Team HRC’s Kevin Benavides Wins Stage 4 of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally, surges into overall lead.
Team HRC’s Kevin Benavides dominated Stage 4 of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally in Morocco today and moved into the overall lead with only the fifth and final stage remaining tomorrow.
The Argentinian led Stage 4 from start to finish today, finishing the timed special test with a time of 2 hours 19 minutes and 35 seconds, 6 minutes and 18 seconds ahead of Himoinsa KTM’s Gerard Farres. Slovakia KTM’s Stefan Svitko, who had been leading the rally overall since Stage 1, finished third today, 6 minutes and 48 seconds behind Benavides.
Following a strong runner-up finish that bumped him up to second in the overall standings, Yamaha Official Rally Team’s Helder Rodrigues slid back down in the order when he took a wrong turn halfway through the day’s special stage and lost a bunch of time. Rodrigues finished sixth in the stage and is back to fifth in the overall standings 1 minute and 17 seconds off the podium.
Combined with his win and slip-ups by both Svitko and Rodrigues, Benavides moved past both of them and into the overall rally lead by 3 minutes and 5 seconds, setting Benavides up nicely for the overall win.
“Today has been the happiest of the race so far,” Benavides said. “Apart from the result, I’m really pleased because I opened the way and I finished first without having any references out in front of me. It was difficult to navigate with a lot of off-road, many dangers and tracks that were impossible to find. I really believed in my chances; I was very focused, and it all worked out well. Last night we slept in the high mountains for the marathon stage in a very distinct bivouac. I wish to thank Ricky Brabec who gave his exhaust pipe over to me, as mine was in bad shape. It has been great teamwork. I’d also like to thank the whole team for the great job that they’ve done up until now. Let’s see how the stage tomorrow goes.”
Speaking of Brabec, the American continued to work on navigation skills that, it is hoped, will help him build the necessary skills to contend for the 2017 Dakar Rally podium. The high speeds of today’s stage didn’t bother the former Baja 1000 and AMA National Hare & Hound Champion, who came home fifth, 13 minutes and 48 seconds behind Benavides. Brabec remains sixth overall, and it appears likely that will be his final result at the end of tomorrow as well.
“Today was really good; one of the fastest days here,” Brabec said. “Navigation was way better for me today–for each note on the roadbook you had a little bit of space. It gave you time to think about the note and what was coming up next. It was unlike the first three days, which were very difficult for me. This is by far the trickiest roadbook that I have done. I’m learning a little bit. Out here it seems like you have to go slow to go faster. You can’t just go fast, because if so, you just blow the corner and then you just lose time each time you do it. Today was good. Tomorrow is a motocross start, so maybe tomorrow on the second lap around I will put some time up on some riders because I will know where everything is and it will be more like a practice run.”
2016 Afriquia Merzouga Rally
Morocco
Results: May 26, 2015 (Stage 4 of 5)
Stage 4
1. Kevin Benavides (ARG)-Hon/2 hours, 19, minutes, 35 seconds
2. Gerard Farres (SPA)-KTM/+00:06:18
3. Stefan Svitko (SLO)-KTM/+00:06:48
4. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA)-Yam/+00:08:11
5. Ricky Brabec (USA)-Hon/+00:13:48
6. Helder Rodrigues (POR)-Yam/+00:14:59
7. José Cornejo (CHI)-KTM/+00:16:11
8. Alessandro Ruoso (ITA)-Yam/+00:31:02
9. David Megre (POR)-KTM/+00:31:45
10. Milan Engel (CZE)-KTM/+00:34:14
2016 Afriquia Merzouga Rally Overall Standings (after 4 of 5 stages)
1. Kevin Benavides (ARG)-Hon/13 hours, 39 minutes, 30 seconds
2. Stefan Svitko (SLO)-KTM/+00:03:05
3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA)-Yam/+00:11:36
4. Gerard Farres (SPA)-KTM/+00:12:09
5. Helder Rodrigues (POR)-Yam/+00:12:53
6. Ricky Brabec (USA)-Hon/+00:50:56
7. José Cornejo (CHI)-KTM/+01:15:46
8. Daniel Nosiglia (BOL)-Hus/+02:07:06
9. Joaquim Rodrigues (POR)-Her/+02:45:24
10. Gonçalo Reis (POR)-KTM/+03:01:56
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