Dakar 2022: Hero's Joaquim Rodrigues Wins Stage 3, Harith Noah Finishes In Top 30

Hero MotoSports Team Rally rider Joaquim Rodrigues created history by winning Stage 3 of the 2022 Dakar Rally. This is the first-ever stage win at the Dakar by an Indian team and manufacturer. Rodrigues had a difficult start in Stage 1 but managed to stellar comeback in Stage 2 before going on to win Stage 3 on the Hero Rally 450. Teammate Aaron Mare had an impressive run as well making no mistake and finished the stage in 18th place. The only Indian at Dakar this year, Harith Noah finished the stage in 29th place.

Also Read: Dakar 2022: Hero Riders Off To A Good Start In Stage 1, Harith Noah Finishes At P31

Stage 3 began from Al Qaisumah early in the morning with 255 km of the special section that comprised long stretches of alternating dune ridges and fast plateaus, and complicated intersections. The riders navigated through the challenging terrain and managed to do it with ease. The same was the case with Noah who completed the day with a more confident outlook towards the next stages.

Aaron Mare maintains a steady pace and is placed 10th in the overall rankings, while Rodrigues has moved up to 17th

Speaking on the stage win, Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager - Hero MotoSports said, ""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."

Joaquim Rodrigues, rider - Hero MotoSports said, "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 km. 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."

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Aaron Mare, rider - Hero MotoSports said, "The stage was really fast today, having been shortened by about 100 km. 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."

The riders now head into Stage 4 of the 2022 Dakar Rally, which will be its longest yet with a total of 707 km from Al Qaisumah to Riyadh. This will include a special section of 465 km including nearly 200 km of fast tracks, wadi crossings and chains of dunes.

Provisional Stage 3 Rankings - RallyGP class:

1.           Joaquim Rodrigues               Hero MotoSports Team Rally              02h 34m 41s

2.           Toby Price                                   Red Bull 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

Provisional Overall Standings after Stage 3 - RallyGP class:

1.           Sam Sunderland                        GasGas Factory Racing                         11h 13m 40s

2.           Adrien van Beveren                 Monster Energy Yamaha                     + 04s

3.           Matthias Walkner                     Red Bull KTM Factory Team               + 01m 30s

4.           Skyler Howes                             Husqvarna Factory Racing                 + 03m 55s

10.        Aaron Mare                                Hero MotoSports Team Rally              + 18m 41s       

17.        Joaquim Rodrigues               Hero MotoSports Team Rally              + 37m 43s