Luciano Benavides Successfully Completes Dakar Rally Stage Five

Luciano Benavides - Husqvarna Factory Racing - 2024 Dakar Rally - Stage 5 [678]

HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING RIDER POSTS NINTH-FASTEST TIME ON FAST AND DEMANDING SPECIAL

MATTIGHOFEN, AUSTRIA – January 10, 2023 – (Motor Sports NewsWire) – Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has completed the 645-kilometre stage five of Dakar 2024, posting the ninth-quickest time. Unfortunately, after suffering a technical issue with his FR 450 Rally in the final five kilometres of the timed special, the Argentinian received a 15-minute penalty for a required engine change, which has dropped him down the overall standings.

Luciano Benavides - Husqvarna Factory Racing - 2024 Dakar Rally - Stage 5(1)

Venturing into the dunes of Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter, a relatively short 118-kilometre special was welcomed by competitors. However, riders initially had to cover an exhausting 508 kilometres of liaison from Al Hofuf to Shubaytah before taking to the timed section of the stage.

Benavides’ pace was impressive for much of the special, with the 28-year-old well in the fight for a top-five stage result. A technical issue forced him to slow in the last few kilometres, ultimately dropping him to ninth place as he crossed the finish line. Due to this issue, the team have been left with no option but to change his engine at service, which has incurred a 15-minute penalty.

Luciano Benavides - Husqvarna Factory Racing - 2024 Dakar Rally - Stage 5(2)

Tomorrow, the starting order for the 48-hour Chrono stage will be reversed for the Rally GP class. And with today’s stage result not being affected by his penalty, Benavides will provisionally be the ninth rider to set off into Thursday’s special. With two of the longest days of the event ahead of him, Luciano is fired-up to attack the challenging stage and regain some time on his rivals.

Luciano Benavides: “It wasn’t a great day for me. I felt good in the dunes as that is the sort of terrain that I like, I was pushing hard and was in second or third place for a while. Unfortunately, I then had some technical issues in the last five kilometres of the special, so I lost some time there. I managed to get to the end but overall it hasn’t been an ideal day.”

Luciano Benavides - Husqvarna Factory Racing - 2024 Dakar Rally - Stage 5(3)

Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “Luciano started well and was riding really good. His pace was great and he wasn’t far from the top guys. Unfortunately, a technical issue with his bike meant that we had to change the engine and in doing so, he’ll receive a 15-minute penalty on his overall classification. It’s Dakar, and you never know what will happen so he is still in the game but it’s definitely not what we wanted.”

Download images from the 2024 Dakar Rally here.

2024 Dakar Rally – Stage 5 Provisional Classification

1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:32:53
2. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 1:33:30
3. Toby Price (KTM) 1:34:32
4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:35:51
5. Mason Klein (KOVE) 1:35:54

9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:37:15

2024 Dakar Rally – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 5]

1. Ross Branch (Hero) 19:05:03
2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 19:06:17
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 19:08:50
4. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 19:23:13
5. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 19:26:20

11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 19:50:39

Husqvarna Motorcycles.

Husqvarna Motorcycles is widely known for leading innovation and providing exceptional performance across its street and offroad products, as well as being present in all top-level racing disciplines. With the brand originally founded in Sweden in 1903, Husqvarna Motorcycles’ machines have been designed and manufactured in Mattighofen, Austria since 2013.

Source: Husqvarna Motorcycles GmbH

Husqvarna rally sponsor logos

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