On a dramatic first stage proper in Dakar 2024, running from AlUla to Al Henakiyah, 2020 event winner Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) is currently classified in the overall lead, four seconds up on fellow American Mason Klein (KORR Offroad Racing).

Daniel Sanders is best of the two Australians in eighth at 4:53s off the pace on his GasGas Factory Racing, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Toby Price is 14th at 11:58s away from top spot.

However, they are all set to be demoted a position, pending a time compensation of about 25 minutes for Branch after the Hero Motorsports rider stopped to assist Schareina.

UPDATE: Branch time credit 27:04s

The Spaniard was quickest in the Prologue and, in his first Dakar for the factory Monster Energy Honda team, was considered a genuine contender for the crown this year.

However, he is already out of the race after a crash at Kilometre 240 of the 414km special left him with a broken left wrist and shoulder pain.

Branch is currently classified 15th at 15:10s behind Brabec in the overall classification, meaning he would rocket into a lead of around 10 minutes assuming that time is given back to him.

The Botswanan had been leading the stage until then, after which Rally2 rider Michael Docherty (BAS World KTM) took over the ascendancy.

However, Docherty himself would throw away the lead when he too crashed and had to be airlifted to hospital with hip pain.

From there, it was all Brabec, who is the provisional stage winner by 25 seconds over Klein despite the Kove rider scoring 6:21s’ worth of road opener bonuses under the new-for-2024 system.

About half of Price’s time losses came around the time that Schareina crashed, although it is not clear if those two occurrences are connected.

Schareina recounted, according to Spanish sport newspaper Marca, “We were doing a very good stage.

“Around Kilometre 240 in a very slow and safe area, but with some dust, I was trying to pass Toby.

“I hit something with the rear wheel, with the bad luck that I fell and hit my wrist, and we’re out.”

Price is not the only big name outside the overall top 10, with Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Honda) currently 11th, two-time Dakar champion Sam Sunderland (GasGas Factory Racing) 12th, and Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna Factory Racing) 13th.

Stage 2 runs from Al Henakiyah to Al Duwadimi with another long, 463km special, starting with dunes before the pace picks up.

General classification: Bikes Top 10, Updated

16th Toby Price +0:23:20