Team HRC takes up positions in a tough test of navigation

The second stage of the OiLibya Morocco Rally proved to be a far more taxing affair with a special stage requiring deft navigational and riding skills. Joan Barreda finished fourth and Paulo Goncalves, fifth.

The desert to the south of Zagora offered a harsh battle ground for a second stage which had upped the ante for rider navigation in a stage with complicated routes and way points that were hard to find.

Joan Barreda, the fastest Team HRC rider on the day, got lumbered with the job of starting out first and soon made it evident that his pace and navigational prowess have in no way been diminished by his absence through injury. The handicap of opening the track turned out to be not so negative after conceding a few minutes to rivals, although it means that he drops from overall top-spot for the time being.

An eager Paulo Gonçalves had a rough start to the day after a navigational error in the first part of the special meant that the Portuguese rider saw precious time slip away. Paulo battled hard for the remaining 200 kilometres, yet in spite of clawing back some of the lost time remains frustrated by his earlier error. The effort did, however, move him one place up the overall leaderboard into fifth position.

Paolo Ceci dropped several minutes although Team HRC will hope that the organisation annuls the lost time as the Italian rider had stopped to attend to Iván Cervantes after an accident in the stage.

Kevin Benavides and Jean Azevedo, the two riders from Honda South America Rally Team, both had the opportunity to complete their rally mission of improving riding and navigation skills. Both South Americans move up in the overall standings.

TOMORROW’s STAGE
STAGE 3 : LOOP OF M’HAMID
– LIAISON 196 KMS – STAGE 274 KMS
Still a lot of sand to be expected in this third stage. The race-start of this special will be on sinuous and sandy tracks and will take competitors across the dunes. They will then be faced with a long stretch where speed lovers will be able to express themselves, before getting back on to technical and stony tracks. Be careful not to break anything! The navigation will then cover some fast and sandy track before the final passage in the dunes.