The Honda riders started the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship at the Jebel Hafit Desert Park with a 11km prologue against the clock. The stage, which was open to the public for the first time, took place under the watchful eye of many spectators who came to witness the top rally-raid riders in action. Despite being a short stage, it packed a lot of intensity as riders had to manage the rocky terrain quickly and avoid losing too much time.
Tosha Schareina, competing in his first Abu Dhabi adventure, took the top spot for Monster Energy Honda HRC and claimed his 12th World Rally-Raid Championship stage victory. This result also enabled him to pick his position in tomorrow’s starting order for stage one. Ricky Brabec finished the day in third, just 13 seconds behind Schareina, while Skyler Howes finished sixth after facing challenges with navigation and waypoints. Adrien Van Beveren had a frustrating day, missing a waypoint and losing 48 seconds in time, which put him at an early disadvantage for the rest of the competition.
The riders will now head into the first big stage, which covers 400km, with 243km being timed. The stage will take them away from Al Ain, with the riders facing the towering dunes of the Abu Dhabi desert. According to Ruben Faria, the team manager of Monster Energy Honda HRC, the stage will be a different kind of terrain than the prologue, with hard pack and stones. He noted that the riders will have to focus on their navigation and not lose time. The team is hoping for a good result in the upcoming stages.
The riders will need to be cautious and strategic in the days to come, with the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge being a demanding and unpredictable event. The competition will be fierce, and only the strongest will emerge victorious. The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the event, and fans are eagerly anticipating the thrilling moments to come.