Honda CRF450 RALLY's Benavides is new leader of 2018 Dakar

Honda CRF450 RALLY’s Benavides is new leader of 2018 Dakar

Jan 12, 2018

The Honda CRF450 RALLY of the Monster Energy Honda Team continues to excel in this 40th edition of the Dakar Rally. A dazzling performance today by Kevin Benavides earns the Argentinean the overall leadership of the race.

It was a dreadful sixth stage of the 2018 Dakar Rally, which brings with it a well-deserved rest day for the competitors in the capital of La Paz, Bolivia. Today’s 313-kilometre special stage against the clock was not completed in full after race authorities deemed the first stretch unsafe for racing. Riders had moved on from Peru into Bolivia by the picturesque Lake Titicaca, the highest lake above sea level. However, things were far from idyllic. The assistance vehicles ran into rain and snow in the mountain passes which clogged up the entrance to La Paz. Nevertheless, thousands of fans were there to greet the huge Dakar entourage’s arrival.

Joan Barreda got to open the track today on fast, slippery, water-drenched tracks which caused several riders some big scares. The Spaniard came a cropper after losing the front end in a puddle. Fortunately it turned out to have no consequences other than soaking the rider. Once the instruments and goggles were cleaned, Barreda was back in the fray. Barreda finished marginally behind conceding 3’30” to the day’s winner Antoine Méo.

Monster Energy Honda Team comrade-in-arms Kevin Benavides also ended up on the ground, but managed to limit the damage before posting second on the day, which elevates the Argentinean rider to the top of the overall leader board with a two-minute advantage over the second placed rider.

It was a tricky day also today for Michael Metge, Ricky Brabec and José Ignacio Cornejo, who were all held up and likewise, experienced some close calls out on the track.

La Paz plays host to the usual rest day, where the riders finally get a lay-in and a chance to recharge the batteries, as they prepare for the second week of the competition. The mechanics will review the Honda CRF450 RALLY to have them in tip-top shape for stage seven, the first part of the first marathon stage of this Dakar 2018.

Joan Barreda ⁵

Stage: 9th Overall: 4th

Today we had to overcome a stage with a lot of rain from the very first moment, with roads completely drenched. I took a tumble in a puddle and got completely soaked. I wasted a bit of time having to clean everything as I had been unable to see, but the worst thing about it was the cold chill that I felt throughout my body. It was certainly not easy. In the end, starting from first position and only losing three minutes isn’t bad.

Michael Metge ¹⁴

Stage: 10th Overall: 24th

What a storm! I got completely frozen at this stage. We caught rain on the special and mud too. I skidded a lot on the hard ground. It has not been easy, but with our attitude we managed to finish it well.

Ricky Brabec ²⁰

Stage: 19th Overall: 11st

Today was worse than yesterday. The rain was pretty difficult and if we were lucky we got three and a half hours sleep. Yesterday was a long day, not with the stages, but with the liaisons and modifications, getting back to the bivouac late and going to bed late. Getting up at three in the morning Bolivia time, so it was really two in the morning… It was the hardest day so far; it wasn’t even hard riding but it was mentally fatiguing. The stage was fast; I don’t know how we lost time in the stage, it’s weird. I didn’t have any problems in the stage. I hit the water really hard and I hit my face on the dashboard. I don’t know how these guys are making up time on us and that’s difficult to swallow. There’s seven more days and we’ll push.

Kevin Benavides ⁴⁷

Stage: 2nd Overall: 1st

I am very proud because it is the first time that an Argentine rider has led the Dakar Rally. I’m very happy too, because the idea was to get as high up the rankings as possible before the rest stage, so I can not be happier. I’m a little tired, we’ve had rain, mud, fast roads. But I was fast and felt comfortable on the bike. Now we have a day to rest and prepare the second week.

Raul Castells

Monster Energy Honda Team Manager

We have to congratulate the riders for the great job they have done so far. Kevin is leading and Joan is making a great comeback. Both have fallen today in the special, without any setbacks. The other riders were also good and I do not want to say much more: we will speak in Córdoba. We had a first week of very difficult dunes with the plan to get through them as well as possible, and that’s how it was, without physical or mechanical mishaps. The Japanese are working very well. Now, he has just changed the terrain, with hard stages. In Bolivia we expect rain, and in Argentina more hard and fast stages. We will try to push until the end while doing our best, but without losing concentration on the daily work.

Stage 6 Results

Pos.	Rider	Num	Nation	Team	Time/Gap
1	Meo Antoine	19	FRA	Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team	01:54’10
2	Benavides Kevin	47	ARG	Monster Energy Honda Team	+0’30
3	Price Toby	8	AUS	Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team	+0’30
4	Duplessis Martín	27	ARG	Honda Argentina – MEC Team	+01’13
5	Oliveras Daniel	29	SPA	Himoinsa Team	+01’55
6	Quintanilla Pablo	10	CHI	Husqvarna Factory Rally Team	+02’00
7	Nosiglia Daniel	33	BOL	HT Husqvarna Rally Team	+02’13
8	Van Beveren Adrien	4	FRA	Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team	+03’27
9	Barreda Joan	5	SPA	Monster Energy Honda Team	+03’30
10	Metge Michael	14	FRA	Monster Energy Honda Team	+03’37
11	Walkner Matthias	2	AUT	Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team	+04’06
12	Farres Gerard	3	SPA	Himoinsa Team	+04’14
13	Svitko Stefan	9	SLO	Slovnaft Team	+04’19
14	Monleon Armand	17	SPA	Daming Racing Team	+04’34
15	Barragán Jonathan	60	SPA	Gas Gas Racing	+04’48
19	Brabec Ricky	20	USA	Monster Energy Honda Team	+06’16
24	Cornejo José Ignacio	68	CHI	Monster Energy Honda Team	+08’12

Rider Standings

Provisional Standings after Stage 6

Pos.	Rider	Num	Nation	Team	Time/Gap
1	Benavides Kevin	47	ARG	Monster Energy Honda Team	16:33’20
2	Van Beveren Adrien	4	FRA	Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team	+01’57
3	Walkner Matthias	2	AUT	Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team	+03’50
4	Barreda Joan	5	SPA	Monster Energy Honda Team	+09’33
5	Price Toby	8	AUS	Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team	+09’39
6	Meo Antoine	19	FRA	Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Team	+10’42
7	de Soultrait Xavier	23	FRA	Yamalube Yamaha Official Rally Team	+11’24
8	Quintanilla Pablo	10	CHI	Husqvarna Factory Rally Team	+16’42
9	Farres Gerard	3	SPA	Himoinsa Team	+18’08
10	Svitko Stefan	9	SLO	Slovnaft Team	+29’11
11	Brabec Ricky	20	USA	Monster Energy Honda Team	+30’34
12	Cornejo José Ignacio	68	CHI	Monster Energy Honda Team	+34’05
24	Metge Michael	14	FRA	Monster Energy Honda Team	+01:22’22

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