JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – The Dakar Rally got underway Saturday with the 11-kilometer timed prologue, which determines the starting order for the first full stage on Sunday.
Toyota’s Nasser Al-Attiyah topped the car category, completing the prologue stage in five minutes and 48 seconds. Brian Baragwanath set an identical time to Al-Attiyah and was scored second in his Century Racing CR6 buggy.
Yazeed Al-Rajhi, Jakob Przygonski and Bernhard ten Brinke – all Toyota drivers – were third through fifth in the general classification.
Romain Dumas, a two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans overall winner, struggled and finished 63rd of 64 entries in the car division on the opening day of the Dakar Rally.
America’s Ricky Brabec topped the motorcycle category, completing the prologue in six minutes and one second. Joan Barreda Bort was second, six seconds behind Brabec.
Other prologue stage winners included Alexandre Giroud (Quad), Kris Meeke (lightweight) and Siarhei Viazovich (Truck).
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