Ebster also celebrates

KTM rider Sanders triumphs in the 47th Dakar Rally

Daniel Sanders is delighted with his triumph at the Dakar Rally.(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

KTM rider Daniel Sanders has won the 47th Dakar Rally for motorcycles. The Australian defended his overall lead on the twelfth stage on Friday in Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia, and won with a lead of 8:50 minutes over the Spaniard Tosha Schareina (Honda). Tyrolean Tobias Ebster finished the final stage in third place on the podium, with the KTM privateer defending his ninth place overall and second place in the Rally2 class.

Ebster, who finished two stages in third place, was 2:13:54 hours behind Sanders in his second Dakar participation. He was around half an hour behind the winner in the Rally2 classification, which was secured by Spanish KTM factory rider Edgar Canet. With his maiden victory, Sanders brought KTM its third success overall since the desert rally has been held in Saudi Arabia. For the Upper Austrians it was their 21st triumph in the Dakar Rally.

Tobias Ebster(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

In the car category, Saudi Arabian local hero Yazeed Al-Rajhi (Toyota) and his German co-driver Timo Gottschalk won for the first time. After 4,982 kilometers, the duo came out on top with a lead of 3:57 minutes over the South Africans Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings, also in a Toyota, while the Swede Mattias Ekström (Ford) finished third, 20:21 minutes behind.