Dakar 2019, stage 7: Aravind KP maintains consistent pace

The seventh stage of the Dakar rally 2019 consisted of multiple loops around San Juan De Marcona. The riders had to cover a total of 387km including a 323 km long special. Sherco TVS’ rider Michael Metge is in 31st place overall after finishing 14th in the seventh stage of the rally. Hero MotoSports rider Oriol Mena, currently leading for the team, put in a spectacular performance earning him a 12th place in the overall standings.

Sherco TVS Rally Factory team rider Michael Metge took the responsibility to lead the team after Lorenzo Santolino’s unfortunate crash. Michael finished the seventh stage in 14th position, putting him in 31st position on the leaderboard. Adrien Metge lost pace due to slower riders in his line but managed to finish the stage right in 26th place, putting him in 32nd position on the leaderboard right behind his teammate and brother Michael. Our man Aravind KP has put in great efforts to deliver consistent performance. He finished the stage in 45th position, putting him in 47th position on the leaderboard.

“The rally is getting tougher day by day and I am pushing myself to perform to the best of my ability. Stage 7 was long and difficult, the bad weather just made it more tricky but I could ride as I planned. I  have got into a good rhythm on the motorcycle and I hope to maintain it till the final finish line.” said Aravind KP

Hero MotoSports riders Oriol Mena and Joaquim Rodrigues have put in stellar performances in the seventh stage. J-Rod lead the stage for the team, finishing in 11th place ahead of 12th placed teammate Mena. The stage comprise of grueling sand dune sections and fesh-fesh making it a tough stage to dart through. Despite the extreme conditions Mena is stuck to the top of the leaderboard in 12th place while J-Rod is in 24th place on the leaderboard.

“It was a good stage for me as my hand and knee felt better and allowed me to pick-up some rhythm. About 50 kms from the finish, the conditions became really windy and dusty making it difficult to see anything. I rode safely, followed the road book and focused on crossing the finish line. I am happy to end another day on a positive note. One day less to the finish now.” said Oriol Mena

“It was quite a difficult stage today with the weather conditions not good for riding. It was a fast stage and we passed a lot of completely ruined tracks from the previous stage. The sandstorm in the desert was terrible and made it difficult to see anything beyond the bike, making the navigation really tricky. Just before the finish, Michael Metge ran out of fuel so I tried to push his bike to the finish line. I am happy to finish this stage. The bike is performing well and we will see how it goes from here.” said Joaquim Rodrigues