Valdearcos
was inducted into the team in September this year and is making his debut run
at the 2018 Dakar Rally. Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, said, "There is excitement in
the Team with addition of Oriol and the entire team is now raring to have
another go at the Dakar." Mena comes in as a part of Hero MotoSports
initiative of identifying new talent and training them to become professional
rally riders.
Hero has upgraded their rally bike from last year and the new Hero
RR 450 rally bike will be making its debut at the 2018 Dakar. The team has
redone the design and styling of the tank, body parts and front section which
in turn have improved the mass centralisation, handling and riding ergonomics
of the rally bike. Several changes have been made to the bike which have
resulted in an improvement of the rider confidence. The new Hero RR 450 proved
its worth at the OiLibya Rally in Morocco which took place a few months back. CS
Santosh, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, "The new bike is light,
agile and makes going fast safe! This Dakar I will aim to make each and every day
count! Ultimately it’s about enjoying the process and arriving at the finish
line.”
The Hero MotoSports Team Rally maintained an impressive record in
its debut year and was the only manufacturer team with a 100pc arrival at the
2017 edition of the Dakar Rally. The team was also successful in making its
maiden win at the BAJA India and secured a podium finish at the Desert Storm.
The Hero MotoSports Team Rally managed 12th position at their debut in the
Dakar Rally 2017. The team is now focused on the upcoming Dakar Rally 2018. Dr.
Markus Braunsperger, Chief Technology Officer, Hero MotoCorp and Head of Hero
MotoSports, said, “The team is stronger, both in terms of men and machine. We
are focused on improving our last year’s performance at the Dakar next month
and believe that we have the right tools to do it.”
In its 40th edition, the 2018 Dakar Rally will spread across three
countries, beginning in Peru on January 6, 2018. The rally goes through Bolivia
and finally culminates in Argentina on January 20, 2018. The Dakar Rally 2018
is expected to see participation from more than 500 competitors coming in from
across 60 countries. The grueling rally covers a distance of 9,000kms with 14
stages. Wolfgang Fischer added, "The last race for the Team was in
October this year. The riders have been under intense training sessions, to
improve their mental and physical fitness since their
Dakar 2017 performance."