Hero MotoSports expands rider line-up with Spaniard Oriol Mena
Spaniard Oriol Mena joins Portuguese Joaquim Rodrigues and our very own C S Santosh as Hero MotoSports prepare for a three-pronged attack for 2018 Dakar rally. The team has begun its second season of rallying and the signing fits their bill for nurturing talent.
Oriol has over 13 years of experience in World Enduro Championship and 14 years in Spanish Enduro Championship. He has been the Enduro Junior World Champion, 2009 and has won the International Six Days Enduro, as a member of the Spanish Trophy team, in the years 2007, 2009 and 2010.
He has just started out in rallying this year, his maiden rally this year being the Sardegna rally in June where he finished second. At Merzouga he went toe to toe with the Hero riders and finished 12th overall, notching up a stage win in the fifth stage aboard the Honda CRF 450 Rally.
“I am really excited to be a part of Hero MotoSports Team Rally. The way this team performed in the 1st year and at the Dakar was really impressive and in a way I see a lot of synergy between what I want to do and the team’s vision. I am looking forward to training with this team and racing along JRod and C S Santosh,” said Oriol.
“After the first year with Hero MotoSports, we are happy to have the chance to work with another promising rider, Oriol Mena, who we know since many years in the off-road sport. We think he fits very well into our structure and objectives, and would be a good addition alongside team mates JRod and CS. His inclusion will reinforce our efforts to build up Hero MotoSports with super-motivated, professional newcomers in the Rally scene,” said Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager of Hero MotoSports Team Rally.
