Brabec Takes Command In The 2021
Rally Du Maroc
T
he fourth round of the 2021
FIM Cross Country Rallies
World Championship is currently
underway with the Rally du Ma-
roc, and American Ricky Brabec
(Monster Energy Honda) has
stormed into the lead following
victory on stage three.
The Californian and 2020
Dakar champion finished second
and third on the first two stages
but made amends on stage
three, finishing two minutes clear
of Hero Motorsports Portuguese
rider, Sebastian Buhler. Third
on stage three went to another
American, Andrew Short on the
Monster Energy Yamaha.
"I started sixth today, not a bad
starting position, although there
was a lot of dust," Brabec said
following stage three. "Yesterday
we adjusted the handlebars, but I
didn't feel comfortable, but I had
to keep going. From the refueling
until the finish, I did my best but un-
fortunately my teammates made a
few mistakes, as Mathias [Walkner]
did. I managed to find the way be-
cause I was going slow at that mo-
ment. I saw the line where we had
to leave the river, but there were
also many other tracks there. My
gut instinct told me, and I followed
it. I was riding alone for the final 60
kilometers, with no references. It
was a good day, but there are still
two more to go."
Brabec's new Honda team-
mate, former Rockstar Energy
Husqvarna rider Pablo Quintanilla,
took ninth on stage three and now
sits second overall, 10 minutes, 27
seconds off Brabec's pace.
Stage one winner Joan
Barreda (Monster Energy Honda)
dropped to 10th overall on stage
three following a navigation error,
while stage two winner, Matthias
Walkner (Red Bull KTM) sits third
overall, 12 minutes, nine seconds
from Brabec.
There are two stages remaining
on the 2021 Rally du Maroc.
CN
IN
THE
WIND
P44
Ricky Brabec has swept
into the lead of the 2021
Rally du Maroc at the
halfway point.
