Hero MotoSports riders Santosh, Rodrigues keep campaign alive

On a day of high drama, Hero MotoSports Team riders CS Santosh and Joaquim Rodrigues had mixed fortunes but kept alive their team's campaign on track in the Dakar Rally 2017.
The navigational challenges in the first 70 km of the special stage from San Miguel De Tucuman to San Salvador De Jujuy caused many riders to lose their way.
Even overnight leader in the general classification, Toby Price, was among the many casualties.
Joaquim Rodrigues, too lost his way that cost him about 35 minutes. But once he was out of the maze of tracks in the riverbed, the rising Portuguese star generated some serious speed and braved a minor hail storm to complete the stage with a time of 8 hour 21 minutes 19 seconds. It helped him to finish the day in 19th place that put him in 20th position in the overall provisional general classifications.

"I got lost at kilometre 30. The first part of the stage was all navigation and with the dust, I got lost and couldn't find my way out. There was a waypoint in there and it was really hard to find it with all that dust around.," said Rodrigues, after reaching the Jujuy bivouac following the first long day in the rally.
Santosh, on the other hand, had a much tougher time with his navigation as he lost his way in the off-piste section through the riverbed. He lost more than an hour trying to get back on the track, which affected his overall standings in the general classification. Santosh completed the timed section in 10 hour 03 minutes 39 minutes that placed him in 67th position for the day and 56th in the overall general classifications.

"As soon as the stage started, the navigation began and it was really hard right from the first kilometres. The track went through the riverbed and the surface was very soft and just to find the exit was really tough. It looked like I was doing the wrong thing and found myself in some very difficult places," Santosh said.

The 521-km fourth stage, with a competitive distance of 416 km, will take the riders over the Bolivian border. They will be spending most of their day above 3,500 metres during the run from San Salvador Jujuy to Tupiza in Bolivia.

Meanwhile, Joan Pedrero was placed 16th in the third stage of the Dakar. The Spanish rider from the Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team was 14th overall.
Adrien Metge was placed 32nd in this third stage at 59'50 and 68th overall. However, Aravind KP exited the scene.