Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team Announces Squad For Dakar 2018

Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team has announced a three-rider squad to participate in the 2018 Dakar Rally. Joan Pedrero from Spain will be leading the squad which will include Adrien Metge from France and Aravind KP from India. The three-member team has had a strong performance in international rallies this year and is aiming for a Top 10 finish at the Dakar 2018, the 40th edition of the annual International Rally-Raid. The Sherco TVS Factory Rally Team will be participating in the event for the fourth consecutive year.

(All three riders will ride the RTR 450 Rally bike at the 2018 Dakar)

Also Read: Sherco TVS Rider Joan Pedrero Wins PanAfrica Rally 2017; CS Santosh Finishes Ninth

The 2018 Dakar Rally will be held from January 6 to January 20, 2018. This year, the rally will cover three countries, beginning in Lima, Peru and passing through La Paz, Bolivia, before finally culminating in Cordoba, Argentina, after having traversed a total distance of over 9,000 km. For India's Aravind KP, this will be the second outing at the Dakar. Joan Pedrero will be participating at the Dakar Rally for the tenth consecutive time and this will be the third Dakar Rally for Adrien Metge.

(31-year-old Aravind KP from India will participate in the Dakar Rally for the second time)

"I am excited to be a part of the Sherco TVS Factory Rally team for Dakar 2018. I have been working very hard on my fitness, navigation skills and riding for the past one year. With the support of my team, I have been able to perform strongly in four international rallies this year. The Dakar Rally is much more intense than any other cross-country rally and I am mentally and physically ready to conquer the challenges ahead," said Aravind KP.

Also Read: Sherco-TVS Factory Rally Team Announced For Merzouga Rally

"Dakar is the ultimate challenge for any rider and despite being part of it for many years, I always look forward to competing in the event. I am happy that the team has trusted me yet again and selected me for their 2018 Dakar team. Being a senior racer, I feel I am responsible not only to give my best to the Rally but also work together with the team for race strategy. My recent performance has given the confidence to aim for a top 10 finish this year," said Joan Pedrero.

This year, the Sherco TVS team has participated in four international rallies, including the Baja Aragon, Merzouga Rally, PanAfrica Rally and 2017 OiLibya Rally of Morocco, with strong finishes in each. The Factory Rally team is a partnership between TVS Racing, the racing division of TVS Motor Company and Sherco, an off-road oriented motorcycle company with headquarters in Nimes, France. Sherco is the third off-road player in Europe after KTM and Husqvarna. The company is divided into two subsidiaries with a trial factory in Spain, and Enduro factory in France. The Sherco TVS partnership is four years old, and the two companies share a similar philosophy towards racing and international rally events.