Hero MotoSports’ CS Santosh, the only Indian left in the Dakar, managed to clinch his best-ever finishing position at the Dakar Rally. The rider ended Stage 14 in 32nd position, which meant he was 34th overall at the end of the event. Given the fact that the stages this year were so very difficult, it was a terrific performance from Santosh too.
CS Santosh’s teammate Hero MotoSports’s rookie rider, Spaniard Oriol Mena who is a former Junior World Enduro Champion, ended the 14th stage of the rally, in Cordoba, in sixth position.
This meant that he ended the rally in seventh place overall, a terrific debut at the Dakar. The finishing position also earned him the best rookie trophy at the rally.
CS Santosh’s one more teammate Joaquim Rodrigues met with a crash into the 1st stage of Dakar rally 2018. The rider from Portugal, who finished 12th last year, was not take part in the remaining stages.
Provisional Stage 14 Classifications
1. Kevin Benavides, Monster Energy Honda, Honda, 01hr 26m 41s
2. Toby Price, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, +54s
3. Antoine Meo, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, +02m 49s
4. Daniel Carreras Oliveras, Himoinsa Racing, KTM, +03m 25s
5. Johnny Aubert, Gas Gas Racing, Gas Gas Rally Replica, +04m 19s
6. Oriol Mena, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +05m 01s
7. Gerard Guell Farres, Himoinsa Racing, KTM, +05m 23s
8. Walkner Matthias, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, +05m 38s
9. Ignacio Jose Florimo Cornejo, Monster Energy Honda, Honda, +07m 57s
10. Juan Garcia Pedrero, Sherco TVS Rally Factory, Sherco TVS, +10m 53s
32. C.S. Santosh, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +18m 40s
Overall Provisional Classifications after Stage 14
1. Matthias Walkner, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, 43h 06m 01s
2. Kevin Benavides, Monster Energy Honda, Honda, +16m 53s
3. Toby Price, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, +23m 01s
4. Antoine Meo, RedBull KTM Racing, KTM, +47m 28s
5. Gerard Guell Farres, Himoinsa Racing, KTM, +01h 01m 04s
6. Johnny Aubert, Gas Gas Racing, Gas Gas Rally Replica, +01h 53m 53s
7. Oriol Mena, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +02h 22m 52s
8. Pablo Quintanilla, Husqvarna Factory Team, Husqvarna, +02h 24m 05s
9. Daniel Carreras Oliveras, Himoinsa Racing, KTM, +02h 37m 20s
10. Ignacio Jose Florimo Cornejo, Monster Energy Honda, Honda, +02h 42m 36s
35. C.S. Santosh, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, Hero MotoSports, +11h 29m 31s
