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Collin Matiza-Sports Editor

ZIMBABWE’S Ashley Thixton yesterday overcame his toughest challenge yet when he plunged into first of the new two-day 48-hour Chrono Stage at the on-going Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

The Zimbabwean biker passed the test with flying colours although he admitted that it was the toughest day of his life as a motorbike rider. 

“This was the hardest day I’ve ever had as a motorbike rider as I had to ride something like 427,2km of solid dunes.

“It was like mind blowing . . . my body is finished and I’m super tired. 

“At one stage I got lost between the dunes for 20 to 30 minutes and I thought my Dakar was over but I had to really dig deep to get back on track. 

“As of now I just want to get some sleep,” Thixton said after the opening day of the 48-hour chrono stage yesterday. 

It is part of Stage Six and it ends today.

This is a new stage format, contested over two days with the constraints of a marathon stage, although competitors are permitted to help each other during the evening. 

But this time, there will be no choice of canteen or repair companions, as the drivers and crews will be spread out over eight different bivouacs. When the clocks strike 4pm, all vehicles will be required to stop at the next bivouac they come across. With no connection and therefore no visibility of their rivals’ performances, the competitors will camp and set off again at 7am the fol-lowing day to complete the remaining section of the route. 

The tally will be counted after around 600 kilometres of special stage. 

The riders yesterday faced miles and miles of endless dunes as they tackled the Empty Quarter.

In fact, the world’s most gruelling rally returned to Saudi Arabia with a punishing 12-stage route that will cover 5 000km, 60% of which will feature all-new sections. “The challenge will be just as daunting as last January,” warned race director David Castera, who promised the competitors massive stretches of dunes where navigation difficulties will accompany the technical challenges of crossing them. 

And for the latest edition of the iconic rally, a new stage format has been created that is certain to spice things up and deliver some drama. 

Called the “48-hour Chrono Stage,” the new challenge will be contested over two days, starting yesterday, with the constraints of a marathon stage where all outside assistance is prohibited and riders camp on their own. 

However, for the upcoming edition of the race there will be additional hurdles to overcome.

Just like in past marathon stages, competitors are permitted to help each other during the evening, but this time, there will be no choice of canteen or repair companions, as the drivers and crews will be spread out over eight different bivouacs. And where each rider ends up will be determined by the clock. 

When the clock strikes 4pm, all vehicles will be required to stop at the next bivouac they come across. Wherever they end up and with no connection or visibility of their rivals’ performances, the competitors will have to set up camp, make any necessary repairs and set off again at 7am the following day to complete the remaining section of the route. The tally will be counted after around 600 kilometres of the next day’s special stage.

The immense desert of the Empty Quarter is the venue for the all-new 48-hour stage where the organizers have two separate routes planned, one for motorbikes and quads and the other for cars and trucks. Therefore, the top FIA teams will not benefit from the tracks left by the two-wheelers and will have to navigate based on their talent.

As a result time “bonuses” will be awarded to trucks and cars that open the stage, just like it was introduced in the previous edition for bikes. 

And Zimbabwe’s Thixton was yesterday part of the newly-introduced 48-hour chrono stage after he survived the first five stages of this year’s Dakar Rally with some smart riding all the way through. 

Thixton’s main aim is to be among the history makers at this year’s Dakar as he wants to be among the finishers at the end of the event on January 19. 

On Wednesday, the riders were involved in a shorter stage heading into the Empty Quarter — ahead of the 48-hour chrono stage to come — it was Pablo Quintanilla who stepped onto the top step of the Dakar podium, for the seventh time in his career. In the overall Ross Branch re-gained the lead from Nacho Cornejo. 

Thixton did extremely well as he managed to return home safely in 31st position to boost his confidence ahead of yesterday’s opening stage of the 48-hour chrono stage challenge where he was hoping to keep it nice clean in his fight to finish the whole course on January 19. 

On Wednesday, the relatively short journey among the dunes (118 km long special stage) was a difficult test — the average speed of the special stage winner was only 76.2 km/h. 

The factory Honda riders continue to attack, with Chilean Pablo Quintanilla and Frenchman Adrien Van Beveren bringing the Japanese manufacturer a one-two finish.

But most interestingly, Botswana’s Ross Branch (Hero MotoSports) continued to successfully battle the armada of rivals on the Honda for the fifth day in a row — on Wednesday he was back in the race lead position!