26.08.2017

KTM riders looking for success in Argentina

4th Rd. Rally 2017 – Desafio Ruta 40 (ARG)
Sam Sunderland - Matthias Walkner - KTM 450 RALLY Atacama 2017 © RallyZone / E.Bauer, C.Barni - KTM Media Library

This press release has: 3 Images
The Red Bull KTM Rally Factory Racing team are all set-up in Argentina and ready to contest the 2017 Desafio Ruta 40 Rally. FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship leader Sam Sunderland and his team-mate Matthias Walkner are both ready to take up the challenge of the Argentinian event, round four of the world championship. KTM Rally Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides, a rookie to the sport, is looking forward to his first ever rally.
The Desafio Ruta 40 – Road 40 Challenge – is held over six days in the north west of Argentina. This is the first year the event has been granted FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship status, having been run since 2010.

Sam Sunderland will be hoping to continue his success aboard his KTM 450 RALLY, looking for the win here at the penultimate round of the championship. Sunderland leads the world championship by six points from Pablo Quintanilla, with a good result being hugely important ahead of the final round in Morocco.

Sunderland: “We had a good shake down before the technical inspection, and my bike is now fully prepped for the Prologue on Saturday. The terrain here is slightly different to that in Chile at the last round – the ground is a lot harder and more slippery.

“All the checks have been done now and I am looking forward to getting started. Prologue first and then the real race starts on Sunday. It’ll be tough as usual, but I know I can do well here.”

Matthias Walkner is looking to carry the strong form that took him to third on stage four of the Atacama Rally into the Desafio Ruta 40. The Austrian rider improved his pace throughout the previous round and is hoping for a good result in Argentina.

Walkner: “Everything is going well here in Argentina. The technical control is done and now I am looking forward to the Prologue. My pace was good in Chile and I was feeling more comfortable on the bike as the event went on. I am happy with my navigation, so I just need to minimise any small mistakes and hopefully I can finish this event on the podium.”

KTM Rally Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides will start his rally apprenticeship on home ground at the Desafio Ruta 40. The 21-year-old Argentinian is following in the footsteps of his older brother, Kevin, and hopes to learn as much as he can from his first ever rally event.

Benavides: “This is all so new for me. I only had a chance to meet everyone yesterday at the test session. It’s great to meet Sam, Matthias and the rest of the team. They all made me feel very welcome. We had a successful test session on the bike yesterday, my 450 feels really good so I am keen to get going. I know I have a lot to learn but I am looking forward to this, my home round, and to gaining more experience for the future.”


Championship Standings - FIM Cross-Country Rallies Championship after 3 of 5 races

1. Sam Sunderland, 77 points
2 Pablo Quintanilla, 71
3. Paulo Goncalves, 58
4. Matthias Walkner, 52
5. Kevin Benavides, 44
6. Pela Renet, 31
7. Antoine Meo, 25
8. David McBride, 24
9. Mohammed Al Balooshi, 23
10. Adam Tomiczek, 20


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Images (3)

Sam Sunderland - Matthias Walkner -  KTM 450 RALLY Atacama 2017
2 590 x 2 001 © RallyZone / E.Bauer, C.Barni - KTM Media Library
Sam Sunderland - KTM 450 RALLY Desafio Ruta 40 2017
3 000 x 1 997 © RallyZone / E.Bauer, C.Barni - KTM Media Library
Matthias Walkner - KTM 450 RALLY Desafio Ruta 40 2017
3 000 x 1 997 © RallyZone / E.Bauer, C.Barni - KTM Media Library


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