Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp is preparing for a demanding Stage 1 at the 2026 edition of Desafío Ruta 40 as the rally moves into its first full competitive day across the diverse terrain of Argentina’s San Juan region.
With the Andes foothills providing a dramatic backdrop, Stage 1 is expected to immediately challenge riders with a constantly changing route featuring gorges, expansive salt flats, dry riverbeds, and technical navigation sectors. Riders will need to balance speed and precision throughout the day, particularly across sections where multiple parallel tracks and unclear routes can easily pull competitors away from the ideal line.
The opening stage will alternate between fast-flowing terrain and slower, more technical sectors through narrow ravines and branching riverbeds, placing a strong emphasis on concentration and navigation from the very beginning of the rally.
Following the Prologue, the Hero MotoSports Team Rally riders enter Stage 1 strategically positioned across the starting order. In FIM World Rally-Raid Championship events, the top riders from the Prologue are given the opportunity to choose their starting positions for Stage 1, meaning the opening order does not always directly reflect the Prologue classification. As a result, Nacho Cornejo will be the first rider to start the stage where his navigation strengths can become an advantage, while Ross Branch will start slightly closer to the front of the field following his small navigation issue in the Prologue. Michael Docherty, meanwhile, continues to build confidence in his first event with the team after an encouraging Rally2 podium result in the opening sprint stage.
With long distances, demanding terrain, and navigation set to define the opening day, Stage 1 is expected to establish the early rhythm of the rally and begin shaping the overall classification battle.
STAGE 1 PERFORMANCE UPDATE
Hero MotoSports Team Rally experienced a mixed outcome on Stage 2 of the 2026 Desafío Ruta 40, with strong pace and navigation performances overshadowed by the unfortunate withdrawal of Michael Docherty following a crash late in the special.
Opening the stage from the front, Nacho Cornejo delivered a determined ride through the demanding navigation conditions and led the field for a significant portion of the day. The Chilean rider claimed bonus time for over 250 kilometers before eventually being caught by team-mate Ross Branch. Despite losing time in the overall standings under the challenging opening conditions, Cornejo once again demonstrated strong navigation and consistency at the front of the rally.
Starting fourth on the road, Ross Branch maintained a steady and controlled pace through the early part of the special before catching Cornejo later in the stage to also secure valuable bonus time. However, like his team-mate, Branch faced the difficulty of opening the stage and consequently conceded time to competitors. This is the nature of Rally and the goal is to build and recoup valuable time in the coming stages.
Michael Docherty was enjoying another impressive performance in his debut rally with the team and was running strongly inside the overall top six while leading the Rally2 category before stopping at kilometer 239 following a crash. The South African rider will unfortunately withdraw from the event, bringing an early end to what had been a highly competitive stage for the young rider.
Ross Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It was a positive day overall and I’m happy with the navigation and rhythm we had from the front today. I managed to catch Nacho during the stage and we rode together for a while before I finished the final part of the special opening on my own, so it was a good challenge for us as a team. Starting further back would have been more ideal, but we managed the stage well and we’re in a good position moving forward. Most importantly, we’re all hoping Mike is okay after the crash today, and a big thanks as always to the whole Hero MotoSports Team Rally team for all the support behind us. »
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « I’m really happy with the feeling on the bike and with the navigation today. Opening the stage is never easy, especially in conditions like this where there were a lot of hidden tracks and difficult decisions to make, but overall, I think we did a decent job from the front. We knew it would be difficult against riders starting further back, but the rhythm and confidence are there, so now the focus is to stay consistent and continue building through the rally. »
Provisional Rankings – Stage 1
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 03h 35m 12s
2. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 06m 02s
3. Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 07m 29s…
6. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 11m 26s…
12. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 20m 02s…
DNF. Michael Docherty, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, DNF
Overall Provisional Rankings – After Stage 1
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 03h 40m 28s
2. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 05m 44s
3. Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 07m 10s…
6. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 11m 35s…
12. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 20m 30s…
DNF. Michael Docherty, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, DNF