Jeddah, Jan 15: Monster Energy Honda Team rider Pablo Quintanilla won the final stage of the Dakar Rally to grab second overall place, while Hero MotoSports Team finished with its best-ever performance.
Quintanilla earned the final stage victory, finishing 3 minutes 27 seconds short of clinching the outright Dakar 2022 title.
“I am very happy with the result and my performance throughout the whole race, especially during the second week, which I managed well, making up time with a steady performance,” Quintanilla said.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally wrapped up a memorable campaign that saw them become the first Indian manufacturer to win a stage in the world’s toughest rally for the very first time.
They ended their campaign with a stage win and one stage podium, as both their riders crossed the final finish line.
All through 2021, the team participated in multiple races, constantly upgrading their machines, and reaching the top positions.
They entered the Dakar Rally battling several last-minute hurdles – including two of their riders getting unfit for the race due to injuries.
Joaquim Rodrigues, the star performer of the team, finished the last stage of 163 kms between Bisha to Jeddah with yet another top-15 finish. He finished 13th while his teammate Aaron Maré secured the 15th place in the overall standings of the RallyGP class.
All four Monster Energy Honda team riders also managed to finish one of the toughest ever editions of the rally, with the Honda CRF450 RALLY once again making it through the entire Dakar without a single mechanical issue.
Joan Barreda, Ricky Brabec and José Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo, riding their respective Honda CRF450 RALLY bikes, also finished the race among the leaders.
Spain’s Barreda, fourth on the final stage, finished fifth overall, equalling the result achieved in 2017. Brabec took seventh spot overall, while Cornejo, third in the last stage, consolidated his sixth place in the final rally classification. (PTI)
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