Schareina and Ventura Remain on the Sertões Podium After Demanding Marathon Stage
Monster Energy Honda HRC remains firmly at the front of the 2026 Sertões after a demanding fourth stage through the sandy terrain of the Jalapão region. Tosha Schareina finished second on the stage and remains second overall, while Martim Ventura continues to lead Moto 2 and sits third in the overall motorcycle classification.
The fourth stage took the competitors from Mateiros to Porto Nacional, in the state of Tocantins, covering 572 kilometres in total, including 304 kilometres against the clock. The stage brought the marathon format to an end, meaning the riders had to complete the two-day challenge without external mechanical assistance.
The sandy terrain of Jalapão provided another demanding test for both riders and machines, with high temperatures, navigation and long sections of sand making the second part of the marathon particularly challenging.
Tosha Schareina completed the stage in second position, finishing just over five minutes behind the stage winner. The result leaves the defending champion second overall and second in Moto 1, just 3 minutes and 43 seconds from the lead after four stages.
Martim Ventura endured a more difficult day during the second part of the marathon. After winning the previous stage, the Portuguese rider had further issues with his navigation equipment, which affected his rhythm during the stage. He also suffered two crashes and subsequently had an exhaust problem as a result of one of the incidents.
Despite the difficulties, Ventura reached the finish and remains third overall and the clear leader of Moto 2. After four stages, he has built a lead of more than one hour over his closest rival in the category.
After four stages, Tosha Schareina is second overall in 22h01m26s, while Martim Ventura is third in 22h22m00s. Both riders remain at the sharp end of the Sertões, with Ventura leading Moto 2 and Schareina second in Moto 1.
The fifth stage will take the rally back into Goiás, from Porto Nacional to Minaçu. The day will cover 562 kilometres in total, including 309 kilometres of special stage.
With four stages remaining, the Sertões is entering its decisive phase. The route still includes more than 1,000 kilometres of timed competition before the rally reaches its finish in Goiânia on August 30. The fight at the front remains wide open.
Tosha Schareina 68
Today was all about sand. We tried to push as much as possible, but in the end we finished second and we are now second overall. It wasn’t exactly the marathon stage I was hoping for, but we made it through and that’s the most important thing.
Now we enter the second part of the race, with four more days ahead of us. We’re motivated, we’re in a good position, and tomorrow we’ll start second, which should be a good position for the next stage.
There are still many kilometres to go, so we’ll keep pushing
Martim Ventura 84
The marathon stage has come to an end here. Over these two days, the first one went better for me, while today was not so good. The truth is that it hasn’t been a good day, but I’ve been a little lucky because some of the other riders have also had their problems.
I didn’t have the navigation equipment working properly, so I had to ride more cautiously and take a calmer approach to the navigation to stay safe. It was a difficult day, and I had more problems because of that, but I’m happy to have made it to the finish.
Tomorrow we need to put together some good stages from here onwards, try to keep third place, and stay close to the other two riders, who are also very strong. We’ll keep pushing and try to make a good step forward.
