The 2019 Dakar Rally is nearing its completion with only the final tenth stage remaining. Stage 9 was a loop comprising of 313km featuring a unique mass start format where riders began the start of the stage in batches of 10. Exploring the Ica desert, the first 80km comprised of a dunes sector which later transitioned into a series of coastal dunes. The final 100 kilometres again had another sequence of dunes with three enormous massifs that riders had also to take into account. Here's a photo gallery of the action during Stage 9 of the rally.
Daniel Nosiglia Jager riding motorcycle no. 28 completed Stage 9 in second position which allowed him to progress from thirteenth position to tenth position in the overall ranking of the rally.
The Metge brothers representing TVS Sherco Factory Racing Team and Joaquim Rodrigues riding for Hero MotoSports Team Rally caught in action during the mass start section of the Stage 9. Michael Metge managed to clock the fastest timing which resulted in him winning the stage.
Oriol Mena, fourth from the left, managed to complete Stage 9 in seventh position which earned him a ninth overall ranking.
Patricio Cabrera from Kawasaki Chile Cidef team making his way over the dunes on his Kawasaki motorcycle.
Starting the stage in batches of 10, here we can see Pablo Quintanilla (motorcycle no. 6) doing his best to stay ahead of the pack and avoid sand in the wake of other motorcycles from being blown up in his face.
Oriol Mena maintained his cool by avoiding getting distracted by other competitors who were going in wrong directions, losing way points and so on. The effort paid off as he succeeded in moving up from tenth to ninth in the overall ranking.
After suffering from severe back pain from the previous stage and another crash in Stage 9, Joaquim Rodrigues finished in 19th position. His overall ranking now stands at 17 in the rally.
