Dakar Rally: Ross Branch wins stage 10

Ross Branch took the top spot on stage 10 and added a second stage win to his tally in this season’s Dakar Rally. He started the stage in 28th position, set the fastest time at each checkpoint and eventually emerged victorious from the first stage in the Empty Quarter.

Since its first Dakar appearance in 2017, the seven-year-old young Indian constructors’ team has been constantly pushing the boundaries to get into the league of top teams that have been at the top for decades.

Hero MotoSports Team Rally became the only Indian manufacturer to ever win the Dakar with a stage win in 2022. Fueled by a strong passion to succeed in this difficult sport, the team has put thousands of hours into training riders and developing a highly competitive race bike – the Hero 450 Rally.

A second win on Wednesday at the 2023 Dakar is testament to the team’s unwavering dedication and their machine’s ability to survive and win in the toughest of challenges.

After a very consistent performance so far in the Rally, Franco Caimi finished the stage in the top-10 again, in 8th place in the Rally GP class – just four minutes behind Ross. Sebastian Buhler crossed the finish line in the 17th fastest time among Rally GP class drivers.

Stage 10 left the bivouac in Haradh and today took the riders towards Shaybah, entering the infamous Empty Quarter. The 624km route was largely connecting route, with the special section covering only 114km – deliberately kept short to reduce risks in this difficult terrain, which is mainly made up of sand dunes. With the sun at its peak, it was extra difficult for all participants to navigate safely through the sea of ​​steep dunes.

At the end of 10 long stages, Franco enjoys 13th overall in the Rally GP class, followed by Buhler in 17th and Ross in 19th.

To make things more complex, the race now goes deeper into Rub’ Al Khali, or the Empty Quarter, with a Marathon stage. The first part of the marathon on stage 11 is a 428 km journey from Shaybah, finishing at the Marathon bivouac. It is crucial for the riders to keep their bikes in one piece as there will be no relief trucks or mechanics to lend a hand at the bivouac.

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