Mason Klein: "It could have been really bad"

Dakar 2023 | Stage 8 | AL DUWADIMI > HAIL
January 8 ^th 2023 - 12:51 [GMT + 3]

The young American missed out on a second stage win, but he will be spending the rest day in the overall lead by 47 seconds over his countryman Skyler Howes.

"I was doing my best today, and I really wanted to win this stage. Unfortunately, Ross just beat me. Pretty sad. I think I'm leading the overall, which makes me pretty happy going into the rest day. It was a really good day.

I didn't expect [to be at this level], but I really wanted it. I had a big crash in the dunes, not a big one, but it could have been really bad. I was doing a handstand for a really long time and I landed with both legs on the left side of the bike, I used the front brake and I had to drop the bike and crash on purpose to not go off the edge of the dune, it was pretty scary. I had to go pee twice today, I blame that for why I lost!"