The Belgian Cyril Genot won this Sunday the Sand Race of Hossegor-Capbreton, on the South-West coast of France near the Spanish border, the 4th round of the 3AS Racing CFS Championship, which brought together more than 450 participants. The Team Honda SR Motoblouz rider won at the finish, after 2 hours and 30 minutes of racing, beating Yamaha’s Englishman Todd Kellett by less than two seconds. The other factory Yamaha rider, Milko Potisek, who was making his comeback after a fractured fibula a month ago, climbed onto the 3rd step of the podium, finishing 50 seconds behind.
Words: CFS Press Release, Featured Image: Eric Poiret
What a race! We were expecting a great fight between the headliners of the CFS and we were served just that. Cyril Genot, easily the winner of the last two races, found the opposition he lacked with the return of Kellett and Potisek. Mathéo Miot (Yamaha) and Yentel Martens (Honda) got off to the best start, turning in that order after the opening long straight. But Genot, Kellett and Potisek quickly positioned themselves in ambush. Honda’s Belgian quickly took the lead after 30 minutes of racing, taking advantage of the retirement of his compatriot Yentel Martens shortly after. Mathéo Miot, for his part, gradually gave way to his brother Florian in the top 5, while the Dutchman Lars Van Berkel (Honda), as usual, gradually climbed back to the top places. With an hour to go, Genot had a lead of almost 30 seconds over Potisek. But the latter, short of competition, gradually gave up. Quite the opposite of his Dragon Tek Yamaha teammate, who was coming back like a cannonball! The three riders pitted three times each and at the start of the last lap, Genot was only 20 seconds ahead of Kellett. A lead that he managed to keep, on the wire, to win for the first time at Hossegor. In the women’s category, Belgium’s Amandine Verstappen (Yamaha) won again, finishing 122nd overall. In the general classification of the 3AS Racing CFS series, Genot consolidates his lead over Van Berkel.
The next race is in a week’s time, in Saint-Leger de Balson, in Gironde, just two hours north but on a completely different circuit, for the 5th round of a season that has now been completely relaunched.
The other winners of the weekend were David Herbreteau (Honda), in the Vintage category; Jules Beuret (Gas Gas) in the Espoirs; Dutchman Damien Knuiman (KTM), in the Junior category. In the Quads race held on Saturday afternoon, the Belgian Randy Naveaux (Yamaha) once again won with his 4th consecutive victory. He finished ahead of Keveen Rochereau (Honda) and Jérémy Forestier (Yamaha), while Belgium’s Kelly Verbraeken (Wtec) won the women’s race.
On his social media, Todd said: “Happy to be first loser on this occasion. Very unexpected podium today at Hossegor!! We have more work to do but I’m ready for it. Thank you to everyone who has believed in me over the last 8 weeks.”
Ashley Greedy got himself into 17th position, and said it was nothing like Weston! “It was so fast and soft, and it got so rough too.”
Results:
Championship:
Due to the bizarre points system and having only finished at this race, Todd is placed 97th in the points, with Ashley in 178th.
