Hero MotoSports completes an emotional Stage 10 at the 2022 Dakar

Stage 10 was considered as one of the fastest specials on the 2022 Dakar. The Hero MotoSports duo Joaquim Rodrigues (J-Rod) and Aaron Mare covered a total distance of 759km, with 287km of it being a timed stage. The stage took place from the town of Wadi Ad Dawasir to Bisha and while the route did not bring with it major navigating issues, there was a multitude of intersections the riders had to make their way through.

Two years ago on January 12, the team lost their star rider and Dakar ace Paulo Goncalves. Memories from the day made this stage emotionally difficult for his brother-in-law, JRod. Yet, he completed the stage in the 12th fastest time. However, having missed a waypoint, he attracted a penalty that set him back to P31. 10 stages down, JRod maintains his position at P15 in the overall standings.

After the stage, J-Rod said, “Two years ago, I experienced the toughest time of my life. I did not expect it to affect me much today, but then all the painful memories kicked in while I was on the stage. I found it difficult to focus on the race – it was a really hard day, but I’m glad I could finish the stage somehow. Two days to go, and the aim is to keep bringing the bike home every day.”

Aaron continued to give his steady performance as he cautiously navigates the dunes of the desert. His consistent pace saw him finish in P14, just eight minutes behind the leader. Overall, he stands in P16, just behind his teammate.

Aaron said, “I had a great day today, having started strong and pushing fast and I was able to catch up with the riders in front before refuel. Post refuel, the navigation became tricky, and so I paced myself a little bit to ensure I made no mistakes. I made it to the finish with no crashes or navigational mistakes, and am happy with my result that helps me with a good start position for tomorrow’s tricky stage. Just two more stages left in the race, and I’m looking forward to finishing well.”

The next round will be the penultimate round of the 2022 Dakar. The 345 km Special Stage is a loop around Bisha and will be the biggest technical challenge in the final part of the rally. The stage will showcase dunes of all sizes, shapes, and textures for the riders. Stage 11 of the 2022 Dakar will end at Bisha, before heading back to Jeddah on the last day. For more news and updates from the world of motorsports, stay tuned to evo India!