Monster Energy Honda Team achieves second place in the Rally Dakar with Kevin Benavides

After two weeks and 8000 kilometres of gruelling competition full of a thousand challenges in all kinds of conditions, Monster Energy Honda Team have completed the 40th edition of the Dakar Rally. Kevin Benavides proved himself up to the challenge, earning a well-merited place on the final podium of the world’s toughest rally.

 The final fourteenth stage of the 2018 Rally Dakar was resplendent with the colours of the Monster Energy Honda Team, who claimed the final stage victory at the hands of Argentinean rider Kevin Benavides, sealing the overall runner-up spot in the process. Another success for the team in the Dakar Rally, equalling the same feat of Paulo Gonçalves in 2015. 

After a last-minute injury had forced Paulo to retire, the Portuguese rider’s replacement in the race, youngster José Ignacio, proved to be one of the revelations of the rally. The Chilean rider regularly posted top fifteen places before finishing in tenth overall place. “We set out to ride a good, intelligent race. We started well in Peru, had a complicated stint in Bolivia and then were able to pull things back in Argentina. We went from seventh to fifteenth before finishing in tenth final position. This was something that we had dreamed about and planned for a few years now. Finally we have fulfilled our aim. I’m really pleased to have achieved it with the Monster Energy Honda Team and I’m really happy that they gave me the chance to do so. It wasn’t easy, but we finished the race without problems,” said Cornejo.