"There's no strategy. It's all for the sake of everything. It's all or nothing." Without hesitation, with conviction, with the confidence that comes with a champion, Kevin Benavides displays his total dedication to the Dakar. He knows that there is no longer any margin for error, or for doubt. The company is not easy, he is far from the forefront, but no one knows better than him what it means to leave his skin in pursuit of his goals.
43 days ago, the 35-year-old rider from Salta suffered a fracture in his left leg, precisely in the preparation he was doing in the United States for the Dakar 2024.
For many, the impossible mission to achieve for the most extreme competition in the world was that utopia that anyone who doesn't know about clinging to illusions and dreams. But Kevin knows a lot about this. His entire campaign mixed great achievements with ferocious blows.
And here is the defender of the last Dakar victory. He showed up, started, won stage 3, and now he becomes the winner of the day again, winning stage 8, from Al Dawadimi to Ha'il.
But Argentina made it 1-2, a strange term in this discipline, but valid because of Kevin's triumph and Luciano's second place, with Husqvarna. A supreme performance for the brothers from Salta.
Stage 8️⃣ - Bikes
🏍Provisional top 3:
🥇 Kevin Benavides Luciano Benavides
🥈
🥉 Adrien van Beveren
🤟 2nd stage win for @kmbenavides at #Dakar2024
Follow the race live 👉https://t.co/BrruP0oEtI pic.twitter.com/vUtFV0j7ew
— DAKAR RALLY (@dakar) January 15, 2024
In any case, Kevin knows that now the hardest part is coming in the fight to defend the success of the previous year. He is in fifth place overall, 20m31s behind the leader, the American Ricky Brabec (Honda).
"We try to do our best and we're going to fight until the end. There is no strategy anymore. I'll go out and do my best," was the forceful affirmation of the elder Benavides, who knows that he has four games left to deduct that 20 eternal minutes.
"The most complicated thing was the dunes at the beginning. They were sandy roads that became more complicated, with parallel lines. In the second sector, the terrain was different, very mountainous. I enjoyed it very much. Luciano and Nacho (Cornejo) did a great job opening the track, so I'm very satisfied," explained the Argentine.
Historic day for Argentina 🤩🇦🇷 1 and 2 Congratulations @kmbenavides on stage pic.twitter.com/JWo7G8P7eF
— Luciano Benavides (@LBenavides77) January 15, 2024
At the front, Brabec took a 42-second lead over Hero's Ross Branch in what looks like a head-to-head fight for next Friday's final victory in Yanbu.
The other Argentines on motorcycles: Diego Llanos, who suffers from a problem in his right arm, is 22nd in the general table; Santiago Rostan from Neuquén, 36th, and Santiago Urquía from Cordoba, 76th.
In quads, the rider from Lobos, in the province of Buenos Aires, Manuel Andújar, conquered the stage again, and now the leader of the specialty is 11 minutes ahead of the Frenchman Alex Giraud.
In cars, Spaniard Carlos Sainz, with Audi, also managed to make a difference to his direct rival, the also former world rally champion Sebastien Loeb, who was delayed at a way point and is now 24m47s behind the leader.
Carlos Sainz's Audi. that leads in cars. Photo: PATRICK HERTZOG / AFP
Juan Cruz Yacopini from Mendoza is 18th overall, after suffering countless mechanical problems with the Overdrive team's vehicle.
In the Challenger category, with the light cars, Nicolás Cavigliasso from Cordoba was fifth in the stage, although he was very far behind in the general classification, after the differential break he suffered on Sunday and which delayed him until he reached the Al Dawadimi camp after midnight.
The Benavides will go for everything. It's not easy, but they don't give up. A characteristic that they have in their skin and that was fundamental for them to achieve the victories in the Dakar, by Kevin, and the world title of the specialty, by Luciano. It's all or nothing. No strategies. In search of the miracle. Or rather, dreams.
Shock at the death of Spaniard Carles Falcón
The Dakar is in mourning. The Spaniard Carles Falcón died after having suffered a very bad accident during the second stage of the competition, which was held last Sunday between the cities of Al Henakiyah and Al Duwadimi.
Falcón had crashed last Sunday in the second stage. Photo: EFE/EPA/Andrew Eaton
Sadly, after being transferred to Spain in critical condition, the TwinTrail Racing Team confirmed his death. In the statement they issued, he expresses the following: "This Monday, January 15, Carles (Falcón) has left us. The medical team has confirmed neurological damage caused by the cardiorespiratory arrest at the time of the accident is irreversible."
"Carles was a smiling person, always active, who passionately enjoyed everything he did, especially the bikes. He has left us doing something that was his dream, racing the Dakar. I was enjoying myself, I was happy on the bike. We should remember him for his smile and for the happiness he generated in everyone," he continued.
"Computer engineer by training. Motorcycle instructor and motorcycle tour guide by passion. There are many who have learned from him. He taught with patience, energy and happiness, he made everyone enjoy the bike. This is what he has left us and we will always keep with us, all of us who have been close to him, family, friends, teammates and fans," the team said.
"From the family and the team we ask, please, that the privacy of the farewell events that take place in the coming days be maintained. Thank you for your understanding," the statement concludes.