IN
THE
WIND
P44
QUINN CODY TOPS
SONORA RALLY
T
he 2016 Sonora Rally put America's best rally
and desert riders to the test as they trekked
from San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico (just south of
Yuma, Arizona) to the Sea of Cortez resort town of
Puerto Penasco. Riders took on the massive sand
dunes of the Sonora Desert, while also facing
the challenge of tricky navigation. After four days,
Quinn Cody successfully defended his crown at
the Sonora Rally, taking the overall victory ahead
of Red Bull KTM's Ivan Ramirez and Ox Motors-
ports Honda rider Mark Samuels.
The Dakar Challenge is a race within a race at
the Sonora Rally, where the top rider earns the
chance to compete at the most challenging rally in
the world. The Dakar Challenge win went to reign-
ing National Hare & Hound Champion Ramirez,
who is new to rally racing, and excited at the pros-
pect of competing in the Dakar Rally.
Baja racing legend Steve Hengeveld also has
his eye fixed on Dakar, and was gunning for the
Dakar Challenge win in the Sonora Rally. He was
in a position to win them both up until the final day
of the Rally, where a mechanical failure put an end
to his race. CN
TOBY PRICE CONQUERS ABU
DHABI DESERT CHALLENGE
Dakar Rally champion Toby
Price is back to his winning
ways, this time at the Abu Dhabi
Desert Challenge in the United
Arab Emirates, April 2-7, round
one of the 2016 FIM Cross
Country Rallies World Champi-
onship. In his first-ever attempt
at the event, Red Bull KTM's
Price bested fellow KTM rider
Sam Sunderland and Rockstar
Energy Husqvarna's Pablo Quin-
tanilla for the overall victory.
Price piloted his Red Bull
KTM to the first stage win of the
rally, while Quintanilla answered
back with a win on day two. Day
three was Helder Rodrigues'
time to shine, though the factory
Yamaha rider had
already thwarted
his chances at the
overall with a disap-
pointing finish on
stage two.
Pela Renet
celebrated his first
win on day four, but
by the end, there was no stop-
ping Price. The competition, the
daunting sand dunes and the
extreme heat were no match for
the Aussie who topped the final
day to take the win.
"Today was hot in all senses
of the word," said Price. "I at-
tacked really hard from the start
and I managed to win the race
and I'm really thrilled with this
new success!"
Rally racers now have less
than 10 days before the start
of the next round, the Sealine
Cross Country Rally in Qatar. CN
Toby Price is off to a good start in
the 2016 FIM Cross Country Rallies
World Championship.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
KIN
M./KTM
IMAGES
