Loprais secures second Dakar stage win, closing gap on rivals

Aleš Loprais claimed his second stage win in the truck category at this year's Dakar Rally, just two days after his 45th birthday. The Czech pilot dominated the seventh stage, finishing nearly ten minutes ahead of Lithuania's Vaidotas Zala. Martin Macík took third in the 418-kilometre stage in Davadmi, further solidifying his lead in the intermediate classification.

This victory marked Loprais' fifteenth career stage win and a follow-up to his triumph in stage 3. Overcoming all rivals ahead of him on the track, he led the standings from the 183-kilometre mark. Currently third overall, Loprais has narrowed the gap to second-placed Mitchell van den Brink of the Netherlands to just 23 minutes.