Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsports team of Hero MotoCorp – the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – achieved a strong result in the second leg of the 2022 Dakar Rally, with both riders finishing in the top-10 positions.
Hero Motosports Team Rally riders – Joaquim Rodrigues and Aaron Maré – delivered an inspiring run in the long Stage 2 and posted great results where JRod finished sixth and Aaron tenth in the Rally GP class.
JRod managed to return to the top on 3 January after losing a lot of time in Stage 1B. With the powerful Hero Rally 450, his more confident run helped him reach the 18th position in the overall rankings.
Aaron Maré continued to grow in confidence, and gave another solid stage to cement his position in the overall ranking table, moving up one place to 9th.
Stage 2 of the race was an extraordinarily long one, starting at Ha’il and covering more than 791 kilometers to reach the bivouac in Al Qaisumah of bivouac. With over a quarter of the 339km special section lined with chains of dunes, this stage presented the contestants with a taste of what the rest of the race would look like. The day had to be navigated through winding and undulating sandy tracks, ridges of dunes and ridge crossings.
In Stage 3, the rally will feature an equally difficult 368 km special section with complex navigation around multiple intersections in long sand and mud mixed terrain. Riders will leave Al Qaisumah early in the morning and return to bivouac after completing the stage.
Joaquim Rodrigues
“It was a really good day for me after I lost a lot of time in Stage 1B – almost like a reward. I was able to keep a decent pace from the start of the stage, and was able to catch the riders ahead of me. The bike also performed really well, and that helped me a lot. Two stages have been completed, ten more stages are left.
Aaron Maré
“I am really happy with how the day went for me. It was really fun to have some of the late starters refuel with me and ride with them almost to the end. It was also nice to learn how the other contestants are riding, and to work with them and get a good pace. I am happy with my results, and hope it continues!”
Provisional Stage 2 Rankings – RallyGP Class
1 | Joan Barreda Bort | Monster Energy Honda Team | 03 hrs 31 mins 20 secs |
2 | Sam Sunderland | GasGas Factory Racing | + 05 min 33 sec |
3 | Kevin Benavides | Red Bull KTM Factory Racing | + 05 min 54 sec |
4 | Skyler Howes | Husqvarna Factory Racing | + 06 min 16 sec |
6 | Joaquim Rodrigues | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 10 min 18 sec |
10 | Aaron Maré | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 12 min 37 sec |
Provisional Overall Standing After Stade 2- RallyGP Class
1 | Sam Sunderland | GasGas Factory Racing | 08 hrs 31 mins 29 secs |
2 | Adrien van Beveren | Monster Energy Yamaha | + 02 min 51 sec |
3 | Daniel Sanders | GasGas Factory Racing | + 03 min 29 sec |
4 | Matthias Walkner | Red Bull KTM Factory Team | + 04 min 08 sec |
9 | Aaron Maré | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 18 min 41 sec |
17 | Joaquim Rodrigues | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 45 min 13 sec |
Provisional Overall Standing After Stage 2- All Classes
1 | Sam Sunderland | GasGas Factory Racing | 08 hrs 31 mins 29 secs |
2 | Adrien van Beveren | Monster Energy Yamaha | + 02 min 51 sec |
3 | Daniel Sanders | GasGas Factory Racing | + 03 min 29 sec |
4 | Matthias Walkner | Red Bull KTM Factory Team | + 04 min 08 sec |
9 | Aaron Maré | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 18 min 41 sec |
17 | Joaquim Rodrigues | Hero MotoSports Team Rally | + 45 min 13 sec |
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