The Australians both finished in the top 10 after 28km of special running, GasGas rider Sanders 12 seconds off the pace in second place and his two-time Dakar champion compatriot in eighth on his KTM.

The Prologue around AlUla was deliberately chosen to be challenging, with plenty of rocks and sand.

However, making matters even more difficult for the Bikes competitors was they fact that they were not opening the road, with the Mission 1000 category for alternate-powered vehicles given the honour of going first.

Sanders, who came into Dakar 2024 under something of a fitness cloud after breaking a femur last May, said, “We were very nervous and it was good to get through.

“The first Prologue was really rough and tough with a lot of traffic in front of us. it wasn’t normally like the smooth line with 10 or 15 bikes; it was 180 vehicles in front of us so it was really broken and it was hard.

“It was really hard to focus on the roadbook, but I just tried to push the tracks as much as possible and try not to get lost.

“I made one mistake near the finish with five kays to go, so I lose some seconds here, but just try to bring it home safe after that.”

Price remarked, “For sure, it was a good warm-up.

“I made a little mistake at the 20 kay mark there and I went around this valley and I had to come back, so I think I lost probably 20, 30 seconds there.

“It’s only Day 1, at the moment it looks like we’re seventh, so we’ll get to pick a spot and then make a game plan from there, just wait and see.”

Price will be 12th on the road for Stage 1, Prologue winner Tosha Schareina (Honda) 17th, and Sanders 19th in the 22-strong RallyGP class after riders made their selections.

Mason Klein (Kove) is due first out at 07:45 local time/15:45 AEDT.