Kevin Benavides Seeking Second Major Rally Win in a Week

After his winning performance in the Afriquia Merzouga Rally, Team HRC’s Kevin Benavides is headed to the Sardinia Rally.

The following is from Team HRC:

After the spectacular win in the Merzouga Rally a week ago, Team HRC’s Argentinean rider Kevin Benavides is now out in picturesque Sardinia. However, it will be no vacation for Benavides, who will be there competing in the Sardegna Rally Race.

The Sardegna Rally Race, the third round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship gets underway tomorrow, Friday, in Budoni in the North East of the island. Today sees the riders and machines subjected to pre-race technical and administrative checks. The curtain raiser–a short Prologue–which will decide tomorrow’s starting order, also takes place today.

Team HRC will be participating in the race with Kevin Benavides, winner of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally a week ago. The rally objective will be for Benavides to put in more mileage and gain more experience with a tough workout on the island.

“Here we are in Sardinia and I’m very pleased for way that the team have received me.” Benavides said. “The bike is incredible–I was able to test it out a bit, and it goes really well and I feel comfortable on it. It’s almost like going back to the old memories that I have with an Enduro bike. The navigation will be different to what I’m used to, and I know that I still have a lot to learn. I will start calmly and try and have a good race.

The five-stage Sardegna Rally Race, raced over 1279 kilometres, will feature 751 kilometers of timed special stage and is notorious for its arduous navigational demands. The Sardinian mountains contain a multitude of winding tracks which need continual interpretation of the roadbook.

Benavides, who had previously participated in Sardinia in the International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) in 2013–taking the gold medal–will be able to count on the support of Italy’s RS Moto Rally Team, taking part with rider Simone Agazzi.

Team HRC General Manager Martino Bianchi said that Benavides insisted on competing in the Sardina Rally “in spite of it being just three days since his great victory in the Merzouga Rally. Team HRC wanted to make the most of this opportunity. Red Moto and RS Moto Rally Team have helped out and given us the chance to use a CRF 450 Enduro, and have given Kevin the possibility of competing in the race with their assistance. It’s sure to be a race with a lot of navigation and the chance to gain a lot more experience and could really help for the future.”