After a long day in the saddle at the Desafio Ruta 40, Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing's Sam Sunderland and Daniel Sanders have successfully completed the second stage of the Argentinian rally. Sam equaled his opening day result by going eighth-fastest in the challenging timed special, whereas a couple of small mistakes proved costly for Chucky who placed 13th. On to stage three!
- Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing duo easing into return to racing
- Sunderland and Sanders rank eighth and 11th respectively in overall standings
- Three days left to race at challenging 2024 edition of Desafio Ruta 40
Making the most of his mid-pack start position, Sunderland got straight down to business, tackling the 600-kilometer stage that featured gravel tracks, vast salt pans, and sandy sections head first. Proving that consistency is key, the Brit maintained his pace from day one to bring his RX 450F home to another solid eighth-place finish. Not bad going after well over four hours of racing!
The opening 150 kilometers of the second timed special presented riders with long, winding mountain tracks, making it tricky for Sanders to make up time against his rivals ahead. However, knowing that every stage result counts, Chucky got his head down and delivered a consistent ride to complete the stage in 13th place. The Aussie now looks ahead to Wednesday’s 341-kilometer special and is eager to climb up the leaderboard.
Sam Sunderland: “So that’s day two in the books! The terrain was a bit different to yesterday but a lot rougher, so I’m learning a lot and tried my best to give it my all. We’re a little off the pace at the minute and I’m working with the team to make those key small improvements and build my confidence as much as possible to make up some time. We will keep trying though and we go again tomorrow.”
Daniel Sanders: “It was a long day again here in Argentina. The terrain was pretty difficult with some gnarly long straights and I struggled to find my rhythm at first. I haven’t found the perfect setup for the terrain here yet, but the team and I are working on it together. Wednesday’s stage looks quite different though, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Provisional Results: Desafio Ruta 40 2024, stage 2
1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 4:18:42
2. Skyler Howes (Honda) 4:19:09
3. Sebastien Buhler (HERO) 4:19:51
8. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 4:25:26
13. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 4:34:41
Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 2)
1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 8:36:34
2. Tosha Schareina (Honda) 8:36:44
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 8:38:48
8. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 8:49:39
11. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 8:59:43