MOTOR SPORTS NEWS

Latest News

  • 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, Rd4 at Jordan Rally – 19-21 May
  • Super 5th for CONOR DALY in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet at GMR GP at Indianapolis
  • Miami Grand Prix given extra sparkle by Williams Racing….and Surge!
  • Gillan grinds to the top of the podium at the Cookstown 100 road races
  • CONOR DALY – Ed Carpenter Racing BitNile Chevrolet, Qualifies 4th at GMR Grand Prix at Indy
  • Home
  • News
  • Dakar
    • DAKAR 2016
    • Dakar 2015
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • Motorbike
  • Touring Cars
  • Circuit Racing
  • Events
  • follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Pinterest
    • RSS Feed
    • Linked
    • Youtube

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland wins Silk Way Rally 2019

Jul 17, 2019


  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Tweet
2nd Rd. Rally 2019 – Silk Way Rally (Russia, Mongolia, China)
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland has won the Silk Way Rally – round two of the 2019 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Teammate Luciano Benavides finished in fifth overall to top the Junior class for the event. KTM Factory Racing’s Laia Sanz won the Women’s category with an excellent seventh overall.
The 10th and final stage of the Silk Way Rally proved to be one of the toughest of the event. Winding its way along fast rocky tracks and through the ravines and dry river beds of the Gobi Desert, the 255-kilometre timed special required 100 percent focus right to the finish.

Sam Sunderland, having ridden superbly in terms of speed and navigation through Russia and Mongolia, created a comfortable advantage at the head of the overall motorcycle class when the rally entered China. Using his extensive skill and experience, he put in a champion’s ride to maintain a fast and largely mistake-free pace and carried his lead to the final stage of the event, finally claiming outright victory.

With no fewer than three stage wins – one having opened stage five – Sam’s dominant performance at the Silk Way Rally gives him his second consecutive victory in this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship to extend his lead with two rounds left to race.

Sam Sunderland: “It’s really cool to take the win here in China. I’m really happy with the job done by myself and the team – it wouldn’t have been possible without this big effort from everyone to come to Russia, Mongolia and now China. It’s been a huge adventure and one that we’ll all remember for a long time, that’s for sure. For me I’m so happy to get the win, it makes it two-out-of-two this championship and it’s a really important one because of the points earned this round. I felt really good at the beginning of the event and was able to create a good gap. I felt a bit sick during the middle stages but was able to manage the race and stay on a good pace right to the end. I’m really pleased for Andrew, who has ridden a great race, and also Luciano and Laia. Now I’m looking forward to a bit of rest.”

Putting in an impressive performance throughout the event, Luciano Benavides placed eighth on the final stage to claim fifth place overall and top the Junior class. Continuing to learn and gain experience, the young Argentinian rode a mature race, often bouncing back from small navigation errors to complete each stage consistently and secure his solid top-five result. With two rounds of this year’s FIM championship remaining, Benavides’ goal is to increase his rally knowledge and overall speed.

Luciano Benavides: “For me, it has been a really good rally – I finished fifth overall and won the Junior category. It’s been a tough rally, but I have certainly learned a lot. I made a few mistakes in the last few days that ended up costing me some time, but I know what I did wrong and I need to go away now and work on those areas. Overall, I am happy with how I rode and the bike has been perfect. My confidence is growing all the time and each rally we do I learn a little bit more and gain a lot of experience. Finally, I want to thank the team – to be in this KTM family is an amazing feeling and everyone did a great job.”

KTM Factory Racing’s Laia Sanz rode to a safe 13th place on stage 10 in order to minimise any possible mistakes and safeguard her position in the overall standings. The Dakar Women’s Champion marked her first competitive outing in this year’s FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship with an excellent seventh place overall – beating many of the championship regulars in the process. Laia’s impressive speed and consistent, error-free finishes paid off, especially at an event as tough and demanding as the Silk Way Rally. Sanz will now take some rest before continuing her Dakar preparation at the next race in Chile.

Laia Sanz: “I took it easy today as I wanted to stay safe and keep my position in the standings. Overall, it has been a good rally for me, these last days have been tough and certainly very tiring as well as being technical. I’m happy to be at the end safely and I’m very happy with my result. The organisation of the rally has been really good and I’m so happy that I came. I had some really good days in Mongolia but here in China I struggled a bit more. Now, after some rest, I will continue to train and focus as always on the Dakar Rally next year.”

The next rally event contested by the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will be the Atacama Rally, round three of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, held in Chile from September 1 – 7.

Provisional Results Stage Ten – 2019 Silk Way Rally

1. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 2:40:49
2. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 2:42:39 +1:50
3. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 2:42:51 +2:02
4. Joan Barreda (ESP), Honda, 2:43:03 +2:14
5. Jose Cornejo (CHL), Honda, 2:43:11 +2:22
Other KTM
6. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 2:45:20 +4:31
8. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 2:47:52 +7:03
13. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 2:59:19 +18:30

Provisional Standings (After Stage Ten) – 2019 Silk Way Rally

1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 26:12:47
2. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 26:33:09 +20:22
3. Adrien Van Beveren (FRA), Yamaha, 26:33:48 +21:02
4. Kevin Benavides (ARG), Honda, 26:34:24 +21:37
5. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 26:49:37 +36:50
Other KTM
7. Laia Sanz (ESP), KTM, 28:09:13 +1:56:26

Provisional FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship Standings

1. Sam Sunderland (GBR), KTM, 83 points
2. Andrew Short (USA), Husqvarna, 56 pts
3. Luciano Benavides (ARG), KTM, 51 pts


  • tweet
Related articles
  • 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, Rd4 at Jordan Rally – 19-21 May
    2022 FIA Middle East Rally...

    May 15, 2022 Comments Off on 2022 FIA Middle East Rally Championship, Rd4 at Jordan Rally – 19-21 May

  • Super 5th for CONOR DALY in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet at GMR GP at Indianapolis
    Super 5th for CONOR DALY in the No. 20...

    May 15, 2022 Comments Off on Super 5th for CONOR DALY in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet at GMR GP at Indianapolis

  • Miami Grand Prix given extra sparkle by Williams Racing….and Surge!
    Miami Grand Prix given extra sparkle by...

    May 14, 2022 Comments Off on Miami Grand Prix given extra sparkle by Williams Racing….and Surge!

  • Gillan grinds to the top of the podium at the Cookstown 100 road races
    Gillan grinds to the top of the podium...

    May 14, 2022 Comments Off on Gillan grinds to the top of the podium at the Cookstown 100 road races

More in this category
  • Gillan grinds to the top of the podium at the Cookstown 100 road races
    Gillan grinds to the top of the podium...

    Comments Off on Gillan grinds to the top of the podium at the Cookstown 100 road races

  • Test of the Audi RS Q e-tron and the Ducati DesertX in Sardinia
    Test of the Audi RS Q e-tron and the...

    Comments Off on Test of the Audi RS Q e-tron and the Ducati DesertX in Sardinia

  • Gillan to hit the road running in various Motorbike Road Racing Series
    Gillan to hit the road running in...

    Comments Off on Gillan to hit the road running in various Motorbike Road Racing Series

  • Entries Open for Rallye du Maroc 2022 Edition
    Entries Open for Rallye du Maroc 2022...

    Comments Off on Entries Open for Rallye du Maroc 2022 Edition


Fleet Car Magazine

Notice Board

  • Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance
    Killarney Forestry Rally to raise funds for Air Ambulance

    Feb 03, 2022

    TweetRally drivers from across Ireland will help fund...
  • McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6 March 2022
    McHugh’s Service Station, Ballindine Mayo Stages Rally, 6...

    Jan 27, 2022

    TweetMayo & District Motorsport Club, organisers of the...
  • Osian Pryce takes second British Rally Championship victory in a row at Cambrian Rally – 4th BRC win for Creighton
    Osian Pryce takes second British Rally Championship victory...

    Oct 31, 2021

    Tweet William Creighton takes his fourth Junior BRC win of...
  • Audi Sport electrifies with U.S. star Ken Block
    Audi Sport electrifies with U.S. star Ken Block

    Sep 24, 2021

    Tweet Electrifying addition to the brand with the four...
  • Formula One Car by Car 1990-99 by Evro Publishing
    Formula One Car by Car 1990-99 by Evro Publishing

    Apr 16, 2021

    TweetThis instalment in Evro’s decade-by-decade series...

Categories

  • Africa Eco-Race
  • Baja
  • BRC
  • Circuit Racing
  • Cross-Country Rally
  • Dakar
  • Dakar 2015
  • DAKAR 2016
  • DAKAR 2017
  • DAKAR 2019 PERU
  • DAKAR RALLY 2018
  • EV Motorsport
  • Events
  • EverGreeens: Irish Abroad
  • Extreme E
  • Forestry Rally
  • Formula 1
  • Hillclimb
  • IndyCar Series
  • Interview
  • Middle East Rally Championship
  • Morocco Rally
  • Motorbike
  • News
  • Notice Board
  • Rally
  • RallyX
  • Related products
  • Review
  • Sportscars
  • Touring Cars
  • Tribute
  • Truck Racing
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • WRC
Tweets by @IrMotSportNews

Recent Posts

Test of the Audi RS Q e-tron and the Ducati DesertX in Sardinia

Test of the Audi RS Q e-tron and the Ducati DesertX in Sardinia

May 08, 2022

Tweet The new DesertX motorcycle and the RS Q e-tron for the Dakar Rally. The designers of both brands have created an unmistakable, joint look for the motorcycle and the car.  Two unusual vehicles,...
Read More
Entries Open for Rallye du Maroc 2022 Edition

Entries Open for Rallye du Maroc 2022 Edition

May 02, 2022

Extreme E marks Earth Day with Amazon programme visit

Extreme E marks Earth Day with Amazon programme...

Apr 23, 2022

M-Sport to pursue Dakar ambitions with Neil Woolridge Motorsport

M-Sport to pursue Dakar ambitions with Neil...

Apr 14, 2022

Dacia secures victory in the Crossover category of the 31st Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles du Maroc

Dacia secures victory in the Crossover category...

Apr 10, 2022

Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved