A rising star on two wheels flew through the narrow corners of the desert to the historic city of Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia’s first World Heritage Site, to win stage two of the 2023 Dakar Rally. Mason Klein, KTM’s American rider, debuted his record of victories in the rally, beating the discipline’s heavyweights. With a magnificent display of agility and speed in what Joan Barreda described as one of the toughest special stages he can remember, he announced his candidacy for the Touareg at the age of just 21 and took the lead in the event.
The Honda man from Castellón, who hit his left foot with a stone in the final section, finished sixth, 2.32 minutes behind the winner, and third overall, 2.03 minutes behind the new leader: “That was one of the toughest stages of the last years. More than five hours, with lots of tracks and lots of rocks. In the last few kilometers I hit a rock in the river bed and my toes hurt a lot. I hope it’s not a big deal.” But yes, the definitive diagnosis is difficult to make: fracture of the distal phalanx of the big toe of the left foot.
Ricky Brabec, who started as the leader, was far behind at 5:35 minutes and dropped to sixth place in the table. On a day when the big favorites weren’t shining, Daniel Sanders (GasGas) started playing with strategy. At the finish line, the Austrian admitted he hadn’t pushed to open the track tomorrow. “It was a tough day but I rode very well and then I decided to stop. Tomorrow will be an important day and I decided to go for a little walk. Even if there is a bonus for victory, it is still too early in the race.” Between the penultimate checkpoint and the finish line, a distance of 44 km, he took almost five minutes to drive back.
Sebastian Bühler (Hero) and Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) completed the podium. Klein received a two-minute penalty for exceeding the speed limit, but thankfully he retained the win and the lead. “I followed the others for most of the day, but in the last part they were joking about whether to let me lead or not, so in the end I made my choice and it went well,” commented the young winner. “At the rate my head is going blank, it’s too much for my brain. It’s hard and I don’t know if it’s a question of experience.”
Toby Price (KTM) lamented the “river of stones” the organization put them in, which the day before’s briefing presented the stage as a mere formality. “If you want to survive and reach the finish line, you have to take it a little slow,” he said. After the surprise on the way to Al-Ula, the entourage is beginning to accept the predictions that this will be one of the most challenging Dakars in history. The third stage, 447 km between beautiful lunar landscapes, takes the participants into the mountain area of Ha’il, another enclave known and feared throughout the bivouac.
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