A prologue of just four kilometres got the Atacama Rally off and running today with the Monster Energy Honda riders performing a notable special. The rally will have its first full stage tomorrow.
Ricky Brabec and Joan Barreda were the best of the Monster Energy Honda bunch in today’s short curtain-raiser in Tierra Amarilla. The four-kilometre special stage gave the squad a first taste of the Chilean desert. The American and Spanish rider both finished seven seconds off the eventual winner. Kevin Benavides was tenth with Nacho Cornejo coming home twelfth.
The results allow the first fifteen finishers to choose their place in the starting order for the first stage tomorrow. The riders will thus set out on the 270-kilometre stage from Copiapó back to Copiapó in the following order: fourth place José Ignacio Cornejo, sixth for Kevin Benavides, eleventh Joan Barreda and twelfth for Ricky Brabec.
Prologue results
| Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | Team | Constructor | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Price Toby | AUS | Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team | KTM | 2'34 | |
| 2 | Short Andrew | USA | Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna | +0'03 | |
| 3 | Benavides Luciano | ARG | KTM Factory Racing Team | KTM | +0'06 | |
| 4 | Brabec Ricky | 9 | USA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +0'07 |
| 5 | Barreda Joan | SPA | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +0'07 | |
| 6 | Quintanilla Pablo | CHI | Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing | Husqvarna | +0'09 | |
| 7 | Sunderland Sam | GBR | Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team | KTM | +0'11 | |
| 8 | Maré Aaron | RSA | Vendetta Racing | KTM | +0'11 | |
| 9 | Walkner Matthias | AUT | Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team | KTM | +0'13 | |
| 10 | Benavides Kevin | ARG | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +0'15 | |
| 11 | Nosiglia Daniel | BOL | Team Nosiglia | Honda | +0'16 | |
| 12 | Cornejo José Ignacio "Nacho" | CHI | Monster Energy Honda Team | Honda | +0'21 |
Location Information
The 2019 edition of the Atacama Rally will offer its competitors a high-level sports rally, challenging the incredible dunes of the Atacama Desert. An open challenge for all and especially for those competing for the third round of the FIM Cross-Country World Rally Championship in the category of motorcycles and… read more.
Copiapó, Chile - View in Google Maps
