Paulo Goncalves roars back from his disappointing opening stage to win Stage 2 of the Atacama Rally; KTM’s Walkner takes over rally lead.
After their awful start to the 2015 Atacama Rally yesterday, Team HRC’s riders were looking for any glimmer of improvement during Stage 2 from from La Serena to Atacama today, and they got it, as Paulo Goncalves stepped up and claimed the stage win in the 367.3-kilometer special stage.
The Portuguese rider went on the attack right from the start of Stage 2, in which the first leg was run across about 90 kilometers of fast track through a dried-up riverbed. The section required that the competition be on its toes so as not to make any navigational errors. Another 120 kilometers of dusty but high-speed trails called for far less navigation and more balls.
Goncalves notched the day’s quickest time, finishing the stage in 2 hours, 23 minutes and 44 seconds to move himself back up the overall order to just outside the top 10. Goncalves now sits 11th, just over 55 minutes off the lead. Red Bull KTM’s Matthias Walkner of Austria had a great stage, finishing just 10 seconds behind Goncalves to finish second. Combined with slower times by teammates Sam Sunderland and Toby Price as well as KTM Warsaw Rally’s Pablo Quintanilla, Walkner has taken over the rally lead. He is 1 minute and 13 seconds ahead of Sunderland, with Price just 2 seconds behind Sunderland in third.
Tomorrow, the third stage of the rally will be disputed in the Atacama loop. The route starts and finishes at the bivouac and will include 236 kilometers of timed special.
2015 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship
2015 Atacama Rally
Atacama, Chile
Results: September 2, 2015 (Round 5 of 6)
Stage 2
1. Paulo Goncalves (POR)-Hon/2 hours 23 minutes, 44 seconds
2. Matthias Walkner (AUT)-KTM/+00:00:10
3. Toby Price (AUS)-KTK/+00:03:16
4. Sam Sunderland (GBR)-KTM/+00:04:31
5. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI)-KTM/+00:05:50
6. Daniel Gouet (CHI)-KTM/+00:14:44
7. Antoine Meo (FRA)-KTM/+00:15:16
8. Jeremias Israel (CHI)-Hon/+00:17:22
9. Felipe Prohens (CHI)-Pro/+00:21:55
10. Mohammed Albalooshi (UAE)-KTM/+00:30:06
2015 Atacama Rally Overall Results (After 2 of 5 stages)
1. Matthias Walkner (AUT)-KTM/3 hours, 8 minutes, 25 seconds
2. Sam Sunderland (GBR)-KTM/00:01:13
3. Toby Price (AUS)-KTM/00:01:15
4. Pablo Quintanilla (CHI)-KTM/00:01:32
5. Antoine Meo (FRA)-KTM/00:15:15
6. Daniel Gouet (CHI)-KTM/00:20:03
7. Jeremias Israel (CHI)-hon/00:20:17
8. Jordi Villadoms (SPA)-KTM/00:37:57
9. Felipe Prohens (CHI)-Pro/00:50:22
10. Mohammed Albalooshi (UAE)-KTM/00:50:45
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