Last-minute changes help Team HRC to gather data for the 2016 Dakar Rally.
Team HRC has released video highlights of its 2015 OiLibya Morocco Rally campaign, in which former FIM Cross-Country Rallies Champion Paulo Goncalves finished third overall.
Team HRC got off to a strong start in the event when team rider Joan Barreda scored the opening stage win. However, a the Spanish rider would suffer a scary high-speed crash later in the week and be forced to be pull out of the event despite escaping serious injury. After winning Stage 3, Goncalves faltered in Stage 4–the same in which Barreda crashed–hurting his chances for the overall win. But the Portuguese rider still finished strong by posting the stage win on the final day to secure the last rung on the podium.
Team HRC used the Morocco Rally to test the bikes and the set-ups that it will use at the 2016 Dakar Rally. will feature at the Dakar, although not every member on the team competed as newest factory recruit Michael Metge suffered an elbow injury prior to the rally had picked up an elbow injury. Italian rider Paolo Ceci drafted to fill-in for the Frenchman. Ceci finished ninth overall.
Team HRC also invited South American riders Kevin Benavides and Jean Azevedo from Honda South America Rally Team to participate. Morocco marked Benavides’ World Championship debut, and it was only his third rally ever and his first event outside of the Americas. Benavides showed that he has skills by finishing in fourth overall.
Team HRC Team Manager Wolfgang said that the reason for adding Benavides and Azevedo was to gather more data for the team’s Dakar effort.
“The final round of the 2015 World Championship in Morocco was quite demanding for both team and rider,” Fischer said. “Several last minute changes gave us quite a challenge. We had our usual riders Joan Barreda and Paulo Goncalves, but in the end we had to substitute Mika Metge, so in the end the rider set-up was extende to everybody in the team and Team HRC for the big help and support. Congratulations to Matthias Walkner and KTM for their world championship title and victory.”
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