Hero MotoSports Team Rally Rider Sebastian Buhler Finishes Second In Stage 2 Of Dakar 2023

Sebastian Buhler put in a solid performance to finish second and get a podium spot in the second stage of the ongoing Dakar Rally. This was his first ever podium finish in the Dakar. And Ross Branch too put in a good effort, finishing fourth in stage 2. Riders Franco Caimi and Joaquim Rodrigues finished the second stage in 14^th and 20^th place, respectively, in the Rally GP class standings. Buhler currently is in the top 10 riders at Dakar, at the 10^th position. He missed last year’s edition of the Dakar Rally due to injury. Ross Branch stands in the 12^th position, in the overall Dakar Rally GP Class rankings.

Also Read: Hero MotoSports Team Rally Posts Strong Showing In Dakar 2023 Prologue Stage

Sebastian Buhler, said, “Today turned out to be a rewarding one. Yet it wasn't really a fun day, as we were riding the entire day through rocks. I was able to find a good rhythm from the beginning, and that helped me push through. Before the second refueling I made a slight mistake that made me go back 2kms to validate a waypoint, and I lost some time there. Other than that, I'm very happy with my performance and the 2^nd position I’ve earned.” 

The second stage of the rally was dangerous and it went through mostly rocky sections, which had to be negotiated carefully by the man and the machine. Ross Branch had a tough day at Dakar. Still recovering from his crashes in Stage 1, the Botswanan made strong efforts to keep a steady head and ride without making any mistakes. The day was rough for the Argentine Franco Caimi as well. However, his consistent performance early on in the race finds him a place in the overall Rally GP class table at the 16^th position.

Joaquim Rodrigues had to endure a broken fuel tank and a faulty clutch cable, with which he had to ride 250 km, losing time. But he did manage to get his motorcycle across the finish line and finish 17^th overall in the standings.

Up next is a 669 km ride from Al-‘Ula to Ha’il, which Dakar describes as "perhaps having the most beautiful 50 km in the rally". The long succession of beautiful canyons will also create one of the most trying stages for the riders and has the potential to upset the overall standings.