Paulo Goncalves Takes First Dakar Stage Win of 2017
Rennie Scaysbrook | January 13, 2017
Paulo Goncalves Takes First Dakar Stage Win of 2017
The penultimate stage of the 2017 Dakar saw Monster Energy HRC Rally team rider Paulo Goncalves take his first stage win this year, with Red Bull KTM’s Sam Sunderland maintaining his overall lead.
Goncalves finished Stage 12 1 minute, nine seconds clear of HRC teammate Juan Barreda with Frenchman Adrian Van Beveren continuing his good form for the factory Yamaha team to take third for the day.
But despite Honda’s Stage 11 success, it does indeed appear likely Honda will not be putting an end to KTM’s winning streak as Sunderland sits a massive 33 minutes and nine seconds clear of fellow Red Bull KTM teammate and Stage 4 winner, Matthias Walkner with Van Beveren third—the Frenchman just 12 seconds clear of Spaniard Gerard Farres with one stage to go.
Stage 11 was the first of the 2017 Dakar without American HRC factory rider Ricky Brabec, who was forced to retire on Stage 10 following a mechanical issue. Brabec suffered a crash late in the stage and damaged the radiator, and had to be rescued by medical services where he was treated for dehydration and overheating in the scorching 122 Fahrenheit temperatures. He eventually made it back to the bivouac via a tow from another rider.