Harith Noah finishes fifth in Rally2 class and Overall P22: Dakar Stage 2

Al Duwadimi (Saudi Arabia), 7 January 2024: Ace rider from India, Harith Noah, pelted out another strong performance to stay in the top-10 of his class and an overall P22 in the 655-km Stage 2 on Sunday and is all set for the marathon stage on Monday. Harith Noah finished fifth in his class and is currently fourth in the General Overall ranking after two stages.

The Kerala rider from Sherco TVS Rally team put in a stellar performance and was feeling better on the bike after yesterday’s ‘mysterious’ cramps. “I felt physically better today. It was a fast stage and though I did many small navigation mistakes, especially towards the end, I tried to put my head down and stayed focused. Tomorrow is the marathon stage and I am ready for it,” said the fastest rider at Dakar from India. Harith Noah astride a Sherco 450 SEF Rally bike is on his fifth Dakar. He is attempting to finish the mother of all rallies for a second time. In 2021, he finished a creditable 21 to become the fastest rider from India.

Sam Sunderland and Daniel Sanders rattled up leader board

After easing themselves into the 2024 Dakar Rally on stage one, Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Sam Sunderland and Daniel Sanders certainly turned things up a notch on Day 2. Faring best for the potent pairing was Sunderland who, despite riding through a lot of dust, clocked in with the sixth-fastest time to advance to seventh in the provisional standings. Meanwhile, for Sanders, a couple of small mistakes proved costly, but the good news is, he’s perfected the set-up of his RX 450F and his unquestionable raw speed returned on stage two. Chucky placed 12th and slides up the leaderboard to sixth overall.

Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 2) RallyGP
1. Ross Branch (Hero) 9:50:05
2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 9:53:00
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 09:57:20
6. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 10:07:29
7. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 10:08:24

Provisional Stage Classification Rally2 (after Stage 2)

1.  Jeanloup Lepan (Fra), Duust Rally Team 4:40:41;

2.  Diego Gamaliel Llanos (Arg), Xraids Experience 4:42:28;

3.  Toni Mulec (Svn), BAS World KTM Racing Team, 4:44:07;

4. Paolo Lucci (Ita), BAS World KTM Racing Team, 4:45:19;

5. Harith Noah (India) Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team, 4:45:35;

Overall Provisional Classification Rally2 (after Stage 2)

1. Romain Dumontier (Fra), Team Dumontier Racing, 10hours, 15min, 48sec;

2. Bradley Cox (Zaf), BAS World KTM Racing Team, 10:28:35;

3. Jeanloup Lepan (Fra), Duust Rally Team, 10:32:54;

4. Harith Noah (India) Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team, 10:40:31;