Van Beveren takes second place on Stage 5 as Tosha edges closer to Rally de Portugal win

After an intense marathon stage yesterday that took the riders from Grandola to Badajoz, the Monster Energy Honda Team was able to withstand the pressure of the Portuguese riders in Stage 5 of the Rally Raid de Portugal.

Today again pushed the riders to the limit as they faced a 253km special stage through Spanish territory in the region of Extremadura, passing through towns such as Villafranca de los Campos and Fregenal de la Sierra. Today’s sections were more open and this meant that the top speed was the highest so far in the rally. Today’s special stage was completed in just over 2 hours and 30 minutes by the first riders. The rockier sections and less water meant that the tyres were worn more than on the other stages and brought out the driving skills of each rider.

Adrien, the standout performer today, showed his determination to take 2nd place in the stage, leading the Monster Energy Honda Team from the start. On the other hand, Skyler Howes maintained his consistency by securing 4th place on today’s stage, while Tosha managed a 5th place finish by not taking any risks today, beating direct rival Sebastian Buhler by almost 1 minute. This strategic position puts Tosha in an excellent position for tomorrow’s start, with a lead of almost 5 minutes over Buhler. Pablo suffered a heavy crash with his bike upside down and had to be stopped by Lorenzo Santolino to help him continue.

With the final stage tomorrow, Tosha is in a strong position to be crowned the Rally Raid de Portugal champion.
The final stage, which will take competitors from Grandola to Grandola with two sections, promises to be a challenge until the final kilometre of the event.

The Monster Energy Honda Team is grateful for the support of its fans along the route, and looks forward to the culmination of this exciting competition in Portugal.