Hero MotoSports Team Rally continued its strong run at the Silk Way Rally today with all three riders finishing stage 2 in the top10.
Leading the charge for the team, Joaquim Rodrigues finished the stage in fifth place. He was closely followed by his team mates Sebastian Buhler and Franco Caimi, who finished in sixth and seventh positions respectively.
Joaquim had a few close calls in the slippery dark mud of the Siberian forests, but brought the bike to the finish safely, and in good time. However, a penalty for a late start – due to an electrical issue on his bike before Stage 1 cost him a few positions in the overall standings, and he is currently in the 10th place.
Franco Caimi opened the stage today, following his win yesterday. Being the first one into the stage is always tricky, but he focused on his navigation, and managed to deliver a good result. After two stages, Franco is currently sitting in the second position in the overall rankings. Buhler tackled the terrains well, and finished the stage without any navigation errors. His performance today has brought him inside the top 5 in the overall rankings.
Today was the last full stage in Russia, and a huge crowd of local spectators gathered to cheer the competitors at the start line. The 132 kms stage started with wide open tracks that then gave way to narrow bumpy tracks through the trees in the Siberian forests. Closer to the end, the forest trails became smoother and sandy, allowing the riders to build up speed before the finish on bumpy gravel roads. The liaison after the stage was along the Chuysky Traky, a legendary mountain road that led to the bivouac at Gorno-Altaysk.
Tomorrow’s stage will start in Russia and finishes in Mongolia. The special section is expected to start with a climb to a plateau along stony roads with many sharp rocks. After completing the ascent, the remainder of the special will be on fast stretches along the mountain plateau. The liaison after the stage will take the riders across the border to the bivouac at Ulgii, in Mongolia.
Joaquim Rodrigues, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « The stage today started with really fast tracks, before we entered the forests. Those forest sections were really dangerous with bumps that could not be seen easily due to the grass. The final part had a lot of fast sections with undulations and water, and I had a few close calls there. Overall, it was a good stage. »
Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « I am happy with the stage today and with a seventh position. Starting the stage helped me in building my confidence of navigating by myself, without any tracks to follow. Still, I did not lose too much time from the leader, so it puts me in a good place for the rest of the rally. I just want to continue this good performance, and will try to improve each day. »
Sebastian Buhler, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « The stage today was very different from what we normally encounter during rallies, due to the trees and dark mud. I did not make any navigation mistakes and I tried to push a little today. I think I did a good job because the timings are really close. Overall, it was a positive day for me, and we still have many days to go. »
Provisional Stage 2 Standings
1. Daniel Sanders, GasGas Factory Racing, 01h 22m 44s
2. Ross Branch, Monster Yamaha Rally Team, + 00m 06s
3. Skyler Howes, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, + 00m 57s
5. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 02m 18s
6. Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 02m 57s
7. Franco Caimi, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 03m 35s…
Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 2
1. Ross Branch, Monster Yamaha Rally Team, 02h 13m 45s
2. Franco Caimi, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 02m 26s
3. Matthias Walkner, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, + 03m 18s
4. Adrien van Beveren, Monster Yamaha Rally Team, + 04m 57s
5. Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 05m 03s…
10. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 19m 03s