Dakar: Barreda loses lead after one hour penalty

Joan Barreda has lost the lead of the 2017 Dakar Rally after taking a hefty time penalty for a fuelling infringement during the fourth stage.

The Spaniard had led the overall rankings by some 18-minutes at the end of Stage 4, but now sits 41 minutes behind new leader Pablo Quintanilla.

Barreda, along with Monster Energy Honda team-mates Michael Metge, Paulo Goncalves and Ricky Brabac, was handed a one-hour time penalty after it was found they had refuelled in a prohibited zone during the day’s route. Honda are entitled to appeal the decision, but it is not yet clear whether they will.

Husqvarna’s Pablo Husqvarna inherits the lead to sit just two minutes ahead of Stage 4 winner Matthias Walkner, with Stefan Svitko sitting third. Britain’s Sam Sunderland is now fourth, just six minutes off the lead. Barreda’s penalty moves him back to ninth with eight stages now remaining.

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2017 Dakar Rally Bike Standings after Stage 4 – Revised

1)    Quintanilla – Husqvarna 12hrs 54mins
2)    Walkner – KTM +2’07
3)    Svitko – KTM +5’52
4)    Sunderland – KTM +6’12
5)    Farres – KTM +12’02
6)    Van Beveren +14’50
7)    Barreda – Honda +41,41
8)    Jakes – KTM +45’43
9)    Rodrigues – Yamaha +57.07
10) Goncalves – Honda +1.07’26

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