– Joaquim Rodrigues claims second place in stage 2
– Franco Caimi at third position in overall rankings
Hero MotoSports Team Rally posted yet another strong result at the ongoing Andalucia Rally. Leading the charge for the team, Joaquim Rodrigues scored a podium with a second place in the second stage of the Rally.
Joaquim was able to put behind his navigation error in the previous stage and rode superbly in stage 2. He tackled the more technical first part of the stage well to move to the front of the pack and further consolidated his position in the much faster second part of the stage to secure a second place finish.
Franco Caimi continued his strong and consistent performance. Despite losing time in the second section of the stage, he was able to finish the stage in the fifth place. Sebastian Buhler rode with a bit more caution to avoid the dangers in the narrow mountain roads, but found his rhythm later in the stage and made up some time before finishing in the sixth position.
This is the third consecutive day and stage where at least one Hero MotoSports rider has been placed in the Top 3. With this result, Caimi, Buhler and Joaquim are placed at the 3rd, 5th and 6th positions respectively in the overall standings.
Today’s stage was the longest of the rally with a timed section running 339 kms taking the rally to farthest from the bivouac all the way to the Province of Cordoba. Like yesterday, today’s stage was divided into 2 sections separated by a 60km neutralisation zone, however unlike yesterday, both parts of the stage offered a completely different challenge to the riders. The first section of 
150km began with a narrow and winding route through the hills, before opening up into faster tracks, while the second section of 130kms consisted almost entirely of fast pistes through the Andalusian plains.
Tomorrow sees the riders cover over 430kms, including 298kms of special sections outside the city of Seville. With the rally reaching its halfway point today, the platform is nicely set for the last two stages where there is still ample chance to gain or lose positions.
Joaquim Rodrigues, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It was a good stage for me today. It was tough in the mountains, slippery and dangerous, and a few times, I got really close to the edge. Overall, I brought the bike home safely and in a good position, so I am happy with the result. In this rally we are battling at the top, the bike is working well, and the results show that. »
Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « I am happy with my day today, felt good about the bike and feeling more comfortable with each day. In the second part of the stage, there was an out of place medical vehicle and somehow, I ended up taking a wrong route because of that and lost a lot of time. But overall, I am happy riding with the team and feeling more confident on the bike, so we will keep pushing. »
Sebastian Buhler, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « The second stage was long and tough. I took it easy in the morning in the mountains where there were small roads with many dangers, but later in the second part of the stage, the tracks were nice and fast. Overall, I think it was a positive result for me and the team and I am looking forward to the rest of the rally. »
Provisional Stage 2 Rankings:
1. Lorenzo Santolino, Sherco Factory Rally Team, 03h 27m 44s
2. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +32s
3. Pablo Quintanilla, Monster Energy Honda Team, +01m 51s
4. Joan Barreda Bort, Monster Energy Honda Team, +02m 05s
5. Franco Caimi, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +03m 12s
6. Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +05m 10s…
Provisional Overall Rankings after Stage 2:
1. Lorenzo Santolino, Sherco Factory Rally Team, 05h 40m 52s
2. Joan Barreda Bort, Monster Energy Honda Team, +01m 43s
3. Franco Caimi, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +04m 24s
4. Pablo Quintanilla, Monster Energy Honda Team, +05m 26s
5. Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +05m 30s
6. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, +06m 58s…