FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 OOLYMPICSLYMPICS | Page 6 Rooney ends ‘Anything can playing career happen’ with to become Tokyo Games: Derby boss minister Saturday, January 16, 2021 CRICKET Jumada II 3, 1442 AH ‘Ruthless’ Root GULF TIMES hits fi rst century in over a year SPORT Page 7 MOTORSPORT Buggies unfair, says al-Attiyah, as Peterhansel wins Dakar Frenchman wins for a record-extending 14th time Qatar’s three-time champion is runner-up 14 minutes behind X-Raid Mini JCW Team’s Stephane Peterhansel (top, right) and co-driver Edouard Boulanger (top, left) celebrate after winning the Dakar Rally yesterday. (Reuters) Toyota Gazoo Racing driver Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah (left) of Qatar and X-Raid Mini JCW Team’s Stephane Peterhansel (right) of France pose after the latter’s Dakar Rally win in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. (AFP) AFP “I’m more disappointed than EXPERIENCE AND CALM coming the race’s fi rst fatality Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last year because if you only have Peterhansel said he still had the this year. four fi ngers and not fi ve fi ngers “same emotion” as he did after like everybody else, it does not his fi rst victory back in 1991. BENAVIDES TRUMPS BRABEC atar’s three-time Dakar help. “To win the Dakar is always re- Argentina’s Kevin Benavides won champion Nasser Saleh “We need to change the rule ally complicated,” he said. “There the motorbike category, lead- al-Attiyah called out against the buggies because now are no easy victories on the Dakar. ing home defending champion the unfair advantage the buggies have been winning This one from the outside maybe Ricky Brabec of the United States Qbuggies have over 4x4 cars in the for fi ve years against the 4x4 looked easy, but it was not easy by 4:56 in a fi rst Honda 1-2 since Rally, even as France’s Stephane cars. There is no question, it is every day to manage the small 1987. Peterhansel won the event for a not a fair rule. I hope the organ- gap over Nasser. Briton Sam Sunderland, the record-extending 14th time. isers will change it, otherwise “Experience and being able to 2017 champion, fi nished third. The 55-year-old Mini driver, we won’t be interested in com- stay calm helped to win. Benavides, who broke his nose aided by co-pilot Edouard Boul- ing,” said the Qatari star, who has “The fi rst victory on the mo- in a crash on the fi fth stage that anger, fi nished 14min 51sec ahead hopes his sporting year will in- torcycle is my favourite, because saw his helmet shattered, be- of al-Attiyah (Toyota), with clude a seventh Olympics, where it was the one that I dreamed a came the fi rst South American to Spain’s Carlos Sainz — winner of he will compete in skeet. lot of and now it’s really a bonus. win the category, calling it “ab- yesterday’s 12th and fi nal stage Peterhansel, nicknamed ‘Mr Winning is always a big emotion, solutely crazy”. from Yanbu to Jeddah — round- Dakar’, has now won the car cate- but the fi rst victory was the best “I went at 110 percent, but Argentinian biker Kevin Benavides (top) celebrates with teammates following his victory in the Dakar Rally ing out the podium in another gory eight times, having also won one.” now it’s true: I’ve won the Dakar in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, yesterday. (AFP) Mini. the motorbike category six times. Peterhansel’s victory came — I’m so, so happy! I did some “This is the second year that we His latest win has come 30 shortly after news that French mistakes, for sure. I think it’s im- ways continue, to stay calm and “pretty bummed” at not de- Honda had already won a one are fi ghting against the buggies,” years after his initial success in motorcyclist Pierre Cherpin had possible to do a perfect Dakar,” he focused day by day and to work fending his title, but added that and two finish. I wasn’t even said al-Attiyah, who fi nished run- the most gruelling event on mo- died from injuries sustained in a said. hard day by day.” “number two will work”. born in 1987! It’s cool to go one ner-up for the fi fth time. torsport’s calendar. crash on the seventh stage, be- “The important thing is to al- Brabec admitted to feeling “I didn’t even know that and two again.” LOSS Dakar Rally results STAGE 12 RESULTS Boulanger (FRA/FRA/Mini) 44:27:11 French rider Cherpin dies from injuries in Dakar crash Cars (top 10) 2. Nasser al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel 1. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/ (QAT/FRA/Toyota) +14:51 Reuters held in 1978. Mini) 2:17:33 3. Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz (ESP/ESP/ Paris, France Two motorcycle riders died after falls 2. Nasser al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel Mini) +1.01:57 in last year’s rally, Portugal’s Paulo Gon- (QAT/FRA/Toyota) +2:13 calves during competition and Dutch- 3. Stephane Peterhansel/Edouard Bikes (top 10) rench motorcycle rider Pierre man Edwin Straver some days later as a Boulanger (FRA/FRA/Mini) +2:53 1. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) 2:17:02 Cherpin has died fi ve days af- result of his injuries. 4. Cyril Despres/Michael Horn (FRA/ 2. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) +2:17 ter crashing during the seventh Organisers said Cherpin was found SUI/Peugeot) +4:01 3. Matthias Walkner (AUT/Ktm) +4:13 stage of the Dakar Rally, organ- unconscious after being reached by 5. Vladimir Vasilyev/Dmitro Tsyro 4. Skyler Howes (USA/Ktm) +5:49 Fisers said yesterday. the medical helicopter. (RUS/UKR/Mini) +5:36 5. Daniel Sanders (AUS/Ktm) +7:11 The 52-year-old amateur, who was After surgery he was airlifted from 6. Jakub Przygonski/Timo Göttschalk 6. Lorenzo Santolino (ESP/Sherco Fac- taking part unassisted in his fourth Sakaka to hospital in Jeddah, from (POL/GER/Toyota) +6:35 tory) +10:31 Dakar rally, had undergone neurosurgery where he was being fl own to the French 7. Sheikh Khalid al-Qassimi/Xavier 7. Joan Pedrero Garcia (ESP/Ktm) and was placed in a medically induced city of Lille. A two times fi nisher of the Panseri (UAE/FRA/Peugeot) +6:39 +10:40 coma after the crash in Saudi Arabia. event, that ended in Jeddah yesterday, 8. Brian Baragwanath/Taye Perry 8. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR/Hero) +12:18 “During his transfer by medical Cherpin had been 77th overall on the (RSA/RSA/Century) +6:39 9. Jaume Betriu (ESP/Ktm) +12:35 plane from Jeddah to France, Pierre eve of his accident. 9. Mathieu Serradori/Fabian Lurquin 10. Sebastian Bühler (GER/Hero) +13:06 Cherpin died from the injuries caused “I am an amateur, I don’t want to (FRA/BEL/Century) +6:51 by his fall during the seventh stage win but to discover landscapes that I 10. Giniel De Villiers/Alex Haro Bravo Overall standings (top 3) from Ha’il to Sakaka on Jan. 10,” or- would never have had the opportunity (RSA/ESP/Toyota) +7:39 1. Kevin Benavides (ARG/Honda) ganisers said in a statement. to see otherwise,” he had said before 47:18:14 (penalty: 2:00) He was the fi rst fatality this year in the event. “Everything is exciting: rid- Overall standings (top 3) 2. Ricky Brabec (USA/Honda) +4:56 an event that has claimed many lives ing the bike, living out your passion, 1. Stephane Peterhansel/Edouard 3. Sam Sunderland (GBR/Ktm) +15:57 since the fi rst Paris-Dakar rally was getting to know yourself.” Pierre Cherpin (right) of France at the 2021 Dakar Rally. (AFP/ASO) Gulf Times 2 Saturday, January 16, 2021 FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT Rooney ends playing career to become full-time Derby boss AFP tive performances.” Manchester United for £27mn ($37mn). London Rooney said he was “blown away” by “I think we have got the best young Derby’s potential when he arrived at the player this country has seen in the past club after a spell playing for DC United 30 years,” said Ferguson on the day he anchester United and Eng- in the United States. “To be given the splashed out a then world-record fee land great Wayne Rooney opportunity to follow the likes of Brian for a teenager. ended his illustrious play- Clough, Jim Smith, Frank Lampard and Rooney soon started paying that fee ing career yesterday to take Phillip Cocu is such an honour,” he said. back, scoring a hat-trick on his debut in Mup the job of managing Championship “And I can promise everyone in in- the Champions League against Fener- side Derby on a full-time basis. Derby volved in the club and all our fans, my bahce. The forward scored 253 goals for confi rmed the 35-year-old former for- staff and I will leave no stone unturned United, winning fi ve Premier League ward had agreed a permanent deal until in achieving the potential I have wit- titles and a Champions League med- 2023, having succeeded Phillip Cocu on nessed over the last 12 months of this al, all under Ferguson. He played 120 an interim basis in November. historic football club.” matches and scored 53 goals for the na- The club statement confi rmed that in Rooney, who captained Manchester tional side, appearing for the fi nal time accepting the manager’s role, Rooney United and England, hangs up his boots against the United States in 2018.