The Dakar 2017 got off to a flying start for TVS Sherco, as the team’s rider Juan Pedrero Garcia finished the 39km times stage at the top of the timesheets.
The 9000 km rally started off with a 454 km opening stage, out of which only 39 km was timed. The fastest time set by Pedrero was 28 minutes and 22 seconds. Since it was such a short stage, the riders were bunched up quite closely, with last years winner Toby Price down in 17th, just under a minute and a half behind the stage leader. Most riders approached the first day cautiously, as it is a long way to go to the finish line. But the first stage’s rankings would decide the starting position for the second stage.
India’s KP Aravind finished the day in 61st while the 3rd rider from TVS Sherco, Adrien Metge, finished in 125th position.
Hero Motosports Team Rally riders CS Santosh finished 47th and Joaquim Rodrigues finished 16th.
Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero – “Today’s stage was good for me, though I started with too much adrenalin. So, I first hit a bump hard and then hit some rocks twice that scared me a little. Then I started to realise that this is my first stage in my first Dakar, so I decided to slow down. After that, it got a little bit better. I am really happy with my bike. Hero Motosports has done a great job with the bike and I am glad that I got to the end,”
CS Santosh, Hero – “Being the first stage of the Dakar, there were some nerves flying and I was pretty nervous at start. In the first couple of kilometres it took some time to understand the kind of stage it’s going to be for the next 40 km. There was a lot of water and lots of puddles and a few river crossings. So, it was an interesting stage. I didn’t really push because it’s the first day at the Dakar and there is a long way to go. Towards the end, it got a little better, but overall I am pretty happy, how I did today and minimised the mistakes. I am already looking forwards to tomorrow’s stage,”
Sam Sunderland, KTM – “I’m sure it’s going to be from one extreme to the other, so we’ll see how we go,” he said. “ I didn’t want to be too close to the front because it was a short stage and there was not a lot to gain but much to lose. Tomorrow I’m starting sixth and I’m pretty happy with that. It’s a good way to start the Dakar and we’ll just keep ticking off the days.”
Toby Price, KTM – “It was good today. I had to lead the stage out and that’s the first time I’ve got to do that at the Dakar. To do it out of Paraguay was really good. I had a couple of pet dogs on the track in the second half and that slowed us down a bit. But all in all I’m only a minute off the lead and its very, very early days and plenty more to go. Paraguay definitely set the tone and to be the first rider out is something I can put down in my own history book. Hopefully we can come back and do plenty more here.”
Laia Sanz, KTM – “The position looks not so good but if you look at the riders close to me in the results, I think I can be happy. It’s a long race and today there was more to lose than to win.”
1. Juan Pedrero Garcia (ESP), Sherco, +28:22 min
3. Ricky Brabec (USA), Honda, +12 sec
3. Paulo Goncalves (POR), Honda, +26
4. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, +27
5. Joan Barreda Bort (POR), Honda, +30
16. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero Motosports Team Rally, Hero Speedbrain, 00:29:42
17. Toby Price (AUS), KTM, +1:23 min
24. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, +2:19 min
47. C.S. Santosh, Hero Motosports Team Rally, Hero Speedbrain, 00:32:45
61. Aravind KP, TVS Sherco
125. Adrien Metge, TVS Sherco
Photo Courtesy: TVS Racing Facebook
Photo Courtesy: KTM/ Kin M.
Photo Courtesy: Hero MotoCorp
