Capitalising on his advantageous start position as the 15th rider to set off into stage two, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides charged hard throughout the second day of the 2024 Dakar Rally to secure an impressive runner-up finish. He now moves up into fifth place in the overall standings ahead of the first marathon stage of the event.
The fast, long stretches across the desert that made up stage two were a direct contrast to the technical, rocky terrain of the first stage, and required both focus and endurance from all competitors. Benavides rose to the challenge, clocking the fastest time after the first 100 kilometres and maintaining his speed, and top-three position on the timesheets throughout the day to ultimately complete the 463-kilometre timed special as runner-up. Luciano’s strong stage finish successfully moved him up in the provisional overall rankings to fifth place.
Looking ahead, the 733-kilometre stage three from Al Duwadimi to Al Salamiya marks the first marathon stage of the 2024 Dakar. Heading out second, Benavides will be looking to take advantage of the time bonuses awarded to the frontrunners of the race, and claim a stage win.
Luciano Benavides: “Today was a much better stage for me! I felt a lot better with the dunes and fast stretches whereas yesterday the rocks made it tough. I pushed hard the whole time even though it was tough being in the dust all day. All in all I’m in good shape, happy with the bike, and looking forward to stage three.”
2024 Dakar Rally – Stage 2 Provisional Classification
1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 4:24:17
2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:30:16
3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 4:30:29
4. Sebastian Bühler (Hero) 4:31:04
5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:31:31
2024 Dakar Rally – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 2]
1. Ross Branch (Hero) 9:50:05
2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 9:53:00
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 9:57:20
4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 10:05:25
5. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 10:07:27
Source: Husqvarna Factory Racing
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