The action in the 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup moves west this coming weekend (22-24 November) to Portugal’s beautiful Algarve for round five – the – with three competitors still maintaining maximum scores in the six-round series.
Words by the FIM – Images by Frederik Herregods Photography
At the front of the premier Moto class, Britain’s reigning champion Todd Kellett – Drag’on Yamaha kicked off the defence of his title in February with victories at the Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais in France and the Enduro del Verano in Argentina. He was top scorer again at Ronde des Sables de Loon-Plage in France in late-October before claiming his fourth maximum points haul of the campaign last time out at Italy’s Bibione Sand Storm at the start of this month to take his total to a perfect one-hundred.
With two rounds remaining the twenty-seven-year-old holds a commanding forty-five-point lead ahead of France’s Jérémy Hauquier – Yamaha and with twenty-five points for a win he should sew up the title on Sunday – although in such a tough and unpredictable sport there are no guarantees.
Having said that, what is guaranteed is that Belgium’s Amandine Verstappen – Yamaha is the new champion in the Moto Women category having amassed an unbeatable points total with her fourth victory of the season last time out in Italy, while in Moto Junior 2 up-and-coming French rider Paolo Maschio – Kawasaki has one hand on the title with his four-from-four 2024 record giving him a forty-four-point advantage over his compatriot Leopold Magnien – Husqvarna.
In the Moto Veteran class Gregory Deleu – Fantic moved into an eight-point lead with victory in Italy while Felix Faure – Honda holds a ten-point advantage over Sebastien Antony – KTM in Moto Vintage and Matheo Gerat – Yamaha leads Maxime Miet – KTM by nine points in Moto Junior 1.
In the Quad class twenty-two-year-old Frenchman Pablo Violet – Drag’on Yamaha leads his compatriot Keveen Rochereau – Honda by twenty-five points. With back-to-back wins at the previous two rounds it is Rochereau who carries the most momentum into Monte Gordo, but he knows if he finishes behind Violet in Portugal then his title hopes are over.
After leading home the Quad Veteran class entry at the Bibione Sand Storm, Axel Dutrie – Yamaha extended his series lead to thirty-three points ahead of a tie for second between Benoit Sebert – Yamaha and Thierry Vigier in a French one-two-three while Nathanaelle Abgrall – Yamaha is in pole position to claim the Quad Women title.
Quad Junior racer Alois Waloszek – Yamaha, who regularly mixes it at the front with the Senior title contenders, holds a forty-five-point advantage ahead of Raphael Dutot – Yamaha.
With all classes competing on both days with the combined scores deciding the final finishing positions, Moto competitors are in action first with their ninety-minute race on Saturday starting at 12:45 (local time) before the Quad class swings into action with their sixty-minute race due to get off the line at 15:30 (local time).
Sunday’s action begins with the sixty-minute Moto race scheduled for 13:45 (local time) followed by a forty-five-minute Quad race at 15:30 (local time).
Followers of the FIM Sand Races World Cup can stay completely up to date with all the latest news through FIM social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram and via the Sportity app using the password FIMSandRaces.
Entry Lists
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