Hero in name and in fact
There first step of the 46th edition of the Dakar Rally has reserved numerous twists in the test from 414 km of durability, especially in the category reserved for motorbikes. The rider from Botswana climbed to the top step of the podium, despite not having achieved the best actual time. Ross Branchriding the Hero. A name, that of the bike, which perfectly describes what the #46 did during the test, with an exemplary sporting gesture.
Three falls
In the test from Al-Ula to Al Henakiyahthe first twist came after just 82 km travelled, with the fall and the withdrawal of Joaquim Rodrigues. The Portuguese, subsequently admitted to Al Ula hospital for checks, fortunately did not suffer any serious consequences from the accident, but the episode effectively forced him to immediately raise the white flag at the opening of the 2024 Dakar. The other fall, here too with associated withdrawal, it occurred subsequently at the height of km 240. Right here, the dream of was interrupted Tosha Schareina, Spaniard riding the official Honda, winner of the Prologue yesterday. In the accident, the Valencian suffered an injury to his right arm, but in the moments immediately following the episode he was rescued by Branch (Joan Barreda and Sebastian Buhler had previously done the same with Rodrigues).
A gesture which, like that of the other pilots mentioned, was recognized by the Race Direction which he returned 25 minutes of time to the Hero pilot. An intervention thus allowed Branch to regain first position, also favored by yet another episode which occurred at km 323, again due to another fall: in this case, it was Michael Docherty, who was also transferred to hospital for checks. On the podium, behind Branch, the two Americans Ricky Brabec and Mason Klein, divided by a gap of 25 seconds but just over 10 minutes behind the first leader of the 2024 Dakar. Outside the top-5, however, Kevin Benavides, eighth, with the exclusion of Quintanilla from the top-10 (also (he who committed a fall), Van Beveren, Sunderland, Luciano Benavides and Tom Pryce, all included from 11th to 16th place. Finally, Paolo Lucci, 24th, the best among the Italians.
Dakar 2024, Motorcycle Ranking – Stage 1 (Top-10)
| POS | PILOT | MOTORCYCLE | TIME / GAP |
| 1 | Ross Branch | Hero | 4:56.01 |
| 2 | Ricky Brabec | Honda | +10.54 |
| 3 | Mason Klein | Kove | +11.19 |
| 4 | Bradley Cox | KTM | +12.54 |
| 5 | José Ignacio Florimo | Honda | +13.43 |
| 6 | Romain Dumontier | Husqvarna | +14.06 |
| 7 | Lorenzo Santolino | Sherco | +14.11 |
| 8 | Kevin Benavides | KTM | +15.37 |
| 9 | Daniel Sanders | GasGas | +16.54 |
| 10 | Martin Michek | KTM | +17.12 |
#Dakar #Moto #Stage #applause #victory #Branch
