Monster Energy Honda Team takes the leadership in the Desafío Ruta 40 with a second stage one-two

It was a very difficult stage, with the most complicated navigation. We were riding around trying to find a waypoint on kilometre 15, when many other riders began to arrive. Kevin and I managed to find it before the others and opened up the track together until the end. It was very difficult all the way until the end, I think we did quite well and I am very happy to get here in a good position. The race was really hard and we have only had two days. I think this high pace will continue until the final day and you have to be very well-prepared to endure it without making mistakes. The dunes of Fiambalá, as expected, were a little soft, but it was not the most difficult area today, but we did 170 kilometres of off-piste with areas that were like a trial competition.

The hand is a bit swollen, but it held up and it helped to accelerate in this difficult stage. At kilometre 15 we were all lost until we were able to find the waypoint. I continued with Paulo until the end, but also kilometres 25, 90, 280, 340 were all difficult to navigate and were very technical too. You had to be very focused because the roadbook was good, but was complicated. I am very happy because I didn’t make any mistakes and I kept a good pace. It went well while some riders had trouble with the roadbook. In Fiambalá you had to be very cautious not to fall over the front as the dunes were very soft.

Today was a difficult start for almost everybody from what I could see. It was a difficult day with many sand-washes, riverbeds with many stones, like an Erzberg for rally bikes. So it was a tough morning. My team-mate had a breakdown, so the right thing to do was to ask him if he needed a tow. I asked him three times and he told me to keep going. He’s way behind now, but hopefully he will get back safe. The second special was all dunes, which for me - being a little bit bigger - was pretty tough, but we are here to fight another day and we will keep pushing for day three.

It was a difficult enough stage by itself with a lot of navigation, complicated zones and hidden waypoints, but this morning I felt motivated. He had studied the roadbook well and there were areas that were hard to find. I was determined to really go for it, but I had a electrical problem and I had to sort it out somehow or another so I could continue. Somebody gave me some gas to finish it and I appreciate that. I lost a lot of time, but I was able to arrive. Tomorrow will be another day.