2021 Silk Road Rally Results

Cycle News Staff | July 7, 2021

The second round of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship saw some of the best off-road racers in the world converge on the stunning Siberian landscape for a race run entirely within Russia due to changing Covid-19 restrictions in neighboring Mongolia.

Photos by Rally Zone

The Rally was originally due to run 10 stages but was shortened to five, with some stages having to be re-run in order to make the minimum FIM-mandated distance for full points to be awarded.

Red Bull KTM’s former Dakar Rally race winner Mathias Walkner came away with the overall victory after taking one stage win (stage three) but never straying out of the top five in the other four, his win hoisting the Austrian into the championship lead with 57.5 points.

**Matthias Walkner at the finish line of Silk Way Rally**

“The final stage here was really nice to ride,” Walkner said. “It was the same as day two, but instead of making it rougher, it seems the cars and trucks prepared it quite well for us today. I really tried to push at the beginning, because I know the first part of the stage is good for me over the fast pistes. In the forest I thought I might have to ease off a little, but I rode better today, and I was able to push for the whole stage. It’s a shame the rally had to be shortened, but the organizers did a great job of giving us a full event to race. To win the famous tiger trophy here at the Silk Way feels amazing, and with my win here I’m now also leading the championship.”

**Matthias Walkner and Daniel Sanders at the finish line.**

Second in Siberia went to new Rockstar Energy Husqvarna signing, Skyler Howes. The American took fourth on the final stage behind Italian Franco Caimi (Hero) but leapfrogged him in the overall to take second on the Silk Road podium.

“To get second place and my first podium at a world championship round is amazing,” Howes said. “I was hoping for a slightly longer race, and maybe another step higher on the podium, but I can’t tell you how stoked I am to finish as runner-up. Things went well over the whole race and in the end, it came down to just seconds on the final stage. Thankfully, I had a really good ride and was able to defend my position in the standings.”

Third went to Caimi, a first podium for the Indian manufacturer Hero in FIM Rally racing.

**Skyler Howes took the first world championship podium of his career with second for Husqvarna.**

**Early leader Hero MotoSports’ Franco Caimi was embroiled in a very tight fight for the podium places and, in the end, it proved a solid performance from the Hero team with a third place.**

“We pushed hard during the entire race and in the end, missed the second position by just six seconds,” Caimi said. “I am really happy with the result and looking forward to growing with the team. I am sure we can accomplish great things together.”

Fourth was a somewhat disappointing result for Australian Daniel Sanders. Winner of three stages—more than any other rider—the factory GasGas rider suffered time losses on stages one and two with ninth- and sixth-place finishes, respectively, putting him out of contention for the win despite dominating the remaining three stages.

“I pushed really hard today to try and get onto the overall podium, but it wasn’t quite enough,” Sanders said. “I left everything out there and did everything I could to make time up on the riders ahead, but it was a short stage and there wasn’t much to separate us all today. I learned a lot this week, I felt great on the bike, and I know I have the speed so it’s all positive. When we get home from here my main focus will be on improving my navigation as this is where I feel I’m lacking a little bit. But overall, a pretty decent week for me and the team.”

Rounding out the top five was the second Hero machine of Sebastian Buhler. The rally was a disappointing one for the Yamaha contingency, with Ross Branch dropping out of the rally on day three with a mechanical issue, and Adrien Van Beveren and Andrew Short finishing sixth and eighth, respectively.