I n the top echelon ’ s of sport , nobody is safe when it comes to staying at the top of the game as evidenced by the departure of long-time Husqvarna Rally Team member Pablo Quintanilla who is set to be replaced by American Skyler Howes . Husqvarna announced last week that the Chilean rider , who has raced under the Husqvarna banner for the past five seasons in both the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and the Dakar Rally , was leaving the team with immediate effect . At the time of writing the future of the former Cross-Country Rallies World Champion is unclear , but it would appear that he has been replaced by up-and-coming American rider Skyler Howes . Signing with Husqvarna Motorcycles prior to the 2016 Dakar Rally , Quintanilla immediately made his mark by claiming a stage win on his way to third overall . Later that year , the Chilean rider went on to top the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship , clinching podium results in all four rounds . Forced to retire from the 2017 Dakar , Pablo made up for his disappointment by successfully defending his world title , including a win at the challenging Atacama Rally on home soil – a race he has won four times . Runner-up in the world championship in 2018 , Quintanilla went on to narrowly miss the podium at the 2019 Dakar by just seven minutes following over 42 hours of racing through the deserts of South America . With the remainder of his 2019 season plagued with injury , the 34-year-old came back fighting at the 2020