Tosha Schareina Takes Sertões 2026 Stage 1 Victory as Martim Ventura Wins Moto 2

Cavalcante, Brazil – August 23, 2026

Monster Energy Honda HRC has made a strong start to the 34th edition of the Sertões, with Tosha Schareina taking victory in the opening stage and Martim Ventura securing the Moto 2 win on his debut in the Brazilian rally.

The first stage of the 2026 Sertões was the longest of the event so far, covering 651 kilometres between Goiânia and Cavalcante in the state of Goiás, including 343 kilometres of timed special. The demanding route featured several river crossings and a particularly technical section through the mountains, with narrow, twisty tracks and rocky terrain putting both riders and machines to the test.

Tosha Schareina, defending his 2025 Sertões title aboard the Honda CRF 450 Rally, chose to take the responsibility of opening the stage after winning Saturday’s Super Prime and earning the right to select his starting position.

Despite the challenge of opening the way, the Spanish rider maintained a strong pace throughout the stage to claim his first victory of this year’s Sertões and take the overall lead. Schareina completed the stage in 5h22m22s.

“It was a tough and very long stage. We were on the bike from three in the morning. I opened the special and found a lot of animals on the track, and I also had some problems with the navigation equipment. Sertões is really tough,” said Schareina.

Moto 2

Martim Ventura also enjoyed an impressive opening day in Brazil. Competing in Moto 2 with the Honda CRF 450 RX Rally, the Portuguese rider claimed the category victory by more than eight minutes and finished fourth overall in the motorcycle classification.

Making his debut in the Sertões and adapting to a new type of terrain, Ventura delivered a consistent performance throughout the 343-kilometre special, with a particularly technical opening section followed by faster terrain towards the end of the stage.

“It was a very long day. We started at three in the morning, very early. The beginning of the stage was very technical and the end was faster. It was good to start getting to know the terrain here in Brazil, and I felt good on the bike,” said Ventura.

“There are eight very demanding days ahead. If all the stages are like this, it will be tough, but it is great training and you can see the high level of preparation from the other riders. I’m getting better with every kilometre and enjoying the incredible landscapes. It was a good day on the bike.”

The result gives Monster Energy Honda HRC a strong position at the beginning of an event that will cover more than 4,000 kilometres, including 2,611 kilometres of timed special stages. The eight-stage route crosses the Brazilian states of Goiás, Bahia and Tocantins before returning to Goiânia for the finish on August 30.

The second stage takes the competitors from Cavalcante to Luís Eduardo Magalhães, crossing from Goiás into Bahia. The day will cover 623 kilometres in total, including a 419-kilometre special that will transition from narrow, hard-packed tracks into sandy terrain.

With seven stages still to come, both Monster Energy Honda HRC riders remain firmly in the fight as the Sertões moves deeper into its demanding Brazilian adventure.