BENGALURU: Determined to finish in the top 20 in his fourth appearance at the
Dakar Rally
, Hero Motorsports Team rider
CS Santosh
said he has put special efforts into improving his navigation skills and fitness.
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"The Dakar is becoming more and more challenging physically and navigation wise. So, in an effort to improve my navigation skills, I travelled to Spain to train with roadbook expert
Jordy Grau
. My target is to finish in the top 20," said the Bengaluru racer, who finished 36 on his debut in 2015.
"For the first time I have a team of professionals to guide me on my fitness. I feel stronger and fitter this time," added Santosh, who crashed out midway in 2016 before finishing 47th last year.
Riding a modified Hero RR 450,
Santosh
produced creditable performances in the lead-up to the Dakar, finishing ninth at the Panafrica Rally in Morocco and 13th at the OiLibya Rally.
"This bike is nimble and easy to ride. Unlike last season's bike which had a rear fuel tank, the modified version has two tanks in the front and one in the rear. The weight has been reduced at the rear for maximum maneuverability," he said.
Santosh added that his past stints in Dakar will hold him in good stead this time. "Having ridden in
South America
for the last three years, the experience will give me the confidence to ride without any fear."
Covering a total distance of 9,000km, the 14-day rally will begin in Lima (Peru) on January 6, travel through La Paz (
Bolivia
) before finishing in Cordoba (Argentina).