[MOTO] Dakar rally 2021: Hero MotoSports keeps it steady in stage 3, Rodrigues breaks into top 20

[BLaCK.DeVIl]

Joaquim Rodrigues finished in 18th place; Sebastian Buhler came in 21st while Indian ace rider CS Santosh closed stage 3 in 36th place.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Joaquim Rodrigues finished in 18th place.
- Sebastian Buhler came in 21st in stage 3 of the Dakar rally 2021.
- Indian ace rider CS Santosh closed the stage in 36th place.

Continuing their sound run in the 2021 Dakar Rally, the rider trio from Hero MotoSports Team Rally turned in another good performance in the 3rd stage of the rally, a 629km circuit route around the dunes of Wadi Ad-Dawasir out of which 403km was the special stage. Joaquim Rodrigues finished in 18th place; Sebastian Buhler came in 21st while Indian ace rider CS Santosh closed the stage in 36th place. Ashish Raorane, riding as a privateer in a KTM, had a tough day at the office as he finished the stage at 81st place.

Team captain Rodrigues led the team standings as well, continuing to grow in confidence, retaining his position in a predominantly sandy stage. Buhler also kept it steady throughout the stage and sits on 24th place in the overall rankings while CS Santosh tackled another long stage really well to gain a couple of positions in the overall rankings, and now finds himself at 34th place. Raorane, at present, struggles at 84th place.

It is still early days in the Dakar 2021 but the growing confidence of Rodrigues, consistency of Buhler, and determination of Santosh coupled with the flawless performance of the new Hero 450 rally bike bode well for the team’s prospects in the upcoming stages. Up next, the rally will move out of the Wadi Ad-Dawasir to the capital city of Riyadh for the longest stage of the rally covering 813km, including the transport section. The timed special will be relatively shorter at 337km.