Stage 4 of the 2019 Merzouga Rally concluded the marathon stage of the event, with participants tackling over 205km of challenging terrain without any assistance from their service crew. Sherco TVS enjoyed a successful day, with Indian rider Abdul Wahid Tanveer topping the timesheets in the Enduro class.
“It was a crucial stage with lots of navigational challenges, but I am glad I could finish it at the top. I am thankful to the technical team for keeping the bike in good shape and helping me with all the guidance,” said Tanveer, who has now climbed up to 2nd overall, in the Enduro class.
After suffering a retirement in Stage 2, Sherco TVS' other rider, Aravind KP made up ground in the overall standings – claiming his best stage finish yet in this year’s Merzouga Rally, setting the 19th-fastest time. The result now slots him into 55th place, overall.
“Tanveer is performing exceptionally as he has shown tremendous improvement in his navigation skills – and at the same time has managed to keep his bike in a good condition. KP has picked up his pace rapidly, crossing all obstacles with confidence. The technical team is also working hard in keeping the bikes in good shape and I hope the riders will be able to maintain their positions in the last stage as well,” added B Selvaraj, Team Manager, TVS Racing.
It proved to be a tricky stage for Hero Motosports, with both its riders – Joaquim Rodrigues and Oriol Mena – losing time initially in trying to find the right way into the stage. Rodrigues lost additional time after encountering an issue with his GPS. Both riders eventually managed to find the right track with each other’s help. Mena retains 3rd place in the overall standings after completing the stage in 6th place, while Rodrigues has slipped down to 4th overall, after completing the stage in 11th place.
Overall standings after Stage 4:
Sherco TVS
55. Aravind KP
2. Abdul Wahid Tanveer (Enduro)
Hero MotoSports
3. Oriol Mena
4. Joaquim Rodrigues