”	+ 00h 00′ 43”	00h 01′ 00”
3	10		(usa) SKYLER HOWES	HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	44h 32′ 24”	+ 00h 05′ 04”	00h 01′ 00”
4	7		(chl) PABLO QUINTANILLA	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM	44h 46′ 22”	+ 00h 19′ 02”	00h 02′ 00”
5	42		(fra) ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM	44h 47′ 50”	+ 00h 20′ 30”
6	77		(arg) LUCIANO BENAVIDES	HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING	44h 50′ 02”	+ 00h 22′ 42”	00h 01′ 00”
7	18		(aus) DANIEL SANDERS	RED BULL GASGAS FACTORY RACING	44h 53′ 17”	+ 00h 25′ 57”	00h 07′ 00”
8	11		(chl) JOSE IGNACIO CORNEJO FLORIMO	MONSTER ENERGY HONDA TEAM	45h 18′ 41”	+ 00h 51′ 21”
9	15		(esp) LORENZO SANTOLINO	SHERCO FACTORY	45h 45′ 13”	+ 01h 17′ 53”	00h 15′ 00”
10	33		(arg) FRANCO CAIMI	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	46h 05′ 24”	+ 01h 38′ 04”	00h 01′ 00”
11	12		(cze) MARTIN MICHEK	ORION – MOTO RACING GROUP	46h 09′ 44”	+ 01h 42′ 24”
12	142		(svk) STEFAN SVITKO	SLOVNAFT RALLY TEAM	46h 18′ 02”	+ 01h 50′ 42”
13	68		(esp) TOSHA SCHAREINA	BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM	46h 22′ 06”	+ 01h 54′ 46”	00h 15′ 00”
14	17		(fra) ROMAIN DUMONTIER	TEAM DUMONTIER RACING	46h 31′ 44”	+ 02h 04′ 24”	00h 16′ 00”
15	46		(ita) PAOLO LUCCI	BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM	47h 03′ 58”	+ 02h 36′ 38”
16	111		(zaf) MICHAEL DOCHERTY	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	47h 48′ 27”	+ 03h 21′ 07”	00h 15′ 00”
17	76		(fra) JEANLOUP LEPAN	NOMADE RACING	48h 04′ 31”	+ 03h 37′ 11”
18	114		(fra) NEELS THERIC	RS COMCEPT	48h 37′ 05”	+ 04h 09′ 45”
19	83		(fra) JULIEN JAGU	DRAG’ON RALLY TEAM	48h 38′ 16”	+ 04h 10′ 56”	00h 01′ 00”
20	14		(deu) SEBASTIAN BÜHLER	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	48h 42′ 33”	+ 04h 15′ 13”	00h 05′ 00”
21	31		(fra) MATHIEU DOVEZE	NOMADE RACING	48h 45′ 41”	+ 04h 18′ 21”	00h 06′ 00”
22	96		(usa) JACOB ARGUBRIGHT	DUUST RALLY TEAM	48h 49′ 16”	+ 04h 21′ 56”	00h 02′ 00”
23	48		(esp) JOAN PEDRERO GARCIA	TEAM LS2 SHAD	48h 56′ 31”	+ 04h 29′ 11”	00h 06′ 00”
24	53		(svn) TONI MULEC	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	49h 47′ 49”	+ 05h 20′ 29”	00h 21′ 00”
25	37		(arg) STEFANO CAIMI	BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM	50h 44′ 23”	+ 06h 17′ 03”
26	16		(bwa) ROSS BRANCH	HERO MOTOSPORTS TEAM RALLY	51h 26′ 33”	+ 06h 59′ 13”	00h 15′ 00”
27	34		(rou) EMANUEL GYENES	AUTONET MOTORCYCLE TEAM	52h 20′ 55”	+ 07h 53′ 35”
28	40		(zaf) CHARAN MOORE	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	52h 24′ 42”	+ 07h 57′ 22”	00h 15′ 00”
29	39		(fra) BENJAMIN MELOT	TEAM ESPRIT KTM	52h 25′ 35”	+ 07h 58′ 15”
30	99		(esp) JAVI VEGA	PONT GRUP YAMAHA	52h 45′ 43”	+ 08h 18′ 23”	00h 01′ 00”
31	24		(cze) JAN BRABEC	STROJRENT RACING	53h 03′ 18”	+ 08h 35′ 58”
32	36		(bel) JEROME MARTINY	TEAM DUMONTIER RACING	53h 25′ 20”	+ 08h 58′ 00”
33	86		(fra) CHARLIE HERBST	TEAM ALL TRACKS	53h 41′ 58”	+ 09h 14′ 38”
34	43		(prt) MARIO PATRAO	CREDIT AGRICOLA – MARIO PATRAO MOTOSPORT	53h 55′ 24”	+ 09h 28′ 04”	00h 04′ 00”
35	25		(are) MOHAMMED BALOOSHI	MX RIDE DUBAI	54h 21′ 38”	+ 09h 54′ 18”	00h 15′ 00”
36	45		(cze) DAVID PABISKA	SP MOTO BOHEMIA RACING TEAM	55h 44′ 56”	+ 11h 17′ 36”	00h 09′ 00”
37	35		(chl) PATRICIO CABRERA	RIEJU TEAM	55h 47′ 24”	+ 11h 20′ 04”
38	95		(ven) NICOLAS ALBERTO CARDONA VAGNONI	PEDREGA TEAM	56h 24′ 24”	+ 11h 57′ 04”	00h 01′ 00”
39	151		(fra) ALEXANDRE GIROUD	YAMAHA RACING – SMX – DRAG’ON	56h 44′ 30”	+ 12h 17′ 10”	00h 15′ 00”
40	93		(dnk) THOMAS KONGSHOJ	JOYRIDE RACE SERVICE	57h 01′ 57”	+ 12h 34′ 37”	00h 03′ 00”
41	120		(nld) WESLEY AALDERING	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	57h 15′ 40”	+ 12h 48′ 20”	00h 37′ 00”
42	129		(fra) DAVID GAITS	HAPPYNESS RACING IGOA MOTO	57h 18′ 29”	+ 12h 51′ 09”	00h 17′ 00”
43	137		(fra) MATHIEU TROQUIER	NOMADE RACING	57h 22′ 06”	+ 12h 54′ 46”	00h 13′ 00”
44	106		(fra) BERTRAND GAVARD	TEAM RS CONCEPT	57h 22′ 43”	+ 12h 55′ 23”
45	154		(arg) FRANCISCO MORENO FLORES	DRAGON	57h 27′ 41”	+ 13h 00′ 21”
46	89		(chn) SUNIER SUNIER	KOVE RALLY TEAM	57h 41′ 30”	+ 13h 14′ 10”	00h 20′ 00”
47	87		(ita) LORENZO MARIA FANOTTOLI	TECNOSPORT	57h 58′ 06”	+ 13h 30′ 46”	00h 28′ 00”
48	163		(usa) PABLO COPETTI	DEL AMO MOTORSPORTS BY MOTUL	58h 37′ 25”	+ 14h 10′ 05”	00h 30′ 00”
49	44		(nld) MIRJAM POL	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	58h 42′ 25”	+ 14h 15′ 05”
50	50		(svn) SIMON MARCIC	MARCIC	58h 46′ 18”	+ 14h 18′ 58”	00h 32′ 00”
51	57		(gbr) MAKIS DEWI REES-STAVROS	STAVROS	59h 14′ 03”	+ 14h 46′ 43”	00h 21′ 00”
52	88		(fra) CÉDRIC JACQUES	RS COMCEPT	59h 18′ 26”	+ 14h 51′ 06”	00h 34′ 00”
53	153		(svk) JURAJ VARGA	VARGA MOTORSPORT TEAM	59h 35′ 52”	+ 15h 08′ 32”	00h 48′ 00”
54	41		(chl) TOMAS DE GAVARDO	BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM	59h 43′ 36”	+ 15h 16′ 16”	00h 31′ 00”
55	55		(chn) ZAKEER YAKEFU	WU PU DA HAI DAO RALLY TEAM	59h 53′ 42”	+ 15h 26′ 22”	00h 01′ 00”
56	71		(kwt) ABDULLAH AL SHATTI	MX RIDE DUBAI	60h 38′ 20”	+ 16h 11′ 00”	00h 47′ 00”
57	166		(chl) GIOVANNI ENRICO	ENRICO RACING TEAM	61h 41′ 41”	+ 17h 14′ 21”	00h 41′ 00”
58	60		(gtm) FRANCISCO ARREDONDO	BAS WORLD KTM RACING TEAM	61h 43′ 56”	+ 17h 16′ 36”	00h 01′ 00”
59	63		(usa) PETR VLCEK	DETYENS RACING	61h 45′ 17”	+ 17h 17′ 57”	00h 02′ 00”
60	74		(fra) MICHAEL JACOBI	COMAS MOTO VTA	62h 32′ 18”	+ 18h 04′ 58”	01h 33′ 00”
61	100		(zaf) STUART GREGORY	STUART GREGORY	63h 15′ 41”	+ 18h 48′ 21”	00h 37′ 00”
62	110		(fra) PIERRE PEYRARD	NOMADE RACING TEAM	63h 28′ 57”	+ 19h 01′ 37”
63	128		(fra) CLÉMENT RAZY	RAZY CLEMENT	63h 31′ 56”	+ 19h 04′ 36”	00h 45′ 00”
64	49		(ita) CESARE ZACCHETTI	TEAM LUCKY EXPLORER	64h 18′ 18”	+ 19h 50′ 58”
65	131		(esp) SERGIO VAQUERO	KTM NAMURA BIKES	64h 55′ 06”	+ 20h 27′ 46”	00h 01′ 00”
66	164		(esp) TONI VINGUT	VISIT SANT ANTONI – IBIZA	65h 22′ 32”	+ 20h 55′ 12”	00h 15′ 00”
67	85		(chn) DENG LIANSONG	KOVE RALLY TEAM	65h 36′ 52”	+ 21h 09′ 32”	00h 01′ 00”
68	61		(chn) ZHAO HONGYI	WU PU DA HAI DAO RALLY TEAM	65h 59′ 11”	+ 21h 31′ 51”
69	132		(esp) JAVIER SAN JOSE YETOR	PEDREGA TEAM	66h 46′ 00”	+ 22h 18′ 40”	00h 18′ 00”
70	117		(ita) OTTAVIO MISSONI	RS MOTO RACING	66h 46′ 48”	+ 22h 19′ 28”
71	90		(zaf) KIRSTEN LANDMAN	ASP ROPE ACCESS INTERNATIONAL	67h 37′ 08”	+ 23h 09′ 48”
72	67		(ita) FRANCO PICCO	FANTIC RALLY TEAM	68h 07′ 32”	+ 23h 40′ 12”	00h 18′ 00”
73	122		(can) GARETH JONES	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	69h 01′ 44”	+ 24h 34′ 24”	00h 39′ 00”
74	121		(zaf) STEVAN WILKEN	HT RALLY RAID HUSQVARNA RACING	69h 24′ 50”	+ 24h 57′ 30”	02h 10′ 00”
75	118		(fra) BENJAMIN LEPELLEY	TEAM DUMONTIER RACING	69h 53′ 48”	+ 25h 26′ 28”	01h 18′ 00”
76	80		(gbr) JAMES MARTYN HILLIER	RICH ENERGY OMG RACING LTD	70h 05′ 40”	+ 25h 38′ 20”	06h 16′ 00”
77	81		(chn) FANG MINGJI	KOVE RALLY TEAM	72h 43′ 22”	+ 28h 16′ 02”	00h 02′ 00”
78	125		(ita) IADER GIRALDI	SOLARYS RACING	74h 42′ 28”	+ 30h 15′ 08”	00h 33′ 00”
79	162		(ltu) LAISVYDAS KANCIUS	STORY RACING S.R.O.	76h 00′ 23”	+ 31h 33′ 03”	10h 31′ 00”
80	109		(fra) KÉVIN DURAND	RS MOTO RACING TEAM	76h 11′ 04”	+ 31h 43′ 44”	00h 38′ 00”
81	29		(arg) DIEGO GAMALIEL LLANOS	RIEJU-XRAIDSEXPERIENCE	78h 08′ 50”	+ 33h 41′ 30”	21h 48′ 00”
82	51		(esp) RACHID AL-LAL LAHADIL	MELILLA SPORT CAPITAL	78h 19′ 50”	+ 33h 52′ 30”	00h 06′ 00”
83	116		(esp) FERNANDO DOMINGUEZ	DIPUTACION DE CUENCA	81h 10′ 46”	+ 36h 43′ 26”
84	158		(arg) CARLOS ALEJANDRO VERZA	VERZA RALLY TEAM	81h 35′ 00”	+ 37h 07′ 40”
85	105		(usa) MORRISON HART	AMERICAN RALLY ORIGINALS	85h 45′ 15”	+ 41h 17′ 55”	00h 31′ 00”
86	159		(bra) MARCELO MEDEIROS	TAGUATUR RACING TEAM	86h 47′ 55”	+ 42h 20′ 35”	18h 37′ 00”
87	169		(arg) ALEJANDRO FANTONI	DRAG’ON	94h 47′ 16”	+ 50h 19′ 56”	10h 36′ 00”
88	58		(chn) ZHANG MIN	WU PU DA HAI DAO RALLY TEAM	106h 23′ 33”	+ 61h 56′ 13”	39h 15′ 00”
89	130		(ita) EUFRASIO ANGHILERI	RS MOTO RACING	121h 26′ 54”	+ 76h 59′ 34”	38h 25′ 00”
90	133		(esp) RUBEN SALDAÑA GOÑI	PEDREGA TEAM	200h 01′ 13”	+ 155h 33′ 53”	120h 31′ 00”