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Category: Indians Abroad
News about Indians racing in different motorsports events abroad
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Braving broken ribs, engine failure, Harith Noah completes 3rd Dakar
Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), 14 Jan. 2022: TVS Racing Factory riderHarith Noah successfully completed his third Dakar becoming the only rider from India to fly the Tricolour at the the 44th Dakar Rally, the prestigious annual cross-country endurance rally-raid race, which concluded here on Friday after two weeks of top-notch adventure.
Click to read Sherco TVS and Hero MotoSports final reports.
In the process, the Kerala rider set the best Dakar stage-time ever by a rider from India at the prestigious annual cross-country endurance rally by finishing Stage 11 in P18, beating his own record of P19 set last year.
Great Britain’s Sam Sunderland won the Moto section. While Noah is the only rider from India, the other Indian team Hero MotoSports, too did well, with lead rider Joaquim Rodriques of Portugal finishing a creditable 14th and Aaron Mare taking 16th Overall rank. Noah’s teammates from Sherco TVS Factory Rally team, Spaniard Lorenzo Santolino was the best finisher on Indian metal at 11th and Rui Goncalves, also from Portugal, was ranked 24th overall.
With a steady and consistent performance through out the 12 stages astride a Sherco 450 SEF Rally bike, the 5-time Indian National champion bagged a career-best 18th rank at a Dakar stage, yesterday. Noah finished the last day’s Stage 12 at 23rd place in the gruelling race that traversed through 7790 km of desert sands and dunes mixed with dangerous, tricky unforgiving terrain of rocks, speedy soft sands and tarmac in the transport section. Noah rode well conquering difficult navigation with ease on both the long days, and clocked a total time of 50 hours, 52 minutes and 50 seconds and along with a penalty of 22hours and 30 minutes logged a total Overall time of 72:52:50 for the 12 stages including two stages under the Dakar Experience Class. Due to the technical snag with a new engine on Stage 10, officially Noah is not classified in the general rankings.
Considered as the toughest rally in the world, the Dakar acquired the status of an FIA and FIM World Champioship round, this year. Over 140 riders from about 30 countries finished the rally and Harith Naoh, the star TVS rider, who became the fastest rider from India at Dakar in 2021, bagged the experience of one more Dakar in his chequered career despite many challenges and obstacles he faced in the desert sands of Saudi Arabia for two weeks including three crashes, two broken ribs and an engine mishap.
The TVS Racing prodigy, into his 10th year with the premier two-wheeler manufacturing company, had a fall in the very first stage but moved on discarding another serious shoulder injury in Stage 7, but ended up riding in pain for two days without knowing that he fractured two of his ribs on January 9 in rocky terrain after he was hit by a stone while overtaking another rider.
Undaunted, the 28-year from Kerala, braved the odds and was forced to change his engine for safety reasons before the start of Stage 10 but unfortunately suffered technical issues and shifted to Dakar Experience class for the last two days.
Harith Noah, spoke about his experience and said: “It is always a great feeling to complete Dakar and I am very happy with the experience. The nature of endurance cross-country rally like Dakar is gruelling and strenuous but one has to brave dangerous conditons for both the man and the machine. That is why this race is special. Despite not being officially classified, and not finishing for the second time, I take the good things home and the thrill of finishing spurs me on to more adventures on my bike. I thank my team TVS Racing and all my technical team, support staff and sponsors for giving me a chance to race once again in Dakar. With all this experience, I hope to come back stronger in 2023.“
As part of Sherco TVS Factory team, Noah took part as privateer sponsored by TVS Motor Company in Dakar RallyGP, the premier class of the Moto section, before shifting to the Experience class after Stage 10. TVS Motor Company in partnership with Sherco Factory has been fielding the Sherco TVS Rally Factory team for six years, before Covid. And three of the four riders, who took part in Dakar from India were groomed by TVS Racing team in the domestic Nationals. Following in the footsteps of KP Aravind, Noah not only became the third Indian to successfully complete the gruelling Dakar but he is also the fastest at Dakar, finishing in the top-20 last year, at the toughest and mother of all rallies in the world. Last year, another Indian, Ashishrao Rane, took part in Dakar Moto as a privateer.
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Hero MotoSports JRod 3rd at Dakar Stage 11
Bisha, 13 Jan 2022: Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, added another podium finish to their tally in this edition of the Dakar Rally.
Presented to the riders as the biggest technical challenge of the season, Stage 11 was a “true Dakar stage” in the words of Joaquim Rodrigues. The penultimate stage was a key battle for all competitors as it was one of their final runs to improve their rankings.
Joaquim aced the stage and finished in the third position, adding to his stage win in Stage 3.
After an emotionally challenging Stage 10, JRod bounced back with extreme focus in Stage 11 and earned a fantastic result for himself and the team. With the latest podium, he moves up another position to the 13th place in the overall RallyGP class standings.
Aaron Maré however had a difficult stage especially early on in the stage. A small navigation error cost him some time, and a landing mistake caused a slight sprain on his back and on his ankle. Yet, his otherwise consistent performance throughout the rally helped him maintain the 15th position in the overall rankings in the RallyGP class.
Stage 11 which featured some of the most difficult navigational challenges so far, was a 500 km long loop around Bisha, with a timed special of 345 km. The stage which started with sandy tracks inside wadis and winding canyons quickly made navigation difficult due to the innumerable tracks and crossings within plateaus. Soft dunes, dunettes, and invisible tracks followed, ending with fast sandy tracks.
Coming up next is the last and final challenge from Dakar 2022 – a 679 kms ride from Bisha to Jeddah, with a special section of only 163 kms. The last stage of the rally will end with the star studded final podium ceremony at the new Formula 1 circuit on Jeddah corniche.
Joaquim Rodrigues
“It was definitely a much better day for me, after yesterday’s tough ordeal. Luckily I was able to recover, put a strong effort, and give my entire focus to this stage. The bike performed extremely well and helped me gain this podium. The dunes and even the dunettes were really soft, in addition to the tough navigation, making it a very difficult “true Dakar stage”. I’m very happy with the third place, and the team definitely deserves this good result. Looking forward to tomorrow, the final day!”
Aaron Maré
“The stage today started very rough for me. 4-5 kms into the race a handful of riders including myself ended up losing time trying to find a waypoint in the dust. Navigation was tough in the dust, so I rode at a slower pace to avoid mistakes until I reached the dunes, after which I could push. On the dunes, I made a small mistake at one of the drop-offs, and a flat-landing tweaked my back and ankle a bit. From there I rode slower, and am happy that I could get back safe with the bike. I look forward to the last day of the race.”
Provisional Stage 11 Rankings – RallyGP class:
1. Kevin Benavides Red Bull KTM Factory Team 03h 30m 56s
2. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing + 04s
3. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 02m 26s
4. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 04m 54s
5. Ricky Brabec Monster Energy Honda + 05m 22s
18. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 27m 46s
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 11 – RallyGP class:
1. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing 37h 04m 05s
2. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 06m 52s
3. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 07m 15s
4. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha + 15m 30s
13. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 11m 25s
15. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 38m 51s
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 11 – All classes:
1. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing 37h 04m 05s
2. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 06m 52s
3. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 07m 15s
4. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha + 15m 30s
14. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 11m 25s
16. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 38m 51s
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Harith Noah’s stunning speed gets him 19th on Stage 11
Bisha (Saudi Arabia), 13 Jan. 2022: TVS Racing Factory rider Harith Noah attacked Dakar Rally stage with vengeance on the penultimate day, a day after he was forced to pull out of the main event due to the engine failure. The stunning performance by 28-year ace from India got him into the top-20 in the Stage rankings, but his bravery will not be counted for the final classification as he moved to the Dakar Experience class on Thursday, to log more kilometres and experience.
The last long stage proved to be one of the toughest Timed Specials, and Hairth Noah brought home his Sherco 450 SEF Rally bike in an excellent 19th place. His best stage time in 2021 was also P19. Today’s 346-kilometer special with difficult navigation gave him to showcase his skills and make up many positions and finish in top-20 without the pressure of official classification for Dakar RallyGP class.
The stage was won by Argentina’s Kevin Benavides, who also moved to Dakar Experience class, after his pull out yesterday. But the biggest achievement for India on Thursday was the stage podium finish by Hero MotoSports Joaquim Rodrigues, who came third behind S Sunderland of Great Britain.
The ace Kerala rider began the day’s Stage 11 on an aggressive note zooming into the sixth place at the first WayPoint after 48 kilometres. Later, he lost some ground in the next 120 km, but stepped up the pace and was running at 17th position for long, before settling for 19th position in Stage 11, equalling his best stage performance at Dakar in 2021.
Dakar Experience is a new class, introduced a few years back, as a second chance for those who are forced to quit the main race. It helps participants to experience the Dakar Rally and gain valuable seat-time and log mileage to prepare for the future races. However, the riders will not be classified for Rally GP class and will finish under ‘Dakar Experience’ arch.
Sherco TVS Rally Factory teammate of Noah, Lorenzo Santolino continued his good show finishing the stage in 18th place, just a position ahead of Noah while the other Sherco TVS rider Rui Goncalves was placed 30th in the stage. Santolino was 12th and Goncalves was 24th in the Overall general rankings. JRod is on Overall 14th rank and Aaron Mare, who finished the day 25th was in P16 Overall.
“”It was not an ideal day but I had fun and felt very good on bike. I had to stop multiple times, and also after 60km, I had another crash. But the difficult navigation helped me do well without any pressure. This experience will help me to come back stronger for next year,” said Noah after covering a strenuous 501 km, including liaison today from Wadi Ad Dawasir to Bisha. The loop around Bisha, had the potential to turn shake the best riders with huge dunes, as it provided the biggest technical challenge to many a rider. Harith Noah spent about half of the stage time on the dunes of all shapes and sizes including the softest ones that the desert had in store but his exploits could only get him rich experience in preparation for future rally-raids and no reward for his hard work. Undaunted, the Sports Science graduate vows to come back stronger next year.
The final timed Special Section on the last day will be from Bisha to Jeddah, a distance of 680km including liaison section. And the scene is set for the last big fight on Friday!
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Hero MotoSports riders finish in Overall top-15
Bishi (Saudi Arabia), 12 Jan. 2022: Having successfully completed 10 stages including a stage win, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, is poised to complete the 44th edition of the Dakar Rally with a good result.
One of the fastest specials of the Dakar Rally 2022, Stage 10 saw Hero MotoSports riders Aaron Maré and Joaquim Rodrigues ride strong and finish in the 11th and 21st places respectively in the RallyGP class.
Two years ago on the same day, January 12, the team lost their star rider Paulo Goncalves, a Dakar ace, a good friend, and a role model to everyone in the bivouac. Painful memories from the day made today’s race emotionally difficult for his brother-in-law, JRod. Yet, he demonstrated courage to complete the stage in the 12th fastest time as a tribute to the late rider. However, having missed a waypoint, he attracted a penalty that set him back to the 21st position in the RallyGP class. 10 stages down, JRod maintains his position at 14th place in the overall RallyGP class standings.
Pushing through the stage quickly and avoiding navigational errors, Aaron Maré continued his consistent performance at Dakar 2022 in Stage 10 as well. His latest finish has helped him break into the overall top 15 of the RallyGP class at 15th place.
The 757 km long Stage 10 from Wadi Ad-Dawasir to Bisha had a timed section of 374 kms featuring beautiful landscapes of the desert. The riders made their way to the finish passing through sandy tracks across valleys, wadis, and small canyons, and narrow stony mountain tracks.
Next up is the penultimate challenge from this edition of the Dakar. The 345 km special is a loop around Bisha, and will be the biggest technical challenge in the final part of the rally, throwing dunes of all sizes, shapes, and textures at the riders. This 11th stage of the Dakar will end at Bisha, before heading back to Jeddah on the last day.
Joaquim Rodrigues
“Two years ago, I experienced the toughest time of my life. I did not expect it to affect me much today, but then all the painful memories kicked in while I was on the stage. I found it difficult to focus on the race – it was a really hard day, but I’m glad I could finish the stage somehow. Two days to go, and the aim is to keep bringing the bike home every day.”
Aaron Maré
“I had a great day today, having started strong and pushing fast and I was able to catch up with the riders in front before refuel. Post refuel, the navigation became tricky, and so I paced myself a little bit to ensure I made no mistakes. I made it to the finish with no crashes or navigational mistakes, and am happy with my result that helps me with a good start position for tomorrow’s tricky stage. Just two more stages left in the race, and I’m looking forward to finishing well.”
Provisional Stage 10 Rankings – RallyGP class:
1. Toby Price Red Bull KTM Factory Team 03h 05m 32s
2. Luciano Benavides Husqvarna Factory Racing + 02m 09s
3. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha + 03m 35s
4. Lorenzo Santolino Team Sherco Rallye + 05m 40s
11. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 08m 09s
21. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 23m 36s
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 10 – RallyGP class:
1. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha 33h 27m 06s
2. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing + 05m 59s
3. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 06m 15s
4. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 08m 24s
14. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 15m 02s
15. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 17m 08s
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 10 – All classes:
1. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha 33h 27m 06s
2. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing + 05m 59s
3. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 06m 15s
4. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 08m 24s
15. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 15m 02s
16. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 17m 08s
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Harith Noah suffers engine failure, moves into Dakar Experience class
Bisha (Saudi Arabia), 13 Jan 2022: TVS Racing Factory rider Harith Noah, who bravely pulled on for 11 days despite crashes and fractured ribs, suffered technical issues with the bike on Wednesday to be classified as 115th in the General Ranking of the Moto section of the 44th Dakar Rally here.
Noah, who was placed 124 after Stage 10, is expected to begin the penultimate stage in the ‘Dakar Experience’ class on Thursday, which provides a second chance for the riders to continue the gruelling 7000 km cross-country rally-raid and experience the finish. But he will not be classified any more in the elite RallyGP class.
Astride a Sherco 450 SEF Rally, the Kerala rider started his 12th day with a new engine at 10.38 am (IST) but was forced to stop within after 43 kilometres due to mechanical problems with the bike as his engine failed. He could not even reach the first WayPoint and later, he had to endure the heart-break of watching his bike craned away by a helicopter.
He clocked a total of 66 hours, 22 minutes and 42 seconds in the Overall timesheets after logging a penalty time of 21 hours and 45 minutes for a General Ranking of 115. After Stage 10, he was given a time of 33H 33min including a penalty of 21H 30min for a Stage ranking of 124.
The 28-year old TVS star became the fastest rider from India at Dakar last year after finishing in the 20th position. He made his debut in 2020 and finished in the Dakar Experience class. Bangalore’s CS Santosh became the first Indian at Dakar in 2015 and went on to ride many times at the pinnacle of the rallying world till his unfortunate accident last year. KP Arvind of TVS Racing and privateer Ashishrao Rane also took part in the Dakar. Santosh is yet to recover completely but is in Saudi Arabia to cheer the Hero team.
“It is a big disappointment. We changed the engine yesterday and I was hoping to make up the places we lost due to the penalty and push ahead the last two days. The terrain and the conditions are always challenging both for the man and machine and it is time to move on and finish the Dakar. I will take this experience to come back stronger,” promised Noah, who is in his third Dakar.
Despite the setback with Noah, the other two Sherco TVS Factory Rally team riders finished the day in top-10. Lorenzo Santolino of Spain continued to put in brilliant performance and finished the stage in P5 while the other Sherco TVS rider Rui Goncalves from Portugal, also did well, closing the day at P9. In the overall general ranking, Santolino is 11th while Goncalves is placed 24th.
The other Indian team of Hero MotoSports, too, continued to post good times to stay in the top-20. Lead Portuguese rider Joaquim Rodrigues finished a tough day in 24th place after a 15-min penalty while the second Hero rider Aaron Mare of South Africa finished Stage 10 in 14th place. In the Overall general rankings, JRod is in 15th position followed by Mare in 16th.
The 7000-plus km Dakar rally, being held for the third year in Saudi Arabian desert sands will conclude on January 14.
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Flash: Harith Noah retires due to technical issues
Bisha (Saudi Arabia), 12 Jan. 2022: Ace Indian rider Hairth Noah from TVS Racing Factory team suffered technical issues in Stage 12 from Bisha to Bisha, a loop in the desert sands a day before the penultimate stage in the 44th Dakar Rally on Wednesday.
Read the full story here.
The Sherco TVS Rally Factory team rider, is on his third Dakar. Last year, he not only successfully completed the Dakar but also became the fastest from India at Dakar.
Watch Noah watch his bike leave without him.
Harith Noah Koitha Veetil watching his bike leaving without him. The indian rider had to quit due to a technical issue. -
Hero MotoSports continues to excel with 3 days to go
Wadi Ad Dawasir (Saudi Arabia), 11 Jan. 2022: Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, has completed the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally 2022 with yet another strong result.
Continuing his consistent performance at Dakar 2022, Joaquim Rodrigues finished the stage in the 11th position. The day’s terrain featured a lot more canyons and rocks than in the earlier stages. Despite the difficult terrain, J-Rod rode and finished well and with it, maintained his 14th place in the overall RallyGP class standings.
His teammate Aaron Maré finished at the 17th position. Aaron found himself riding at a much better pace than in the previous stage, although a minor navigation mistake and a small fall cost him some time. His consistent run throughout the rally places him at the 16th position in the overall RallyGP class rankings.
Aaron Mare successfully completes Stage 9 on 11 January 2022. A Hero MotoSports image The 287 km long Stage 9 was a loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, featuring a change in scenery from the previous stages. It threw new challenges to the competitors as the riders traversed their way to the finish through narrow passages between valleys and canyons, upside down dunes, and some fast tracks.
Coming up next is a 374 km stretch of beautiful landscapes and colors, touted to be one of the fastest special sections of this season. Starting early from Wadi Ad-Dawasir, the competitors will ride a total of over 757 kms to reach the bivouac at Bisha.
Joaquim Rodrigues
“It was a different stage today with a lot of canyons and rocks, but still a fast one. I wasn’t feeling very comfortable today and wasn’t riding very fast. Anyhow, I was able to finish the stage, and I look forward to continuing the good performance till the end of the race.”
Aaron Maré
“I enjoyed my pace in this stage and felt comfortable riding in this terrain. Early on, I caught up with a rider in front and we ended up making a navigation error, and lost some time there again. Later, after refuel I had a small fall while in the dunes and lost some time. This threw me back by a few positions on the table. At the end of the stage, I’m happy to have finished yet another stage without any injuries, and look forward to the last three days of the race.”
Provisional Stage 9 Rankings – RallyGP class:
1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo, Monster Energy Honda, 02h 29m 30s;
2. Kevin Benavides,Red Bull KTM Factory Team,+ 01m 26s;
3. Ricky Brabec,Monster Energy Honda, + 01m 47s;
4. Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM Factory Team, + 02m 06s;
11. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 06m 43s;
17. Aaron Maré, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 10m 35s;
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 9 – RallyGP class:
1. Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM Factory Team, 30h 14m 03s;
2. Sam Sunderland, GasGas Factory Racing, + 02m 12s;
3. Adrien van Beveren, Monster Energy Yamaha, + 03m 56s;
4. Pablo Quintanilla, Monster Energy Honda, + 04m 41s;
14. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 58m 57s;
16. Aaron Maré, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01h 16m 30s;
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 9 – All classes:
1. Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM Factory Team, 30h 14m 03s;
2. Sam Sunderland, GasGas Factory Racing, + 02m 12s;
3. Adrien van Beveren, Monster Energy Yamaha, + 03m 56s;
4. Pablo Quintanilla, Monster Energy Honda, + 04m 41s;
15. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 58m 57s;
17. Aaron Maré, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01h 16m 30s.
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Braving broken ribs Harith Noah conquers Stage 9
By David Bodapati
Wadi Ad Dawasir (Saudi Arabia), 11 Jan. 2022: Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Racing Factory team finished the tough Stage 9 in 31st position on the 11th day of the 44th Dakar Rally here on Tuesday before realising that he has broken ribs suffered on Sunday. The lone crusader from India, however, moved closer to the coveted goal of finishing his fourth Dakar Rally with a general ranking to 27th place among 130-plus. Noah crossed the chequered flag in 31st place but a late penalty of 15minutes saw him slip to 44th an hour after the stage closed.
For the performance of the other INDIAN Team, HERO MotoSports, read the report here.
Early into the timed stages, Noah, had issues with the rear brake, but still began well in the first 40 kms towards the first check point and stood at 16th place. Later on, he managed to nurture his bike with the handicap of having only the front brake and fell behind by about 12 minutes to the leader. But the ace rally-raid athlete completed the 200-km mark despite the obstacles, and lost a few positions. But later, he pushed with determination and recovered from 34th position to finish the stage at P31. Negotiating 491 km of sands, dunes and rocky terrain with the loss of rear brakes and painful ribs is a testimony to the courage and bravery of a professional motorsports endurance athlete.
His final time of 2hours, 46minutes, and 55seconds saw him move ahead in the general classification and improve by a place from yesterday’s 26th position before the penalty. The Stage was won by R Brabec of Monster Energy Honda from USA. Noah clocked a total time 32:37:42 after 10 days of gruelling sands. Today, Noah did a loop around Wadi ad-Dawasir where he faced mountains, followed by the tracks around the canyons. Although there were less sand sections, Noah managed to recover towards the end that required strong navigational skills, which is his forte, despite the pain.
Harith Noah conquers another stage full of sands and rocks. A flying rock also injured his ribs but the gritty TVS Factory rider slugged on with three stages to for the finish on Jan 14. Photo by Sherco Factory Team for Editoril Use Only Competing in RallyGP, the premier class of the Moto section, Harith Noah, is placed 23rd in this elite class. “Today was not an ideal day. I had a technical issue, a few kilometres into the timed stage. A stone hit it and I lost the rear brakes. I only had the front and it was not easy, but I tried to manage. I came to know that I broke two ribs on Stage 7 when a rock flew from another rider in the front and hit my chest when I was passing. It was hurting a lot and I got to know this morning. Now, I have to do a medical check,” said the TVS product after the stage.
“But that doesn’t change anything. I finished safe and sound and it is a long stage tomorrow with no dunes, so it is going to be fun,” concluded Noah.
Sherco TVS Racing’s teammater of Naoh, Rui Goncalves had a decent stage and completed it without any big errors. He finished two places down from where he started in P16 while Lorenzo Santolino was P25. Lorenzo Santolino remains the lead rider for TVS in P7 overall general ranking with Goncalves in P26 overall behind Harith Noah in P25.
Hero MotoSports, the other Indian team in Dakar, had a decent day. Lead rider Joaquim Rodrigues dropped a few places by the time he reached the first waypoint but improved on every section from there on and finsihed 11th in the stage and 15th overall in general classification. Hero teammate Aaron Mare finished 17th overall after his 21st in Stage 9.
Stage 10 on Wednesday offers a different terrain on the way to Bisha, with a rich variety of landscape and is considered to have one of the fastest timed stages in Dakar.
Dakar Rally 2022 (Stage 9) Provisional Classification:
1. #11 Jose Ignacio Cornejo Florimo (Chile) (Monster Energy Honda) 02H, 29’30”;
2. #1 Kevin Benavides (Argentina) (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 02H, 30’56”; +01′ 26″;
3. #2 Ricky Brabec (USA) (Monster Energy Honda) 02H, 31′ 17″; + 01’47”;
31. #20 Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Team) 2H 46’55”; +00H 17’25”; Plus 15′ penalty.
Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 9)
1. #52 Mathias Walkner (Austria) (Red Bull KTM Factory Team); 30H 14’ 03”;
2. #3 Sam Sunderland (Britain) (Gas Gas Factory) 30H; 16′ 15″; +02′ 12″;
3. #42 Adrian van Beveren (France) (Monster Energy Yamaha Rally); 30H 17’ 59”;+3′ 56″;
25. #20 Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Team) 32H, 37’ 42”; +2H 23’ 39”. +15′ penalty (in Stage 9).
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Hero MotoSport Team Rally continues solid run at Dakar 2022
Wadi Ad Dawasir (Saudi Arabia), 10 Jan. 2022: Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, delivered yet another impressive performance in the eighth stage of the Dakar Rally 2022.
Both Joaquim Rodrigues and Aaron Maré put up a strong performance in a fast stage, bagging the seventh and 19th positions in the stage rankings of the RallyGP class.
Since winning Stage 3, JRod has been consistently finishing in the top 10 positions and his strong finish today places him at the 14th position in the overall RallyGP class rankings. Aaron enjoyed riding on his Hero 450 Rally, especially in the long dune sections on Monday. His performance puts him in 16th place in the overall RallyGP class rankings.
Stage 8 which started off with sandy dunes, quickly moved to narrow tracks full of stones and then wet stretches, before heading into a constant web of valleys and wadis. Finding the right path from one valley to another was unusually difficult in the day’s 400 km special section.
Starting the last leg of the race, Stage 9 will be a 490 km loop around Wadi Ad-Dawasir, featuring mountains and tracks that wind their way around canyons. Although there will be lesser sand than earlier, this short stage is still presumed to be a difficult one.
Joaquim Rodrigues
“I had another good stage. It was really fast, but it was a good race. The Hero Rally 450 has been performing at its best, and I’m happy with my performance as well. We’ve been posting consistent results, and I hope we can keep it up till the end of the race.”
Aaron Maré
“The stage started really well, and I enjoyed riding in the dunes till about refuel. After refuel, the tracks became quite fast and windy, though I enjoyed that as well because it wasn’t as rocky as the previous stages. I also felt a lot more comfortable with the navigation, and finished without making any mistakes. I’m happy with my consistent performance, and hoping for a better result ahead.”
Provisional Stage 8 Rankings – RallyGP class:
1. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing 03h 48m 02s
2. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 02m 53s
3. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 04m 11s
4. Ricky Brabec Monster Energy Honda + 06m 44s
7. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 09m 58s
19. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 20m 17s
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 8 – RallyGP class:
1. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing 27h 38m 42s
2. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 03m 45s
3. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha + 04m 43s
4. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 05m 30s
14. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 58m 05s
16. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 11m 46s
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 8 – All classes:
1. Sam Sunderland GasGas Factory Racing 27h 38m 42s
2. Matthias Walkner Red Bull KTM Factory Team + 03m 45s
3. Adrien van Beveren Monster Energy Yamaha + 04m 43s
4. Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda + 05m 30s
15. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 58m 05s
17. Aaron Maré Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 01h 11m 46s
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TVS Racing Factory rider Harith Noah posts 26th rank with resilience
Wadi Ad Dawasir(Saudi Arabia), 10 Jan, 2022: TVS Racing Factory rider Harith Naoh pocketed another stage as he showed enough resilience after initial hiccups and conquered Stage 8 in his inimitable style pushing hard towards the end as he gained two more positions in the overall ranking. The Kerala ace is sitting pretty at 26th position in the general rankings after finishing 26thon Monday. The stage was won by Sam Sunderland of Great Britain. Noah clocked 4 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds to complete the timed special of almost 400 km.
Hero MotoSport, the other Indian team in the fray, had a good stage too. Read the Report here.
Sherco Rally team video only for Editorial use. @ShercoRallyFactory Watch the Day’s highlights here: Stage 8, Jan 10, 2022.
Starting at 22ndat 8 a.m. (IST) today and treading a cautious path for the first 86 km in the long liaisons, and action-packed dunes, the 5-time Indian National Supercross champion saw the trek to southern Saudi Arabia and its tough sands, drag on and lost about 10 places. Undaunted, he progressed later on, even as the minds and bodies of the competitors were put to a hard test. Noah, attacked the next 200 kms of the special, and by waypoint 6, he moved up and further improved thereafter as he jumped from one valley to another. Eventually, the landscapes changed and the tough negotiator ended up the day in a respectable 26th in the stage after traversing a distance of 820 km, that got him an overall 26th, two places better than the previous day.
Competing in RallyGP, the premier class of the Moto section in the 44th Dakar Rally, Harith Noah, who had a tough first week due to extreme cold conditions and a couple of falls, has come into his own and looking forward to the last four stages.
Astride a Sherco 450 SEF Rally Shoranur rider said: “I enjoyed the stage for the second day running and I am getting into my rhythm. It was a long and tough day but I like tricky navigation like this stage. I am still in the race and glad to fighting another stage tommorrow.”
Noah’s teammate at Sherco Rally Factory team Spaniard Lorenzo Santolino is in overall 7th place while other Sherco rider Rui Goncalves of Portugal is a position behind Noah in 27th. Meanwhile, Hero MotoSports, the other Indian two-wheeler manufacturer in the 140-plus Moto field, saw their lead rider Joaquim Rodrigues from Portugal in Overall 15th place while Aaron Mare of South Africa is place 17th in the General overall ranking.
Sherco story:
It was the second long day in this 2022 Dakar. The special was 395 km with a 435 km link that the riders had to race today on some difficult and fast terrain. All of them gave 100% in the dunes and on the fast tracks towards Wadi Ad Dawasir, and at the same time keeping a close eye on the roadbook. This evening they brought the motorcycles back to the bivouac in perfect condition, a luxury after such a day. Lorenzo Santolino started 5th this morning and was the author of some outstanding navigation on a particularly tricky special, between dunes and fast tracks. Following the prerace instructions, he actually backed off a little to preserve his motorcycle he did give up some time at the finish. He finished 20th today and is in 7th place in the general classification. ¡Vamos Santo!
Rui Goncalves had a good special. He finished 14th for the day, he is still fighting to move up in the general classification, he did manage to move up 3 places. He is now right behind Harith Noah in 27th place.
After his great performance yesterday, Harith Noah really switched to rally mode. He rode clean and consistent and finished the day in 26th place. He is also in this position in the general classification. The top 20 is getting closer!
After a perfect day yesterday, our 3 riders faced a very complicated program today. Lorenzo lost a few minutes overall, but the days go by and are not the same every day in the Dakar. Our riders followed the instructions of the team manager David Casteu, the riders and mechanics know how to preserve and maintain the machines perfectly. And they still have all 3 bikes in the race. Everyone in the Sherco camp is at the dawn of the second week of racing which still has some great stages in store.Dakar Rally 2022 (Stage 8) Provisional Classification:
1. #3 Sam Sunderland (Britain) (Gas Gas Factory) 03Hours 48min 02seconds;
2. #7 Pablo Quintanilla (Chile) (Monster Energy Honda); 03H 50’ 55”; +02’ 53”;
3. #52 Mathias Walkner (Austria) (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing); 03H 52′ 13″; +4′ 11″;
26. #20 Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Team) 4H 12’30”; +00H 24’28”;
Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 8)
1. #3 Sam Sunderland (Britain) (Gas Gas Factory) 27Hours 38min 42seconds;
2. #52 Mathias Walkner (Austria) (Red Bull KTM Factory Team); 27H 42’ 27”; +03’ 45”;
3. #42 Adrian van Beveren (France) (Monster Energy Yamaha Rally); 27H 43’ 25”;+4′ 43″;
26. #20 Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Team) 29H, 50’ 47”; +2H 12’ 05”.
