Two-time Dakar champion Toby Price, who called Singleton home from 2003, has closed in six minutes on leader Ricky Brabec (USA) the penultimate stage of the Dakar Rally last night.
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Price finished fifth on the day only 5 minutes and 49 seconds behind the Chilean Pablo Quintanilla to climb back to third overall in the standings.
Yet the 32-year-old will still need to chase down the 22 minute and 34 second lead held by Brabec prior to the final stage if he is to add to his titles from 2016 and 2019.
"We were in a lot of dunes today, I struggled to make the first refuel at 229km and I came in there with just one litre of fuel so we had to preserve and look after the bike to make sure we made the finish," Price explained on social media.
"It has been a good day and we have just one more stage to go."
Rodney Faggotter is the next best Australian (placed 13th) ahead of Ben Young (57th), Trevor Collin Wilson (76th) and Matthew Tisdall (96th).
2020 Dakar Rally current leaderboard
- Ricky Brabec (USA - Monster Energy Honda Team 2020) 38:33'28"
- Pablo Quintanilla (Chile - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) +13'56"
- Toby Price (Australia - Red Bull KTM Factory Team) +22'34"
- Matthias Walkner (Austria - Red Bull KTM Factory Team) +29'53
- Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Chile - Monster Energy Honda Team 2020) +32'36"
Toby Price's results
STAGE ONE - Finished first with a time of 03:21'33" over 752km
STAGE TWO - Finished 17th with a time of 03:51'23" over 393km
STAGE THREE - Finished fifth with a time of 03:38'06" (variation of 08'35") over 504km
STAGE FOUR - Finished sixth with a time of 04:27'50" over 672km
STAGE FIVE - Finished first with a time of 03:57'33" over 564km
STAGE SIX - Finished 11th with a time of 04:53'01" over 830km
STAGE SEVEN - Finished seventh with a time of 04:44'19" (variation of 07'57") over 741km
STAGE EIGHT - (Cancelled)
STAGE NINE - Finished second with a time of 03:32'27" over 886km
STAGE TEN - Finished fourth with a time of 02:14'39" (stage cut short due to safety concerns) over 608km
STAGE ELEVEN - Finished fifth with a time of 04:15'11" over 744km
STAGE TWELVE - The final stage!