Monster Energy’s Ross Branch & Ricky Brabec Go 1-2 at Dakar’s Stage 1

The opening Stage 1 of the Dakar Rally, Round One of the 2024 FIM World Rally Raid Championship, would glow green atop the podium as Ross Branch (Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy) and American Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Team Honda) would go 1-2 in a wild morning of racing, 414 km Liaison and across Saudi Arabia’s Medina Province.

And with the awesome news of Monster Energy’s 1-2 stage podium finish came the rugged news that yesterday’s Prologue winner, Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy/Team Honda), sustained a fractured wrist in a crash at the 240 km marker and is out for the remainder of the 15-stage Dakar Rally, traveling home to Spain for immediate corrective surgery. Also suffering a tough get-off, which led to a fractured thumb, was Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy’s, Joaquim Rodrigues. The great Spaniard racer, who gave Hero its first-ever WRRC stage win back in 2022, was air lifted out of the Stage 1 course, taken to the hospital, then released. But due to the fact he took a “Medical” in his stage, he’s no longer eligible to compete.

Back to the high drama with Schareina’s crash, the first racer to attend to the fallen Honda racer was Branch – who was leading the Special prior to speeding over to Schareina to lend assistance. As a result, Branch would finish the stage in 16th place. However, due to the ‘Spirit of Dakar’ rules in place that reward racers that assist fallen fellow racers – and more often than not out in the middle of nowhere where there’s no immediate assistance - Branch was awarded some 25 minutes back to what was then, at the crash site, the fastest time of the stage. With that bonus for his heroic effort, Branch gained the 10:54 victory over Brabec and 11:19 over 3rd place Mason Klein (KORR Off-Road).

Also, in SSV class racing at Dakar’s Stage 1, Monster Energy’s Sara Price (South Racing/Can-Am), competing in her very first Dakar Rally, scored a 3rd place podium finish and, coupled with a solid 6th place Prologue finish on Friday, currently ranks 3rd overall in her class.

Quotes

Said Branch of his amazing Stage 1 victory, and sportsmanship statement in helping Schareina: “Yeah, it was a crazy day. Really enjoyed the morning, was in a good position to keep it consistent throughout the day. And then, unfortunately, right after the refueling I was riding with Tosha (Schareina) and he had a big crash, so I stopped and waited with him. And once I got going it was a little bit hard to get into the mindset to put the hammer down, so I just wanted to get back to the bivouac in one piece. And yeah, we got back in one piece and I think we did a decent time. Just hope the best for everyone, that they heal up soon and get back to racing.”

Added Brabec: “The day was tough. All the guys were starting behind me – and I was kind of worried about them catching me. So I was doing my best to keep them behind me. From refueling to the finish was all stones, but it was cool. Me and Nacho (Cornejo, Monster Energy/Honda Team) rode together. Really good job with the teamwork. I like this, because if you make a little mistake, your teammate’s there to help you out. Fun stage. Full of rocks. Hard rocks. Volcanic rocks. Sharp, slick. Definitely don’t want to leave the track. Gonna be a long two weeks if it’s all like this. Only day one, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Said Monster Energy/Honda Team’s Pablo Quintanilla, who finished just a click outside the Stage 1 top ten (11th), on the difficulty of today’s Stage 1. “The worst stage? Definitely, this is the worst stage I’ve experienced at Dakar. For me, at least. At Dakar there are plenty of rocks, but maybe 85 percent was only rocks in this stage. Very dangerous. I was riding good at the beginning, riding at a good pace, 100-110 (km), at maybe the 200 kilometer mark. I caught up to some riders up front, but then something strange happened in the rear of the bike, which made it quite difficult for me to handle the bike in this rocky situation. So the last part was really hilly, slow pace, and piste was full of rocks. Then if you went out of it, there was even more rocks. Speeds were down, 30… 20… 15 (km). Tough to see where the piste was going. It’s tough. Tough for the bike. And you know if you crash there it can be really bad.”

Notes:

• More sportsmanship and team comradery was evident at Stage 1 when Rodrigues’ Hero Motosports, fueled by Monster Energy’s, teammates Joan Barreda Bort and Sebastian Buhler stopped to aid their fallen teammate. After Rodrigues was airlifted out, Barreda Bort and Buhler were able to get back up to speed – and both finished the stage within the top 20 (Barreda Bort 13th and Buhler 19th).
• Also running at podium pace, and surviving the treacherous conditions, was Monster Energy’s Sara Price (South Racing/Can-Am Maverick X3) who, along navigator Jeremy Gray, placed 3rd in Saturday’s SSV Stage 1 race. This puts Price and Gray in 3rd place overall following the Prologue and Stage 1.
• Excellent day racing for Monster Energy/Honda Team’s Jose Cornejo, who brought his Honda CRF450 Rally home in 5th place on Stage 1. With the effort, Cornejo moved into 4th place overall after the Prologue and Stage 1. Monster Energy’s Branch (1st) and Brabec (2nd) occupy the top two overall spots.

Dakar Stage 1 Motorcycle Results

Monster Energy Motorcycle Standings @ Dakar (after Stage 1)

Monster Energy Dakar SSV Class

Stage 1 SSV Results and Overall

The 2024 Dakar Rally kicks ‘er back into gear on Sunday with Stage 2, an XXL road (Liaison) section and 30 km dune-specific Special from Al Henakiyah to Al Duwadimi. Speed reins on this stage, with a long day in the saddle awaiting the Monster Energy racers. For more information, including “Live” timing and scoring, visit www.dakar.com