Panafrica Rally 2019: A Top 5 finish for Hero MotoSports Team Rally in Stage 1

Joaquim Rodrigues finishes 4th place, CS Santosh 9th  
 
Stage 1 of the Pan Africa Rally went underway today with 275 kms done under the clock. The stage opened with a dune section and offered fast piste to the competitors in the later part of the stage. 
The winner of the Prologue, Joaquim Rodrigues, opened the stage today and made a solid run to arrive first at the finish line. He rode at the head of the stage for the most part and ended up in the Top 5 through his 4th place finish. CS Santosh too had an enjoyable outing in the dunes of Erfoud as brought a flawless stage home with a 9th place finish. 
The stage 2 of the Pan Africa Rally will take the competitors for a 290 kms run tomorrow in the Erfoud region, challenging them with a terrain mix of dunes and fast piste. 
 
Joaquim Rodrigues, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “It was a good experience for me to open the stage today and I really enjoyed it. I was able to hold on to my position for the most part and arrived first as well which felt good. I made a couple of small mistakes but overall it was a good first stage and I am happy with my performance. Looking forward to Stage 2 tomorrow.” 
 
CS Santosh, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “It was really nice to start in the dunes in the morning. I had a good flow and really enjoyed my time in the dunes. Later on, we encountered a mix of fast piste and areas where attention to the roadbook was needed. Overall, it was fun riding today in the fast stage and the dunes so I am happy to start the rally on this note.” 
 
Results of the Stage 1   
1. Michael Metge  TVS Sherco Factory Team 03h 08m 32s 
2. Lorenzo Santolino TVS Sherco Factory Team +03m 05s 
3. Adrien Metge TVS Sherco Factory Team +04m 20s 
4. Joaquim Rodrigues Hero MotoSports +6m 48s 
9. CS Santosh Hero MotoSports +16m 05s 

Source Hero MotoSports Team Rally