The stage is set for the start of the Desafío Ruta 40

The start of the Desafío Ruta 40 is now only a day away as the Monster Energy Honda Team prepare for six days of action in Argentina for the fourth round of the World Rally Raid Championship.

The riders arrived in the South American country a week ago so they could acclimatise to the time difference and weather.  With cooler temperatures and snow up in the San Luis province where a three-day test took place, Ricky Brabec, Skyler Howes, Tosha Schareina, Pablo Quintanilla and Adrien Van Beveren all got back on their Honda CRF450 RALLY bikes to familiarise themselves with the challenging conditions that await and make set-up adjustments before settling in Córdoba, the capital of the Argentine province of the same name.

The second largest city in the country hosts the Desafío Ruta 40 for the first time and competitors will be there for the start and finish of this year’s 12th edition.

A busy Saturday saw the mandatory administrative and scrutineering checks ticked off the list for the team at the first bivouac, the Complejo Ferial Córdoba, where there was a final shakedown for all riders and bikes watched by eager rally fans, plus the official press conference duties for last year’s winner, Tosha Schareina before the opening ceremony for the event.  

The focus now for the team is to rest up before the action kicks off tomorrow where the riders will undertake a timed gravel 17 kilometre prologue that will head west from Córdoba before looping back to the start to set the starting order for stage one on Monday.