Rest day is over. The bikes are starting now. Petrux starts 41 today.
07:47 Moto: Sanders out
Daniel Sanders was supposed to open the stage to Ad-Dawadimi this morning, but he did not show up at the start. The winner of stages 1 and 6 appears to have crashed in the liaison. The first reports are reassuring and speak of an injured left arm. He received immediate assistance and has been taken to hospital. It is a crushing blow for GasGas, which is now down to just one man, Sam Sunderland, just like Husqvarna after Skyler Howes's withdrawal. The arduous task of opening the way now falls upon the Brit.
07:58 Moto: Arūnas Gelažninkas still in control
In the Original by Motul class for bikers racing without support crews, reigning champion Arūnas Gelažninkas leads Milan Engel and South African rookie Charan Moore. Two regular fixtures, 'Benji' Melot and Romanian Emanuel Gyenes, who was runner-up last year after winning the 2020 edition, round out the top 5.
08:36 Moto: Picco flies the flag for Fantic
Sitting in 76th place overall, Franco Picco was the 101st biker out of the starting blocks this morning. The 66-year-old Italian is riding the only Fantic in the rally. The Italian constructor presented its Yamaha-based 450 XEF Rally at the EICMA show. Twice second (1988 and 1989) and five times in the top 5 of the Dakar between 1985 and 1990, Picco has 10 stage wins to his name.
