India's Abdul Wahid Tanveer, with the Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team put up his best show so far at the ongoing Merzouga Rally, topping the Enduro category on the fourth stage of the rally in northern Africa. Tanveer's overall ranking is now second. Aravind KP, also with the Sherco TVS team, also demonstrated a strong performance in the second day of the marathon stage. Stage 4, touted to be the most difficult stage of the rally, saw the riders traverse a distance of 205 km with no assistance from service crew. KP managed to progress significantly in his timings and finished the stage at 19th position.
Aravind KP at the 2019 Merzouga Rally
"I am so proud of Tanveer and KP, they have shown that if you have focus and zeal for the sport nothing is impossible. Tanveer is performing exceptionally as he has shown tremendous improvement in his navigation skills and at the same time has managed to keep his bike in a good condition. KP has picked up his pace rapidly crossing all obstacles with confidence. The technical team is also working hard in keeping the bikes in good shape and I hope the riders will be able to maintain their positions in the last stage as well," said B Selvaraj, Team Manager, TVS Racing.
"It was a crucial stage with lots of navigational challenges, but I am glad I could finish it at the top. I am thankful to the technical team for keeping the bike in good shape and helping me with all the guidance," said Tanveer.
"This stage was the toughest one as it tests the team's navigation skills throughout the Rally. The boys have shown phenomenal growth in this stage as they performed well against all odds and I am confident that we will finish the Rally on an equally good position," said David Casteu, Team Manager, Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team.
The final stage of the rally will be the deciding factor for the riders, as they head into the dunes and will cover 48 kilometres of treacherous terrain to complete the Merzouga Rally.
