Hero MotoSports Team Rally creates history as rider Joaquim Rodrigues wins stage-3 at Dakar 2022

Al Qaisumah [Saudi Arabia], January 4 : Hero MotoSports Team Rally created history as it won Stage 3 of the ongoing Dakar Rally 2022 in Al Qaisumah. This is the first-ever stage win at the Dakar by an Indian Team and an Indian manufacturer.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally rider Joaquim Rodrigues, in his sixth consecutive appearance at Dakar for the team, won Stage 3. After a remarkable come-back in Stage 2, following a difficult Stage 1, Joaquim put up a fantastic performance right from the start of Stage 3. The capable Hero Rally 450 performed well in the variety of extreme terrains during the stage.
Confident from their consistent performance over the last two days, Hero MotoSports riders Joaquim Rodrigues and Aaron Mare had a field day at Stage 3. Both the Rally GP class riders made aggressive efforts today. Aaron Mare had enjoyed yet another mistake free day on the Hero Rally 450 and finished the stage in 18th position. With this result he continues to be in the top-10 in overall rankings at the 10th place.
"I'm extremely happy with how my day has turned out. Even though the stage was really fast, with a lot of difficulty around alternating dunes and tracks, I was able to push hard right from the very first kilometer. The Hero Rally 450 has been performing extremely well, and I'm happy that our great combination has helped bring home the first stage win at the Dakar. Thank you, Hero MotoSports, for all the effort they have invested in me, and for putting me through a large number of races this year this has definitely boosted my confidence by leaps and bounds." said rider Joaquim Rodrigues of Hero MotoSport after winning stage-3.
Starting from Al Qaisumah early in the morning, riders started the race today after traversing 214 kms of liaison. The 255 km special section was lined with long stretches of alternating dune ridges and fast plateaus, and complicated intersections. Navigating through the terrain was indeed a tough task, but both riders aced all hurdles to mark a day in history for Hero MotoSports.
"The stage was really fast today, having been shortened by about a 100kms. My focus was on avoiding any navigation mistakes or crashes. Overall, it was another consistent day for me, I didn't lose much time, and I'm happy with my start position for tomorrow. I am also elated to have been part of the team when it achieved this historic achievement. JRod delivered an incredible performance today, and I'm so happy for him!" said rider Aaron Mare.
Tomorrow, the rally will present the longest stage of Dakar 2022, a total of 707 kms from Al Qaisumah to Riyadh, including a special section of 465 kms. Almost 200 kms of fast tracks, numerous wadi crossings and chains of dunes are on the menu.
"We've made history! It's amazing to enjoy the first stage win for Hero MotoSports at the Dakar today. We're experiencing the sweet taste of victory after all the hard work a lot of people have put in over the past few last months and years. It is also JRod's first stage win at the Dakar, and he absolutely deserves it. I'm really happy that he's the one to have brought home this achievement for Hero MotoSports. Congratulations to the entire team, and to all our fans around the globe." said Team Manager of Hero MotoSports Wolfgang Fischer.
Provisional Stage 3 Rankings - RallyGP class:
1. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports Team Rally 02h 34m 41s
2. Toby Price KTM Factory Racing + 01m 03s
3. Mason Klein BAS World KTM Racing + 01m 14s
4. Skyler Howes Husqvarna Factory Racing + 01m 26s
5. Daniel Sanders GasGas Factory Racing + 02m 55s
18. Aaron Mare Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 07m 30s