2025 Dakar Rally: Hero MotoSports on podium in Prologue stage
The Hero MotoSports team achieved a solid result in the Prologue stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally
The Hero MotoSports team achieved a solid result in the Prologue stage of the 2025 Dakar Rally
The 2025 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia is the 47th edition of the rally and Ross Branch from Hero MotoSports Team Rally finished on the podium in second place. The rally, which is a gruelling test of both man and machine kicked off on January 3, and the Prologue stage of the rally took place in Bisha, with the route consisting of hard terrain, interspersed with wider dirt, gravel tracks and technical sections.
Hero MotoSports’ Ross Branch finished 12 seconds behind the leader in the bikes category, finishing second overall and earning a podium finish for the team. Sebastian Buhler finished just shy of the top ten, finishing in 11th position, one minute behind the leaders. Buhler said, “The Prologue was an exciting start to the Dakar Rally. I enjoyed riding at high speeds, and the bike handled beautifully. We're looking forward to a thrilling rally ahead." Hero MotoSports’ third rider, Jose ‘Nacho’ Cornejo finished in 36th place in the 29km Prologue stage.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports, said, "The Prologue is always an adrenaline-pumping start to the Dakar Rally and everything went well for the team. Ross has given us a great start with a solid second place finish, and will get to choose a late starting position for tomorrow’s stage. Basti slightly missed coming in the top ranks, but has found a good rhythm. Nacho had a good start in the Prologue, but faced a slight issue in the later half. He is a good navigator - so he has the pleasure of opening the Stage tomorrow. We are happy to be at the start of yet another Dakar, and are looking forward to delivering a thrilling performance this season.”
Stage 1 of the Dakar Rally will be a 500km loop exploring the desert south of Bisha. Along with sand, competitors will also be racing on surfaces which are rocky and stony – requiring them to adjust their speed on a regular basis. Navigation is expected to be tricky around the halfway point, but the Hero MotoSports team is in great spirits, thanks to the good result in the Prologue.
