2020 Dakar Rally: Hero’s Paulo breaks into top 5 in Stage 4

- Paulo Goncalves of Hero MotoSports finishesfourth

- India’s CS Santosh also shows positive transition

- Sherco TVS riders finish the stage in top 20

After spanning the 504km loop around Neom in stage 3, the 2020 Dakar Rally riders proceeded to the sandy and gravelly terrain of Al-’Ula. The 672km stage 4 comprised of 453km of timed section with 219km of Liaison. 

Ricky Brabec from Honda, who had won the stage 3, couldn’t maintain the lead this time and slipped down tofifth position on day four. He was 2m48s behind his team mate Jose Ignacio Cornejo who clinched victory in this stage with his teammate Kevin Benavides closely following him to be the runner up. Finishing the stage on third position was stage 2 winner Ross Branch on his KTM.

Stage 4 brought along a major turnaround for Hero MotoSports as its rider Paulo Goncalves broke into top five, finishing the day onfourth position. It was a massive jump as compared to his 126th finish in the previous stage which also escalated him to 83rd position in the overall standings, up from 111st after stage 3. Meanwhile, the team’s Indian rider CS Santosh also showed a positive transition as he progressed from 50th position in the previous stage to 44th spot in stage 4.

Another Indian team, Sherco TVS, ended stage 4 on a positive note with all three riders finishing the day in top 20. While Lorenzo Santolino and Adrien Metge finished 10th and 15th, respectively, their team mate Johnny Aubert pushed harder to complete the stage inseventh position. 

The overall standings continue to be led by Honda riders with Ricky Brabec, Kevin Benavides and Jose Ignacio Cornejo being in top three. Advancing to the 564km stage 5, the riders will be traversing from Al-‘Ula to Ha’il with the route majorly comprising of sandy hills and boulders.