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Monster Energy Honda Team all set to do battle in the
Merzouga Rally, in Morocco
After getting the 2018 World Championship season off and running in Abu
Dhabi, Monster Energy Honda Team now set their sights on the Merzouga Rally in
Morocco, with the participation of all the team’s big guns including Joan
Barreda.
Kevin Benavides, Paulo Gonçalves, Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec and José
Ignacio Cornejo are the five riders scheduled to take the start of the second
round of the season for Monster Energy Honda Team.
The team, looking to clock up more mileage and testing experience, will be
joined by Joan Barreda, now in the final recovery phase after undergoing a
wrist operation in mid-February 2018. Likewise, Portuguese stalwart Paulo
Gonçalves will take the opportunity to improve physically after posting a
respectable fifth in Abu Dhabi on his return from injury. For Kevin Benavides
– winner of the 2016 edition of the Merzouga Rally – this will be another
chance to put his full potential on display. Lining up alongside them will be
two of the team’s emerging talents, American Ricky Brabec and Chilean Nacho
Cornejo.
The Merzouga Rally is due to kick off on April 15th in the striking dunes
of Merzouga with a short five-kilometre prologue once the administrative and
technical checks are out of the way. Over the five subsequent stages, the race
organization has prepared a selection of routes which will cover a total of
approximately 1000 kilometres. The final day will take place in the dunes of
Merzouga with a spectacular motocross-style start with riders setting off in
line.
The official Honda team has won the race on two occasions: in 2013, with
Sunderland and, as mentioned above, the 2016 edition, where Kevin Benavides
claimed the overall victory and Ricky Brabec took sixth place.
DATE STAGE LIAISON SPECIAL LIAISON TOTAL KM
15/04/18 Prologue 48.2 5 53.2
16/04/18 Stage 1 206.71 206.71
17/04/18 Stage 2 175.32 175.32
18/04/18 Stage 3 63.8 239.21 303.01
19/04/18 Stage 4 36.11 233.32 103.35 372.78
20/04/18 Stage 5 48.85 48.85
total 148.11 908.41 103.35 1559.87
Kevin Benavides #2
We are going to Merzouga, a race that I really like and that I’ve already
won in 2016 and I want to repeat it again. I really want it and come here very
highly motivated. It's a very technical and navigationally complex race, which
is what I like the most. I am set to go out again and face this new challenge.
Paulo Goncalves #8
After the important test that we had in Abu Dhabi where I saw what situation I
was in due to the injuries which had forced me out of the Dakar; we now return
to the competition, this time in Merzouga. I’ve been recovering well and I
see Merzouga as one more race in the preparation that we have ahead and a
chance to continue getting back to fitness. The next world championship event
will be in August, so it will be important to race here and not make any
mistakes to keep on the scheduled recovery and training plan. We will try to
stay in good shape while minimizing the risks and, above all, work hard as a
team to achieve a good final result.
Joan Barreda #10
For me, this is an important race and I am happy after the hand operation to
be able to return to competition. I'm in the final phase of recovery now, but
the most important thing is to be able to get some kilometres under my belt,
not lose pace and continue with the preparation in a rally like this where the
navigation is so demanding. I hope to get the good feelings back again and
stop noticing any small discomforts that I still have in my hand.
Ricky Brabec #15
Here we in Merzouga getting ready for the second rally of the year. It’s
going to be difficult from the point of view of the navigation. I’ve always
liked Africa, particularly for the terrain, as it always reminds me of home. I’m
excited to see how it goes out here and hopefully we can all do well.
José Ignacio Cornejo #23
I am very motivated for the Merzouga Rally. It will be my second race of the
season with the Monster Energy Honda Team and it will be very important to
practice the navigation and continue to adapt to the Honda CRF450 RALLY. I
really want to improve my speed and I'm going to concentrate on it throughout
this season. I’ve already competed in this race in 2016 and so I already
have some reference points.
Raul Castells - Monster Energy Honda Team Manager
This will be the second race of the season for the Monster Energy Honda Team.
We have arrived with a good team, with five riders and a lot of enthusiasm as,
for example, Joan has returned after the operation he had after the Dakar and
the other riders will continue with their preparations. We hope it'll be a
good race. It's been a while since we came here with the whole team. It's a
comfortable race, close to home, but a difficult one to navigate. In doing so,
ASO gives us some guarantees, because in many ways it is the same competition
system used in the Dakar and that will help us in the preparation. We hope to
come away with a good result.
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