Team HRC’s Paulo Goncalves achieved a noteworthy start to the Sardinia Rally Race, after finishing the special stage with a second place finish on the day, which turns the Portuguese rider into the rally’s overall leader.

The Sardinia Rally got off to a dream start for Team HRC with Paulo Goncalves establishing himself at the head of the leader-board. Although initially finishing in third place, penalizations favoured the Portuguese rider who was able to move up into second final position.

As had been previously anticipated, the first full stage was a demanding affair, full of navigation, which wound its way through narrow, rocky paths that proved a constant struggle to keep the bike under control. Nevertheless, the Portuguese rider astride the Honda CRF450, setting out from sixth starting position, was able to score a commendable time, finishing just six seconds adrift of Catalan Joan Pedrero after 160 kilometres of timed special. Paulo Goncalves now heads the overall table with a four-second gap over second place Armand Monleón.

Jacopo Cerrutti, the promising young Honda rider, took sixth final place and lies in fifth overall after the first stage.
Tomorrow, the Sardinia Rally will offer up a double special stage with 100.2 and 102.2 kilometres respectively, starting out again from Pula, but this time finishing in Fordongianus.

Paulo Goncalves

STAGE: 2nd PROVISIONAL: 1st

Today, the first stage went fairly well: I stayed focused throughout the special which was really tough to navigate. Here in Sardinia the track is really narrow and rock-filled and we went down a lot of paths where the bike only just made it through. But in the end it turned out well and everything went according to plan. The bike was running perfectly too after we fine-tuned the suspension. Tomorrow, I will push hard and do my best to keep it up.

Private: Wolfgang Fischer

Team HRC Team Manager

Today was a very good first day at the Sardinia Rally – a very tricky one with 160 km in the mountains, very narrow trails, a lot of stones and intense vegetation. Paulo was able to push and find a good rhythm right from the beginning. Also, in the second part, after the refuelling area, he pushed even more and had a great final part. The bike was working great and everything was as it should be. It was very hot weather – over thirty degrees in the mountains. Tomorrow, we’ll have another stage with about 200 km special test and even more navigation so… let’s go!

2015 Cross Countries Rally
Stage Round 4 , 1   Sardinia

Results Stage 1

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Pedrero Joan SPA Sherco TVS Rally Factory Sherco 3:36'04.55
2 Goncalves Paulo POR Team HRC Honda +6.0
3 Monleon Armand SPA KTM Warsaw Rally Team KTM +9.0
4 Coma Marc SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +38
5 Walkner Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +2'02
6 Cerutti Jacopo ITA Honda RS Moto Honda +4'08
7 Faria Ruben 8 POR Husqvarna Factory Rally Team Husqvarna +4'38
8 Botturi Alessandro ITA Botturi Racing Yamaha +4'58
9 Cominotto Vanni ITA CF Racing Team Husqvarna +5'12
10 Rodrigues Helder POR Yamaha Racing Yamaha +5'16
11 Vecchi Luca ITA MRT KTM +5'35
12 Pavan Mirko ITA NSM Racing Team Beta +5'53
13 Casteu David 9 FRA Team Casteu KTM +7'11
14 Viladoms Jordi 11 SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +8'30
15 Lucchese Manuel ITA Rebel X Sports Yamaha +9'55
2015 Cross Countries Rally
Stage Round 4 , 1   Sardinia

Provisional Standings after Stage 1

Pos. Rider Num Nation Team Constructor Time/Gap
1 Goncalves Paulo POR Team HRC Honda 3:37'56
2 Monleon Armand SPA KTM Warsaw Rally Team KTM +4
3 Coma Marc SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +33
4 Walkner Matthias AUT Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +1'51
5 Cerutti Jacopo ITA Honda RS Moto Honda +4'03
6 Faria Ruben 8 POR Husqvarna Factory Rally Team Husqvarna +4'32
7 Botturi Alessandro ITA Botturi Racing Yamaha +4'55
8 Rodrigues Helder POR Yamaha Racing Yamaha +5'11
9 Cominotto Vanni ITA CF Racing Team Husqvarna +5'29
10 Vecchi Luca ITA MRT KTM +5'38
11 Pavan Mirko ITA NSM Racing Team Beta +6'04
12 Casteu David 9 FRA Team Casteu KTM +7'12
13 Viladoms Jordi 11 SPA Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team KTM +8'25
14 Lucchese Manuel ITA Rebel X Sports Yamaha +9'56
15 Uslenghi Mauro ITA Fast Team Husqvarna +11'35
Location Information

Since the beginning, Bike Village had set the ambitious goal to let Sardegna Rally Race be considered among the great rallies. On the eve of the seventh edition, this goal is perfectly reached. The fans of these fascinating races born in the desert have found in the Sardegna Rally Race… read more.

Budoni, Olbia-Tempio, Italia - View in Google Maps