ERFOUD:
Stage 3 of the Afriquia Merzouga Rally, which comprised of a 230 km marathon stage, saw mixed fortunes for the Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team. India’s Aravind KP put up a good show to finish the stage at P32 in the Rally category, while Abdul Wahid Tanveer continued his strong show in the Enduro category finishing at P2. The team’s lead rider Michael Metge, who put up a solid performance in the initial stages, had to exit the Rally due to technical reasons. The marathon stage with no assistance comprised of two phases, the first phase was a bit rugged and the second phase had some complicated navigation to cut through the complex labyrinth.
B Selvaraj, Team Manager, TVS Racing said, “The riders had to go through a lot of ups and downs in the marathon stage. It is certainly disheartening to see Michael Metge exiting the Rally at such a crucial juncture as he was performing his best to finish on top in the initial stages. Aravind KP had a decent run in the marathon stage and finish the stage with his bike at a good condition. It is great to see Tanveer maintaining his position consistenly and he aims to get a podium finish.”
David Casteu, Team Manager, Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team said, “Stage 3 was the toughest stage so far, with varying terrain and the fact that the riders had no help from the service crew. Michael Metge’s exit is a big loss for the team and I hope he will come back stronger in the next Rally. Aravind and Tanveer have maintained their positions and I am happy to see the progress they have made till now. The next stage will be equally tough as the riders will have to tackle labyrinth of tracks, which are bound to be complicated in terms of navigation.”
Stage 4 is a marathon day in which the riders will be seen to cover a distance of 205 km.
Rankings for Stage 3:
Rally Category
Aravind KP – P32
Enduro Category
Abdul Wahid Tanveer – P2
Overall Ranking
Rally Category
Aravind KP – P62
Enduro Category
Abdul Wahid Tanveer – P3
