Edgar Canet, 19 years old, the youngest driver of the Dakar 2025, the youngest in history in an official team (KTM), the chosen one, is on the way out. The one from La Garriga impressed again with a superb second place in the 7th stage (Al Duwadimi-Al Duwadimi, 419 km timed), being the only one who held off the leader, a solid Daniel Sanders (KTM), who took the fifth stage victory, something that no one had achieved in 9 years, since his countryman Toby Price in 2016. A victory that allows the Australian to keep all his pursuers at bay. And a second place for Canet that consolidates him as the great promise for the future.
In less than half of Dakar, Canet, at 19 years old, having only competed in one season in rally-raids (he comes from motocross), has earned everyone’s respect. The kid has blended in with the race, he is on friendly terms with the greats, he is improving day by day. On Ha’il’s day of rest, while the Spanish family in the caravan was tasting Nandu Jubany’s paella, he sought advice from his godfather Nani Roma to be better, how to deal with the cold, with the pee that bothers him, with the reading of the roadbook…
What does not come in any help book nor can your teacher teach you is how to manage a crazy day: rain on the 180 km link – “We arrived frozen at the beginning of the stage,” he confessed –, being left without the tablet data to follow the route in the first kilometer, and having to stand for an hour and a half, with the rhythm broken, until the organization has replaced the roadbook.
I have a brutal feeling for the stages from now on, so let’s take advantage of it”
“From the beginning I had a problem with the tablet, which went crazy, it started beeping, but following the lines of other drivers I reached the first refueling point at km 89 of the roadbook. There they told me to wait for them to change it, that they were stopping my time. I have been stopped for an hour and a half. But afterwards I felt very good on the bike and enjoyed the rest of the special,” said the boy, who forgot about the pain in his hand and lower back from the fall in the previous stage, and reached the finish line second, just 3m36s behind. of Sanders. He passed his hand over the faces of the Schareina (3rd), Van Beveren (4th) or Brabec (10th).
“I have a feeling brutal for the stages from now on, so let’s take advantage of it,” the young Catalan driver is encouraged, who consolidates his 10th place overall, and his leadership in the Rally2 subcategory.
Sanders, leader from day one, continues to impress with his solidity: he has won all the stages in which he did not have to start first opening the track. Today he won’t be able to do it… But he has moved Schareina 15m away, Van Beveren 26m away, and Brabec 33m away.
Cars
Check on Henk Lategan’s leadership: Al Rajhi is on his heels, 21 seconds behind, and Ekström at 10 minutes
In cars, yesterday was Ford’s day, which was finally able to show off the power of its Raptor. The Toyota of Moraes and Armand Monleon won the stage – they made up for their mechanical problems from the day before – and the Fords took second place with Ekström and third with Guthrie. The Swede takes a giant step in the general standings, placing himself just 10m25s behind the leader, Henk Lategan in check after his 15th place.
The South African lost 8 minutes to Nasser Al Attiyah (4th of the day), now 22m away, and 7 minutes to Al Rahji, who is just 21 seconds behind the leader.
Pau Navarro continues to be the best Spaniard, 25th. Nani Roma, 19th, and Isidre Esteve, 20th, stood out, their best stage result this Dakar 2025.
Source: www.lavanguardia.com
