Riyadh, January 6, 2022: The only rider representing India in 2022 Dakar Rally, Harith Noah, of TVS Racing factory team, completed Stage 5 with grit and determination despite a painful shoulder in a respectable 28th position on Thursday for an Overall rank of 30, one position better than the previous day. D Petrucci of Italy won the stage.

Noah’s teammate at Sherco TVS Factory team Lorenzo Santolino is in Overall 5th position after Stage 5 while Rui Goncalves is placed 33rd. Hero MotoSports Rally Team’s Joaquim Rodriques is placed Overall 20th in the General Ranking with Hero compatriot South African Aran Mare in a creditable 8th.

He finished in 28th among a field of over 140 riders in Moto section. Taking part in the top RallyGP class which has about 25 elite riders, the Kerala ace survived a crash in Stage 4 yesterday but after a brief treatment took the start of the 560-km stage with a Special Section distance of 346km, with a section that crossed the paths of both FIM and FIA vehicles. Tomorrow, the same stage will be run in the reverse direction. The five-time Indian National Super Cross champion, astride a Sherco 450 SEF rally-prepared machine, clocked 3hours, 41min, 05seconds.

"It took some time in the morning before I settled down as I had a crash yesterday. But after two waypoints, I got into my rhythm and the pace was good. I managed to make a couple of positions and happy to finish the day and be in the race for tomorrow." said Harith Noah.

The 12-stage 2022 Dakar Rally, being held in the sandy dunes of Saudi Arabia for the third year will conclude on January 14, 2022. The riders will have a rest day on Saturday, Jan 8.

Dakar Rally 2022 (Stage 5) Provisional Classification:

1. D Petrucci (Ita) (Tech 3 KTM) 03H 23’ 46”;

2. R Branch (BWA) (Monster Energy) +00’ 02”;

3. K Cornejo Flo… (CHL) (Monster Energy) +00’ 05”.

4. Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Team) +17’19”;

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 4)

1. S. Sunderland (Gas Gas Factory) 19H 1’ 50”;

2. M. Walkner (Red Bull KTM) +02’ 29”;

3. A Van Beveren (Monster Energy) +05’ 59”;

4. Harith Noah (Sherco TVS Rally Team) 1H 43’ 15”.