Monster Energy Honda Team all set for the Atacama Rally

Gepubliceerd op: 13-08-2017 16:21

After passing through pre-race scrutineering complication-free, Monster Energy Honda Team are now poised to tackle the seventh edition of the Atacama Rally, beginning in Copiapó, with the duo Paulo Gonçalves and Kevin Benavides.

The final day before the bikes go into action in the Chilean desert for the 2017 Atacama Rally, was a day of last minute preparations for the Monster Energy Honda Team; a final chance to set up the two Honda CRF450 RALLY bikes and get them through the technical and administrative checks – the day went without a hitch.

The rain has recently made its presence felt in the world’s most arid desert and could prove to be a decisive factor in some of the forthcoming five stages; however the forecast for now is sunny conditions.

This afternoon the race gets underway with a short, fourteen-kilometre prologue on the outskirts of Copiapó. As usual, a speedy start will be essential to guarantee a good overall position. Paulo Gonçalves and Kevin Benavides both arrive at the event highly-motivated and will be aspiring for top-position overall results by the time the Atacama Rally concludes next week.

Tomorrow sees the first full stage, a loop beginning and ending in Copiapó with a total of 272.47 kilometres with 226.18 of these against the clock.

Paulo Goncalves

”I recently had a fall in which I suffered a dislocation in my hand and I’m not fully recovered yet. Yesterday we had the ‘shakedown’ and everything was in place, the bike’s running perfectly, so I hope that the race will go well. It is an important test because it will be good preparation for the Dakar. In the championship I am close to second place in the overall standings and although I would have preferred to come here without any problems, we will nevertheless do our best to finish ahead.”

Kevin Benavides

”I am very happy to be able to do a good season of training. I feel much better with the recovery of my hand, which is at almost 100%. I am excited to compete in another world championship event with Paulo. We have been able to test out the bike, and it’s working very well. The performance is superior and we are very excited about that. I am happy with the team and to be able to work with them. The complicated moments have passed and now there are three world championship dates where we will show the same passion and will as always. The Chilean desert is a great place, I often train here and I have to say it is very beautiful. It will be a tough yet interesting race, where we will have to pay special attention to the navigation and take care of ourselves physically. Also the terrain could be a factor because the recent rain will have left a few hazards. As I’ve already mentioned, I feel confident that I will have a good race.”

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Atacama Rally: scrutineering

While the desert is flourishing like never before, rain and cold weather are evident at the start of the third round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. The Atacama Rally takes place exclusively in the desert of the same name, recognised as the driest desert in the world. Here, in Chile, climate change has seen temperatures in Copiapò no more than 13°C during the day’s administration and scrutineering checks….when the sun is shining. That said, these strange weather conditions have not stopped the riders from going to test in the immense Copiapò dunes. Pela Renet (Husqvarna) and Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) returned with a smile. “It is always a pleasure to do a tour of the desert on the motorcycle,” commented the Frenchman. “And, despite the wet sand, there was grip, which bodes well for tomorrow.” The best riders in the world are reunited for this third round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, but we also note with sadness the absence of two great champions who should have been present: Toby Price (KTM), whose fractured femur on the Dakar was complicated, and Antoine Meo (KTM), who injured his knee last week. So Sam Sunderland, Matthias Walkner and Laia Sanz will defend KTM colours, while, at Honda, we find the oldest but no less talented of the riders, Paulo Gonçalvez, and the Argentinean Kevin Benavides. We also welcome Yamaha France, which, for the first time, has registered its three rookies Xavier de Soultrait, Adrien Van Beveren and the Argentinean Franco Caimi. Two British riders who reside in Dubai, David McBride and Dave Mabbs, have also made the trip to the Atacama Desert. Quads In quads, no less than eight riders are registered and seven in the FIM category, including Rafal Sonik, Ignacio Casale – who is preparing for the Dakar with Yamaha – Rodolfo Guillioli, Kees Koolen and Alexis Hernandez…Tomorrow, after the press conference and the riders’ briefing, the Prologue of 14km takes place at 15.00hrs in the Copiapò dunes, 20km from the service park situated in the parking area at the Antay Hotel. On Monday, there is a long 226km loop solely in the dunes and sand that the competitors will tackle before leaving the mining town and heading north….

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