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  • CS Santosh improves to 36th rank after a steady Stage 6 ride: #Dakar2020

    CS Santosh improves to 36th rank after a steady Stage 6 ride: #Dakar2020

    CS Santosh successfully completed Stage 6 for an overall rank of 36 at the half-way mark. A Hero MotoSports image

    Riyadh, 10 Jan 2020: Ace Indian rallyist CS Santosh made a steady improvement by the day and finished the half-way mark in Dakar 2020 successfully on Friday gaining some more places with a steady and sensible ride. The 36-year-old Bengalurean finished Day 6 at a very creditable 31st place completing the sixth stage for an overall ranking of 36.

    Supported by Hero MotoSports Rally Team, the first Indian to take part and complete the Dakar Rally clocked 5 hours 26 minutes and 11 seconds for the 830-km stage which had a special stage distance of 477km of sand dunes.

    After a day of rest on Saturday, the Red Bull athlete, Santosh will take on 546-km special on Sunday, the longest of the special stages as he starts the second leg of the last six days.

    “It was a long day and difficult day for me but I am happy we are here at the half-way stage in Dakar. It was blowing hard and it was sandy and there was a lot of movement on the bike and my wrist took a lot of beating. I look forward to the final half which is crucial,” signed off Santosh, who is sponsored by Sidvin, Fast Indian, Scott, Track & Trail and Cannondale.

     

  • CS Santosh in good spirits after finishing 553-km Stage 5; Harith Noah has a good run: #Dakar2020

    CS Santosh in good spirits after finishing 553-km Stage 5; Harith Noah has a good run: #Dakar2020

    #50 CS Santosh, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, in action during Stage 5 of the Dakar 2020 between Al Ula and Ha’il, on January 9, 2020 – DPPI Media

    Ha’il (Saudi Arabia), 9 Jan 2020: Ace Indian rally-raid rider CS Santosh saw another successful day finishing Stage 5 in 38th position that brought a smile to the 36-year Bengalurean as he finished at 39 in the overall ranking for bikes in the Dakar Rally on Thursday.

    The first Indian to take part and finish Dakar Rally represents Hero MotoSports Team Rally and is participating in his sixth straight Dakar. “Initially, the stage had too many rocks but I had a long but good day. I am looking forward for the next stage,” said the Red Bull athlete. “And it is nice to have company towards the end,” he said of the other Indian Noah finishing with him. Sanatosh took 4 hours, 50 minutes and 28 seconds to complete the 353-km of the Special Stage 5 of the total 553km. Santosh is sponsored by Sidvin, Fast Indian, Scott, Track & Trail and Cannondale.

    The other Indian in the fray, Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team packed up on Day 3, but rejoined to take part in the non-competitive Dakar Experience Class. Today, he finished a spot ahead of Santosh in 38th place but it will not count towards the overall ranking as his missed Stage 3 when his bike refused to start the stage due to technical issues on Tuesday. Noah clocked 4:49:44.

    Tomorrow’s stage six will be the second-longest of the 2020 Dakar Rally, totalling 830 kilometres with a 477-kilometre special. In a change to previous days, the special stage will be ridden entirely on sand, which will test the bikes and riders as they head south-east from Ha’il to Riyadh. Once completed, it will mark the halfway point of the event ahead of Saturday’s rest day.

    Provisional results: Dakar Rally 2020, stage 5
    1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:57:33
    2. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:58:45 +1:12
    3. Andrew Short (Husqvarna) 4:00:04 +2:31

    38. Harith Noah (Sherco TVS) 4:49:44;

    39. CS Santosh (Hero MotoSports) 4:50:28.

     

  • Top Indian drivers to display skills at Indian National Autocross Finals

    Top Indian drivers to display skills at Indian National Autocross Finals

    Gautam Shantappa, Chief Safety Officer speaking to the media recently at a Press Conference in Vijayawada. Former National champion and veteran administrator of Coffee Day Rally fame Farooque Ahmed (right) and ace Indian rallyist Phalguna Urs (2nd from right) are also seen.

    Vijayawada, 10 Jan 2020: The cream of motorsport talent from across the country will showcase their talent in the Champions Yacht Club Indian National Autocross Championship Finals 2019 which will be held at Pavithra Sangamam, near Ibrahimpatnam, about 25km from here on the Vijayawada-Hyderabad highway, on Saturday. The 2019 National Championship is approved by the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India to spill over into 2020 and is being organised with the Technical Support of Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur.

    The Nationals will be supported by the Race of Titans where all the top guns in the country are expected to vie for honours on Sunday. INRC champions Chetan Shivram, Dilip Sharan, Dean Mascarenhas, Younus Ilyas, Dhruv Chandrasekhar and Bikku Babu are expected to take part.

    The top-4 finalists in the nine classes held across the country in the five regional championships in 2019 will vie for the grand finals. “Champions Yacht Club has made unprecedented preparations providing competitors a slew of benefits including free entry fee, free transportation of cars and accommodation,’’ said Gautam Shantappa, one of the top F1 Marshals in the country and the Chief Safety Officer for the event.

    “It is the endeavour of the Champions Group to dig out Champions in every region and as such we are bringing a National-level prestigious championship for the first time to Vijayawada. All safety aspects are taken care of. Ambulances and fire vehicles will be in place. All are invited to attend the top-class event as many of the champions in the country will be taking part,’’ said Vamsi Merla, the head of Champion Yacht Club, the promoters of Indian National Rally Championship, who have also accepted to organise the INAC Finals this year.

    The Championship began with the West Zone qualifying round in Thane on the dirt tracks on October 18 and 19 with the North Zone round happening a day later on October 19 and 20 at Delhi on Tarmac surface. The South Zone was held at Bengaluru on gravel from Novemeber 8 to 10 while Mumbai conducted the second round of West Zone from Nov 29 to Dec 1 on tarmac and the Chandigarh North Zone was held on gravel on Dec 6 and 7. The Haldia Autocross 2019 was the East Zone Qualifier-1 and the proposed round in north-east was not held.

    Abhijit Pai of Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur (MSCC) will be Clerk of the Course, the sporting director who will conduct the event looking after all the technical and sporting regulations while he will be assisted by an experienced MSCC team. Nishanth Bendict is the Secretary of the Meet and Samrud Pai will be coordinating the drivers as the Competitor Relations Officer. Dilip Kumar will be the event coordinator.

    The finals will start at 8am on Saturday while the scrutiny and documentation will be on Friday. The prize distribution is scheduled for 5pm on Sunday. A prize money of around Rs.2 lakhs will be on offer and the gates are open. However, the VIP tickets for Rs.2000 and Rs.5,000 (with lunch) can be purchased at bookmyshow.

    The following classes are open to vehicles manufactured in India:

    Group A – Stock

    Class 1 Stock : 2-wheel drive | up to 1650 cc

    Class 2 Stock : 2-wheel drive | above 1651 cc

    Group B – Modified

    Class 3 Stock : 2-wheel drive | upto 1400 cc

    Class 4 Open : 2-wheel drive | upto 1650 cc

    Class 5 Open : 2-wheel drive | above 1651 cc

    Group C – Unrestricted

    Class 6 Open : 2-wheel drive | upto 1650 cc

    Class 7: 2-wheel drive | above 1651 cc

    Group D – Unrestricted

    Class 8: 4-wheel drive cars/SUVs | Open

    Group E – Stock

    Class 9: Ladies Open

     

     

  • CS Santosh completes another stage, takes 42nd overall ranking: Dakar 2020

    CS Santosh completes another stage, takes 42nd overall ranking: Dakar 2020

    Portrait of Santosh from Stage 1 by DPPI

    Al Ula (Saudi Arabia), 8 Jan 2020: The 36-year-old ace Indian rally-raid specialist CS Santosh of Hero MotoSports Team Rally had another successful day at Dakar 2020 finishing Stage 4 and Day 4 in 44th position to gain an overall ranking of 42 in the Bike category on Wednesday.

    Sanoths, India’s most accomplished supercross and rally-raid champion, fought the day with  determination and exhibited his skill to conquer another stage but still Dakar has much to be dealt with in the days to come. “I made one mistake but but happy to finish the day. The dust was not much and the pain in the hand reduced,’’ said the Bengaluru-based rider at the end of the day in a video message. Taking part in the Dakar Rally for the sixth consecutive year, Santosh became the first Indian to finish Dakar in 2015 finishing a creditable 36th for a rookie rider.

    CS Santosh (Comp No: 50) continued: “It was a really long and cold day. For me the stage was pretty good overall. In the beginning, there was a lot of dust so I waited to push ahead. The stage was quite difficult but I had a lot of fun today, made considerable time except for a small mistake I made before the refuelling point where I lost my way a bit. Overall my hand is feeling better and stronger, and I am looking forward to the next couple of days at the Dakar.”

    The winner of three National Championship titles in Supercross is a Red Bull athlete representing Hero MotoSports Team Rally and is supported by Red Bull, Hero, Sidvin, Fast Indian, Scott, Track&Trail and Cannondale. Santosh also won the Raid de Himalaya in 2012, the toughest rally-raid event in India on the foothills of Himalayas.

    The caravan of bikes, quads, cars, trucks and SSVs departed  Neom for Al Ula, which meant leaving behind the city of the future, to discover the ancient wonders of the master builders of the Nabatean civilisation, who knew how to cut out temples in rocks two millennia ago. The sites peppered with a hundred temples are, of course, out of the reach of the Dakar competitors. However, even getting close to this area has taken a titanic effort. Riding at altitude in the early morning, bikers had to overcome the mountain chill, but especially the rocky terrain and a crossing of the Harrat al ‘Uwayrid volcanic region, where any navigation mistakes take a heavy toll. Pictures of the tombs will have to wait.

    The other Indian in Dakar 2020, Harith Noah representing Sherco TVS Factory Rally team pulled out on the third day when his bike did not start. He took part the next day in the Dakar Experience, a new class which started this year allowing riders to experience the thrill of Dakar but they will not be eligible for ranking.

  • Lady rider Laia Sanz completes Stage 3 for an overall 27th rank: Dakar2020

    Lady rider Laia Sanz completes Stage 3 for an overall 27th rank: Dakar2020

    Laia Sanz during Stage 3 on Tuesday. A Gas Gas Rally Team image

    Neom (Saudi Arabia), 7 Jan 2020: Despite her heavy fall during yesterday’s stage two, added to a confusing finish to today’s stage, GasGas Factory Racing’s Laia Sanz has battled her way to the end of another challenging day of racing at the 2020 Dakar Rally finishing Stage 3 in 32nd position. Completing what was yet another difficult day aboard her GasGas RC 450F, one made notably harder for her due to extreme dust during much of the early part of the special, Laia nevertheless battled her way to the finish of the second leg of the super marathon stage. The Spaniard sits in a provisional 27th overall and as the event’s leading female competitor.

    • Hours spent riding in thick dust ensures another tough day for Laia
    • Laia completes stage three in 32nd position and sits 27th overall
    • Final stage three results taken from kilometre 389 due to GPS technical problems

    Laia Sanz: “I started today with pain in my leg, but it has been more painful to spend all day riding in dust. I could manage how my body was feeling, but with the dust you just can’t do anything. I almost had to stop sometimes it was so bad. When it is like this you cannot push at all, just try your best to be as safe as possible. It was especially frustrating during the beginning of the stage because the speeds were higher – I knew I was losing so much time. I felt good later on, when the stage became more technical and with more wind. Let’s see for tomorrow. I hope there will be less dust.”

    Stage three unquestionably proved to be tough for Laia, as it was for many competitors. Following her crash and subsequent drop down the overall leader board on day two, she started stage three as the 36th rider to enter the second leg of the super marathon stage. Expecting to be held back due to dust from other competitors, her fears were soon confirmed as she spent much of the stage forced to ride with extreme caution.

    With the super marathon stage now complete, day four of the 2020 Dakar Rally heads from Neom to Al Ula – a 672-kilometre stage that features a 453 km special with an expected equal mix of sand and gravel tracks.

    Provisional results: Dakar Rally 2020, stage 3

    1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:29:31
      2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:35:27 +5:56
      3. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 3:36:53 +7:22
      32. Laia Sanz (GasGas) 4:03:10 +33:39Provisional standings: Dakar Rally 2020 (after stage 3)
      1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 10:39:04
      2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 10:43:47 +4:43
      3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 10:45:06 +6:02
      27. Laia Sanz (GasGas) 12:09:30 +1:30:2.
  • Harith Noah’s Dakar ends as bike refuses to start; CS Santosh improves to overall 44th

    Harith Noah’s Dakar ends as bike refuses to start; CS Santosh improves to overall 44th

    CS Santosh during the Stage 3 on Tuesday. Photo DPPI/ Flamand

    Jeddah, 7 Jan 2020: Ace Indian rider CS Santosh of Hero MotoSports Team Rally finished Stage 3 at 51st position to end the Dakar 2020 Day 3 with an overall ranking of 44 in the Bike category on Tuesday.

    The 36-year old Bengaluru based Santosh said at the end of Stage 3: “Today was a long stage and there was a lot of dust. I spent a lot of time to find the right way and made many mistakes. But I am very happy to finish the stage.”

    And then, the only other Indian, Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Factory Rally team ended his Dakar campaign as he failed to start Day 3 due to mechanical issues as his bike did not start on Tuesday morning, the third day. However, he would continue in the new category `Dakar Experience’ but will not be eligible for rankings in the competitive class.

    Today stage was on the loop around Neom. The fast tracks in the first 100 kilometres mostly led competitors on a slalom between the giant rocks of Wadi ash Sharmah that give the impression they have been there since the dawn of time. The riders, drivers and crews then made their way through landscapes typical of neighbouring Jordan as they swept round the Jabal ash Shifa Mountains. In the final section, the rocky terrain required the utmost caution from all the competitors.

    Harith Noah suffers technical issues and could not start Day3. A Sherco TVS image

    Meanwhile, Ricky Brabec wanted to make a statement of intent on the loop around Neom and rose to the challenge seamlessly. Despite tricky terrain and difficult navigation, the American methodically left his rivals in his wake to triumph with a big lead over the rest of the pack, allowing him to take command of the rally.

    In the quad race, Giovanni Enrico finally put an end to the supremacy of Ignacio Casale and picked up his first stage victory. In the car race, it was far from the first time for Carlos Sainz as he tasted victory for the 33rd time on one of the legendary rally’s stages, permitting him to take over the lead in the general standings, in front of his runner-up on the day and one of his most consistent rivals, Nasser Al-Attiyah.

    The contest was also close in the SSV race, which was today won by Gerard Farres thanks to a fine finish in the last few kilometres. Andrey Karginov did not give a sniff of a chance to Siarhei Viazovich for stage victory and is now putting pressure on his Byelorussian rival in the general standings.

     

  • Harith Noah makes splendid recovery in Stage 2; Sunderland takes overall lead: #Dakar2020

    Harith Noah makes splendid recovery in Stage 2; Sunderland takes overall lead: #Dakar2020

    Harith Noah makes a grand recovery on Day 2 finishing overall 65th on Monday. Photo by Sherco TVS Rally team

    Al Wajh (Saudi Arabia), 6 Jan 2020: Despite a heavy crash that caused an eye injury on Day 1, Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team finished Stage 2 on Day 2 with flying colours with an impressive recovery from 111th on first day to 51st on second day that brought him an overall ranking of 65 on Monday. The other Indian, experienced ace, CS Santosh of Hero MotoSports Team Rally, too had a fruitful outing on Day 2 as he finished 53rd for an overall ranking of 47. Noah clocked the 367-km Special Stage in 4 hours 54min and 46 seconds while Santosh took 4:59:44.

    Indian ace CS Santosh (with bike/Competition No: 50) said, “It was a really difficult day for me with all this pain in my hand from yesterday’s crash. The stage was really rocky and all the impact was coming onto my hand making it really difficult to hold the bike. I will get this checked now and hopefully will have a better stage tomorrow.”

    Harith Noah gets a blown eye bandaged on Sunday for rest before taking off for Stage 2 on Monday. FB @HarithNoah8

    Meanwhile, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland has finished second on stage two of the Dakar Rally, moving himself into the provisional race lead. Luciano Benavides enjoyed another solid day in Saudi Arabia, finishing fifth. Matthias Walkner and stage one winner Toby Price finished in eighth and 15th places respectively after opening much of the special.

    Stage two at the 2020 Dakar Rally presented riders with several new challenges. The pre-coloured road books used for the first time this year were only given to competitors 25 minutes before the start of the timed special. Also, with the day marking the first half of the event’s Super Marathon stage, riders were only allowed 10 minutes to work on their bikes at the end of the day, with no outside assistance permitted.

    As the fifth rider to enter the day’s 367-kilometre special, Sam Sunderland was able to maximise his advantage and push right from the start. The 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion was able to improve his position throughout that stage to ultimately post the second-fastest time. Sam now enjoys a lead of just over one minute in the provisional overall standings.

    Sunderland wins overall first place after finishing second in Stage 2 on Sunday. Photo by KTM Factory Racing Team

    Sam Sunderland: “It was a really tough day today and it felt very long. There was a huge mix of terrain with high speed tracks and then slower technical sections. In and out of the canyons there were a lot of lines visible and that made navigation more of a challenge. I made a couple of mistakes, but I think everyone did out there today. All-in-all though I had a good run, just trying to stick to a steady rhythm and build up my pace as the race goes on.”

    Luciano Benavides continues to show great pace and consistency at this year’s event. The young Argentinian, in only his third Dakar, placed fifth on the day’s special to elevate himself to seventh in the overall standings. With a strong start position for stage three, Benavides is confident of another good result.

    Luciano Benavides: “It’s been a good day for me – I finished inside the top five and I’m really happy with my rhythm here in Saudi. I enjoyed the stage today but came very close to crashing at one point. Luckily, I was able to stay on and from there I decided to bring the bike home safely and make sure it is good for tomorrow.”

    Despite being the third competitor into today’s stage, Matthias Walkner was able to use his skill and experience to carefully navigate the technically demanding route, making the minimum of errors to complete the stage in a solid eighth place. Now lying an excellent fourth overall, the Austrian rider will enjoy an advantageous start position for the second half of the Super Marathon stage.

    Matthias Walkner: “I had quite a good day today – the navigation was tough but I was able to push on from the start and at about 45 kilometres I was able to catch Toby. From there I opened the piste to the halfway point. We then rode in a group of four until the finish, which can be tricky as the dust from any riders in front makes it difficult to see stones and rocks hidden in the soft sand. Thankfully I was able to look after the bike and it’s all ready to go for tomorrow.”

    Winner of the first day, Toby Price had the unenviable task of opening stage two. That, combined with the limited time to acquaint himself with the road book, made navigating the stage extremely tricky from the front of the pack. Despite the disadvantages, the reigning champion put in a good ride to 15th place and now lies ninth in the provisional overall standings, seven minutes and 34 seconds down on Sunderland.

    Toby Price: “Today was always going to be tough, leading out from the start without having had much time to read the road book. The stage went ok, I lost some time to the others but the most important thing is I looked after my bike and the tyres so should be in good shape to close down on the leaders again tomorrow. There’s still a long, long way to go, but the bike is working great, things are looking good and I’m happy.”

    After a tough day in the Saudi Arabian sand, KTM Factory Racing’s Mario Patrao completed stage two in 41st place. An error early on cost the Portuguese rider some time and he was then forced to ride in a group until the finish. Despite the challenging day, Mario was able to bring his KTM 450 RALLY home in one piece and now looks forward to stage three.

    Mario Patrao: “It was a difficult stage for me today, I made a mistake at kilometre six and was then caught by some other competitors. Riding in dust for the rest of the stage was really tricky as it’s so difficult to see any rocks or other dangers. To stay safe, I hung back a little, which cost me some time. Overall, the bike is good and I’m ready for tomorrow.”

    Tuesday’s stage three of the 2020 Dakar Rally will see riders complete a looped course starting and finishing at the city of Neom. Of the 504 kilometres covered, 427 will be timed special, leading competitors towards the border with Jordon and rising to the highest point in this year’s rally at an altitude of 1,400 metres before returning to the bivouac.

    Provisional Results Stage Two – 2020 Dakar Rally
    1. Ross Branch (BWA), KTM, 3:39:10
    2. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 3:40:34 +1:24
    3. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna, 3:41:31 +2:21
    4. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 3:42:50 +3:40
    5. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:42:54 +3:44

    Provisional Overall Standings (after stage two) – 2020 Dakar Rally
    1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 7:05:22
    2. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI), Husqvarna, 7:06:40 +1:18
    3. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 7:06:54 +1:32
    4. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 7:07:22 +2:00
    5. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 7:09:33 +4:11

    Hero MotoSports– 2020 Dakar Rally
    14. Paulo Goncalves (Portugal) Hero 3:48:42;
    25. Sebastian Bühler (Germany) Hero 3:59:13;
    47. CS Santosh (India) Hero 4:59:44.

    Sherco TVS– 2020 Dakar Rally
    16. Adrien Metge, (France) Sherco TVS 3:57:42;
    19. Johnny Aubert, (France) Sherco TVS 3: 59:14;
    23. Lorenzo Santolino; (Spain) Sherco TVS 3: 57:35;
    65. Harith Noah (India) Sherco TVS 4:54:46.

  • Toby Price wins challenging Stage 1; CS Santosh 38th, Harith Noah 105th:: #Dakar2020

    Toby Price wins challenging Stage 1; CS Santosh 38th, Harith Noah 105th:: #Dakar2020

    Harith Noah on Sunday. Photo: Twitter handle @bikeindia

     

     

     

    CS Santosh during Stage 1 which he finished at 38th position. A HeroMotoSports image

    Al Wajh (Saudi Arabia), 5 Jan 2020: Reigning champion Toby Price has won the opening stage of the 2020 Dakar Rally. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammates Matthias Walkner and Sam Sunderland followed Price home in third and fifth places respectively, with Luciano Benavides putting in an impressive ride, opening much of the stage to finish eighth.

    Meanwhile, the two Indian riders CS Santosh and Harith Noah completed the first stage safely. While sixth-time Dakar entrant Santosh of Hero MotoSports Team Rally finished the day in a creditable 38th place after overcame a minor crash late in the stage and Harith Noah of Sherco TVS Rally Factory team finished at 105th place. Noah recovered from a major crash which resulted in a bruised eye and damaged bike, tweeted bikeindia.in and overdrive. Noah took 5 hours, 24.16min. While earlier, Santosh and Noah were placed at 39th and 111th, the final results of the day placed them at 38 and 105 respectively.

    CS Santosh (Comp No: 50) said: “I was really excited to see what the Saudi terrains have to offer today. It was a really fast stage and had some technical sections as well with stones. I think I put together a good starting stage until after a tricky stony section where I had a crash and hurt my hand a bit. Overall, I am happy with my start and to see the back of stage 1 at the Dakar 2020.” He took 4 hours 6.19min to finish the special stage.

    The opening day of the 2020 Dakar Rally presented riders with a huge challenge right from the start. Comprising 433 kilometres of liaison and a 319-kilometre timed special, the gruelling route led competitors north from Jeddah along the Red Sea coast to Al Wajh. With a mixture of fast, rocky pistes and soft sand dunes, the first day of racing in Saudi Arabia gave the riders a taste of what is to come in this new chapter of the Dakar.

    Carrying the number one plate, reigning champion Toby Price had the advantageous position of being the 23rd rider to enter the day’s stage. The Aussie star immediately pushed hard from the start, posting the second fastest time to the first waypoint. A small issue with his navigation equipment looked set to reduce Toby’s pace with a seized road book making navigation difficult. Thankfully he was able to tag on to the back of teammate Walkner and the pair brought their KTM 450 RALLY machines home safely and in good time, with Price fastest overall.

    Toby Price wins Stage 1 on Sunday. A KTM image

    Toby Price: “I had a really good day today up until about 140 kilometres where my road book started to play up a bit. Something had got in there and jammed the rollers and so I was left without a road book for a while. Luckily, I caught Matthias after he lost a little time and I was able to stay with him towards the finish. My result looks good on paper, but it turned out to be quite a tricky day. I’m also opening the stage tomorrow, so hopefully that’ll go well, too.”

    2018 champion Matthias Walkner also made a great start to his 2020 Dakar campaign, safely completing the long stage in third place. After dropping down to fifth midway through the timed special, Walkner was able to regroup and push on toward the finish to ultimately clock in just two minutes and 40 seconds behind teammate Price.

    Matthias Walkner: “It took me a while to get used to things today, maybe because so many things are different here in terms of the terrain and navigation. For the first 80 kilometres I took things quite steady, it was quite stony and easy to make a mistake. After that I found my rhythm, especially in the dunes, and was able to make up some time. I was quite surprised with third position although it doesn’t give me the best start for tomorrow, but I’m happy and we’ve got a long way to go.”

    With the organisers really testing all riders’ navigational skills throughout the stage, Sam Sunderland knew a solid ride while maintaining a consistent pace would be key to a strong finish. A small crash in a slower rocky section couldn’t slow the 2017 Dakar Champion’s progress and he was able to carry on to complete the stage as fifth fastest, just over five minutes behind Price.

    Sam Sunderland: “Well, they certainly threw us in the deep end for our first day here in Saudi. We had a big mixture of terrains including dunes, river beds, and really technical, stony places. I did have a small fall early on but luckily I didn’t hurt myself or damage the bike. It was tricky to adapt to the new road book and terrain but that is the same for everyone. I’m happy to get the first day done, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”

    Making his way to the head of the field by the first waypoint, Luciano Benavides rode a fantastic stage one, opening the remainder of the stage. Despite laying the first tyre tracks in the Saudi sand, the young Argentinian maintained a solid pace, making very few errors to post the eighth-fastest time at the finish. Now with a strong start position for tomorrow’s ‘Super Marathon’ stage, Benavides is confident of another good result.

    Luciano Benavides: “I had an amazing day today – after the first checkpoint I found myself opening the stage. It was such a good way to start the event as it was my first time opening a stage at the Dakar. I had to ride through a lot of dust at first to pass 10 riders in front of me, after that I felt really good and was able to finish the special without making too many mistakes. The bike felt incredible in this terrain so I’m really happy and looking forward to tomorrow.”

    KTM Factory Racing’s Mario Patrao successfully completed stage one in 41st position.

    Stage two of the 2020 Dakar Rally, the shortest of the event, Leaves Al Wajh and heads north to Neom. Covering a total distance of 393 kilometres, the stage includes a short 26-kilometre liaison and a timed special of 367 kilometres. The day marks the first half of the event’s ‘Super Marathon’ stage – riders will only have 10 minutes to work on their bikes at the bivouac after the day’s racing.

    Provisional Results Stage One – 2020 Dakar Rally
    1. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, 3:19:33
    2. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, 3:21:38 +2:05
    3. Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 3:22:13 +2:40
    4. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 3:24:04 +4:31
    5. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 3:24:48 +5:15
    Other KTM
    8. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 3:28:29 +8:56

    39. CS Santosh (India) Hero, 4: 06:19
    41. Harith Noah (India), Sherco TVS, 5: 24:16.

    Sherco teams during Stage 1 of the Dakar 2020 of 752 km including SS 319km, in Saudi Arabia, on January 5, 2020. Photo Francois Flamand / DPPI
  • CS Santosh, Harith Noah take the ceremonial start; Santosh says he aims to finish Dakar 2020

    CS Santosh, Harith Noah take the ceremonial start; Santosh says he aims to finish Dakar 2020

    Key points:

    Ø  342 vehicles have been cleared to start the 42nd edition of the Dakar after three days of technical and administrative scrutineering at King Abdullah Stadium: 114 motorbikes, 23 quads, 83 cars, 46 SSVs and 46 trucks.

    Ø  The podium ceremony, held in front of Saudi fans on the shores of the Red Sea, brought down the curtain on the riders, drivers and crews’ stay in Jeddah.

    Ø  Now that the formalities and celebrations are done and dusted, the race will head north to Al Wajh, where the first stage will end after 752 km, including a 319 km special that will throw the competitors in at the deep end.

    Jeddah, 4 Jan 2020: Indian rally-raid star and ace rider CS Santosh of Hero MotoSports Team Rally and Harith Noah of Sherco TVS, the two Indians at Dakar this year, rolled off the ceremonial podium on Saturday in front of thousands of enthusiastic fans assembled in the beautiful setting of the Corniche area of Jeddah, facing the majestic Red Sea, to give a cheerful send off to the competitors.

    The 36-year old Santosh will be on his Number 50 Hero 450RR bike, he said: “I am quite kicked about this all-new adventure that the Dakar 2020 is offering. It’s going to be tough and from the first impressions we have got, the navigation is going to play a key role here. I have worked hard on my navigation throughout last season and the trainings and my speed has also improved a few notches. I am feeling quite confident and well prepared for the new challenge. We have got a really good team bonding going on and Paulo has been sharing a lot experience with all of us so it has really helped. I could not finish the last Dakar so I am going to try and finish what I started last time.”

    The rally racing team of Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, began its campaign at the 42nd edition of the most-grueling cross-country rally on the planet, the Dakar Rally, which came to Saudi Arabia this year. Meanwhile, the Sherco TVS Racing Rally Factory Team will have Indian Harith Noah along with Adrian Metge, Lorenzo Santolino and Jhonny Aubert.

    Johnny Aubert of Sherco TVS takes the start. Photo DPPI/ F.Flamand

    Noah said: “I like Saudi. The people are good, the food is good and I am cannot than my team TVS enough.” Sherco TVS Racing Rally Factory Team are back for a 6th consecutive time to conquer the world’s toughest Rally Race Dakar. “This year, the race is set to be the most challenging yet, with the riders taking on perilous terrains and soaring temperatures of the middle East as we #DareToDefy the dreaded dunes of Saudi Arabia,” added the 26-year-old Noah, from Shoranur, Kerala. He won three National titles in Indian Supercross and is making his Dakar debut replacing the injure KP Aravind for TVS team.

    This year Hero has a four-rider team including Santosh and first-time in Hero colors, Paulo Goncalves (Competitor no. 8) along with Joaquim Rodrigues (Competitor no. 27) popularly known as JRod, and the latest addition to team, 25-year-old Sebastian Buhler (Competition no. 32).

    The wealth of experience of Paulo, the youthful exuberance of Buhler, the focus of JRod and the intensity of CS Santosh, ably supported by an experienced assistance crew, the team composition strikes just the right balance for exciting prospects at the Dakar 2020 riding on the back of some strong performances, intense training sessions and a battle tested Hero 450 RR.

    Having completed all the administrative and technical checks successfully, the Team is now raring to kick start their Dakar 2020 campaign with the first stage on January 5. The first stage will take the rally from Jeddah to Al Wajh with a 319 km special stage and a total run of 752 kms including the liaisons.

    A COLOURFUL PODIUM

    Simply making it to the start podium ceremony is already a victory in itself for many competitors who have spent time, energy and resources preparing for the Dakar as well as possible. For them, it was a well-deserved evening before getting down to business. The families of Jeddah, used to strolling on the Corniche, enjoyed a show that interspersed the presentation of competitors and their vehicles with musical sequences and aerial acrobatics against a colourful background articulated around a series of imposing containers. The big favourites burst onto the scene after nightfall to the beat of the band Canadien covering songs such as “Born To Be Wild”, “You Can Leave Your Hat On” or “Baby You Can Drive My Car”. Local star Yazeed Al-Rajhi unsurprisingly received the most thunderous applause. The Toyota driver called on his fans to come see him on the podium in Qiddiya in two weeks… where he hopes to be top dog for real this time round.

    FROM BROTHER TO BROTHER IN THE METGE FAMILY

    Adrien Metge replaces his injured elder brother Michael in the Sherco TVS team. Photo: dakar.com

    The starting list officially confirmed that Michael Metge will not be starting what would have been his eighth (and possibly last) Dakar due to a knee injury. Sherco decided to replace him with his own brother Adrien, who has been part of the team for several years but was poised to sit out the 2020 edition. It was a dramatic twist of fate for the younger of the two Metge brothers, who had to get ready for the rally with less than a week to spare: “Thank goodness we’re brothers and are the same clothing and boot size… I’m even wearing his jacket with ‘Michael’ printed on the back!” Moments before climbing onto the podium and bringing his bike back to the secure enclosure, the biker with race number 11 already felt comfortable enough in his new role to talk about his objectives: “Last year I was a bit frustrated because I finished 22nd riding with a broken scaphoid and after being slapped with a big penalty, although my pace was good enough to crack the top 10. I hope I can keep it up after training year-round. I still feel every bit as strong even though I haven’t raced a lot this season.” Meanwhile, a few thousand kilometres away, Michael is already his brother’s most fanatical supporter.

    NASSER AL-ATTIYAH: “WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS RACE AGAIN”

    The three-time Dakar winner stands out as the big favourite after crushing the opposition throughout the season with co-driver Matthieu Baumel at his side. Seeing the Dakar set up shop in the Middle East has boosted his already sky-high confidence and motivation. “We are here to defend our title. We’ve won three times, but I know it will be hard with this new Dakar in the Middle East. The landscapes are really beautiful here, I know some regions well.  I did two races here, in 2008 and 2011, and I won both. But it won’t be easy for anyone, we need to understand this race, which is completely new for everybody. It’s a mix of terrains that reminds me of Africa, Morocco and South America. I never really thought the Dakar would one day come to our region when I started the career, and now I’m just a thirty-minute flight from home! It would be a dream to win here.”

    Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “We are quite excited to be at the Dakar 2020 for our 4th year now. For this new adventure in a completely new continent and terrain, we also have an exciting new combination of riders with Paulo, a Dakar legend in our ranks on one hand and an exciting young prospect in 25-year-old Sebastian Buhler on the other, who already has achieved a Top 20 finish in the last years Dakar. For Buhler, it was a fortunate as the two time Top 10 finisher for the team, Oriol Mena was forced to sit out of this Dakar due to injury. Joaquim has also completed his recoverynow and has comeback strongly to win the PanAfrica Rally while Santosh also recorded his best ever performance with a 5th place finish in the same rally. So, the Team has shaped up really well both mentally and physically and we are in a very positive frame of mind starting this Dakar. We can never predict an outcome in the Dakar, especially this year as it’s a new environment for all the teams, so our first aim still remains to get the riders and bikes safely across the finish line every day.”

    Paulo Goncalves (Comp No: 8): “I am really excited to be a part of this new chapter of the Dakar. I have had the privilege of racing in two continents with the Dakar, and now coming to the 3rd continent of Asia, I feel honoured and blessed to be able to do this. We have had really good preparations; the Team has bonded like a family and that’s a very good thing going for us. I am very happy with my Hero 450RR and quite confident about our prospects. In the end, the first job of any rider is to bring the bike home and that’s what I will be focusing on. It is a new challenge for everyone, so patience and keeping our heads cool is going to be the key here. Looking forward to my first Dakar with Hero MotoSports Team Rally!”

    JRod of Team Hero Motosport takes the start. Photo DPPI/ F.Flamand

    Joaquim Rodrigues (Comp No: 27): “It’s a completely new challenge and I am quite excited about it. My recovery has been good and I am back to my 100% so that’s a really good feeling to have. I had a good last season, got some good experience under my belt and the win at the PanAfrica Rally boosted my confidence. We have really come together as a team in the last season with Paulo coming on board. I am quite happy with our preparations and the bike is looking good too, so we are in a good place. I am going to do my best to get my Hero home every day.”

    Sebastian Buhler (Comp No: 32): “It’s going to be my first-time racing with Hero MotoSports Team Rally and I am really happy to be a part of this team. We have a great environment within the team and I have learnt so much from all these guys. To be able to ride and work with these guys and the Dakar legend Paulo, for a young rider like me, that’s a great opportunity and I am trying to make the most of it. My focus is to get as much experience out of this opportunity and try to get to the finish line in every stage.”

  • Dakar, the biggest rally-raid in the world : the taste of the extreme

    Dakar, the biggest rally-raid in the world : the taste of the extreme

    Reconnaissance of the Dakar Off-Road rally 2020 in Saudi Arabia in September 2019 – Photo Eric Vargiolu / DPPI

    Jeddah, 4 Jan 2020: The Dakar is a rally raid, but first and foremost, it is an incomparable human adventure.

    Its history has been built in the world’s finest deserts with men and women from all horizons, taking on one of the hardest sporting challenges of our era.

    A competition of extremes and an orienteering race, the Dakar brings together the leading rally raid riders and drivers, as well as amateur competitors who come to fulfil their dream, experience an adventure and meet the biggest challenge of their life on a bike, on a quad, in a car or in a truck. Over the last 40 years, each year 500 adventurers from more than 60 nationalities have come together for 15 days of a unique competition on which extraordinary feats of human endeavour are played out.

    Goncalvez Paulo (right), Hero Motosports Team Rally, during Administrative and Technical scrutineering in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Jan 4. Photo Florent Gooden / DPPI

    The race format

    The Dakar is a rally-raid. It consists of one stage per day comprising at least one “special stage” per day (often several hundred kilometres), sometimes off-road, on terrain without tracks (desert, etc.). The total distance covered is several thousand kilometres. The event takes place over a period of between 10 and 15 days (versus two to three days for cross-country rallies).

    The classification of the stage is made up of the times set in the special stage, to which are added possible penalties.

    The rallies use navigation, which is done via a roadbook provided by the organizers and distributed every evening at the finish of the stage, for the following stage on the next day. The rally-route remains a secret until the delivery of the roadbook to the competitors.

    The start order of the special stages will be based on the times set in the Timed Sector, including Sporting Penalties (speed, missing Way Points) taken in the Timed Sector. In the case of a tie, the order will be determined by the race numbers.

    The Entry

    Any person, of any nationality, over 18 years old, and a holder of an International FIA / FIM Cross-Country Rally license can apply for entry to the Dakar Rally.

    The competitors must also have participated in one FIA / FIM World Championship event and / or any other event on the FIA / FIM Calendar or National Calendar.

    The organiser nevertheless reserves the right to refuse entry to a competitor who does not have a minimum of recent experience in motorcycle / quad competition, or the physical capacity necessary to compete in a Dakar.

    Sherco TVS team’s Michael Metge is on the left, at a pre-press conference freeze at Hotel Hilton. Photo Francois Flamand / DPPI

    The Marathon Stage

    The marathon-stage is contested with no assistance vehicles and with no participation of a member of a Team or Assistance crew: all outside assistance is also prohibited.

    Only the competitors will be authorized to work on their vehicles; assistance between competitors still competing is also authorized.

    The Half Marathon Classification

    This year, the cars, trucks and SxS that prematurely retired in the first half of the rally will be able to re-enter the rally after the rest day, in a parallel competition. Competing in a separate classification, these vehicles will have an orange plate and will never be allowed to start in the first 25 positions of a special stage.

    The Penalties

    Any non-compliance of the regulations whose penalties are not mentioned will be reported to the Race Director and the International Jury will determine the penalty to be imposed.

    Sporting penalties are applied to the times of the Timed Sectors and the other time penalties are applied to the General Classification.

    • Competition: administrative or technical non-compliance of the vehicle, defective safety equipment, missed waypoint …
    • Road safety: non-compliance with the highway code
    • Penalties may be sporting (time penalties, disqualification) or financial; all fines will be paid to a charity.

    THE STAGE TYPE

    Dakar 2020 – The Stage-Type

    Bivouac-DSS liaison

    The vehicles leave the bivouac generally using a highway itinerary to head to the start site of the special stage, where the leading bikes set off at sunrise.

    Start of the timed sector (DSS)

    It is here that the stopwatch is triggered, the starts are generally done in the order of the classification of the previous day’s special stage. Missing the start time is sanctioned by penalties defined in the regulations of the event.

    Check point (CP)

    Intermediate times are recorded at several points on the itinerary of the special stage. Each vehicle’s log book is stamped by a rally official.

    Finish of the timed sector (ASS)

    The classification of the day is set from the time set at the ASS, waiting for possible penalties if the GPS analysis reveals, for example, the missing of one or more waypoints.

    ASS-bivouac liaison

    While the competition portion is concluded, the day is not totally over at the ASS, which sometimes can be several hundred kilometres away from the bivouac. The riders and crews have time to reach the bivouac, always in accordance with the speed limits in force in the country.