Australian KTM racer Toby Price climbed from his start position up to 10th on the road as the Dakar stage between Copiato and Antofagasta unfolded.

Defending champion Marc Coma assailed Dakar leader Joan Barreda during today’s 458-kilometre special stage, winning the day by two minutes from his countryman with Chilean Pablo Quintanilla third for the second straight day.

Price started outside the top 15 after yesterday’s navigational difficulties and, battling the tricky, dusty conditions, set about improving his road position.

The Australian KTM 450 Rally rider carefully made inroads and set the 10th fastest stage time and now sits eighth in the standings of his first ever Dakar, just one day shy of the halfway rest stage.

Toby Price: “Today was another really tough stage, we started stage five in 19th position and made our way through to 10th which is positive. There was a lot of dust today which made it extremely tricky to see stones and the correct tracks, you had to really pay attention all day.

“I’m starting to find my bearings a little better with the road book which is great, it’s all about learning for me. There’s still the second part of the rally ahead of us which includes to marathon stages.”

Tomorrow’s leg from Antofagasta to Iquique contains 318km of special stage featuring enduro terrain with breathtaking views to the sea, steep climbing and descending and what should be an emotional podium finish in the centre of earthquake-affected Iquique.