Daniel Sanders maintains econd overall with one stage left
Daniel Sanders had the challenge of opening stage four of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, after his stage three victory.
Losing minimal time to the chasing pack, Sanders was caught by Walkner at the 100 km mark, but a consistent ride ensured no mistakes to finish fourth on stage, behind Van Beveren, Walkner and Rodrigues.
Sanders now sits four-minutes off leader Walkner, but holds a 1m39 lead over third places Adrien Van Beveren and is ideally placed for the final.
Daniel Sanders – P4 (Second Overall)
“Day four and I got to open today, which was really cool! Walkner caught me at about 100 kilometres, just before the refueling, but I was happy with how things went for the time I was out front. I didn’t make any big mistakes and the pace was good, so that’s really encouraging. The second half of the stage opened out into some faster tracks, which I really enjoyed, so that was cool. All-in-all it was a really good day. I’m in a good position to push again tomorrow and hopefully I can finish off the rally with a top result.”
Daniel Sanders
Returning to the form that brought him so much success in the past, Adrien Van Beveren has claimed another stage win at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge aboard his Yamaha WR450F Rally.
Demonstrating excellent navigation, and confident to push hard throughout the mixed terrain stage, the 30-year-old sustained his high pace to secure victory and maintain his third-place ranking in the overall provisional classification.
Adrien Van Beveren – P1
“Today was another good day for me. I pushed really hard early on before the refuelling station as it was really heavy sand dunes so I was able to follow some lines and maintain a high pace. After refuelling the terrain was a lot less challenging and quite fast and with everyone riding at a similar speed, it wasn’t possible to make up more time. One more day to go and I’ll be fighting right to the end.”
Adrien Van Beveren
Despite opening much of the special, Walkner was able to deliver a performance strong enough to ultimately finish less than one minute behind the eventual stage winner.
The world champion’s speed and consistency throughout the rally have resulted in him increasing his advantage at the close of day four, with just the fifth and final stage remaining.
Matthias Walkner – P2
“Another really cool, enjoyable day. I pushed right from the start and was able to catch Daniel by around kilometre 100, and from there, the two of us rode together, swapping the lead for the rest of the stage. It seemed to work out well as I was able to put in a good time, despite opening a lot of the stage from the front. I have a good lead and a good start position for stage five, but there is still work to do. I’ll head out and try to enjoy it tomorrow, hopefully put in a good result and secure the win. I’m definitely looking forward to reaching the finish!”
Matthias Walkner
Stage 4 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2021
Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 3:10:02
Matthias Walkner (AUT), KTM, 3:10:56 +54 seconds
Joaquim Rodrigues (POR), Hero, 3:13:00 +2:58
Daniel Sanders (AUS), GASGAS, 3:13:48 +3:46
Aaron Mare (RSA), KTM, 3:21:30 +11:28
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2021 after 4 of 5 stages
The speed is still high, the adrenaline still pumping – even protection like airbags remain in place – but 31-year-old Italian Danilo Petrucci will be exchanging a visor for goggles, and knee sliders for knee braces when he converts to a rally bike in Tech3 KTM Factory Racing colors for 2022.
Petrucci, who has accumulated 10 podium finishes and two wins in his 10 seasons on the MotoGP grid, will fulfil a lifetime dream with the transition into the next stage of his elite racing career after the season-closing Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana. ‘Petrux’ is a skilled offroad rider in enduro and motocross but knows the discipline and demands of rally will be a big challenge.
Danilo Petrucci on the KTM 450 Rally
Learning from some of the most successful racers in the sport, and experts from the KTM squad that has previously won an outstanding 18 successive Dakar victories, Danilo has begun his rally preparation as he embarks on the challenge of a switch from MotoGP to the Dakar. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s 2018 Dakar winner and recently crowned FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion Matthias Walkner, two-time Dakar champion Toby Price, and reigning Dakar champion Kevin Benavides will be on-hand in the KTM stable to help the MotoGP star make his transition to the sport.
Danilo has had a taste of desert conditions aboard his KTM 450 RALLY and the incredibly challenging navigation required for rally racing at a recent test under the watchful eye of KTM’s Rally Sport Manager, Jordi Viladoms – a former successful Dakar competitor. Following the MotoGP season, Danilo’s attention will be fully focused on furthering his riding and navigational education ahead of his first attempt at the 14-day and approximately 8,000-kilometer event, which begins on January 1st.
The 2022 edition of the competition will take place in the Middle East for the third year in a row and will allow Petrucci to be thrown into the depths of Dakar to learn and develop with an eye on 2022 FIM competition and a potential future in the sport.
Danilo Petrucci
“For me it is really a dream come true to race the Dakar. It’s an event I’ve always wanted to do since I was a child when I was watching video tapes of the Dakar Rally from the 80s and 90s. Now, thanks to KTM, this dream is coming true. First, I would like to thank KTM for this great opportunity; I think I will be the only rider that in just over one month has competed in MotoGP and then the Dakar Rally – so it is with great pride that I go there. My main target is just to finish the race and enjoy it. The first approach was to have some road book training with Jordi, he competed in the race many times and finished on the podium, so he has been great in helping me learn this special art. I had my first taste of riding the KTM 450 RALLY recently at an initial test in the Dubai dunes, where I was with KTM’s Dakar champions and I was able to learn so much from them – it was great to see them riding, and they were super nice and helpful to me. I hope the training for the next month will be enough; for sure it will be a tough race, but I am excited.”
Danilo Petrucci and the KTM 450 Rally
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director
“Danilo’s talent and his character means he is one of the few elite level guys that we believe can make this radical move from the asphalt to the dunes. It’s a great story for a great guy. We want to thank him for his professionalism and all his efforts as part of the Tech3 team in our MotoGP project and now it’s time for another ‘world’!”
Sanders moves into second outright after stage three win
Go Chucky! Putting in a strong ride through the desert, Daniel Sanders has taken his first day win at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and now lies second overall in the provisional standings – less than one minute behind the leader. Daniel will open Wednesday’s stage four.
Daniel Sanders
“Yeah, happy with that. It was a good stage today, I rode really well this morning and caught up to the guys ahead quicker than I thought I would. From there we just rode in a pack. It wasn’t too tricky after the refueling, we took it in turns to lead and I just made sure I didn’t make any big mistakes or crash. The day went well – I felt comfortable on the bike today and was able to relax a little, which means I could concentrate more on the road book, too. It all came together really well. It was a long day in the dunes and certainly tiring, but I’m still feeling good and looking forward to opening tomorrow. For sure, it’s not going to be easy, but it’s really good experience for me, so hopefully I’ll do a good job and not lose too much time to the others.”
Daniel Sanders
Increasing his experience and continuing to learn the terrain of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Sanders has once again shown he’s right up there with the very best. Setting off third into the 293km special, Daniel immediately set about chasing down his two closest rivals ahead of him. With his GASGAS RC 450F performing perfectly beneath him, the young Aussie was able to catch up and take the stage lead by the second checkpoint.
With the three rally leaders grouped up and riding together, it was difficult to make up any more time, but Daniel was still able to focus on his navigation and ultimately finish the stage just under three minutes ahead of the second-placed rider. His advantage at the end of the day means that Sanders moves up to second overall in the event standings and lies just 57 seconds behind the provisional rally leader.
Placing second on stage three, Matthias Walkner continues to put in fast, consistent performances at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing star is yet to finish outside the top two, and continues to lead the overall standings with the rally now past the halfway point. With navigation proving to be less challenging than on previous days, Matthias chose to keep to a strong but steady pace through the Liwa Desert, not wanting to make any mistakes. Together with the current top racers in the event’s overall standings, Matthias ultimately ended up riding the latter half of the stage as part of a group, with each taking it in turns to lead.
Finishing the stage as second fastest, Walkner successfully defended his advantage in the provisional rankings. Although with a lead of just under one minute, the KTM 450 RALLY rider knows he must still attack the final two stages of the event to ensure he stays on top of the leaderboard.
Matthias Walkner
“I had another solid day today. Finishing second again means I don’t have the best starting position for tomorrow, with not so many lines in the sand ahead of me. There have been the usual changes in the standings with different people leading out, and others have had some issues. Sanders will open tomorrow, and Adrien is looking strong. There are two days left and I’m still leading the overall, so I’ll continue to do my best and take it day-by-day.”
Wednesday’s stage four is the penultimate of the rally and will cover a total of just over 400km. Leading out, Sanders will face a tough timed special of 251.98km.
Daniel Sanders
Results (provisional): Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2021, stage 3
The 2021 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has kicked off with Stage One a challenging 262-kilometre timed special, which saw Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team’s Ross Branch take an early lead.
Delivering a strong performance on the opening stage of the rally, Branch secured the win following a tantalising battle with Matthias Walkner.
Ross Branch takes early lead at 201 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge
Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team’s Branch begun the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in the best way possible with victory. Up to speed and confident in his ability to master the challenging sand dunes that formed a large part of the special, Branch moved into the lead mid-way through the opening stage and now lies at the top of the overall provisional classification.
Ross Branch – P1
“All in all it’s been a great day today for myself and the whole team. I really enjoyed the stage, and the dunes were amazing, so it was a fun day in the desert. The pace at the front was high which was a good experience and certainly helped with my overall speed. I’ll be leading out tomorrow so I’m excited about that as it’ll be a nice challenge and hopefully, I can do a good job and stay up front.”
Although his start position meant he was able to make up time by chasing down the 14 riders ahead of him, it also meant Walkner had to catch and pass those riders to maintain his speed as he navigated through the mixed Abu Dhabi terrain. A strong performance on the opening half of the special saw the Austrian lying second by the refueling point, from where he got his head down to try and make up time on the leader.
Matthias Walkner
Completing the special in second, a mere six seconds down on the stage winner, Matthias lies second overall in the provisional rally standings – just four-seconds back thanks to his Prologue performance.
Matthias Walkner – P2
“I had a good day today – the pace was really high and by the refueling I could see I was about one minute down of the leader. I pushed as hard as I could after that and managed to bring the gap down to just six seconds, which I was happy with. It puts me in a really good position for tomorrow’s stage and hopefully I can make up a little more time. The goal of the rally is to just enjoy my riding, get some more time on the bike, and not make any big mistakes. I’ll give it my best as always, and hopefully keep this momentum up for the rest of the race.”
Franco Caimi led the Hero MotoSports Rally Team efforts and finished the stage in third position. He got into a good rhythm from the start and was within the top three throughout the stage.
Franco Caimi – P3
“It is my first time in this desert yet I found a good rhythm on the bike and was able to deliver a good first stage. The bike is working perfectly, so I am happy and motivated for Stage 2.”
Franco Caimi
Daniel Sanders was looking forward to the racing through the dunes of Abu Dhabi, but with the desert terrain being different to anything he had faced before, the Aussie chose to curb his pace slightly to minimise the chance of making any huge mistakes.
Despite his cautious approach, Sanders still put in an impressive ride to complete the 262 km timed special as fourth quickest – not bad considering he even made a few errors with his navigation. Combined with his prologue result, Daniel lies third overall going into day two, three-minutes down on the provisional rally leader. And with two of his main opponents starting ahead of him tomorrow, Chucky will be fired up to chase down the riders in front and reduce the gap in the overall standings.
Daniel Sanders – P4
“Not a bad day for me, but not the best. As this is my first time in Abu Dhabi, I didn’t really know how the desert was and had a couple of scares early on with some big drops. I eased back a little and tried to stick to a good, solid pace, and other than a couple of navigation mistakes it all went well. I think towards the end I was riding a little bit too cautious, but it was a good day to get my eye in. I start fourth tomorrow so hopefully I can chase down the guys in front.”
Daniel Sanders
Rounding out a highly positive start to the event for the team, Adrien Van Beveren and Andrew Short brought their Yamaha WR450F Rally machines home in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
Adrien Van Beveren – P5
“I’m happy with today. After not such a good time in the prologue yesterday I started down the order but quickly caught up and led the stage from kilometre 100 to kilometre 160. So this was a challenge, but I enjoyed it. To finish just five minutes behind Ross is great after opening a lot of the stage and by finishing fifth, I start tomorrow in a great position to follow the lines and hopefully I can produce another strong result.”
Andrew Short – P6
“It’s good to get the first stage here in Abu Dhabi done and it was a pretty good day for me. The stage had a bit of everything, smaller dunes to start, then some desert tracks, and then towards the end there were a lot of big, rolling dunes. From tomorrow onwards I need to just find a little more speed, but I think I can find it. My bike was working great today so everything’s positive and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Toby Price is not contesting this rally as he prepares to race on four wheels in the Baja 1000 next week.
Monday’s stage two of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is the longest of the event at 470.58 kilometres and will see riders take on a timed special of 333.43 kilometres.
Coming into the Rallye du Maroc with a 20-point advantage at the top of the championship standings, Matthias Walkner knew he still had to put in a strong performance at the penultimate round in order to clinch his second Cross-Country Rallies world title.
Using day one to get back up to speed on his KTM 450 RALLY after the three-month break since the previous round, Walkner used his skill and judgement to build his speed throughout the timed special to ultimately place fourth fastest. With the event heading into the vast expanse of the Merzouga dunes on day two, Matthias took the opportunity to push right from the outset and was able to successfully chase down his rivals ahead to win the stage by just over one minute. The result also elevated him into the overall rally lead.
Falling foul of one particularly tricky note in the road book on Monday’s stage three, Walkner dropped down the order to fourth as the event reached the halfway point. Coming back fighting, and with the goal of making up as much time as possible, the 2018 Dakar winner put in a superb performance that saw him narrowly miss his second stage win of the event by just 36 seconds.
Matthias Walkner
On the fifth and final day, Walkner knew exactly what was needed of him to score enough points to claim the world title. With the timed special shortened by the organizers to just 166 kilometers, times were very close across the whole field. Placing eighth on the final stage, Walkner finished second overall for the event and earned himself 20 points, securing the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship for himself and KTM.
Of the three championship rounds raced so far, Walkner has shown incredible consistency, finishing as runner-up at the high-speed Rally Kazakhstan, before taking the win in the contrasting conditions of the epic Silk Way Rally, held in Russia less than one month later. Now, with another podium result in Morocco, the experienced 35-year-old has shown he is clearly on form and will now be aiming to carry his winning momentum into the final round of the series in Abu Dhabi before focusing on the 2022 Dakar next January.
Matthias Walkner
“It’s been a super cool rally for me. I set out this morning hoping to take the win, but I made a small mistake about halfway through that only maybe cost me a minute, but it was enough on the shortened stage to lose out. Second place overall is great though and to win the world championship title early is amazing. The team have been great all year, so a big thank you to them. It’s time to relax now and really enjoy the moment.”
Matthias Walkner
While it was Walkner and KTM winning the war that was the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the battle victory went to the Monster Energy Honda Team’s new recruit Pablo Quintanilla. On the final day of the rally the Chilean saw off his rivals to claim both stage and race victories.
The 166-kilometre final special stage went quickly for most of the riders still in contention for victory at this Rallye du Maroc. David Castera, race director, had designed a stage with very little navigation. With little movement of wind, the dust hanging in the air accompanied the riders throughout the journey, making it impossible for riders starting from the rear to make up time.
Pablo Quintanilla
Pablo Quintanilla started in a fine position from which to attack Mathias Walkner’s lead. The Monster Energy Honda Team rider held a sufficiently strong pace to allow him to fulfil this main mission and capture the final stage of the Rallye du Maroc and overall rally victory.
Pablo Quintanilla
“I am very happy with the victory. It was a very difficult week and I want to thank the whole team for the great job they did. It was fantastic for us. Personally, I felt very comfortable, I was riding with great pace, with good navigation and that’s very good for my confidence. I am also very motivated for the next objective, which is the Dakar. We are going to take a short break, rest, recharge our batteries and then we will concentrate on the Dakar.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Aussie youngster Daniel Sanders secured third overall for his, and GASGAS’, first ever podium result in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Even with a minor setback on day three, the Aussie turned things around on the final two stages, upping his pace and rapidly closing in on the leader to complete the rally just over five minutes short of the win.
Daniel Sanders
Daniel Sanders
“The last day is done and what a week it’s been! Opening the final stage was pretty cool. After around 80 kilometers the navigation became a bit more tricky so I had to slow my pace to make sure I was on the right path. I actually had a small crash in the dunes but I was up quick and straight back on a decent rhythm. I’m really happy to have finished third on this stage after opening and overall it’s been a great week. To end it with a podium and secure the first podium result for GASGAS in the world championship is really cool. Now I’m looking forward to the next race in Abu Dhabi.”
Daniel Sanders
Ricky Brabec was unable to whittle down the gap separating him from his rivals in the general standings and, in spite of finishing runner-up on the final day, narrowly missed out on a podium place to Daniel Sanders.
Ricky Brabec
“I’m happy to finish another rally, it’s been good training for the Dakar. I’m also very excited for the Honda team to be on top of the podium. Unfortunately, we couldn’t have two Honda riders on the final podium. It takes a lot of guts to win a stage and it takes a lot of courage to open a stage: only three riders have opened this rally, and I think we opened the most difficult stages. I’m really looking forward to the Dakar and this was just training. I made a couple of mistakes and missed out on the podium on the last day, but at least we’ll get home safe and sound and get back to training to be ready for the Dakar.”
Ricky Brabec
Rounding out a highly positive week in Morocco, Yamaha’s Adrien Van Beveren finished ninth overall on the final stage to secure his well-deserved fifth-place finish in the final classification. Confident with his navigation, his ability to open stages, and feeling at one with his Yamaha WR450F Rally, the Frenchman is excited for the future, especially with the 2022 Dakar Rally now very much on the horizon.
Adrien Van Beveren
“I’m really happy with my performance at the Rally Du Maroc. It ended today with another great day on the bike and I’m really confident for the future as my navigation and speed is right where it needs to be. The ultimate goal is to be ready for the Dakar and if I can take the feeling that I had this week to that race then I will be really happy. It’s been a great event here in Morocco. I opened much of stage four, showed good speed all week, and the hard work that the team and myself have done in the lead up to the race is something that we are proud of, and it really paid off.”
Adrien Van Beveren
Both returning to competition following injury, KTM’s Toby Price and new signing Kevin Benavides used the Rallye du Maroc to rebuild their speed and confidence while also putting the all-new 2022 model KTM 450 RALLY through its paces in its competitive debut. Making changes and developing the bike as the event progressed, the two experienced Dakar champions were pleased with the performance of the machine and look forward to continuing their work at the next round in Abu Dhabi. Ultimately finishing seventh and 13th respectively, Benavides and Price were also joined in Morocco by teammate Sam Sunderland. Unfortunately, the British rider was forced to withdraw from the event on day four, due to illness.
Toby Price
“It’s good to get the last day done, and out of Morocco in one piece. I picked up a small penalty for speeding in today’s stage but all-in-all I can’t complain. It’s good to get the first one under the belt after being off the bike for so long and I’m looking forward to Abu Dhabi now to see what we can do there.”
Kevin Benavides
“The last day went well for me, I kept to a solid pace and made sure I didn’t have any crashes. I was pleased with my riding and navigation, and it’s good to get the first race done with the team. I’ve been a little careful all through the rally because my shoulder has given me some pain, but on the whole it’s gone well. And now I’m looking forward to more time on the bike at Abu Dhabi.”
Most Rally competitiros will next be in action at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, held from November 6 to 12.
Provisional Results Stage 5 Rally du Maroc 2021
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 1:39’12
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +0’17
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +0’18
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 0’37+
BRANCH Ross BWA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +0’37
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +1’05
HOWES Skyler USA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +1’58
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +2’36
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +3’45
BÜHLER Sebastian POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +4’51
Provisional Final Outright Overall Standings Rally du Maroc 2021 after 5 of 5 stages
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team 16:26’51
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +1’59
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +5’27
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +7’14
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +18’01
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +34’03
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +39’38
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +41’03
SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +41’53
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +45’19
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +48’12 13. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +55’44
Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy Honda) paid a high price for being the first man away on Tuesday after winning Monday’s stage and taking the overall lead in the rally. By the end of Tuesday that lead had turned into a deficit over over seven-minutes and a demotion to fourth place on the overall leader board.
Ricky Brabec
“Today was a long day and maybe it wasn’t the day to open. We lost a bit of time but we still have a day to go and we’re seven minutes off first place. We can make a good push and maybe get onto the podium tomorrow: that will be the plan. It’s been good training ahead of the Dakar. We’ll keep our hopes up and push for one more day. Today I opened a large part of the day and we had the same track as the previous days, but with a lot of detours which made it very confusing. We will keep pushing tomorrow.”
Stage 4 Rally du Maroc 2021
A couple of minor navigational errors by Daniel Sanders on that Monday stage had resulted in a lowly – by his standards – 15th place finish. But there may not be a better way of bouncing back from a difficult day of rally racing than by winning the very next stage! That’s exactly what Daniel Sanders has done on the penultimate leg of the Rally Du Maroc overnight.
Picking up his pace throughout the incredibly technical special, Sanders delivered what is undoubtedly his best ride of the event so far and has moved up to third in the overall provisional classification.
Daniel Sanders
“I got the win, which is sick! Today I didn’t make any major mistakes and with the tricky navigation, you really had to focus. For sure I went offline a few times but what was encouraging for me was that I got back on track quickly. The stage had a bit of everything today, which added to the challenge, and it seemed like every 20 minutes we were into something different whether it was sand, hardpack roads, or rocky sections. I’m now in a pretty good position overall and tomorrow I’ll lead out so I’m excited for the challenge and hope to end this rally with a strong result.”
Daniel Sanders
Now faced with being the first rider to start the final day of racing, the Aussie is up for the challenge and excited about the prospect of completing another round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with a strong overall finish.
Matthias Walkner was second fastest on the fourth and penultimate stage. Coming in just 36-seconds behind stage winner Sanders, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider regained the provisional overall lead of the event.
Featuring the longest timed special of the event at a demanding 367.43 kilometers, stage four of the Rallye du Maroc proved to be another huge test of pace and navigational skill. Following a long liaison section, riders entered the special and were faced with a wide variety of terrain including fast, stony tracks, off-piste sections through the rocks, and an area of camel grass near the finish.
Playing catch-up on today’s stage, Matthias Walkner was the 12th rider to enter the special. Making the most of his opportunity to push and make time on the riders ahead, Matthias was immediately fast to the first checkpoint. Maintaining his focus through the varied terrain, the Austrian was able to move into the lead of the stage by the halfway point. Choosing to ease his pace towards the finish, to minimise any mistakes, the 2018 Dakar Champion ultimately claimed second to re-take the provisional rally lead.
Matthias Walkner
“It was a super long day again today. I tried my best to push right from the start because on such a long stage like this you find the pace drops off a little by the end. I wanted to catch as many people ahead as I could. This event is always one of my favorites – the terrain here really suits me with its mix of dunes, and off-pistes, and fast tracks. It’s really good for my confidence too, and I knew I would be able to make up some time today and fight for the stage win. I go into tomorrow’s final day leading the rally and as the second rider into the special. Hopefully I can make it safely to the finish without any big mistakes and fight for a place on the podium.”
Matthias Walkner
Tuesday proved to be a good day for Honda’s Pablo Quintanilla, the Chilean rode a solid stage and finished with the third best time of the day. In the outright standings Quintanilla is in second place, only 37-seconds behind Walkner.
Pablo Quintanilla
“We finished the penultimate stage of the race and like almost every other day, it was a long and hard stage. I’m happy, I felt great, with a good pace and without any navigation mistakes and that’s very important for my confidence. I’m second in the general standings, just slightly behind the first. Tomorrow we will go out to do our best on this last day. There will be less than 200 kilometres and so we’ll have to see what happens.”
Pablo Quintanilla
Joan Barreda finished fourth on Tuesday despite a heavy fall on a boulder. The rider from Castellón had been notching up fine times until that point. In the overalll standings, however, any podium chances had faded in Monday’s stage.
Joan Barreda
Setting a good pace right from the start, Toby Price fought his way up to fifth position in the first 100 kilometres of Tuesday’s special. A small error resulted in the Australian losing around three minutes to the leaders by the midway point. Caught by rally leader Walkner after the refueling stop, the two Red Bull KTM team-mates raced together from there to the finish. Claiming sixth on the stage, Price lies 14th overall in the rally standings after some difficulties earlier in the rally.
Toby Price
“Day four is done – just one stage to go now. I had a pretty decent day, I made a few little mistakes near the start, before the refueling, but after I didn’t have any major issues. Matthias caught me around kilometer 220 so I let him take the lead and just tucked in behind him to the finish. We kept to a good solid pace and was able to bring it home safely. I’m feeling good, looking forward to the last stage and ready to go.”
Toby Price
Maintaining his impressive speed and consistency through the technical fourth stage at the Rally du Maroc, Adrien Van Beveren opened a lot of Tuesday’s special. Despite the arduous task, the Frenchman brought his Yamaha WR450F Rally home just 10 minutes behind the overall stage winner for a strong eighth place finish. His solid performance on the penultimate day of racing edges him one step closer to securing an overall top-five result.
Adrien Van Beveren
“I would say that today was my best stage of the rally so far and I’m really pleased with my performance. On paper, it may not look like this, but after starting the stage fourth, I caught the leading riders, passed them, and then I opened the stage. It took some time to find a couple of the waypoints, which is normal when you’re the first rider, but overall, I’m really happy with my navigation and my pace today. It’s been a long stage and at the end I was still feeling really strong on my bike. So, overall it’s been a great day for me and I’m looking forward to the final stage tomorrow.”
Sam Sunderland was forced to withdraw from the stage due to illness.
Wednesday’s fifth and final stage offers no respite for any of the remaining racers with the scheduled 291-kilometre special set to guarantee another long day in the saddle.
Provisional Results Stage 4 Rally du Maroc 2021
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team 3:50’34
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +0’36
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +2’55
BARREDA Joan SPA Monster Energy Honda Team +5’47
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +6’17
PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +6’52
HOWES Skyler USA Husqvarna Factory Rally Team +7’31
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team + 10’05
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +10’10
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +13’05
Provisional Overall Standings Rally du Maroc 2021 after 4 of 5 stages
WALKNER Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team 14:47’02
QUINTANILLA Pablo CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +0’37
SANDERS Daniel AUS Gas Gas Factory Team +5’46
BRABEC Ricky USA Monster Energy Honda Team +7’34
VAN BEVEREN Adrien FRA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +14’53
BENAVIDES Luciano ARG Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing +26’41
BENAVIDES Kevin ARG Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +33’46
RODRIGUES Joaquim POR Hero Motorsports Team Rally +36’13
SHORT Andrew USA Monster Energy Yamaha Rally Team +36’24
CORNEJO José Ignacio CHI Monster Energy Honda Team +39’19 14. PRICE Toby AUS Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team +55’44
Daniel Sanders is fit and raring to go as the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship heads to Morocco for the Rallye du Maroc. Covering over 2,600 km, the race is set to pose a real challenge to all riders with its mixture of fast tracks and rolling sand dunes.
Marking the penultimate round of this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the Rallye du Maroc is traditionally one of the last proper tests for teams and riders ahead of the Dakar Rally, held in January. Never having even visited the country before, let alone raced there, Daniel is looking forward to getting back to competition, especially at a desert location like Morocco.
Following his excellent fourth-place finish at the Silk Way Rally – a performance that earned him three stage wins from five stages – Sanders travelled to the United States where he spent the downtime working on his speed and bike fitness.
With the team joining him stateside in September, an intense month of road book training and work on bike set-up then followed. Now, feeling fast and comfortable on his GASGAS RC 450F, Chucky is excited to get back to racing.
Daniel Sanders
“It feels like it’s been a really long time since the last race, and with Silk Way not going the full distance due to the pandemic situation, that was a bit of a strange one too. Even though it was shortened, I had a good time in Russia – it was great to get some stage wins and it showed I definitely have the speed to mix it up front. After that, I flew to America and have been doing a lot of motocross training to maintain my fitness on the bike and keep that intensity you need. After the team arrived in the States, we did a lot of testing over there – plenty of road book training and working to improve the bike. I’m really looking forward to Morocco now, it’s a bit crazy not having so many races, but I’m definitely up for this next one. Hopefully the race should suit me, I’ve never been there before, but I hear it’s always a good race, with a good variety of terrain. I can’t wait to get started.”
Daniel Sanders
Totaling six days, the Rallye du Maroc will ease riders into things with a short Prologue stage on Friday, October 8. The short 10 km sprint will decide the start order for Saturday’s 441 km stage one, that in turn will be followed by a further four stages, all set out in loops from the main bivouac in Zagora. When riders reach the finish on Wednesday, October 13, they will have covered a total of 2,656 km, and raced 1,633 km against the clock. The mixture of fast tracks and dunes should suit Daniel’s skills perfectly, and the young Aussie is definitely keen to get started!
Signing a two-year contract extension earlier in the year, Toby Price returns to rally competition this weekend in Morocco after being forced to withdraw from this year’s Dakar due to injury. The Australian will be looking to get back up to speed with his pace and navigation on the bike in Morocco and continue to test and develop the latest version of the rally machine.
A new engine, frame and many other changes
The result of over two years’ development, the all-new 2022 KTM 450 Rally will make its first competitive outing in Morocco. With new bodywork, a new engine, a new frame, and many other upgrades and improvements over the current model, the state-of-the-art rally machine will continue to undergo testing and evaluation at the Rallye du Maroc.
I think I need a box of tissues and some alone time…
Toby Price
“For sure I’m excited for the event here in Morocco – it’s been a long time since I’ve raced a rally since I was forced to miss the first two rounds of the season. The plan for the Rallye du Maroc is take things step-by-step and continue to build my speed while giving the new bike a proper shakedown. The main focus for me is to be back on form for the big one in January, but for now I’m just happy to be racing again and can’t wait to get back in the swing of things.”
Toby Price – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Covering more than 2,600 kilometres and challenging riders with over 1,600 kilometres of timed special stages, the 2021 edition of the Rallye du Maroc will be based around the Moroccan town of Zagora.
Opening with a short 10-kilometre Prologue, the race will then deliver five long, full stages held on fast tracks and open desert. As well as outright speed, accurate navigation through the sand dunes and rocky pistes will be key to a strong final result.
Coming into the event with a healthy 20-point lead in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies standings, Matthias Walkner is in good shape to fight for his second world title. The Austrian topped the Silk Way Rally earlier in the year with a commanding performance that saw him take the lead by the midway point of the race before never looking back. That, combined with his runner-up result at Rally Kazakhstan, shows Walkner is on form and ready for the challenges that lie ahead in Morocco.
Matthias Walkner
“Finally, after a three-month break, we’re ready to go racing again. It’s been a busy time in between the events as we spent around five weeks in America testing and training. That was really intense, but also very productive. I was really pleased with how I rode at the last round we raced in Russia and I’m hoping I can carry that form through to Morocco. My goal is to do my best as always, but hopefully enjoy a safe race. If all goes well, we should be close to the front at the end of the five days.”
2022 KTM 450 Rally
Showing impressive pace at the 2021 Dakar Rally and earning himself a third-place podium finish, Sam Sunderland came into the first round of this year’s world championship keen to maintain his momentum. Unfortunately, a crash on the final day in Kazakhstan resulted in the Brit being unable to continue. Now back on the bike and close to 100 percent, Sunderland hopes to use the Rallye du Maroc to build his speed while testing the new 2022 KTM 450 RALLY.
Sam Sunderland
“It’s been a little while since my last race, so I’m looking forward to Morocco. It’s always been an important race due to the type of terrain, and it also being quite close to Dakar on the calendar. I’m going to be riding the new bike, so I’m really keen to see how that performs under race conditions. Obviously, there are still some changes and adjustments to be made, and the boys have been doing a lot of hard work to get it ready. But there’s no test quite as good as the stresses of competition. Personally, I’m feeling good and pretty much back to full fitness after my little upside-downer in Kazakhstan, so I’m really excited to get back to it.”
2022 KTM 450 Rally
Making his competitive debut for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Kevin Benavides will be using the Rallye du Maroc to not only continue adapting to the KTM 450 RALLY, but also settle into the team in race conditions. The 2021 Dakar winner signed to KTM in April but was unable to attend the opening two rounds of the world championship due to injury. Now back to his best and keen to build his speed during the final two rounds of the championship, Benavides is fully focused on defending his Dakar title come January 2022.
Kevin Benavides
“For me, this is going to the first race with the KTM team, so of course I’m really excited, but also extra motivated to do well – I feel like a new rider and I’m really looking forward to getting started. At the beginning of the year, after signing with the team, the world championship was my main goal, but unfortunately after injury that was impossible. Now, looking ahead to this race and Abu Dhabi in November, these last two races of the year will be more about training and getting to grips with the new KTM. On the positive side, I don’t feel any pressure now, of course I want to do well and plan to focus on my navigation and rhythm, but it means I have time to properly settle into the team, get to know everyone, and enjoy these two events ahead of Dakar in January.”
2022 KTM 450 Rally
Covering six days of racing, round four of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – the Rallye du Maroc – kicks off in Morocco from October 8-13.
Riders are being asked to help raise $US8000 for Meals on Wheels to service senior citizens who will be advised to home quarantine after the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.
Robert Pandya, a motorcycle industry veteran and founder of the GiveAShift initiative that initiated the fund drive, says “motorcyclists are incredibly generous”.
The fund-raising project should go some of the way to dispelling the image of riders flouting social distancing and risking the spread of the coronavirus through the community and taking it back home when they return after the nine-day rally.
Organisers expect about 250,000 to attend the rally which is half the usual crowd.
Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen says they have increased cleaning schedules and cancelled many group activities. Following the rally, a mass Covid-19 testing program will be held.
Michael Osterholm, head of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, says the rally could cause a major virus spread.
“Come mid-August to late August, early September, Sturgis will have one hell of an imprint on this country,” he says.
Senior citizens
Meanwhile, the Sturgis Meals on Wheels (SMoW) program has already been stretched thin by the pandemic increasing need and reducing resources, says manager Jamie Helms.
“With the uncertainty of the world right now, our seniors depend on us just so that they don’t have to worry about leaving their homes where they feel safe,” he says.
“With our ageing population taking the city advice to quarantine for a couple of weeks after the rally, we are a needed service now more than ever, but we will get it done as we always do.”
Cash donations will be accepted under the blue tent at 1230 Lazelle St between 2-5pm from today (8 August) until next Saturday.
Click here for the official GoFundMe page for those who chose not to attend the event.
“We respect any riders who choose not to come to the event due to Covid, but encourage them to ‘donate a tank’ to thank and help the local seniors who have seen the rally become the most famous of its kind in the world,” Robert says.
“Supporting the Sturgis Meals on Wheels program is a natural fit for any biker and will have a hugely positive impact for local senior citizens.”
But the Tacita T-Race Rally won’t be competing in the 7500km rally, 75% of which will be in power-sapping sand. How could it with just 220km of range in eco mode!
Instead, the bike will be on show at the podium on 4 January 2020 and select events along the way.
It will also take part in the non-competitive 20km Qiddiyah Grand Prix on the final day of the rally on 17 January 2020.
Hardly a great promo for electric bike range!
Tacita electrics
Tacita has two electric T-Cruise cruiser models launched in 2017 costing about $20,000 to $A42,500, depending on battery size.
Tacita T-Cruise electric cruiser
Their T-Race series consists of the Enduro, Motard, Cross and now Rally costing up to $37,000 for the 44kW/100Nm motor with an 18kWh battery pack.
The T-Race Rally is the first and only electric motorcycle to race in the African desert when a prototype competed in the 2012 Merzouga Rally in Morocco.
Tacita will also have its solar-powered recharging trailer on show at the rally.
Tacita T-Race Rally tech specs
Electric motor: PMAC
Mappings: Eco and Sport
Transmission: 5 speed gearbox with hydraulic clutch
Cooling system: liquid type, with circuits for electric motor and controller
Battery life: 370.000 km or over 2000 cycles to 80% initial capacity.
Batteries warranty: five years
Max power: 34 and 44kW optional motor with 85Nm/27kW standard motor with 60Nm torque or 11kW with 60Nm
Max rpm: 8000
Wheelbase: 1490mm
Chassis: single-shell frame split in chrome-molybdenum
Clearance: 330mm
Front suspension: upside-down telescopic hydraulic fork with advanced axle 46mm diameter; 300mm travel
Rear suspension: progressive link with fully adjustable suspension unit; 280mm travel
Front wheel: 1.60 x 21″ – tyre 90/90-21
Front brake: floating disk 300 mm diameter with Brembo calyper and master cylinder
Rear wheel: 2.15 x 18″ tyre 140/80-18
Rear brake: 220 mm
Regenerative braking: 2 maps of engine brake. No engine brake (2-stroke engine style) and regenerative braking (4-stroke engine style)
Reverse: finally the reverse for the offroad (and city) use !!! Easy to maneuver in every situation.
Body: polyamide reinforced Kevlar
Range: 220 km in the Tacita Range Method + reserve power
Reserve Power: automatically activated at 5 % of remaining charge, reducing performance to reach the nearest charging point.
Charger: integrated on-board 10A/16A to be used with standard sockets.
Charging time: 3 hours with the 16A charging power. 5 hours from “reserve power” level to 80% at 220 V with the on-board charger from any socket
2020 Dakar Rally
Dakar organiser ASO has signed a five-year deal from 2020 with the tainted nation criticised for human rights violations including the murder of American newspaper reporter Jamal Khashoggi.
The Muslim nation also has a poor record on its treatment of women which could have been an issue with the rally organisers as many women now compete.
The rally was moved from Africa to South America in 2009 after threats of terrorism in Mauritania forced the cancellation of the 2008.
It has since been held in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru, but this year was run in Peru only after the other countries failed to reach an agreement with the organisers.
It is believe a bidding war followed with Saudi Arabia, Chile and South Africa with the event eventually going to the highest bidder.
The oil-rich country reportedly offered the ASO $15 million per year, compared with $3 million proposed by Chile for 2020.
Saudi Arabia features 2.25 million square kilometres of desert, plus the Asir mountains where temperatures range from -2 to 30 degrees Celsius in January.
Organisers hope to include other Mid-East countries such as Oman, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and Egypt in following years.
No Aussie Dakar
It is a shame that Australia was not considered.
We contacted the Federal Sports Minister’s office and Motorcycling Australia to find out if they had considered a bid but received no response from the Minister’s office.
Motorcycling Australia Events Manager – Off-Road Matthew Falvo confirmed they had not been approached about running the Dakar Rally in Australia.
Toby wins his sixth Finke Desert Race in 2018
However, Australia’s first Dakar winner, Toby Price, who won his second rally this year will be well suited to the Saudi terrain.
Toby, who is also the first Aussie to win the Cross Country Rally World Championship, won the Rally du Maroc in the Sahara dunes of Morocco last year.
His 2018 championship also included rounds in the Middle East dunes in Qatar and Abu Dhabi .
Toby is also the king of the Aussie sands, scoring a record sixth victory in the Finke Desert Race last year.
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