Rally dos Sertões Stage 2 to Goncalves

Team HRC’s Paulo Goncalves wins the second stage and closes in on leader Marc Coma.

Paulo Goncalves rode his factory Honda CRF450 RALLY to first place in a shortened Stage 2 of the Rally dos Sertões in Brazil, today.

Hazardous conditions along the route from Goiana to Caldes Novas resulted in a drastically shortened second stage, which threatened to hurt Team HRC’s chances of gaining back time on Stage 1 winner Marc Coma. However, Goncalves, who started third, was able to narrow the gap to Coma with a stage victory while Coma finished third, behind Brazil’s own Jean Azevedo, who rides for the Honda Mobil Rally team. Goncalves is now just 39 seconds behind Coma heading into Stage 3.

Coma’s Red Bull KTM teammates, Jordi Villadoms and Ruben Faria, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, with Team HRC’s Helder Rodrigues finishing sixth.

FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, Round 5
Rally dos Sertões
Brazil
Results: August 25, 2014 (Stage 2 of 7)

Stage 2: Caldas Novas-Catalao
1. Paulo Goncalves-Hon/00:45:37
2. Jean Azevedo-Hon/+00:01:02
3. Marc Coma-KTM/+00:01:21
4. Jordi Viladoms-KTM/+00:02:30
5. Ruben Faria-KTM/+00:02:39
6. Helder Rodrigues-Hon/+00:02:51
7. Ike Klaumann-Hon/+00:03:02
8. David Casteu-KTM/+00:03:04
9. Julio Zavatti-Hon/+00:03:34
10. Henrique Ribeiro de Castro-Hon/+00:03:53

Rally dos Sertões Provisional Standings (After 2 of 7 stages)
1. Marc Coma-KTM/02:42’27
2. Paulo Goncalves-Hon/+00::00:39
3. Jean Azevedo-Hon/+00:02:16
4. Helder Rodrigues-Hon/+00:02:52
5. Jordi Viladoms-KTM/+00:03:41
6. Ruben Faria-KTM/+/00:05:50
7. Sam Sunderland-KTM/+00:07:20
8. David Casteu-KTM/+00:07:37
9. Ramon Oliveira Sacilotti-Kaw/+00:07:49
10. Ike Klaumann-Hon/+00:07:53

Tomorrow’s Stage
Catalao-Paracatu
Liaison-22.20 km
Special Stage-209.86 km
Liaison-128.39 km
Total Distance-360.45 km