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SUPERB 15TH PLACE FINISH FOR LAIA SANZ ON DAKAR RALLY STAGE SIX

GASGAS FACTORY RACING RIDER MOVES INTO TOP 20 OVERALL FOLLOWING STRONG PERFORMANCE AHEAD OF MID-RACE REST DAY

GasGas Factory Racing’s Laia Sanz has reached the midway point of the 2020 Dakar Rally having claimed her best performance of the event so far. Overcoming what was a tough start to the rally, the Spaniard has finished 15th on the second-longest leg of the event from Ha’il to Riyadh and now sits 18th overall aboard her GasGas RC 450F.

• Pushing hard Laia secures her highest finish of the 2020 Dakar Rally
• Following six tough days of racing she sits 18th overall
• Laia will now enjoy a well-earned rest day ahead of 741-kilometre stage seven

Laia Sanz: “Today was a really good day for me. It was hard, but not too difficult. Just really long, and that made it tough. There was a lot of demanding high-speed riding, which needed a lot of concentration. I felt really good from the beginning for the stage and tried to push as much as I could. It was nice because it was not so dusty. The dunes were really cool, a nice stage to finish the first half of the rally. Now I’m looking forward to some rest and then what I am sure will be a tough stage seven.”

After Saturday’s rest day, competitors will face six more days of racing. Leaving the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh and finishing in Wadi Al-Dawasir, stage seven will be a true test of navigation skills. With small dunes scattered along the entire route, the 546-kilometre special is the longest of the 2020 Dakar Rally. Riders will have to remain fully focused to maintain their pace and position in the race.

Provisional results: Dakar Rally 2020, stage 6

  1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:36:28
  2. Joan Barreda (Honda) 4:38:02 +1:34
  3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 4:39:13 +2:45
  4. Laia Sanz (GasGas) 4:59:13 +22:45

Provisional standings: Dakar Rally 2020 (after stage 6)

  1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 23:43:47
  2. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 24:04:43 +20:56
  3. Toby Price (KTM) 24:09:26 +25:39
  4. Laia Sanz (GasGas) 26:20:08 +2:36:21
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