Dakar 2023: Rest day - Truck leader Loprais under pressure

Is it time for destiny to tip in favour of Aleš Loprais, 17 years after his first participation on the Dakar as navigator for his uncle Karel, one of the category’s genuine legends, with six wins behind the wheel of his Tatra truck? His nephew finished 3rd on the last Dakar in Africa in 2007, but has never regained this level, even if he has finished in respectable positions behind the Russian and Dutch armadas (5th in 2019 and 2021, for example).
This year, the absence of the title holders has made it possible to witness a confrontation between the differences of the Czech and Dutch schools. The contest has been dominated by Aleš Loprais, who took the lead at the rally’s summit following his victory on the second stage. He will have to be watchful, however, because the heir to his uncle has not yet got rid of the many threats that could disrupt his plans for outright victory. Martin van den Brink lies only 16 minutes behind, which is nothing in the truck category.
There is also a change in the guard in this category, with emerging generations coming through. For the Czechs, Martin Macík boasts the status of having the largest number of wins on specials on this edition of the Dakar (3 stages and the prologue), even if he only occupies 5th place in the general rankings. Van den Brink junior, namely Mitch, has, at the tender age of 20 years, become the youngest stage winner in the category, while Janus Van Kasteren, the shining hope of the De Rooy team, has also joined the club of stage winners and occupies 3rd position on the rest day. The young upstarts are making one hell of a splash!

Source: A.S.O. / Dakar
Photo: A.S.O./F.Le Floc'h/DPPI