Atacama Rally: Benavides in control after stage four
By TMX Archives on 18th Aug 17
Kevin Benavides wins the fourth special to become overall Atacama Rally leader
Monster Energy Honda Team set out to keep all options open and succeeded in the longest stage of the Atacama Rally. Kevin Benavides took the stage victory and overall leadership.
Kevin was head and shoulders above the rest of the field, storming to the top of the leader board in the overall rankings with just a day's racing left.
Team-mate Paulo Gonçalves set out from the camp in Mejillones this morning in second starting position. The Portuguese rider held a storming pace over the 375 kilometre trek to Iquique although he dropped precious time validating a waypoint in the latter stretches of the race. Paulo lies in fourth place overall.
I won this fourth stage and it is my second victory so far in this Atacama Rally." Said Benavides. " I felt great on the bike; I think I did things very well despite a slight navigation error on the final waypoint in the dunes, where I lost a bit of time. I am happy, because I am leader of the general standings with just a day to go. We will have to fight to the very end."
Reaching the finish of the stage without any issues, Pablo Quintanilla secured a solid runner-up result on stage four of the Atacama Rally. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider is currently two seconds behind the provisional overall leader one stage before the end of the rally in Iquique.
Receiving a two-minute penalty a few hours after the finish of stage three, Pablo saw his four-minute lead in the overall standings being reduced to a little more than two minutes. The first rider to start stage four, the Chilean star was faced with the demanding task of opening the tracks for the first part of the special stage.
