Dakar 2017, Stage 7: Brabec leads Honda 1-2 as Week 2 begins

After event organisers shortened stage five and cancelled the subsequent run due to poor weather, the Monday test was also modified, as it became a combination of the planned sixth and seventh stages.

Brabec, who started the day in 21st pverall, nearly two hours adrift of leader Sam Sunderland, was 1m44s in the clear by the finish, the American taking his first ever Dakar stage win.

His closest challenger was Honda teammate Goncalves, who gained one position to sit eighth in the overall classification.

KTM's Sunderland was third, and beat main rival Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) to extend his overall lead to 17 minutes.

The Chilean was ninth on the stage, as top Yamaha rider Adrien van Beveren and KTM privateer Gerard Farres, third and fourth overall, followed him in 10th and 11th respectively.

Matthias Walkner (KTM) and Xavier de Soultrait (Yamaha) continue to complete the top six, who are still within 40 minutes.

Bikes standings after Stage 7:

Pos.	Rider	Bike	Time/Gap
1	Sam Sunderland	KTM	17h28m53s
2	Pablo Quintanilla	Husqvarna	+17m45s
3	Adrian van Beveren	Yamaha	+22m16s
4	Gerard Farres	KTM	+28m36s
5	Matthias Walkner	KTM	+34m17s
6	Xavier de Soultrait	Yamaha	+38m33s
7	Pela Renet	Husqvarna	+1h02m37s
8	Paulo Goncalves	Honda	+1h05m22s
9	Joan Barreda	Honda	+1h14m47s
10	Diego Duplessis	KTM	+1h15m36s