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Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2018
2018 Cross-Country Rallies Round W1 , 3
Kevin Benavides keeps options open in Abu Dhabi
Monster Energy Honda Team rider Kevin Benavides remains on the provisional
podium of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge after day three where he opened the
track for much of the special stage.
The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the first round of the FIM Cross-Country
Rallies World Championship, reached its halfway point today with the Monster
Energy Honda Team still firmly in the battle. In this third of five stages,
riders came up against more varied sections of the Liwa Desert: a more
technical section at the beginning with huge dunes, many of them cut, before
moving on to another much swifter section. The front riders eventually bunched
into a group of four who rode the remainder of the stage together.
Kevin Benavides, who started second today, was able to hunt down the rider
who opened the course, managing to pull ahead of the field over several
kilometres, before being reached by the other riders. Benavides eventually
finished third and holds third position in the overall standings.
American Ricky Brabec decided to up the ante today and try to increase
speed in spite of the dangerous cut dunes of the Liwa. Brabec posted fourth
place, half a minute adrift of his team-mate, but ahead of Portuguese rider
Paulo Gonçalves who had suffered a minor fall whilst taking a jump. The rider
got stuck briefly in a dune, dropping some time in the process.
Also improving significantly in terms of speed and desert navigation
reading were José Ignacio Cornejo and Michael Metge, sixth and seventh on the
day. Both had a complication-free stage.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, sees the penultimate day of this Abu Dhabi Desert
Challenge. Riders look forward to a 372.55 kilometre stage including 244.5 km
against the clock.
Kevin Benavides 2 STAGE: 3rd OVERALL: 3rd
I felt good. I went out to push hard and I was able to catch the rider who
started first and then I had to open the track for quite some time. I felt
very confident on the bike in this special desert. The bike has given zero
problems. We have to keep on like this, pushing hard over the two remaining
days of racing and see how things turn out in the end.
Paulo Goncalves 4 STAGE: 5th OVERALL: 5th
Another long stage full of dunes. I felt pretty good at the start, and pushed
with a fast pace. I caught the rider in front of me and we rode very quick
until I fell at a cut dune and then got stuck. I slightly damaged my shoulder
and until the end I had to take it a bit easier. The objective is still to
accumulate kilometres... and for the moment we are doing well.
Ricky Brabec 11 STAGE: 4th OVERALL: 6th
This third day was good. We got into the bigger dunes. It was very fast. I don’t
like it so much at high speeds in this type of undulation and rolling dunes,
where you can’t see what’s on the other side. My body is not tired yet and
we are ready to face the next few days.
Michael Metge 12 STAGE: 7th OVERALL: 9th
Today the special was different. The start was more technical, with
navigation in the dunes where you had to really grit your teeth and get into
it. I had a good time. The bike went very well and in the second part, I was
able to speed up in the dunes, some of them cut dunes, where it is never easy
to go fast.
José Ignacio Cornejo 14 STAGE: 6th OVERALL: 7th
It was an entertaining stage, more complicated at the beginning and faster in
the final part. I was able to set quite a good pace. There was less and less
difference with those up in front. I felt better. Now I’m reading the desert
with greater confidence and hope to improve in the forthcoming days.
Stage 3 Results
1 Sunderland Sam 5 GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 3:29'52
2 Walkner Matthias 3 AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +6'03
3 Benavides Kevin 2 ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +9'01
4 Brabec Ricky 11 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +9'35
5 Goncalves Paulo 4 POR Monster Energy Honda Team +9'54
6 Cornejo José Ignacio 14 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +11'29
7 Metge Michael 12 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team +11'36
8 Quintanilla Pablo 1 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +12'02
9 Giemza Maciej 10 POL KTM Orlen Rally Team +28'40
10 McBride David 8 GBR Vendetta Racing UAE +35'38
Provisional Standings after Stage 3
1 Sunderland Sam 5 GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 10:35'19
2 Walkner Matthias 3 AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +7'34
3 Benavides Kevin 2 ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +9'48
4 Quintanilla Pablo 1 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +10'54
5 Goncalves Paulo 4 POR Monster Energy Honda Team +22'11
6 Brabec Ricky 11 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +22'37
7 Cornejo José Ignacio 14 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +33'12
8 Price Toby 6 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +38'43
9 Metge Michael 12 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team +39'37
10 McBride David 8 GBR Vendetta Racing UAE +1:44'00
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2018
2018 Cross-Country Rallies Round W1
Third place for Paulo Gonçalves in the penultimate stage
Another hot day in the great dunes of Liwa, on a day when many of the
backmarkers in the general standings were able to pull back time from the
leading riders. Kevin Benavides opened the track, while Paulo Gonçalves
managed to post the day’s third fastest time.
The fourth and penultimate stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge once
again played out in the vast sands of the Liwa desert, with 244.5 kilometres
of the 370 total raced against the clock. It was a race of two markedly
different parts. The first featured a heavy measure of dunes, some of the
treacherous cut variety; the other, a more technical section taking the
competitors to the end of the special, situated very close to the bivouac in
Qsar al Sarab.
Kevin Benavides had taken the initiative earlier in the day with the group
that opened the course. The Argentine, however, was unable to break away from
the pack who rode together until the finish line. Meanwhile behind, other
rivals took the opportunity to whittle down the difference with the leaders.
Paulo Gonçalves, being one of them, proved to be the best Monster Energy
Honda Team rider, posting third. After having fallen yesterday, the Portuguese
rider made a cautious start to the day, but was soon in all-out attack mode,
maintaining a cracking pace that allowed him to take third position.
Chilean Jose Ignacio Cornejo, fourth, and Michael Metge, fifth, likewise
rode their best performances in this Desert Challenge. Ricky Brabec, sixth,
held a solid pace ahead of Benavides, seventh place finisher on the day.
Tomorrow, Thursday, sees the fifth and final stage of this Abu Dhabi Desert
Challenge. It will be a different special to the previous ones, given that
riders will start out in rows, motocross-style. The stage will feature a total
of 356 kilometres, including 218.6 km against the clock. They will finish the
day at Yas Marina Circuit.
Kevin Benavides 2 STAGE: 7th OVERALL: 3rd
Today I opened for practically the whole stage, as I had caught up with
frontrunners at kilometre 45. I did the best I could and I pushed hard to the
end. I lost some time at the beginning and then I began to take the
initiative. It was difficult to battle against the handicap of opening the
track, as the riders from behind can take advantage of that. We will try to
continue pushing tomorrow over the final stretches of the rally.
Paulo Goncalves 4 STAGE: 3rd OVERALL: 5th
Today I started off prudently after the fall in the dunes yesterday - with a
calm, safe pace. I enjoyed not having so much pressure to want to go fast and
I focused on doing it right, without mistakes, I'm satisfied. We have one more
race day left and up until now we have clocked up a 1000 kilometres of dunes;
I couldn’t wait for a better test than this to see what state I am in after
the injury I had last December.
Ricky Brabec 11 STAGE: 6th OVERALL: 6th
I’ve realized that this a really dangerous rally. It’s really fast. More
navigation would be key just to slow it down. The first 100k was a little bit
dangerous and fast. I took it easy. It’s hard to read the undulations of the
dunes. Then I saw the helicopter and the riders up ahead, so I pushed hard.
Once you catch the group, it’s had to get away. We all arrived together and
arrived well.
Michael Metge 12 STAGE: 5th OVERALL: 9th
The first part was similar to the second stage special: large dunes and many
of them cut. I haven’t completely understood how to read this type of dunes
and therefore I didn’t start out so well at the beginning, but in the second
part, which has been something more technical and without so many big dunes,
is where I have been able to enjoy being behind the handlebars of the Honda
CRF450 RALLY .
José Ignacio Cornejo 14 STAGE: 4th OVERALL: 7th
Today I had a good stage, the best for me since we started this rally. I felt
that I had a better pace, I was able to read the desert faster, which is not
easy at all. I made it back well, without any problems. I could have found
that pace earlier, but we're here to learn and improve, and I think that's
what I'm doing. Tomorrow we will accelerate right up to the final kilometre.
Stage 4 results
1 Quintanilla Pablo 1 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team 3:16'53
2 Price Toby 6 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +2'35
3 Goncalves Paulo 4 POR Monster Energy Honda Team +5'42
4 Cornejo José Ignacio 14 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +6'43
5 Metge Michael 12 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team +6'48
6 Brabec Ricky 11 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +8'23
7 Benavides Kevin 2 ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +11'05
8 Walkner Matthias 3 AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +14'21
9 Sunderland Sam 5 GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +17'11
10 McBride David 8 GBR Vendetta Racing UAE +34'09
Provisional standings after Stage 4
1 Quintanilla Pablo 1 CHI Husqvarna Factory Rally Team 14:03'06
2 Sunderland Sam 5 GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +6'17
3 Benavides Kevin 2 ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +9'59
4 Walkner Matthias 3 AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +11'01
5 Goncalves Paulo 4 POR Monster Energy Honda Team +17'59
6 Brabec Ricky 11 USA Monster Energy Honda Team +20'06
7 Cornejo José Ignacio 14 CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +29'01
8 Price Toby 6 AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +30'24
9 Metge Michael 12 FRA Monster Energy Honda Team +37'31
10 McBride David 8 GBR Vendetta Racing UAE +2:07'15
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