Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp continued their impressive performance at the Desafio Ruta 40.
Following a challenging Stage 2 that featured difficult navigation and constantly changing terrain conditions, the team remains focused on regrouping and building momentum as the rally entered a critical phase. With the overall standings still tightly contested, Stage 3 is expected to become an important day in shaping the direction of the race.
The stage features a 409-kilometre special stage and a total route distance of 575 kilometers, making it the longest competitive day of the 2026 edition.
Stage 3 begins along a dry riverbed with a heavily stony surface before competitors enter the famous dunes of Nihuil — expected to be the main dune section of this year’s rally. The demanding sands of Mendoza are likely to create one of the biggest technical and navigation challenges of the event, with riders needing to carefully choose their lines in order to avoid losing valuable time through the dunes.
After the Nihuil section, the route transitions into a series of dry riverbeds with varied terrain characteristics, ranging from fast-flowing sections to narrower and more technical boxed-in sectors. The final kilometers of the stage then move into high altitude mountainous rally-style roads that place further emphasis on riding technique, concentration, and endurance after an already physically demanding day.
Bonus time once again plays an important strategic role during Stage 3, with additional seconds available for the first rider opening the road. The system is designed to compensate riders navigating without visible tracks ahead, particularly in open desert terrain where navigation decisions become increasingly complex. With the dunes of Nihuil leaving visible lines through the sand, opening the stage proves both physically demanding and strategically significant in the overall race picture.
As the rally progresses deeper into Argentina, race management, navigation consistency, and physical endurance continue to increase in importance across both the daily stages and the overall classification battle.
For Hero MotoCorp, Desafío Ruta 40 continues to provide an important competitive platform in a region deeply connected to rally-raid culture and off-road motorcycling. Competing across Argentina’s iconic terrain allows Hero MotoSports Team Rally to further showcase the brand’s growing international motorsport presence while engaging with passionate fans and key stakeholders throughout Latin America.
STAGE 3 PERFORMANCE UPDATE
Ross Branch delivered another solid and consistent performance during the longest stage of the rally to remain inside the overall top 10. A little frustrated with the pace Ross still managed several challenges throughout the day, including time lost in dust, minor brake issues during the special, and the demanding high-altitude conditions encountered later in the stage. Despite this, Branch maintained a steady rhythm throughout the 409-kilometre special and continues to build momentum heading deeper into the rally. While encouraged by the consistency shown, both Branch and the team remain focused on continuing to improve their overall pace and positioning.
Nacho Cornejo also completed a clean and steady stage without any major mistakes across the varied terrain of Stage 3. The Chilean rider was pleased to make several passes during the special and felt increasingly comfortable as the stage progressed. Although satisfied with the overall execution of the day, Cornejo now sits 14th overall and remains determined to continue fighting his way closer to the top 10 over the remaining stages of the rally. With two days still to go, he continues to push towards the level of performance both he and the team expect. With two stages remaining, Hero MotoSports Team Rally now prepares as the battle for overall positions continues in Argentina.
Ross Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It was an amazing stage through some really incredible areas today, especially up in the mountains at high altitude. I felt really comfortable on the bike during the first part of the stage and things were going well, but I had a small crash just after the refuel which cost me a bit of time and rhythm, and also a few smaller issues resulting from this. No excuses though. I managed to settle back in afterwards and finish the stage strongly, so overall I’m happy to still be healthy heading into the final two stages where we can keep working to make some improvements. »
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It was a long but really beautiful stage today and I definitely felt some improvements on the bike compared to yesterday. Of course, I’m still not where I want to be in terms of the overall result, but the feeling is moving in the right direction and now the focus is to keep working and continue improving over the final stages. I’m very grateful to the whole team for all their effort and support, and we’ll keep pushing to close the gap to the riders ahead. »
Provisional Rankings – Stage 3
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 04h 16m 55s
2. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 00m 58s
3. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 02m 37s
8. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 15m 58s
13. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 20m 48s
Overall Provisional Rankings – After Stage 3
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 09h 37m 06s
2. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 13m 38s
3. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 15m 58s
8. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 38m 03s
14. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 55m 16s