Competing at home, Saleh Alsaif was the strongest in the eighth stage of Dakar 2024 in Challenger on Monday. The Saudi beat the leader of the classification, Mitchell Guthrie.
It was a dominating performance by Alsaif (Dark Horse Team/GRally), who ended up being 3m22s faster than Guthrie (Taurus Factory Team). The third fastest time was by Cristina Gutiérrez (Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team USA by BFG/Taurus), being 3m49s slower. Francisco López Contardo (Can-Am Factory Team) and Nicolas Cavigliasso (Taurus Factory Team) completed the top five.
In the overall classification, there are no major changes: Guthrie remains at the top, now with a 34m03s lead over Gutiérrez, while Contardo is third at 42m51s. Rokas Baciuska (Can-Am Factory Team), in fourth, is already nearly an hour and a half behind the leader, with Austin Jones (Can-Am Factory Team) being the fifth classified. Ricardo Porém (MMP/BRP) remains in sixth place, after another top ten finish with the eighth fastest time of the stage.
Top ten of Stage 8:
Top ten overall:
