Ales Loprais and his team have climbed into medal contention in the truck category after a strong performance in the eighth stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally. Now, they are just minutes away from overtaking the second-place competitor in the overall standings.
Monday’s route took competitors from Al Duwadimi to Riyadh, covering a total distance of 738 kilometers. This included a tough selective section stretching 488 kilometers, filled with challenges that tested drivers and navigators alike. The stage featured diverse terrain: winding canyons, rocky trails, dry riverbeds, and a finale marked by small sand dunes. The day demanded focus, precision, and endurance from every team.
Loprais, along with teammates David Kripal and Darek Rodewald, maneuvered their Iveco Powerstar to claim second place in the stage. They finished five minutes behind Martin Macík, the stage winner.
“We pushed to our limits today. Starting as the first truck wasn’t ideal, especially on the fast early stretches,” Loprais explained. “We encountered a canyon that turned out to be a dead end, allowing Martin Macík and Vaidotas Zala to overtake us. However, we regained our position against Zala further down the route.”.
“Later, we hit an extremely dusty, broken section, where we caught up with a convoy of buggies. It was two hours of low visibility and significant risk. On a plateau, we struggled briefly to find the entry to another canyon, which gave Zala an opportunity to pass us again. The final dunes offered a momentary respite after a grueling day.”
Thanks to their efforts, the InstaTrade Loprais Team De Rooy FPT managed to gain 16 minutes and 20 seconds on Mitchel van den Brink, who finished sixth in the stage. This reduced the time gap between them and the second-place driver to just six and a half minutes.
On Tuesday, January 14, the Dakar Rally continues with a faster ninth stage that leads competitors from Riyadh to Haradh. This transition stage sets the stage for the Empty Quarter, where the event will reach its thrilling conclusion in the coming days.
TATRA TEAM DOMINATES DAKAR CLASSIC BATTLE
While the main truck category captivated audiences, the Dakar Classic competition also featured intense action. On January 13, the eighth stage saw Ji?í Husek, Lubomír Dockal, and Dominik Holan in their Tatra 815 4×4 HAS defend their lead in the H2 Truck group. However, their advantage over Igor Pazdera, Olga Lounova, and Milan Holan in the Tatra 815-2 “Puma” was a slim 88 points, ensuring a fierce contest.
The teams battled across three regularity tests. The first, a 73-kilometer section, ended in a stalemate, with both teams incurring identical penalties. In the shorter second test, covering 27 kilometers, Husek’s crew managed to slightly extend their lead, earning 19 fewer penalty points than their rivals.
However, the final 155-kilometer test brought a dramatic shift. Pazdera’s team delivered an exceptional performance, outscoring Husek’s crew by 834 points and reclaiming the top spot in the H2 Truck standings for the Dakar Classic 2025.
This intense rivalry highlights the competitive spirit of the Dakar Classic, adding another layer of excitement to the legendary rally.
