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OiLibya Rally du Maroc
Stage 1
Solid start for Team HRC in Morocco
After the success earned in China, followers of Team HRC Rally – the
official factory team – can now turn their attention to the Morocco
OiLibya Rally in which the squad is currently competing. Benavides, Brabec
and Gonçalves are among the top five after the first full stage.
After the first day’s racing in Morocco, the Team HRC trio are well in
the fray for the top positions and all currently lie in the leading five.
Competitors battled it out over two timed special stages today which covered
sandy zones, rocky terrain and narrow stretches without an excess of
navigation.
 The
best of the Honda CRF450 RALLY bunch was young Argentine rider Kevin
Benavides, who took runner-up spot on the day, a minute adrift of leader
Toby Price.
Ricky Brabec took advantage of his starting position to post a fourth
place. The American was twenty-five seconds quicker than Portuguese teammate
Paulo Gonçalves – fifth overall after the aggregate of today’s two
specials and the super-special of yesterday in Agadir.
Riders will have to tackle a complicated 554 kilometre stage tomorrow
which finishes in the parc ferme where riders will not be allowed any
mechanical assistance. Approximately half of that distance – 291
kilometres – will be against the clock.
Paulo Goncalves - STAGE: 5th (+3'08") OVERALL: 5th (+3'18")
Today we started the Morocco Rally with quite a good stage. There was a nice
start in the sand, then rocky track, before moving on to narrow tracks with
a bit of navigation. I’m happy with the pace which went well today. The
bike didn’t give any problems and we will really get down to the hard work
in tomorrow’s stage which will be the marathon stage. We have to continue
to do the best that we possibly can in the race.
 Ricky
Brabec - STAGE: 4th (+2'34") OVERALL: 4th (+2'53")
Here we are at the first stage of the Morocco Rally. It was a good day with
fast tracks and a little bit sandy. It was pretty simple navigation and the
weather was perfect. We have four more days to go and tomorrow there is the
marathon, so let’s see what we can do over the next few days and hopefully
we can all stay close together like today.
 Kevin
Benavides - STAGE: 2nd (+0'54") OVERALL: 2nd (+1'06")
The first stage is over. I felt great on the bike and I picked things up as
the stage went on and felt better and better as the kilometres went by. The
bike was perfect. It was a good first stage with a fast pace and now we are
focusing on what is coming up over the next few days, above all tomorrow
which is the marathon stage.
Martino Bianchi - Team HRC General Manager
Today was a very short special which immediately marked out the prominent
riders in this rally. Kevin had a good special stage keeping his distance in
check and riding with decision. Ricky put in a good performance in spite of
starting from further back and having to race in a dust cloud. He rode a
very consistent and stable race. It was a pity about a very slight error by
Paulo at the start of the second special. But all the riders have started
the final rally of the Cross-Country World Championship very motivated.
Tomorrow sees the first part of the marathon stage with could stir
everything up a bit.
 STAGE
1 Results
1 Price Toby AUS KTM Factory Racing Team 1:31'20
2 Benavides Kevin ARG Team HRC +0'54
3 Sunderland Sam GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +1'24
4 Brabec Ricky USA Team HRC +2'34
5 Goncalves Paulo POR Team HRC +3'08
6 Walkner Matthias AUT KTM Factory Racing Team +4'09
7 Pedrero Joan SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory +4'47
8 Botturi Alessandro ITA Yamaha Motor Europe +4'51
9 Quintanilla Pablo CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +4'55
10 de Soultrait Xavier FRA Yamaha Racing +5'43
11 Rodrigues Helder POR Yamaha Motor Europe +5'55
12 Svitko Stefan SLO Slovnaft Team +5'55
13 Van Beveren Adrien FRA Yamaha Motor Europe +6'23
14 Metge Adrien FRA Sherco TVS Rally Factory +8'23
15 Renet Pierre-Alexandre FRA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +10'11
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