Hero's Ross Branch Claims Stage 1 Glory at Dakar 2024

Hero MotoSports started the 2024 Dakar Rally really well! Ross Branch won Stage 1 and is now leading overall. But, the first stage was tough, causing problems for some top riders. Sadly, Joaquim Rodrigues and Indian rider Ashish Raorane from Hero MotoSports had to stop racing because of separate crashes.

Even with some ups and downs, the Hero MotoSports team showed they're strong. Bort and Buhler, two other riders, finished Stage 1 in 13th and 19th places. But it was tough for experienced racers like Al-Attiyah and Loeb – they had unexpected tire problems during the challenging stage.

Joaquim Rodrigues had a scary crash 82 kilometers into the race. He even briefly lost consciousness as he tumbled headfirst to the ground. Luckily, his Hero MotoSports teammates, Joan Barreda Bort and Sebastian Buhler, were there to help until Rodrigues could be taken to AlUla Hospital.

Sadly, this means the end of Rodrigues' Dakar 2024 journey, but the good news is that he only broke his thumb – no major injuries. On a brighter note, Ross Branch did really well in Stage 1, being the fastest and winning his fourth Dakar stage. He finished more than 10 minutes ahead of the second-place rider, Ricky Brabec from Honda. Another racer, Tosha Schareina, who won the Prologue, also had to drop out after breaking his arm.

Tough Start for Harith Noah in Dakar Stage 1

Harith Noah, part of the Sherco squad, completed the stage in 22nd position. He shared, "After refueling at kilometer 200, I began experiencing cramps all over my body and a severe headache, something I've never encountered before." The Indian rider admitted that the thought of giving up crossed his mind a few times. Currently, he's trying to understand what might have caused these issues and is hopeful that it won't happen again.

Dakar 2024 Ends Early for Ashish Raorane

Indian privateer Ashish Raorane made a comeback to Dakar this year. Unfortunately, his return was marred by an early exit during the opening stage. Raorane had a crash at the 169km mark, resulting in a double fracture of his collarbone. Currently, he is on his way back to India for surgery to address his injury.

Win for De Mevius in Dakar Stage 1

Guillaume De Mevius from Overdrive Racing pulled off a surprising victory in Stage 1, crossing the finish line more than a minute ahead of Carlos Sainz from Audi. Notably, rally favorites Nasser Al-Attiyah and Sebastien Loeb faced setbacks with punctures, resulting in 22nd and 19th place finishes, respectively.

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