- The first stage is an 84km-long warm up round
- It includes riders from Lima to Pisco
- This is Hero MotoSport’s third attempt at the rally
Hero MotoSports riders have kick started their rigorous expedition of the Dakar Rally 2019 as they set off for the first stage of the competition. The line-up of riders consist of CS Santosh, Oriel Mena and Joaquim Rodrigues. They have been flagged off the podium located in the district of Magdalena Del Mar in Lima, Peru. The first stage stretches across 247kms, which takes riders from Lima to Pisco, with 84kms of warm up special round.
Hero MotoSports is participating for the third time in the most extreme rally of Dakar. Talking about its riders, CS Santosh is competing for the fifth time in the rally and, is the only Indian to have completed it in the past. Meanwhile, it is Oriel Mena’s second time in the race who won the title of the Best Rookie of Dakar in 2018. Joaquim Rodrigues, who is attempting it for the third time, sustained severe injuries in a crash in the previous edition. However, he’s back on the course after his recovery. They are riding the Hero 450 RR rally motorcycle.
This is the 41st edition of the Dakar Rally which will be held in ten stages, covering the borders of Peru. The rally course comprises of 70 per cent desert and tests the endurance, riding and navigation skills of the riders.
