Argentinian Kevin Benavides (KTM) won the Dakar Rally, the motorcycle stage, for the second time, after a tight fight for all 15 days of the competition, writes AFP. Romanian Emanuel Dienes finished the competition in 27th place.

Kevin Benavides won the Dakar 2023 rally.

The 34-year-old Argentine, already a winner in 2021, was 43 seconds ahead of Australian Toby Price (KTM). American Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) finished third with a time of 5 minutes and 4 seconds, writes Agerpres.

In a particularly tight game marked by the rejection of title holder Sam Sunderland of Britain right from the first stage on January 1, Benavides, second in the general classification by 12 seconds at the start of the final stage, won at the end of 136 km on Sunday, between Al Khouf and Damman, ahead of former leader Toby Price by 55 seconds, and Chilean Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) was third by 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Emmanuel Gienes, 27th in the Dakar 2023 rally.

Romanian Emanuel Gienes (Autonet Motorcycle Team) finished 21st on Sunday (11 minutes 49 seconds behind the winner) and finished 27th overall, at 07h53 minutes 35 seconds behind the winner.

Sătmărean finished 11th in Rally 2, at 05h. 49 min. 11 sec. giving up the first place to the Frenchman Romain Dumontier.

Emmanuel Guenes took part in the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2007, managing to finish the race in the last edition in Africa. In 2011, he took his first victory in the marathon class (a class where you are not allowed to change a number of components during the two weeks of the race, including the engine and swingarm; this class no longer exists today).

In 2015, he took his second victory in the Marathon class. In 2020, the pilot from Sătămăra won the Original by Motul class and in 2021 he finished second in the Original by Motul class, seven months after a triple fracture of his right leg.