NE SPORTS BUREAU
VILLAMARTIN (SPAIN), MAY 16
Hero MotoSports Team Rally continued its strong performance at the 2021 Andalucia Rally, with yet another top-3 stage finish for Joaquim Rodrigues. He had a great start to the day leading the rally in the opening 100 kms and crossing the finish line in the second place, says a release.
A navigation error cost Buhler some time but otherwise, he rode at a measured pace to finish the stage in the fourth place. Caimi had a bit more challenging time as he faced some tricky spots in the stage, while also getting used to the new settings of his bike. Despite the challenges, he managed to finish the stage in a commendable eight place.
At the end of Stage 3, JRod, Caimi and Buhler and find themselves in the 4th, 5th and 8th positions, respectively, in the overall standings.
Saturday’s stage, dubbed as “The Marathon” ran for 298 kms of special sections with nearly all of it being done in one go, only punctuated by a short neutralization section, mimicking a typical Dakar stage. The stage was laid out in a loop over the rolling Andalusian plains, including some narrow and winding sections along a river and a very quick and fast paced section passing through the wheat fields.
After yet another podium stage finish and just one final stage remaining, the rider trio of Hero MotoSports Team Rally find themselves poised for a good finish at the Rally. With the time gaps being small, the claim to the top positions is still up for grabs.
The final stage is all set for an exciting finish as the last 185 kms of special section is expected to witness a tight race between the podium contenders, bringing the very first rally of the season to its conclusion.
Joaquim Rodrigues, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “It was a really fast stage today, I was able to get a good rhythm from the beginning and was fighting for 1st position, so I am really happy with the result. Of course, the bike is performing really well and is helping me get these results. Tomorrow is the last day, so we will try to get the best possible result for the team.”
Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “Today was not an easy day for me. We tried a different setting in the bike today so I had to adapt to that. Then I also came across a couple of tricky situations on the stage like a tractor crossing the track, and also a chain across the road. Overall, it was a trickier stage for me, but I am getting more time on the bike and getting really comfortable with it so I am happy with that.”
Sebastian Buhler, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “It was a nice stage with fast and rolling tracks. I made a small navigation error and had to turn around to catch a missed waypoint. There was some confusion in the points on the GPS and our Roadbook, but I am sure that the organization will handle it. Happy with how the rally has gone so far for me and now looking to bring it home.”
Provisional Stage 3 Ranking
- Joan Barreda Bort Monster Energy Honda Team 02h 54m 51s
- Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally +02m 56s
- Lorenzo Santolino Sherco Factory Rally Team +04m 35s
- Sebastian Buhler Hero MotoSports Team Rally +06m 23s
- Franco Caimi Hero MotoSports Team Rally +09m 35s
Provisional Overall Rankings after Stage 3
- Joan Barreda Bort Monster Energy Honda Team 08h 37m 26s
- Lorenzo Santolino Sherco Factory Rally Team +2m 52s
- Pablo Quintanilla Monster Energy Honda Team +10m 40s
- Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally +11m 11s
- Franco Caimi Hero MotoSports Team Rally +12m 16s
- Sebastian Buhler Hero MotoSports Team Rally +25m 10s
