Tag Archives: Andalucia Rally

Moto News Wrap | Ruprecht tops Italian Enduro | Andalucia & Sonora Rally

Wil Ruprecht wins Italian Enduro Round 6 in Marche

Australian Wil Ruprecht has topped the sixth round of the Italian Enduro championship (Campionato Assoluti d’Italia Enduro) held in Marche and in doing so extended his championship lead in the Absolute standings.

Wil Ruprecht

235 riders turned up for the Fabriano event from all over the world, including a boom in international representation with 13 nations represented.

The 54 km course was repeated four times, featuring three special stages, kicking off with the Scott Enduro Test, before the AIroh Cross Test and finally the Extreme Test.

The overall victory went to Wil Ruprecht, boasting a number of first place finishes across the day’s stages to finish 11.84s ahead of runner up Steve Holcombe.

Steve Holcombe

“I’m happy to be back racing in Italy, I’ve missed races during this recovery period. My performance is undoubtedly satisfactory and above all expectations.”

Brad Freeman completed the top three, 20.92s off leading pace, as the second Beta on the podium, alongside Holcombe, with Ruprecht’s TM claiming top honours.

Brad Freeman

“A fluctuating race in concerning timing, but I am happy with the race pace. Now maximum concentration for the next round of the Assoluti and then we’ll go right into the EnduroGP.”

Theophile Espinasse finished fourth, ahead of Matteo Cavallo, Andrea Verona and Hamish McDonald.

Ruprecht now leads the standings on 100-points, while Brad Freeman is second overall on 84. Third is Matthew Horse on 81.

Absolute Absolutes of Italy Round 6 Results

Pos Rider Bike Total
1 RUPRECHT Wil Paul TM 300 4T 1:04’01.65
2 HOLCOMBE Steve BETA 350 4T 1:04’13.49
3 FREEMAN Brad BETA 300 2T 1:04’22.57
4 ESPINASSE Theophile BBM RACING 1:04’35.89
5 CAVALLO Matteo TM 250 4T 1:04’36.01
6 VERONA Andrea GAS GAS 250 4T 1:04’41.94
7 MACDONALD Hamish SHERCO 300 4T 1:04’44.63
8 MCCANNEY Daniel SHERCO 300 2T 1:04’54.59
9 MACORITTO Lorenzo TM 250 2T 1:05’01.40
10 PAVONI Matteo TM 300 2T 1:05’32.72

Absolute Ranking of Italy

Pos Rider Class Bike Total
1 RUPRECHT Will Paul ST TM 250 4T 100
2 FREEMAN Brad ST BETA 300 2T 84
3 HORSE Matthew D. TM 250 4T 81
4 MAGAIN Antoine ST SHERCO 250 2T 62
5 VERONA Andrea D. GAS GAS 250 4T 59
6 MCCANNEY Daniel ST SHERCO 300 2T 57
7 OLDRATI Thomas IS HONDA 450 4T 52
8 MACORITTO Lorenzo B. TM 250 2T 46
9 HOLCOMBE Steve ST BETA 350 4T 37
9 PAVONI Matteo JU TM 300 2T 37

Joan Barreda wins the 2021 Andalucía Rally

After 1086 km of special stage, over the hills and plains of Andalusia, victory in the bike class for the 2021 Andalucía Rally went to Joan Barreda (Monster Energy Honda) 03’28 ahead of compatriot Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco Factory) with Honda Monster Energy’s new recruit the Chilean Pablo Quintanilla third at 10’29.

Joan Barreda – Image by Rally Zone

Joan Barreda (Monster Energy Honda) put in a blistering performance to protect his slim overall lead. Opening the road and despite being chased down by Lorenzo Santolino he actually increased his lead over the Sherco rider by 36 seconds to win the Andalucía Rally 2021, his first victory since the Merzouga in 2018, in fine style. It’s an important milestone for Barreda who has struggled for two years with a troublesome wrist injury.

Joan Barreda – P1

“It was a difficult final stage, opening the track from the beginning. It has not been easy at all: we went over the same stretches of very broken tracks that we had already been over in the last few days. I had to keep calm and hold a fast pace because I knew they were chasing me down, pushing hard behind me. In the end, I felt pretty good and I was able to keep up the pace through to the final finish-line. Having such a very good stage has allowed me to win the rally.”

Joan Barreda – Image by Rally Zone

Lorenzo Santolino – P2

“Really happy for me and the team who are improving the bike every race. I learned a lot here and got more confidence with the navigation. Congratulations to Barreda for the win.”

Pablo Quintanilla turned out to be the winner of the final total 185-kilometre special. The new Monster Energy Honda Team signing couldn’t have got his maiden rally off to a better start. Furthermore, the Chilean rider was able to consolidate a brilliant third final position, more than satisfactory after his first kilometres astride the Honda CRF450 RALLY.

Pablo Quintanilla – P3

“We have finished the first race with the team and all I can say is that I am very pleased about it. It was a very hard week, super intense, but very important to be able to get to know the whole team, find some good sensations and get to know the way that the team works. I felt comfortable with the team, on the bike, and I think I have gradually progressed, finishing with a very good stage win. I have to thank all these people who have worked alongside me all this week. Now, we are going to rest a bit and plan the immediate future. I am very happy and motivated about all the things that lie ahead.”

Pablo Quintanilla – Image by Rally Zone

Joaquim Rodrigues and Franco Caimi completed the top five, with 15-seconds separating the two riders, who were 13’50 and 14’05 off the winning overall time.

Joaquim Rodrigues – P4

“Today was difficult day for me as I had a couple of crashes and hurt my hand and knee a little bit. So, I decided to slow down and focus on getting the bike to the finish safely. In the second part I got into a better rhythm and pushed through to the finish line. I am setting a good pace on the bike and the bike is also performing really well so I am happy with the results. I want to thank my team, entire Hero family and all our fans for their support.”

Franco Caimi – P5

“I focused today on improving my feeling and confidence on the bike so I am happy to be at the end and with the way things have gone in my first rally with my new team. I really enjoyed it and want to thank my entire crew for doing a fantastic job through the rally and also our supporters and my new Hero family. Now we will start our work for the upcoming Kazakhstan Rally.”

Andalucia Rally 2021 Final Standings

Pos Rider Nat Gap
1 BARREDA Joan SPA 10:47’32
2 SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA +3’28
3 QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI +10’29
4 RODRIGUES Joaquim POR +13’50
5 CAIMI Franco ARG +14’05
6 CERUTTI Jacopo ITA +22’05
7 PEDRERO Joan SPA +23’29
8 BÜHLER Sebastian POR +26’04
9 DOVEZE Mathieu FRA +38’44
10 GONÇALVES Rui POR +40’39
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Ricky Brabec dominates 2021 Sonora Rally

The seventh edition of the Sonora Rally once again had Ricky Brabec as the key protagonist. This year’s victory means that Monster Energy Honda Team’s American rider has now won more than half of the editions of the Mexican race held to date. Team-mate José Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo also finished on the podium behind runner up Skyler Howes.

The 2021 Sonora Rally overall podium – 1) Ricky Brabec, 2) Skyler Howes, 3) Ignacio Cornejo

The five-stage rally, held in the Altar desert in the state of Sonora in northern Mexico, included over 900 kilometres of timed special stages on a total 1,500-kilometre route.

Ricky Brabec not only scooped the final triumph, with wins in two out of five stages, but kept a firm grip on the race throughout, on an error-free ride that included some scorching pace, even in some of the most difficult sections of the course. Brabec, who lined up against some of the factory riders set to participate in the forthcoming Dakar Rally, romped home to a win with a 13-minute gap over the nearest second-placed rival, claiming a third consecutive win in the race, the fourth in total in the rally.

Ricky Brabec – P1

“Sonora rally was great. I year ago we had Covid, so it’s really great to be back here. It was a difficult five days and we made it happen. We are happy to come away with the overall win. Three times in a row is pretty nice. Looking forward to the next rally event and possibly coming back for training later this year. It’s great to have a few factory riders down here including Nacho. Hopefully we did a good job for you guys. See you soon.”

Ricky Brabec

Skyler Howes took runner up, despite some issues with his nav equipment and finished the Sonora Rally just under 13-minutes behind Brabec, but still leading Cornejo by 10-minutes.

Skyler Howes – P2

“Super grateful to be here at my first rally as an official Factory racer for @rockstarhusky. A lot had to come together in a short time, thank you so much to the team for making it happen. Had some bugs with the nav equipment this week but otherwise had a clean rally. Great training and seat time on the new machine and great times with good people. Thank you to my crew Gary, Kelly, Tristan and Gee for coming down and spending a week in the heat with me making sure I was dialled in. Time to head home and gear up for the next one! Next up: Rally Kazakhstan.”

Young Chilean rider Ricky Brabec, made his debut in the rally, improving by the day, adapting well to a somewhat different race format and would eventually snatch a win in the final stage, earning himself third place on the rally’s final podium.

José Ignacio Cornejo – P3

“It was good to get back to racing after the Dakar and there was a feeling of unfinished business after the crash that prevented me from continuing. Here in Sonora I was able to get back up to race pace. In the beginning it was a bit tough, but as the days went by I felt better on the Honda and I was able to win on the last day. I am happy to be able to finish the race, to have done so with a podium finish and to be able to continue improving day by day. It was a great first race of the season. Now, to keep working and try to regain the level I had a few months ago. I have to thank Monster Energy Honda Team, HRC, and also JCR Honda for everything they have done during the race. I am very motivated to continue working and achieving better results.”

José Ignacio Cornejo

2021 Sonora Rally

Pos Rider Nat Cat Overall
1 Ricky Brabec USA Pro 10:32:13
2 Skyler Howes USA Pro 10:45:05
3 Ignacio Cornejo Chile Pro 10:55:21
4 Kendall Norman USA Pro 10:57:44
5 Mason Klein USA Pro 11:16:27
6 Justin Morgan USA Pro 11:24:26
7 Wes VanNieuwenhuise USA Pro 12:47:08
8 Scott Bright USA Pro 13:43:08
9 Mike Johnson USA Pro 13:58:47
10 Nathan Rafferty USA Pro 15:05:32
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Manjimup Trail Bike Hub approved in Western Australia

The Trail Bike Hub Manjimup Facebook page has just revealed the project’s approval, with the Commonwealth Government and Manjimup Shire committing to funding the initiative after seven-years.

Manjimup would be a familiar name to many riders due to the Manjimup 15000 Motocross event, which at the Cosy Creek MX circuit has hosted some of the worlds best over the years.

The move marks step one of the Manjimup Trail Bike Hub road plan, with the next step being to develop the Manjimup Adventure Bike Rider Experience, followed by the Trail Bike Tourer Experience, then private property family use facilities. The final stages of the project will be to develop the Single Track Explorer Experience, then the Family Explorer Experience and finally the ATV explorer Experience.

The Manjimup Trail Bike Hub concept is described as aiming to offer a trails focused experience that also caters to all aspects of trail bike riding, from the trails themselves, through to accommodation and related services.

Manjimup Trail Bike Hub – Image courtesy of www.manjimup.wa.gov.au

The Hub will be the first of its kind in Australia, with suggested benefits including high levels of tourism, both interstate and internationally, while using a management system capable of driving demand.

Also mentioned is the inclusion of specialty shops catering to trail bike sales, repair and maintenance, which could make the Manjimup Trail Bike Hub a one-stop-shop for trail riders in the state.

The project is an exciting landmark for Australia, with trail riders around the country increasingly complaining about the lacking availability of riding locations and trails being closed, with many in the community feeling they are being squeezed out by government, councils and local land management services.

Here’s what the Trail Bike Hub Manjimup Facebook page had to share:

“Woohoo, we’ve done it! It’s time to crack a tinnie, charge your champagne glasses and toast the official pending birth of Australia’s first and only Trail Bike Hub. Last Thursday the Manjimup Shire received an announcement by the Commonwealth Government that the funding for this project has been granted. To all of you that have stuck by this seven year dream of mine, I applaud you for your patience. I now trust this news will resonate amongst this great trail bike keen community and within the next year we will have some trails ready to go. To our committee I take my hat off to you all, your diligence and hard work has now been rewarded!

“The Trail Bike Hub Centre can now officially start its planning and design process, the demolition of the existing building can now take place to make way for a new purpose built facility. I will be posting a little down the track for anybody who will be able to lend a hand for a day. This will be part of the fundraising condition as required and our contribution to the grant fund. The proposed date may be the Saturday of the motocross weekend in June.
Watch this space for more to come!”

Manjimup Shire’s Media Release – Funding for Manjimup Trail Bike Hub

The Manjimup Trail Bike Hub is about to kick up a gear with the announcement of $980,000 funding through the Commonwealth Regional Recovery Partnerships program matched to a $576,500 contribution from the Shire of Manjimup. The Hub aims to position Manjimup as the centre for trail bike riding in Western Australia (and Australia), creating a significant new point of difference catalyst for visitation to the Shire district, and the region.

The funding will set the wheels in motion for the trail planning processes, implementation and commercialisation of the funded project primarily for licenced trail and enduro motorbikes on publicly managed roads. An additional stage may be funded by the private commercial sector and subject to future funding, further stages incorporating unlicensed trail bikes may be introduced based on the outcome of trail planning processes, approvals and the success of the existing project.

The completion of funded stages is anticipated to take two and a half years, during which routes on existing trails will be mapped, new trails will be designed and a Trail Bike Centre is built in Manjimup. The project will include extensive consultation with riders and the wider community. An initial Feasibility Report for the Hub, prepared in 2017, outlined that the Manjimup region is the prime location for Western Australia’s first sustainable trail bike hub.

 Paul Omodei – Shire President

“We are very confident that this initiative will be hugely beneficial to our region, both socially and economically. This is why the Shire of Manjimup had already allocated funding and resources to undertake the pre-phase project that included a funding contribution from the South West Development Commission to produce a business case that was used in the successful funding application. I would like to thank the Commonwealth Government and the elected representatives Mr Rick Wilson MP and Hon. Nola Marino MP for backing the Shire by funding this project and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to deliver what will be a fantastic regional project.” 

The Manjimup Trail Bike Hub Inc. will be the driving force behind the implementation of the Hub. Now that funding has been secured, a call will be put out soon by the Manjimup Trail Bike Hub Inc. for interested trail bike riders and the local community to become a member of the association’s executive committee, which will be the driving force behind implementing the first three stages of the hub.

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Jorge Prado talks his second crack in the MXGP class with KTM

Still only 20 years of age Jorge Prado has already tasted victory with the KTM 250 SX-F in MX2 – where he dominated the class to 2018 and 2019 world championships – and the KTM 450 SX-F in what was a typically fast and impactful debut term in MXGP in 2020.

Jorge Prado

Already Spain’s most decorated motocrosser, Prado set out his stall last year with three wins and eight podium finishes, the second biggest collection of silverware in the class, despite coming into the campaign with limited preparation due to a winter leg injury. Now fit, confident and ready to re-establish his world-renowned starting prowess in MXGP #61 is one of the pre-season favourites.

2020 was your first in MXGP. It’s fair to say there were some ups-and-downs…

Jorge Prado: “2020 was quite a hard season for me because getting injured just before the start of my first year in the premier class didn’t help! It meant I started racing without much training or testing. Despite that, I had some very good moments, especially towards the end when I was getting fit and winning races. At one point I even had some possibilities for the title, so I was quite happy. Overall, I would say that 2020 was good season but I could have done without the two injuries. The best moments were the first podium, the first win on the 450 in Italy and the victory in Spain.”

Jorge Prado

What was the biggest lesson?

Prado: “Coming into a season from injury is never easy because you need a certain amount of track time to get back to your level. I pushed myself to the limit in that ‘recovery’ phase where I was actually racing to get to 100% as fast as I could and make some good results. So, the lesson was about how I could reach my limits physically.”

Did you feel like you had mastered the KTM 450 SX-F by the later phase of the season?

Prado: “It’s a hard question because I missed that training period. I didn’t get a pre-season. Then we had to stop because of Covid-19 and two weeks before the restart I was injured again with my collarbone! I raced in Latvia for round three with just two weeks on the bike. By the end of 2020 I was finally getting there, and you could see that in my results because I was fighting more and more for first position. I think I learned so much from that period and where I needed to improve. Now I feel like I am getting into my first real off-season of 450 preparation.”

You always seem like a confident guy but did the 12 months of 2020 – from the broken femur to the COVID-19 diagnosis that prematurely ended the season – represent the hardest spell of your career?

Prado: “Yeah, 2020 was one of the hardest of my career. I moved to the 450 class as the 250 champion and with high expectations, at least for myself. I was expecting good results and the injury threw me a bit. The 450 is a very nice bike to ride but if you need to push it for the whole 30 minute plus two laps moto then it is not very easy. You have to be really ready for that. It’s not easy to ride those bikes fast for a long time; you really need good physical condition.”

Jorge Prado

Who will surprise you in 2021?

Prado: “Hmm, I don’t know. I think Jeffrey [Herlings]! For sure Tony [Cairoli] will be good, also [Tim] Gajser and [Romain] Febvre. Surprises? It’s hard to say but if you look at every year there are always questions about who will be good but, in the end, it is always the same guys at the front. I feel like I am also in the group. Not because other people are saying it but when I see the results. I’m not a guy that really builds myself up but if I look at the results of last year then I have to be honest and say: ‘this year I can fight for those positions again and I need to be ready’. My goal is to fight for the title and that’s it.”

Supercross: it was a career direction for you at one stage. You are still only 20, so how do you feel about it now?

Prado: “Honestly, I am really focused on doing very well and getting the title in MXGP and, watching supercross right now, I feel that it would be something very fun to try. It would be very different. It would not be easy at all to go and get to a position to fight for a title. You not only need to get used to riding supercross at that level but also racing it. I’ve never raced supercross in my life. It would be very hard! I think if I did have the possibility to get there and race then I will want to go, and I would want results. Right now, I’m looking only at MXGP.”

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Tom Vialle on MX2 2021 with KTM

In November 2020, and at the culmination of just his second season as an MX2 Grand Prix rider, Tom Vialle became Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s ninth different FIM MX2 World Champion and delivered the 13th gold number plate for the KTM 250 SX-F. For 2021 the Frenchman is hoping to be the brand’s fourth double-champ since 2009!

Tom Vialle

Still just 20 years old, Vialle is now the de facto team leader in MX2 and will be looking to expand his collection of eight Grand Prix wins, all taken in Red Bull KTM colours.

Even though society was very much in the grip of the pandemic, how was the winter as World Champion?

Tom Vialle: “To become world champion felt like the best thing ever and it really sunk in during a month of holidays where I just stayed in France to be with family and friends; which was really nice. I didn’t do so many interviews or much travelling because of COVID-19. There were a few things we missed like the traditional FIM Awards and the KTM Christmas party in Austria. It was a shame but at the same time it was a very easy and relaxed time before starting to train and think about 2021.”

You must have welcomed the break because 2020 was an intense season of many races in a short space of time and a close duel with Jago Geerts…

Vialle: “Yeah, for sure. The last part of the season was really difficult because it felt like a lot of races, but there was extra pressure because of the COVID situation around the championship. We were doing a lot of testing and I was trying to do things as safely as possible but mentally it was extra weight. It was a good battle with Jago and when he made a couple of mistakes in the middle of the season I kept really focused and did my best.”

Tom Vialle

2020 must have shown how every mistake and every point counts: it was a close-run contest between the both of you up until the last few motos…

Vialle: “Yes, very much so. The goal was to be world champion and not to win every GP. I knew I had to learn to accept 2nd or 3rd on the podium, lose a couple of points but then focus to win or gain them back the next weekend. It was not easy! It was my first year fighting for the title and it was important not to over-think things. When we came to Lommel [the penultimate triple header] I was already thinking about the championship at this point and being careful to ride a bit more safely.”

So, will you carry #28 or #1 in 2021? And are you ready for a different challenge of defending the crown?

Vialle: “I want to keep #28 so that’s what it will be! For sure 2021 is a bit different, but then again I spent most of 2020 with the red plate so that kind of pressure is the same. Don’t forget that when you are riding you don’t see the red plate! Everybody wants to beat you, but I think I had some of that last year as well: I kinda like being in that position. In 2020 it was mainly me and Jago so it was difficult to take points from him and to feel a bit safe with the lead. It only happened when he started to make a few mistakes. I think in 2021 there will be a few other riders even if [Thomas Kjer] Olsen and [Ben] Watson moved to the 450s. We’ll see. It’ll be an interesting year but I believe Jago will be the first guy to beat.”

Tom Vialle’s KTM 250 SX-F

You are leading the team again but with 2021 being your third year in MX2 is there even more work to do with development now?

Vialle: “Yeah, we have been working a lot with the KTM 250 SX-F and developing the race bike. I’ve actually been riding with our new engine recently, which will help us a lot in 2021. I feel good on the bike. With Rene [Hofer] we’ve been working through set-ups and made good progress.”

Do you have one eye on the MXGP class? If you win again in 2021 then you’ll have to move up for 2022 regardless…

Vialle: “Sure, we’ve been thinking about this a little bit because, like you said, if I win again this year then I’ll be on the 450. We have seen with Jorge, who was a double MX2 champion – even if he had a hard 2019 winter with his broken leg – that he was able to be quite fast and at the front in MXGP. Olsen looked good as well in his first pre-season races with the bigger bike. When you change the motorcycle then it is like a ‘reset’: it’s a new machine, new year, new category, new rivals so it brings new motivation, let’s say. I’m really focused to win this year and we’ll see for the next.”

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Source: MCNews.com.au

Daniel Sanders wins final Andalucia stage | Price second

2020 Andalucia Rally

Day 5 – Stage 4


Closing out the Andalucia Rally, stage four covered a total of 233 kilometers, 210 of which were timed special held on the now familiar dirt tracks of the region. With much of the stage sharing the same route as used on previous days, navigation was less of an issue and riders were able to push harder on the fast, open terrain.

Kevin Benavides claimed the overall victory from Adrien Van Beveren (R) and Lorenzo Santolini (L)

The final day of the 2020 Andalucia Rally has seen Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda Team) win the overall, over seven minutes in front of runner up Adrien Van Beveren (Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team), while Lorenzo Santoli (Sherco TVS Rally Factory) claimed the final podium position.

The final stage however was dominated by Australian Daniel Sanders, who finished seven-seconds in front of fellow Aussie Toby Price, with Jamie McCanney third for the stage.

Daniel Sanders - Image by Rally Zone
Daniel Sanders – Image by Rally Zone

In what was only his first competitive rally event for the KTM Factory Racing team, Daniel Sanders has shown he is more than capable of delivering accurate navigation and the speed required to mix it with the top rally racers. Just weeks after commencing his road book training, the likeable Aussie has claimed an international rally stage win – an impressive achievement for any rider. In successfully completing the Andalucia Rally – securing 11th place overall – Sanders qualifies for the Dakar Rally in January. His training will now continue over the months leading up to the iconic event.

Daniel Sanders – Stage 4 Winner

“I really enjoyed today, being more familiar with the navigation, I was able to focus more and start to push. I made a few little mistakes, but all through the day there was nothing in it, so I kept my head down and found a nice flow. Honestly, I thought I would place around the top-five mark, so to come away with the stage win feels great. I wasn’t aiming for the win, and definitely didn’t want to try anything stupid, but to go fastest with most of the top guys here is really encouraging. The whole team has worked really hard to fast-track my rally skills, but it looks like it’s paying off and I can’t thank them enough.”

Daniel Sanders - Image by Rally Zone
Daniel Sanders – Image by Rally Zone

Claiming a provisional fourth overall at the close of racing is perhaps not the result that Toby Price wanted going into the Spanish event. Nevertheless, always one to ride intelligently, the two-time Dakar Champion was pleased with his race pace and navigation. Now, having used the Andalucia Rally to regain his focus and test various new components on his KTM 450 RALLY, Toby looks ahead to Dakar and is confident of a strong result.

Toby Price – P4 Overall

“Today wasn’t too tricky, we followed a lot of the tracks we’d been over earlier in the rally and so navigation wasn’t too much of an issue. I feel good in myself and on the bike and so I was able to push a little harder today. Finishing fourth and missing out on the podium is always a little disappointing, but we’re fit and healthy with no issues and that is always the main goal. We’ve learned a lot and have been able to test a few things so I’m really looking forward to Dakar now.”

Toby Price - Image by Rally Zone
Toby Price – Image by Rally Zone

Jamie McCanney also recorded a positive end to the Andalucia Rally, claiming third place on the final stage. At the head of the field for much of the day, McCanney frustratingly caught two riders and, without forcing the issue and risking a mistake due to the dust created in front of him, opted to bring home his WR450F Rally home safely. A great conclusion to the rally saw Jamie advance to seventh in the overall standings.

Jamie McCanney

“I’m happy enough with the overall result. Today’s stage was good for me. I think I was leading for a lot of it, but then because I set off 20th – I’m not sure why as I didn’t finish 20th yesterday – I caught up to some riders towards the end and then sat in their dust for 30 or 40 kilometres. It was unfortunate but the safe option. Leaving here healthy and happy with my riding and my Yamaha puts us in good shape ahead of Dakar.”


2020 Andalucia Rally Champion – Kevin Benavides

Kevin Benavides, who held the field in check in the final stage, conceding just 2’48” to the day’s winner, confirmed his position at head of the competition leaderboard. The Monster Energy Honda Team rider ends the race, leaving the nearest overall second-place rider trailing almost eight minutes behind.

Kevin Benavides – P1 Overall

“Today I went out intending to ride a stage with good pace, focusing on not making any mistakes. My elbow bothered me a bit, but as the day went on, it didn’t hurt so much. I think I rode a good final stage to close this race week. I’m very happy with this win: I needed it too. It’s a victory that rewards all the effort we have made. Now, we are going to continue with all the preparations to reach the 2021 Dakar in even better conditions. Thank you very much to the entire team for an exceptional job done every single day and for keeping the bike running perfectly throughout the race.”

Kevin Benavides
Kevin Benavides

Hard work paid off for Adrien Van Beveren at the Andalucia Rally as he enjoyed a mistake-free week of racing to claim second overall. Consistent results on every stage signalled that the Frenchman has returned from injury and is back to his usual, competitive form. With his 2020 Dakar Rally crash and subsequent surgeries well behind him, Van Beveren’s runner-up finish puts him in a positive position for the 2021 rally season.

Adrien Van Beveren – P2 Overall

“It’s been a really good rally for me. All week I have been consistent with no crashes, no navigation or speed zone issues, so it’s great to see that my training has paid off. I’m happy with the direction that I’m going in and will keep working hard towards the Dakar Rally. I’m so happy to be back to my old self and on the podium. A great result for myself and the team.”

Adrien Van Beveren
Adrien Van Beveren

In third place, taking his first podium racing against the cream of rally-raid riders, was the Spaniard Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco TVS Factory).

Lorenzo Santolino – P3 Overall

“Yes super happy to finish third here. Maybe the fact that I am Spanish and we were racing on Spanish soil was good for me but it is nevertheless important for my confidence going into the Dakar. The team has been working hard to develop the bike and it went really well here, so many thanks to them.”

The 2021 Dakar Rally to be held in Saudi Arabia from January 3 to 15 will be the next event for many competitors.


2020 Andalucia Rally Stage 4 Results

Pos Rider Bike Time Gap
1  DANIEL SANDERS KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 2:12:13  
2  TOBY PRICE KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 2:12:20 +00:00:07
3  JAMIE MCCANNEY YAMAHA WR450F RALLY 2:13:36 +00:01:16
4  MATTHIAS WALKNER KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 2:13:54 +00:00:18
5  ROSS BRANCH YAMAHA WR450F RALLY 2:14:13 +00:00:19
6  LORENZO SANTOLINO SHERCO TVS RALLYE 2:14:59 +00:00:46
7  KEVIN BENAVIDES HONDA CRF 450 RALLY 2:15:01 +00:00:02
8  ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN YAMAHA WR450F RALLY 2:15:33 +00:00:32
9  XAVIER DE SOULTRAIT HUSQVARNA FR 450 RALLY 2:17:11 +00:01:38
10  RICKY BRABEC HONDA CRF 450 RALLY 2:17:34 +00:00:23

2020 Andalucia Rally Overall Classification

Pos. Rider Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team Honda 10:30’51
2 VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +7’42
3 SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory Sherco +7’54
4 PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +12’22
5 BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +20’39
6 WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +23’29
7 MCCANNEY Jamie GBR Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +24’13
8 CAIMI Franco ARG Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +24’45
9 DE SOULTRAIT Xavier FRA HT Husqvarna Rally Team Husqvarna +24’54
10 TOMICZEK Adam POL Orlen Team KTM +26’00
11 SANDERS Daniel AUS KTM Factory Racing KTM +26:27

Source: MCNews.com.au

Barreda tops Andalucia Stage 3 | Sanders 9th | Price 10th

2020 Andalucia Rally

Day 4 – Stage 3


Shortened for safety reasons, stage three of the Andalucia Rally saw riders complete the first 114 kilometres as planned before leaving the special and rejoining at kilometre 183. As such, the initial 300-kilometer timed special was reduced to 230 kilometres of racing, through the winding, hilly tracks east of Seville.

While Joan Barreda took the stage win, Australian competitors Toby Price and Daniel Sanders were both within the top-10, with Sanders the top performing Australian for Stage 3 in ninth, while Toby Price came home in 10th, and now sits fifth overall in the overall classification, 15-minutes off leader Kevin Benavides.

Matthias Walkner was second fastest for the stage followed by Kevin Benavides, while Xavier de Soultrait and Skyler Howes completed the top five. The overall standings see Benavides in first, followed by Adrien Van Beveren and Lorenzo Santolino. Franco Caimi is fourth, followed by Price, Joan Barreda in sixth and Matthias Walkner in seventh. Daniel Sanders is currently 13th.
Benavides leads the standings

Matthias Walkner was second fastest for the stage followed by Kevin Benavides, while Xavier de Soultrait and Skyler Howes completed the top five. The overall standings see Benavides in first, followed by Adrien Van Beveren and Lorenzo Santolino. Franco Caimi is fourth, followed by Price, Joan Barreda in sixth and Matthias Walkner in seventh. Daniel Sanders is currently 13th.

Setting off from behind, Spaniard from Castellón Joan Barreda was able to set a solid pace, clawing back time from his rivals to finish with an advantage of over three-and-a-half minutes over the day’s second best finisher. Barreda, despite yesterday’s penalty, thus pulls back positions in the general standings and is now sixth overall in the race.

Joan Barreda

“I started behind, at first I had to be careful because there was a lot of dust and you could not do any crazy overtaking as there was no air and the dust stayed suspended in the air and it was dangerous. I was able to pass a few riders when the open track arrived and I kept calm and was able to recover quite a bit of time with some good pace. I’m quite happy with the stage, because I liked the terrain, with fast tracks and some rocks which really punished the tyres.”

Joan Barreda
Joan Barreda

Capitalising on his later start time, Red Bull KTM’s Matthias Walkner immediately pushed right from the start of Friday’s shortened stage, clocking the fastest time to the waypoint at kilometre 41. From then on, the Austrian held a strong pace through the remaining 200 kilometres, never falling from the top two. Earning provisional second on the day moves Matthias up to seventh in the overall standings with only Saturday’s stage four left to race.

Matthias Walkner

“It was a really nice day today – I enjoyed the riding more than I have so far this rally, there was a lot more grip on the stage than previous days. I did have one moment where I hit a rock that was hidden in the grass, that gave me a little scare, but apart from that, all went well. Like a lot of people today, I found a few issues with the road book, but when I reached the finish, my time was good. We were told there might be an issue with my GPS today, so we’ll have to wait a little longer for the final result. For now though, I’m happy.”

Matthias Walkner
Matthias Walkner

Kevin Benavides also produced a fine stage three showing, posting third and keeping command of the overall leader board for a further day. Benavides has an advantage of more than six and a half minutes over the nearest second-placed rival with just the final stage to run before the race concludes.

Kevin Benavides

“It was a good day today. I made some navigational mistakes, but the pace and speed on the bike were good, allowing me to make up some lost time. I’m also happy because my arm didn’t hurt at all. We have passed another positive day and there is just one more day of racing remaining to enjoy.”

Kevin Benavides
Kevin Benavides

Placing sixth on stage three, Adrien Van Beveren put forward a calculated ride to end the day one step closer to an overall podium finish. Pushing hard from the beginning of the stage, the Frenchman opted to slow his pace during the second half to reduce any potential mistakes and ensure another strong result. Following three consistent stage finishes, Van Beveren now sits in a comfortable second place with one day remaining.

Adrien Van Beveren

“Another good day today. I felt good on my bike and early on I pushed really hard as we have one day left and I want to finish on the podium. Halfway through I slowed my pace a little to avoid any navigational errors and I finished the stage in second so I’m really happy. I’ll approach tomorrow with the same mentality and focus and hopefully we can come away with a positive result.”

Adrien Van Beveren
Adrien Van Beveren

Posting the ninth-fastest time on the day’s special, KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders showed he is more than capable of staying with the top riders in the sport, despite his relative inexperience. Riding without mistakes, the 26-year-old put in a mature performance to give himself a strong start position for tomorrow’s final stage.

Daniel Sanders

“I achieved my goal today of completing the stage in a good time and without any penalties. There were some modifications in today’s road book and as I’m still learning to deal with all the navigation, I found these a little confusing but it’s all part of the experience. I started really well and was able to push for a lot of the special. Eventually I caught up to three riders ahead of me and it was too difficult to pass cleanly, so I rode the last 50 or 60 kilometers at a solid pace and just kept things safe, hopefully for a strong finish tomorrow.”

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders

Setting a solid pace on the fast, dusty Spanish tracks, Toby Price continues to follow his goal of a good, safe finish at the Andalucia Rally. Again, riding without mishap, the Aussie star placed 10th on the stage and now lies a strong fifth in the overall standings, due in part to being awarded time for issues on the stage one special that he encountered while opening on Wednesday.

Toby Price

“Stage three went quite well for me. I made one small navigation mistake, but again it seems like most riders suffered the same issue with things not quite matching up with the road book. Generally though, the road book today has been spot on. On the whole, I’m feeling good, the bike is performing perfectly and we’re happy with our pace so far. One day left now, so bring on tomorrow!”

Toby Price
Toby Price

Stage four of the 2020 Andalucia Rally, the final of this year’s event, will see riders tackle 233 kilometers of riding, including two timed specials that make up the 210 kilometers raced against the clock. The initial section is a repeat of the 110-kilometer route seen on stage one, that is then followed by another 100-kilometer loop that brings competitors back to the bivouac at Villamartin and the checkered flag.


2020 Andalucia Rally – Stage 3 Results

Clas Pilot Vehicle FINISH GAP
1  JOAN BARREDA BORT HONDA CRF 450 RALLY 1:47:28
2  MATTHIAS WALKNER KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 1:51:04 +00:03:36
3  KEVIN BENAVIDES HONDA CRF 450 RALLY 1:51:13 +00:00:09
4  XAVIER DE SOULTRAIT HUSQVARNA FR 450 RALLY 1:51:51 +00:00:38
5  SKYLER HOWES KTM KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 1:52:20 +00:00:29
6  ADRIEN VAN BEVEREN YAMAHA WR450F RALLY 1:52:21 +00:00:01
7  JAN BRABEC HUSQVARNA RALLY REPLICA 1:52:46 +00:00:25
8  FRANCO CAIMI YAMAHA WR450F RALLY 1:52:54 +00:00:08
9  DANIEL SANDERS KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 1:53:55 +00:01:01
10  TOBY PRICE KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 1:54:42 +00:00:47
11  RICKY BRABEC  HONDA CRF 450 RALLY 1:54:52 +00:00:10
12  ADAM TOMICZEK HUSQVARNA FR 450 RR 1:56:45 +00:01:53
13  LORENZO SANTOLINO SHERCO TVS RALLYE 1:57:01 +00:00:16
14  KENNY GILBERT KTM 450 RALLY FACTORY REPLICA 1:57:36 +00:00:35
15  IGNACIO CORNEJO HONDA CRF 450 RALLY 1:58:07 +00:00:31

2020 Andalucia Standings following Stage 3

Pos. Rider Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team Honda 8:15’33
2 VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +6’38
3 SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory Sherco +8’40
4 CAIMI Franco ARG Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team Yamaha +13’28
5 PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +15’20
6 BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +16’23
7 WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +18’38
8 DE SOULTRAIT Xavier FRA HT Husqvarna Rally Team Husqvarna +21’08
9 TOMICZEK Adam POL Orlen Team KTM +21’56
10 CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team Honda +23’36
13 SANDERS Daniel AUS KTM Factory Team KTM +29:32

Source: MCNews.com.au

Ross Branch wins Andalucia Rally Stage 2 | Price fifth

2020 Andalucia Rally

Day 3 – Stage 2


Stage 2 saw an epic battle fought between road opener and Stage 1 winner Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda) and Yamaha’s new recruit Ross Branch (Monster Energy Yamaha Rally) who started down in 13th place. Despite the pressure of finding the way, Benavides led for much of the special and very nearly achieved the rally-raid holy grail of winning from the front.

Ross Branch
Ross Branch

In the end a crash in which he hurt his arm and a 2-minute time penalty for missing a waypoint put paid to his hopes and saw Branch take the stage win. Also starting far back, Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory) got up to third but eventually fell back to fifth, meaning that an impressive Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco TVS Rally Factory) took second for the stage. That saw Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy Yamaha Rally) moved up to third, with Kevin Benavides fourth at 2’42.

Adrien Van Beveren
Adrien Van Beveren

A clearly delighted Ross Branch is obviously stoked with his new French-based team and effortlessly making the transition from promising privateer to factory team front runner.

Ross Branch

“Yeah really good day today. I tried to slow down a bit because yesterday I think I was pushing too hard. The tracks are a little bit slippery and I know the guys at the front are really quick. I just had some fun today and tried to navigate and not miss any waypoints. The Yamaha is going amazing and I’m really happy with the team and the position we’re in. Learning everyday for Dakar – that’s the main goal. It feels awesome to get a stage win! It was a great day, I set off steady, minimising mistakes as these can prove costly. Everything is on point. My bike, navigation, and I’m just pumped to take the win today. It’s a great feeling and sets me up for another strong day tomorrow.”

In the overall standings, Benavides can find consolation in the fact he maintains the overall lead 2’52 ahead of Santolino with Van Beveren third at 5’30. Ross Branch moves up to fourth at 8’45.

Kevin Benavides

“It was a very good stage for me. I started out very focused. I was doing very well over the first 100 kilometres, opening the track but opening a gap from the rest. Two kilometres before the finish of the first part I had a small fall, scratching my arm a little. I slowed down a bit for the rest of the stage, but I did well. I think finishing second today is a great job. We will try to keep progressing and try to finish as best we can.”

Kevin Benavides
Kevin Benavides

Another rider who impressed over the 243 km special was Sherco TV Factory Rally pilot Lorenzo Santolino. Starting behind Joan Barreda (Monster Energy Honda) is never a disadvantage, but when he made a mistake Santolino took over and maintained his position for the remainder of the special.

Lorenzo Santolino

“I had a great day. I was behind Barreda and he made a mistake so I passed ahead of him. I rode my own race, controlled the rhythm. Then Kevin fell and I just concentrated to getting to the finish without any problems.”

Coming back from his Dakar injury, that many predicted could put an end to his career, Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Yamaha Rally Team) again showed consistency to finish well up the rankings, proving he is once more very much in contention.

Adrien Van Beveren

“Today’s stage was good. I started off near the front so there were very few lines. I took my time, stopping to check the roadbook a couple of times to make sure I was heading in the right direction. I lost some time doing this, but it was a better option than going off course. I’m not pushing too hard, it’s still early in the race and I’m riding safe and fast, so I’m happy. My navigation was good so I look forward to another strong day tomorrow.”

Adrien Van Beveren
Adrien Van Beveren

Toby Price had to ride through the dust from the competitors ahead in order to make up time and despite the disadvantage, the Australian was able to fight his way through to third at the stage’s halfway point. A small mistake cost Price some time in the second part of the special, but the former Dakar winner held on for fifth at the finish, putting him a strong position moving forward..

Toby Price

“Day two has gone a little better, but the rally is certainly proving to be quite a challenge. A lot of people had some crashes today, including Sam and Matthias, so the main goal, as ever, is to get to the finish unscathed and on two wheels. I’m pleased with how I rode, it wasn’t easy starting further back and having to deal with the dust, but the result is ok. Two days left now so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Toby Price
Toby Price

Fellow Australian and KTM Factory Racing rider Daniel Sanders continues to learn and gain knowledge onboard his KTM 450 RALLY. Putting in an excellent performance on his second-ever competitive rally stage, Sanders placed 11th, despite a couple of crashes along the way. Now with the rally at its halfway stage, Daniel is starting to settle into the race and looks forward to more solid results from the remaining two stages.

Daniel Sanders

“Today has been good, it was easier for me starting at the back and being able to follow the lines, so that made things easier to navigate. I started off really well but made a mistake quite early on – the tape was down and the layout didn’t match what I had on the roadbook – I think a few people got lost there. I did have a couple of crashes, but generally I found that I could get into a good rhythm today and find a nice flow. We repeated part of yesterday’s stage too, so it was good to be able to push there. I’m feeling good, and the bike has been great – looking forward to tomorrow now.”

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders

Retirements include Sam Sunderland (Red Bull KTM Factory) who pulled out after crashing and hurting his arm and Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero Motorsports) who was forced to pull out of the special with an electrical fault. He will restart tomorrow.

Jordi Viladoms – KTM Rally Team Manager

“It’s been another tricky stage here for everyone. Toby did very well, coming from behind through all the dust and he was able to make a good result. Matthias, Sam, and Daniel all had crashes today, Sam’s was very early in the stage, and unfortunately it was impossible for him to continue. Thankfully, nothing is broken and so for him, we can continue preparing for Dakar. Matthias and Daniel have really good speed, but we can see, the rally is more of a challenge than we thought, with many broken tracks and dust. We will continue to do our best and hope for a strong result at the finish.”

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders

Friday’s stage three of the 2020 Andalucia Rally, the penultimate of the event, will see competitors cover a total of 434 kilometers. A single timed special of 300 kilometers will once again test riders’ skill and judgement as they navigate through the Spanish tracks and farmland.

Andalucia Rally Stage 2 Results

Pos. Rider Nation Team Time/Gap
1 EVAN BRANCH Ross BWA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team 2:58’38
2 BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +0’42
3 SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory +2’16
4 VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +2’36
5 PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +3’05
6 SHORT Andrew USA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +4’49
7 CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +5’09
8 BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +5’36
9 BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +5’40
10 CAIMI Franco ARG Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +5’59
11 SANDERS, Daniel AUS KTM Factory Racing +6’34

Andalucia Rally Stage 2 Standings

Pos Rider Nat. Team Time
1 BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team 06:27’20
2 SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory 06:32’12
3 VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team 06:34’50
4 BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team 06:35’28
5 EVAN BRANCH Ross BWA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team 06:38’05
6 CAIMI Franco ARG Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team 06:39’07
7 BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team 06:41’15
8 CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 06:42’02
9 TOMICZEK Adam POL Orlen Team 06:42’44
10 WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 06:46’07
11 PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 06:41’12
16 SANDERS Daniel AUS KTM Factory Racing 06:49’10

Source: MCNews.com.au

Benavides tops 2020 Andalucia Rally Stage 1

2020 Andalucia Rally

Day 2 – Stage 1


The first stage on the Andalucίa Rally saw the dust that everybody was so worried about a secondary concern, with the special proving favourable to those starting just outside the top ten, with Kevin Benavides, Joan Barreda and Lorenzo Santolino finished first, second and third respectively.

Playing a low profile yesterday on the Super Special prologue, Kevin Benavides started 14th and went on to win the stage, more than three-minutes ahead of his teammate Joan Barreda.

Kevin Benavides

“It was a good day. I started a little behind and I was happy with that position, even if I knew it could go either way. I suffered a little in the dust but was feeling good on the bike until kilometre 170 when the road book broke, and I had to finish the stage by looking at the marks on the ground. It required a lot of concentration but in the end I won the stage, even if the last 5 kilometres weren’t easy, after seeing my brother lying on the ground. The important thing is he is OK.”

Kevin Benavides
Kevin Benavides
Joan Barreda

“Today was a good stage after yesterday’s, we have seen a lot of fast riders in this rally. Today was important to have a first stage without making any navigation errors. In the first part there was practically no navigation, but as the kilometres passed there were more open areas where I was able to pick up the pace. There were some complicated parts, which we had to really pay attention to. Maybe I’ve dropped a bit of time there, but I think it was a good stage overall.”

Joan Barreda
Joan Barreda

Starting respectively first, second and fourth, Aussies Toby Price and Daniel Sanders, plus teammate Matthias Walkner all of the Red Bull Factory Team finished 17th, 19th and 12th. A frustrated Toby Price, was still happy to end the day safely.

Toby Price

“Day one has been a little frustrating, the organization informed us of a few changes before the stage, but they didn’t really give that much detail so it was tricky to follow things especially from the front. I opened the special for probably 80 or 90 percent and stayed on two wheels, so I’m happy about my navigation and riding. The body feels good and the bike is performing well and as always, the team are doing a great job. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.”

Toby Price
Toby Price

Daniel Sanders, second to enter stage one, performed well, running with the more experienced members of his team and making the minimum of mistakes on the tricky to navigate route. Posting the 19th quickest stage time, the 26-year-old Australian is feeling confident and looks forward to day two.

Daniel Sanders

“Well, my first day racing rally was certainly a tough one! I started off feeling a little uncomfortable, but by the halfway mark I was able to find my rhythm, keep a good pace and concentrate on the road book. I made a couple of little mistakes along the way but all-in-all it was good and a useful learning experience. There’s three more days to go, so the goal is to make the finish safe and try and gain as much knowledge and experience as possible.”

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders

Under the GasGas awning, Laia Sanz didn’t start this morning after yesterday’s crash in the super special. With her arm badly swollen, the Spanish rider decided to pull out just before the start. A further blow for the Austrians was the retirement of Luciano Benavides. Making his début in the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing colours, he crashed just 5 kilometres from the finish. Suffering from an impact to his thorax, initial medical examinations are reassuring.

The chances of seeing a Husqvarna up at the front of the rankings now depends on the performance of the Frenchman Xavier de Soultrait, riding for the HT Rally team, who finished the stage in sixth place.

Xavier de Soultrait

“The dust was hanging in the trees at the start of the rally and after 50 kilometres I thought it would be risky to push harder. At the first pause I saw that I wasn’t far from Kevin (Benavides) who is quick on these types of tracks. So I decided to hang on to him. With very tricky navigation, the kind we aren’t that used to, in the end it is better not to push too hard.”

2020 Andalucia Rally
2020 Andalucia Rally

Finishing third on the day, Sherco TVS Rally Factory rider Lorenzo Santolino expressed a similar sentiment.

Lorenzo Santolino

“It was a good day and finally the dust wasn’t too bad, as Barreda, who started in front of me, set a good pace. I was never on the limit and was surprised by my final finishing position.”

Over in the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally camp, Andrew Short started third and didn’t managed to find the right rhythm. His teammate Adrien Van Beveren also admitted to struggling to find his mark but nevertheless finished a better than expected in fourth place.

Adrien Van Beveren

“It was a solid start to the Andalucia Rally. It took me until around 50km in to settle in and ride a bit looser, but with so much time off that’s normal. I then just focused on my technique and felt good on the bike. Navigation was super-tricky. It wasn’t easy to find the balance between navigation and speed but overall it was a positive day. I did make a couple of mistakes and lost a couple of minutes so tomorrow I will try to remain calm through stage two.”

Ross Branch was 13th overall
Ross Branch was 13th overall

The second stage will take place Thursday, with two 140-kilometre and 130-kilometre timed-stages plus a 95-kilometre liaison section. The second special of Stage 2 will cover the same route as Stage 1.

2020 Andalucia Rally – Stage 1 Result
Pos. Rider Nation Team Time/Gap
1 BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team 3:36’17
2 BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +3’15
3 SANTOLINO Lorenzo SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory +3’19
4 DE SOULTRAIT Xavier FRA HT Husqvarna Rally Team +5’08
5 VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +5’40
6 CAIMI Franco ARG Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +6’35
7 SUNDERLAND Sam GBR Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +6’39
8 TOMICZEK Adam POL Orlen Team +8’26
9 BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +8’59
10 CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +9’54
         
…17. PRICE, Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +17:23
…19. SANDERS, Daniel AUS KTM Factory Racing +20:15

Source: MCNews.com.au

Aussies to lead 2020 Andalucia Rally starting order

2020 Andalucia Rally

Day 1 – Prologue


After many months of enforced inactivity, competitors finally got the chance to turn a wheel in anger over a nine-kilometre super special to decide the start order for tomorrow’s first stage, with Australia’s Toby Price and Daniel Sanders taking Red Bull KTM Factory Racing to a strong start for Stage 1.

2020 Andalucia Rally 
2020 Andalucia Rally

As informed observers of the super special won’t have failed to notice, not only are all the factory teams – Monster Energy Honda, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, GasGas Factory Racing, Sherco TVS Rally, Hero Motorsports Rally, Monster Yamaha Rally – present, many of them have been busy recruiting new talent.

Toby Price
Toby Price

Run right next to the rally’s hacienda bivouac, the prologue super special victory went to Toby Price (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), with rookie teammate Daniel Sanders (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), while Yamaha’s new recruit Ross Branch (Monster Energy Yamaha Rally) was third.

Matthias Walkner was fourth, marking another KTM Rally Factory Team rider in the top five, with Andrew Short fifth and Luciano Benavides sixth, as top Husqvarna Factory Racing rider. Jamie McCanney, Franco Caimi and Adrien Van Beveren were seventh, eighth and ninth respectively, with Sebastian Buehler the final rider in the top 10 for Hero Motorsports Team Rally.

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders – Image by Rally Zone

Australian Daniel ‘Chucky’ Sanders, astonished the off-road world by heading over to Europe last year and winning the ISDE aboard a 500 and since then has been on a number of team manager’s shopping lists.

Daniel Sanders

“I’ve been training with the team for the last three weeks and already its been a massive learning curve. The terrain around here looks awesome and I’m really excited to race my first rally. Obviously I’ve got a lot to learn but if I can pick things up as quickly as Toby (Price) I’ll be well happy. I’m really stoked to have finished equal first with him on the super special. Just hope I don’t have to open tomorrow!”

Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders – Image by Rally Zone

Adding, “What a cool way to start Rally #2 prologue. Finished on the same second as fellow mulleteer Toby Price – The lowest number gets to start first, a 3 min gap behind him for the start tomorrow. I am planning to try and not get lost and to focus on my navigation skill. At the end of the day I’m here just to learn and to finish to qualify for Dakar.”

The bike team with the biggest change of personnel is undoubtedly the Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team with the winner of the last Rallye du Maroc, Andrew Short moving over to the French based team. He has been joined by another recent promising arrival on the rally scene, Ross Branch. If factory contracts are nothing new to ‘Shorty’ they are an unexpected pleasure for his Botswanan teammate.

Ross Branch

“I’m really excited to be on the race and super happy to be with the team. It is a dream come true for me. On Dakar 2020 I was thinking it was probably my last rally. It was getting really complicated for me as a privateer to keep raising the money, but now that stress has been taken off me and I can just concentrate on the racing. Finishing third on the super special is a good way of starting my ‘professional’ career.”

It isn’t just the factory teams who’ve been busy recruiting, with top privateer outfit HT Rally also upping their game by bringing aboard none other than experienced rally rider Xavier de Soultrait and three times enduro world champion David Knight.

2020 Andalucia Rally 
2020 Andalucia Rally

For the Monster Energy Honda Team, Ricky Brabec set off from first place, without references ahead, to tackle the opening kilometres of the Andalucia Rally prologue, eventually going on to post eleventh place, just twelve seconds adrift of the day’s fastest time. Very narrow gaps separated the frontrunners with several riders finishing within the same second. Joan Barreda finished just one second behind his American team-mate.

Argentine Kevin Benavides rode at a pace similar to his Monster Energy Honda Team squad-mates and took fourteenth position, one second off Barreda. José Ignacio Cornejo conceded some 35 seconds to the leader of the general standings, finishing in 21st position.

2020 Andalucia Rally 
2020 Andalucia Rally

2020 Andalucia Rally – Super Special Stage Results

Pos. Rider Nation Team Time/Gap
1 PRICE, Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 6’29
2 SANDERS, Daniel AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +0’0
3 EVAN BRANCH, Ross BWA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +0’03
4 WALKNER, Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +0’04
5 SHORT, Andrew USA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +0’06
6 BENAVIDES, Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +0’06
7 MCCANNEY, Jamie GBR Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +0’06
8 CAIMI, Franco ARG Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +0’09
9 VAN BEVEREN, Adrien FRA Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team +0’10
10 BUEHLER, Sebastian POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +0’11
11 BRABEC, Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +0’12
12 BARREDA, Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +0’13
13 SANTOLINO, Lorenzo SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory +0’13
14 BENAVIDES, Kevin ARG Monster Energy Honda Team +0’14
15 DE SOULTRAIT, Xavier FRA HT Husqvarna Rally Team +0’14

Air bag testing underway at 2020 Andalucia Rally

Away from the musical chairs, the big talking point in the bike class is the introduction of air bags. Adapted from those used in MotoGP, they won’t actually be compulsory on this event but will be on the next Dakar. To let the competitors try them out, no less than five different models are available for competitors to test. Ever since airbags first appeared in road racing, engineers have been looking at ways of adapting them to rally-raid, but the particularities of off-road riding hasn’t made the process straight forward. The man in charge of bring it all together is ASO’s vastly experienced technical expert Thierry Viadot:

Thierry Viadot

“Here in Andalusia all the competitors have the possibility to test airbags that have been approved by the FIM for the next Dakar. These have been adapted for off-road use by incorporating passive security to protect the rider’s chest and back, which will inevitably increase body temperature. That however isn’t the principle hurdle to overcome. For me the major problem is defining the parameters for when the airbag deploys, as a function of the degree of shock and speed. The only way to accumulate the necessary data is to start using them now and in a few months the algorithms will have made considerable progress. Until that data has been collected and processed it is possible that airbags may deploy when not desired. But we just have to accept that if we want to progress.”


Next Up: Stage 1

The bikes go directly into the Stage 1 with David Castera explaining, “We will show the competitors pretty much all the types of terrain they will encounter on this rally. There will be some technical going at the start, a bit of sand over 30-40 kms, some more open tracks, alternating with more narrowing piste. Then in the last property crossed, on the final 40 kilometres, it’ll be more technical again, with some vegetation.”

Wednesday, sees the first full stage of the Andalucia Rally which will feature a total of 240 kilometres of timed special (two specials made up of 130 and 110 kilometres respectively) and a liaison of about 70 kilometres connecting the start and finish in Villamartín.

Source: MCNews.com.au