Paulo Gonçalves runs today the 8th stage of the Dakar2016, two days after being the hero of the race

The Portuguese pilot Paulo Gonçalves (Honda), who yesterday refused the status of a hero, because he stopped to help a colleague […]

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Paulo Gonçalves

The Portuguese driver Paulo Gonçalves (Honda), who yesterday refused the status of hero, for having stopped to help a colleague during Saturday's stage of the Dakar2016, considering himself just "a human being with respect for others", leaves today for the 8th stage of the rally in 1st place in the general classification in motorcycles.

“I'm not a hero, I'm a human being with respect for others”, wrote the pilot on his Facebook page, adding: “I did what I was in charge of, on the contrary, I believe they would do the same for me”.

“The Dakar is an adventure of a lot of risk, of a lot of sacrifice, we give it our all over several days, thousands of kilometers, and the risk is always lurking”, added the driver.

On Saturday, during the 7th stage, Paulo Gonçalves interrupted his own race, to spend about 11 minutes with the Austrian Matthias Walkner (KTM), who had suffered a fall and broken his leg.

With that, the Portuguese had lost the lead in the general classification of motorcycles, after being 31st in the race.

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Paulo Gonçalves

But the organization ended up awarding the fair play Paulo Gonçalves, who, after adjustments, ended up in 3rd place in the stage, 1.56 minutes from the winner, Frenchman Antoine Meo (KTM), and three seconds from his teammate, Argentine Kevin Benavides (Honda).

The revised result of Saturday's stage kept the Portuguese at the top of the overall standings, with 3.12 minutes ahead of Australian Toby Price (KTM), 2nd.

After yesterday, Sunday, the race having completed its rest day, the 8th stage will be disputed this Monday, between Salta and Belén, in Argentina. It will have a total of 766 kilometers, of which 393 are divided into the two sections of the special.

The change of terrain that marks the entry into the second part of the rally, should also mark a change in the program for the drivers, who will have to face the first sections of dunes of the 2016 edition.

Dune crossing specialists will now have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and even gain the upper hand.

But riders will also notice the navigation difficulties that were introduced this year to complicate its existence. Many minutes can be lost by vehicles that get stuck in the sand.

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Paulo Gonçalves

After the abandonment of Carlos Sousa (Mitsubishi), in cars, in the 5th stage, due to a crash, and of the Algarve Ruben Faria, in the 6th stage, due to a fall that caused him to fracture his right wrist and injuries in his mouth, there are four Portuguese people who are still on the Dakar, all on their motorcycles.

Thus, Paulo Gonçalves (Honda) commands the general classification, with Hélder Rodrigues (Yamanha) now being the second best Portuguese, occupying the 7th place. Then came Mário Patrão (KTM) in 25th and Pedro Bianchi Prata (Honda) in 45th.

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