VOL. 54 ISSUE 14 APRIL 11, 2017 P29
in the team was very good. Now I feel strong, and
I can fight for the wins again. I think it's important
to take a rest and to think about what we did and
how we can improve in the future."
"It was a really nice stage today and very fast,"
Walkner said after the fifth and final stage. "I
knew everyone had to push because we still had
to fight for the podiums. At first, I felt my speed
wasn't that good, and I was a bit nervous about
making mistakes, but I was able to ride a bit
faster after the refueling. Overall I think this was a
pretty good result especially because the dunes
are not my favorite terrain. They are fun to ride
but not for racing."
Honda's Paulo Goncalves said of his fourth
place finish: "We have finished the first race in
the 2017 world championship. After what hap-
pened in the prologue [where he finished sev-
enth] I knew I had little chance of winning. Yes-
terday, I was ahead as the leader, but today the
other riders passed me as had been expected
and I finished fourth overall. We knew this could
happen in a race made up entirely of dunes. I
though I finished in the same place as I
did last year," the Frenchman said. "But
it's completely different because I'm much
closer to the guys in front and this is really
the point. I feel I made a lot of progress and
I've improved, and this is really good for
my confidence. I think I've made a posi-
tive start, and I just want to keep going like
this in each race. The team was great and
worked well, and I believe this is also the
key to our success." CN
Overall
1. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 18:14.32.5 h
2. Pablo Quintanilla (Hus) +6.13.7 min
3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) + 8.16.1
4. Paulo Gonçalves (Hon) +11.10.8
5. Pela Renet (Hus) + 14.50.8
could have got a better result in a four-day rally like
this, but that's racing for you. The bike ran really
well and the team has worked well together. In a
few days we begin in Qatar, where we will have to
set the pace right from the prologue."
Pela Renet made it two Husqvarnas in the top-
five overall. "I'm quite happy with this rally even
Pablo Quintanilla,
the defending race
champion had to
settle for second
this time.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
HUSQVARNA
IMAGES/MARCIN
KIN
Matthias Walkner
rode hard in the
final stage and was
rewarded with a
trip to the podium.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
KTM
IMAGES/MARCIN
KIN
