Brabec doubles up in Argentina as Honda take a 1-2-3
Desafio Ruta 40The Monster Energy Honda Team riders made the most of the differing terrain to dominate the latest day’s action in Argentina that included dunes, a 40km salt flat on a looping stage around the San Juan bivouac in an area that featured eight times during the South American Dakar.
Ricky Brabec started the special stage in sixth and despite suffering with the cold temperatures early on, he sped through the second half of the 341km stage without any issues at all to take his second stage victory of the week. This great result today has put him in the lead over the Desafío Ruta 40 with two stages to go.
After his second place yesterday, Skyler Howes was a man on a mission hunting for his first stage win in Honda colours and by 142km he had gone quickest keeping Tosha Schareina and Brabec at bay. In an extraordinary development at 174km into the stage the Honda trio were tied on time – nothing could separate them! At the finish Howes had conceded 3′27″ to his fellow American, while Schareina was a further eleven seconds back as once more the Monster Energy Honda Team continued to dominate the Desafío Ruta 40.
Howes has continued to move up the standings and is now in fourth, five and a half minutes back, whilst Schareina isn’t letting Brabec too far out of his sights with just over a minute and a half separating the two quickest riders so far after nearly twelve hours of rallying.
First off the start line today, Adrien Van Beveren was not fazed by the task ahead and although he lost the lead 86km in, the Frenchman was happy with his performance to finish the day in fifth. He’s now third overall just 3′38″ back to keep him within touching distance of the frontrunners and with a better starting position tomorrow he’ll look to make up that time.
Pablo Quintanilla found it tough on the stages that were also used on the South American Dakar, the Chilean rider finding the navigation a little difficult due to the vegetation and he ended the day seventh quickest.
The penultimate day of rallying heads away from San Juan for another long day on the bike for the riders with a total 676km that’ll take them north to La Rioja.
It’s another good day for us with Ricky on really strong form. This stage was very similar to the area of Barstow in California where Ricky and Skyler have had many training days and tests, so they were feeling really confident and the results reflect this with their first and second place finishes. It was also another good day for Tosha with his third place and Adrien did really well despite the tough job of opening the stage, he is third overall but still in the fight for victory. In the last part of the stage Pablo lost a bit of time and was seventh at the end of the day. All our five riders are in the top seven overall so we’re in a strong position and confident for the next two days. Tomorrow will be another long day, more than 400km, so the riders need to be focussed as we get ever closer to the finish at Córdoba.
It’s another good day for us with Ricky on really strong form. This stage was very similar to the area of Barstow in California where Ricky and Skyler have had many training days and tests, so they were feeling really confident and the results reflect this with their first and second place finishes. It was also another good day for Tosha with his third place and Adrien did really well despite the tough job of opening the stage, he is third overall but still in the fight for victory. In the last part of the stage Pablo lost a bit of time and was seventh at the end of the day. All our five riders are in the top seven overall so we’re in a strong position and confident for the next two days. Tomorrow will be another long day, more than 400km, so the riders need to be focussed as we get ever closer to the finish at Córdoba.
It was a tough one, the terrain was very broken, there was a good mix of terrain through river beds, broken pistes and some dunes. The navigation was tricky between the vegetation and the small rivers but I rode well even though I followed some others’ dust. The last part was particularly difficult for the navigation, I tried to find the correct way without any mistakes and I got safely to the finish.
It was a tough one, the terrain was very broken, there was a good mix of terrain through river beds, broken pistes and some dunes. The navigation was tricky between the vegetation and the small rivers but I rode well even though I followed some others’ dust. The last part was particularly difficult for the navigation, I tried to find the correct way without any mistakes and I got safely to the finish.
It feels good to get another stage win, although in rally-raid you don’t always want to win because some days you want to open the stage and others you don’t. I started out a little bit slow today because I was freezing but after refuelling I realised I needed to step up a bit and put the gas on. I made a good push and it worked so it was a good day to take my second stage win but tomorrow I get to open again but I’m wary the last day will be a maximum attack day for hopefully a podium.
It feels good to get another stage win, although in rally-raid you don’t always want to win because some days you want to open the stage and others you don’t. I started out a little bit slow today because I was freezing but after refuelling I realised I needed to step up a bit and put the gas on. I made a good push and it worked so it was a good day to take my second stage win but tomorrow I get to open again but I’m wary the last day will be a maximum attack day for hopefully a podium.
Today was a lot like riding at home because we had a lot of similar terrain that I’m used to so I felt much more comfortable in this open desert and the dry river beds, rather than the first couple of stages. I enjoyed today a lot as the navigation was quite tricky but Adrien opened the whole stage before I caught him, but I made a little error and he stayed ahead. I just pushed and did the best I could, I came in second again and Ricky smoked us all. So far it’s my favourite stage of the rally.
Today was a lot like riding at home because we had a lot of similar terrain that I’m used to so I felt much more comfortable in this open desert and the dry river beds, rather than the first couple of stages. I enjoyed today a lot as the navigation was quite tricky but Adrien opened the whole stage before I caught him, but I made a little error and he stayed ahead. I just pushed and did the best I could, I came in second again and Ricky smoked us all. So far it’s my favourite stage of the rally.
It was a super tough stage but I’m really happy about my riding today, even more than my win yesterday. It doesn’t matter about the result because to open all day like this was really tough. We had a lot of vegetation, riverbeds, that were really tricky because you couldn’t see the tracks. The navigation was difficult all day but I enjoyed it a lot on the bike for the whole stage and I’m proud of what I’ve done.
It was a super tough stage but I’m really happy about my riding today, even more than my win yesterday. It doesn’t matter about the result because to open all day like this was really tough. We had a lot of vegetation, riverbeds, that were really tricky because you couldn’t see the tracks. The navigation was difficult all day but I enjoyed it a lot on the bike for the whole stage and I’m proud of what I’ve done.
Today was hard again as it was like the desert. Honestly, it was good for me as I tried to push during the stage, but I made a couple of navigation mistakes as it was a bit confusing at some places, but I have another good starting position for tomorrow. The landscapes have completely changed today, there’s more desert, so more like the Dakar. I’m second overall with two days to go so I will push all I can to win this rally.
Today was hard again as it was like the desert. Honestly, it was good for me as I tried to push during the stage, but I made a couple of navigation mistakes as it was a bit confusing at some places, but I have another good starting position for tomorrow. The landscapes have completely changed today, there’s more desert, so more like the Dakar. I’m second overall with two days to go so I will push all I can to win this rally.
RallyGP Provisional Standings after Stage 3
Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | BRABEC Ricky | 9 | USA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | 11:54:03 |
2 | SCHAREINA Tosha | 68 | SPA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | + 01:34 |
3 | VAN BEVEREN Adrien | 42 | FRA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | + 03:38 |
4 | HOWES Skyler | 10 | USA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | + 05:28 |
5 | EVAN BRANCH Ross | 16 | BWA | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | Hero | + 09:28 |
6 | BÜHLER Sebastian | POR | Hero Motorsports Team Rally | Hero | + 11:06 | |
7 | QUINTANILLA Pablo | 7 | CHI | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | + 13:59 |