Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1164303
IN THE WIND P36 Quintanilla Wins Atacama Rally, Sunderland Takes the Championship R ockstar Energy Husqvarna's Pablo Quintanilla took his third stage win to clinch the overall vic- tory in Chile at the 2019 Atacama Rally. Second-place finisher Sam Sunderland of the Red Bull KTM team also had a lot to celebrate, taking the 2019 FIM Cross-Coun- try Rallies World Championship with his runner-up finish. Quintanilla put on a dominant performance at the Atacama Rally, claiming wins in three of the five stages. For the Chilean rider, it was a validating comeback after a year of struggles. "I never expect- ed to win the race here in Chile," Quintanilla said. "It's been five very tough days but I've done it and feel over the moon right now. I couldn't have hoped for a better come- back—after eight difficult months off the bike I have come back and won my home race. After such a tough time after Dakar, this victory feels very special." Sunderland came into the Atacama Rally having won the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge and the Silk Way Ral- ly. With the help of his teammate, Sunderland was able to pull off a second-place finish at the penulti- mate rally of the season to seal up the championship. "I'm so happy to win the world championship," said Sunderland. "I couldn't have done it without my KTM team. I have to thank Toby [Price] as well for his help, as I bent my disc on the marathon stage and he was kind enough to swap, so that kept me in the chase. "It was always in the back of my mind that I could take the title here in Chile, but I tried not to think about it too much as the race went on; I just tried to focus on getting through each day safely and in a good position. It's been a really tough event here in Chile, as always, but it feels great to be standing here now as world champion. I have come so close in the past having finished as runner-up twice in 2015 and 2016, but this title makes all the hard work worth it." Honda's Joan Barreda rounded out the Atacama Rally podium with a third-place finish ahead of Toby Price. Kevin Benavides (Monster Energy Honda) rounded out the top-five. American rider Andrew Short had a lackluster final day, losing time to finish eighth on the day and overall. Fellow American Ricky Brabec kept it consistent to card a sixth-place finish. Brabec is already looking ahead to the final round of the FIM Cross- Country Rallies World Champion- ship of the season—the Rallye Du Maroc in Morocco, October 3-9— and his preparation for the 2020 Dakar Rally in January. CN Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Pablo Quintanilla celebrates a win on home soil. PHOTO BY HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES "It is unbelievable, I had a strong qualifying race, but the first race was tough, then I battled with Adam Sterry and then crashed and finished in fifth," Van de Moosdijk said. "The second race was better, and I worked my way to third. It was a long race for me, the longest in my career. I want to thank the team, my family and Marc de Reuver." CN MXGP 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 1-1 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (KTM) 3-2 3. Pauls Jonass (Hus) 2-5 4. Tim Gajser (Hon) 6-3 5. Ivo Monticelli (KTM) 7-5 MX2 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 1-1 2. Jago Geerts (Yam) 2-5 3. Roan van de Moosdijk (Kaw) 5-3 4. Maxime Renaux (Yam) 4-4 5. Tom Vialle (KTM) 8-2