Hero MotoSports Team Rally Completes Prologue at Desafío Ruta 40
Hero MotoSports Team Rally kicked off its 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 campaign with all three riders completing the opening Prologue stage in San Juan, Argentina.
9 km
11th overall
3rd in Rally2
What Happened
The Hero MotoSports Team Rally began its 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 campaign with the Prologue stage in San Juan, Argentina. The 9 km stage served as an opening test, determining the starting order for Stage 1. The team's three riders — Ross Branch, Nacho Cornejo, and Michael Docherty — approached the stage with a strategic mindset, aiming to build momentum early in the rally.
Ross Branch led the team with an 11th place overall finish and 9th in RallyGP despite navigation difficulties. Michael Docherty, in his competitive debut with the team, finished 12th overall and secured 3rd in Rally2 after encountering dust. Nacho Cornejo finished 19th overall and 12th in RallyGP, feeling comfortable and confident for the longer stages ahead.
“We are very pleased to officially begin our Desafío Ruta 40 campaign and it is especially exciting to welcome Michael into the Hero MotoSports Team Rally line-up for his first race with the team. Latin America remains a very important region for Hero MotoCorp, and events like this allows us to strengthen our connection with distributors, partners, and motorsport fans across Latin America while com”
Why this matters
The Desafío Ruta 40 rally helps Hero MotoCorp strengthen its brand presence in Latin America, a key market, while showcasing its commitment to competitive motorsport.
Terms in This Story
- Prologue
- A short opening stage that determines the starting order for the main race.
- RallyGP
- The top class in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.
- Rally2
- The second-tier class in rally-raid competition, often for less experienced riders or older machinery.
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