Hero MotoSports Team Rally recorded contrasting fortunes during the second stage of the Ultimate BP Rally Raid Portugal on September 25, 2025, with Nacho Cornejo finishing 11th to maintain 10th position overall while reigning World Champion Ross Branch retired following a crash.
Cornejo secured his second consecutive top-15 stage finish in the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship event, placing him 23 minutes and 20 seconds behind overall leader Daniel Sanders. The Chilean rider demonstrated improved pace and confidence compared to the opening stage, benefiting from successful setup changes to his motorcycle.
Branch’s rally ended prematurely when he crashed after hitting a hidden rut in grass during the morning section. While the Botswanan rider escaped without major injuries, his motorcycle sustained irreparable damage, forcing his withdrawal from the fourth round of the 2025 championship.
Tobias Ebster also failed to complete the stage after damaging his oil cooler, though the Rally2 competitor will restart on Stage 3. The Austrian rider currently sits 27th in the Rally2 class standings and 45th overall.
The 655-kilometer stage took riders from Grândola, Portugal, to Badajoz, Spain, including a 429-kilometer timed special section through the Alentejo region into Extremadura.
Stage 3 will cover 511 kilometers entirely within Spain, with 308 kilometers timed, featuring fast winding dirt tracks characteristic of this rally edition.
“Stage 2 is done, it was a really long day with slippery conditions, but we managed to put in a decent stage,” Cornejo said. “It wasn’t the best, but I’m happy to see some improvements in my feeling and speed compared to yesterday, and also with the changes we made on the bike.”
“I feel really sorry for my two teammates, Ross and Tobias. I hope they are okay, that there are no injuries, and that they can come back stronger very soon. As for me, I’ll keep taking it day by day, stage by stage, and giving my best until the finish here in Morocco.”
Ebster commented: “Stage 2 is done and I’m back at the bivouac, but unfortunately without my bike today. I destroyed my oil cooler and that was the end of my stage. There was no way to repair it, so I had to call it a day. The positive side is that I had a really good flow in the morning, and we’ll be back out there tomorrow to have some more fun on the stages.”
Branch stated: “It was a really disappointing end to the rally for me. The second stage didn’t go as planned – I was riding well this morning but hit a hidden rut in the grass, which caused a crash. Thankfully, I am okay and in one piece, but the bike was too damaged to continue. We will regroup quickly and shift focus to Morocco next week, and of course, the big one in January 2026 — Dakar.”
Daniel Sanders leads the overall standings by 1 minute 36 seconds from Tosha Schareina, with Ricky Brabec third at 7 minutes 22 seconds. In Rally2 class, Edgar Canet maintains his championship lead.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally competes as the motorsport division of Hero MotoCorp, described as the world’s largest motorcycle and scooter manufacturer.