New Delhi: Hero MotoSports Team Rally the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters - Hero MotoCorp has successfully completed the fourth stage at the Dakar Rally 2025. The team’s young Chilean athlete Nacho Cornejo who struggled to get into a strategical rhythm due to a mistake in the prologue right from the beginning of the rally crossed the finish line today with the 3rd fastest time earning his first stage podium at Dakar 2025. His Botswanan teammate Ross Branch who has been looking in remarkable form continues to show his determination finishing at the 13th position. The latest stage proved to be a mixed bag for Hero MotoSports Team Rally. While Nacho navigated the challenging rocky and sandy terrain very well and made a top-three finish Ross who was leading the stage today for a respectable amount of time faced a setback in the final 20 kilometers committing a critical error. Despite this the team remains optimistic with Cornejo finding optimal bike settings and Branch vowing to learn from the mistakes and bounce back stronger. With the end of Stage 4 Ross Branch has maintained his rock solid 3rd position in the overall standings. Nacho Cornejo also continues with his 9th overall ranking which keeps both Hero riders sit firmly in the top-10 overall standings. After an intense start to the Dakar Rally 2025 the Stage 4 marked the arrival of the marathon stage where caution and endurance were the key ingredients to survive for the competitors. The route kicked off on volcanic terrains before winding through technical tracks surrounded by the canyons of AlUla. Today’s 415 km special finished directly at the marathon bivouac with no outside assistance allowed. After the end of today’s stage as soon as the competitors enter the service park where their bikes are parked the clock will start ticking again. Rally GP riders will have just 30 minutes to work on their motorbikes compared to an hour for their Rally 2 counterparts which will spice up things even more for the premier category riders. In order to save time though Rally GP riders are given an option to receive help from another competitor. Looking ahead to a longer Stage 5 tomorrow the rally will move eastwards towards Ha’il with 428 km of timed specials. The competitors will face super-fast tracks followed by sandy terrain that will force them to slow down. The stage will also feature stony terrain making for an adventurous ride. Completing this stage will be a significant milestone as it marks the halfway point of the world’s toughest rally for this year’s edition. The rest day that follows will be a well-deserved reward allowing riders to recharge and tend to their machines. Ross Branch Rider Hero MotoSports Team Rally said: Everything was going smoothly until the final 20 kilometers when we made a critical error. Thats the nature of rallying though - one moment youre doing a good job and the next youre way out of contention. Im obviously disappointed but will work on correcting the mistakes over the next week. Its clear that the bikes are performing well so its on me to focus on what needs to be done right. Nacho Cornejo Rider Hero MotoSports Team Rally said: Todays stage was extremely challenging - a long rocky and sandy route that demanded a technical approach. With a slower pace navigation was crucial and I had to stay focused on the roadbook. It was a tough day but Im thrilled to have secured a top-three finish. Ive also found the optimal settings for my bike which has given me a confidence boost. Thankfully my bike withstood the punishment and arrived in good condition. Provisional Rankings – Stage 4 1. Daniel Sanders Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 05hr 10m 33s 2. Tosha Schareina Monster Energy Honda Team + 00m 15s 3. Nacho Cornejo Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 07m 49s 13. Ross Branch Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 19m 11s Provisional Rankings – Stage 04 – Overall Classification 1. Daniel Sanders Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 25hr 15m 33s 2. Tosha Schareina Monster Energy Honda Team + 13m 26s 3. Ross Branch Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 26m 10s 9. Nacho Cornejo Hero MotoSports Team Rally + 54m 01s