Price forced into “catch-up game” at Dakar 2024

The Australian moved up one position to seventh in the general classification but is still more than half an hour away from top spot, after setting the third-quickest time on the special between Al-Hofuf and Shubaytah.

Hero Motosports’ Ross Branch is the leader, from three Honda riders and then Price’s KTM team-mate, Kevin Benavides.

“The Honda guys look really strong and Ross looks really strong too on the Hero, so we’ve got our work cut out for us, that’s for sure,” said Price

“At the moment, I’m just making too many mistakes myself.

“All in all, we’re trying to stay in the race as much as we can, but we’ve got to try and play a little bit of a catch-up game now and see how it goes.”

Stage 5 featured the shortest special of Dakar 2024 at just 118km long, but it was also comprised entirely of dunes.

“It was quite tricky,” said Price.

“There was a lot of drops in there. The liaison section part we had would have been quite dangerous in there, so I’m glad they put that in the roadbook.

“After that, it was still just as dangerous, but we got through with a decent pace; missed a couple of drops and got the heart rate up a little bit.

“But all in all, it’s been a good day. We’re here and that’s the main thing because, at this stage, if you push a little bit too hard, it can catch you out.

“All in all, we’re happy.”

Fortunately for the two-time Dakar champion, he not only scrounged back some ground relative to the front-runners; he will also have a favourable starting position for Stage 6.

Under the rules for the inaugural ’48-hour stage’, the RallyGP riders will set off in reverse order of that which they finished in the preceding stage classification.

Price will therefore have the benefit of following the tracks left by 14 others for a two-part stage which features a total special distance of 626km.

It is a very similar story for compatriot Daniel Sanders.

The Red Bull GasGas rider rebounded to eighth overall with a fourth on Stage 5, his best result of the rally to date.

“It was hot out there and the stage was short and fast with a lot of sandy drops,” recounted Sanders.

“I had a couple of small crashes, which tested the old leg out, and it was all good. I felt great on the bike today, too.

“It’s the big stage up next and I hope the weather is a little bit cooler than today because it’s going to be a long day.”