Omsk, Russia, July 1, 2021
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the rally racing team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, is all set to tackle the famous Silk Way Rally, starting tomorrow, July 2, from Omsk, Russia. The riding duties for the team will be taken up by the trio of Joaquim Rodrigues, Sebastian Buhler and Franco Caimi. This is the third race for the team in as many months
For Joaquim Rodrigues and Sebastian Buhler, it will be their first run at the Silk Way Rally, while for Franco Caimi, it will be his second appearance, albeit his first with Hero MotoSports. A strong finish in Rally Kazakhstan recently put all three riders in the top 10 rankings in the FIM Cross[1]Country Rallies World Championship, and a good result here in the second round of the championship will see more points added to their tallies. After successfully completing the administrative checks and vehicle scrutiny yesterday, the riders will ride-off from the ceremonial start today. The first stage of the rally starts tomorrow, and will be a teaser of what is in store for the rest of the rally. Despite the short special section of 87 kms, the stage will be the longest of the rally, with over 580kms of liaison, resulting in a 670kms stage.
The grueling 10-day long Silk Way Rally, starting from Omsk, will cover 5200+km. Over 2800 kms of this will consist of special sections through the Siberian forests, and across the famous Gobi Desert, after crossing the border into Mongolia. The Rally will finish in Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia on the 11th of July.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:
“We are happy to be here for the start of the Silk Way Rally in Omsk, Siberia. This is the second-biggest race of the season after the Dakar, with 10 race days in a row and over 5200kms to tackle. Due to the challenges from the pandemic, travel and logistics were difficult, yet we are all here in good health. The team is motivated and eager to start the first stage tomorrow. We are looking forward to a good 10 days of racing and a safe finish in Mongolia. Thanks to all our fans for their support, stay safe.”
Joaquim Rodrigues, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “It is my first time in Russia for the Silk Way Rally, and it is going to be a long race. The team has been performing well, and we have had some great results in the last few races. Hoping to continue the strong run and achieve good results, but the main goal will be to get the bikes to the finish line safely.”
Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “It’s my second time racing in the Silk Way Rally, but my first with Hero. I am excited to be back, and I really enjoy riding in these conditions. We should have a lot of tracks in the forests and between trees while in Russia, and in Mongolia, more flat and open deserts. Looking forward to an exciting 10 days of racing.”
Sebastian Buhler, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “This will be my first time at the Silk Way Rally and I am expecting a good race. The bike has been performing well, and the team has been working hard, so I think it will be a nice rally and we expect a good result.”