Monster Energy Honda Team‰Ûªs debut in the 2017 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship turned out to be a positive one with good sensations for the team and a fourth overall place for Paulo Gon̤alves.
"We have finished the first race in the 2017 world championship. After what happened in the prologue I knew I had little chance of winning," Gon̤alves explained, "Yesterday, 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 could have got a better result in a four-day rally like this‰Û_ but that‰Ûªs 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."
Next Race: April 17, 2017 ‰ÛÒ Sealine Cross-Country Rally (QAT)
Main Photo: Sam Sunderland and crew celebrate
Credit: Marcin Kin
Final Standings Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2017 after 5 of 5 stages
1. Sam Sunderland, 18:14:32,5 h
2. Pablo Quintanilla, +6:13,7 min
3. Matthias Walkner, +8:16,1
4. Paulo Goncalves, +11:10,3
5. Pela Renet, +14:50,8
6. Antoine Meo, +1:09:00,6 h
7. Mohammed Al Balooshi, +1:30:34,2
8. Mohammed Jaffer, +2:54:48
9. Adam Tomiczek (POL), KTM, +2:59:10,3
10. David McBride, +3:06:06,1
