Australia's Toby Price has finished runner-up in the Dakar Rally after being overtaken on the final leg by his Red Bull KTM teammate Kevin Benavides.
The Argentinian won the stage by 55 seconds from Price overcoming a 12 second deficit to take the 2023 title by 43 seconds, the narrowest margin in the bike section's history.
American Skyler Howes finished third overall after coming fifth on the stage.
Price said he was disappointed but praised Benavides and the Red Bull KTM team on a great job,
"I am disappointed, we've come so damn far and to fall short by such a small margin is a tough one to swallow," Price posted after the event.
"However, full credit to Kevin, he rode a crazy solid race and I'm really proud of the entire KTM Factory Racing teams effort, this Dakar has been huge!"
Price said the difference in the end was that he had to backtrack three times to validate a waypoint, while Benavides only had to do it once.
"Just a little frustrated that, on the last day, they played with these 20-metre rules for the waypoints, and I had to turn back and get three of them. Yeah, hard to take at the moment, but at the end of the day I'm going home in one piece and we got a Dakar trophy," he said.
"It hurts a little bit. Kevin said he only had to turn back for one waypoint, I think the two waypoints I missed kinda cost us the race. 2023 has definitely kicked off a lot better than 2022."
The win gives Benavides a second Dakar title after he won the world's toughest endurance race in 2021 with Honda.
"It's incredible to pull off the win at the end of this completely crazy Dakar, and with such a small gap. I'm also the first to win with two different motorbike brands, and that makes me very proud," Benavides said.
Howes, who finished five minutes behind Benevides overall, said he couldn't be anything but happy.
"It's such a dream come true and an honour to share the podium with two legends like Toby and Kevin. It's the most unreal feeling."
Australian Daniel Sanders finished fourth on the final stage was seventh overall 25 minutes and 57 seconds behind the leader.
Previously
-
Record close margin as Price leads Dakar Rally by 12 second going into final day
- Toby Price leads Dakar Rally with two stages to go
- Price third in 2023 Dakar Rally after playing it safe in dunes
- Toby Price three seconds off lead after Stage 9 of Dakar Rally
- Australia's Toby Price fourth at halfway mark of 2023 Dakar Rally
- Toby Price second despite crash and getting lost on stage 5 of Dakar Rally
- Aussie Daniel Sanders leads Dakar Rally as Toby Price climbs to fifth
- Aussie Daniel Sanders wins stage 3 to lead Dakar Rally, Toby Price sixth
- Toby Price third after reigning champ Sunderland crashes on day one of Dakar Rally
