Todd Kellett – Drag’on Yamaha stormed to his second consecutive FIM Sand Races World Cup title in the Moto class when he claimed victory on day two of the Monte Gordo Sand Race – the fifth and penultimate round of the series – to secure the weekend’s overall win, maintain his maximum points score and move into to an unassailable lead.
In the Quad class the battle to determine the champion will go down to the wire after France’s Keveen Rochereau – Honda matched his finish yesterday to secure a third consecutive overall win that reduces the deficit to series leader Pablo Violet – Drag’on Yamaha to twenty points.
Kellett secured the title last year in Portugal’s famous Algarve sand and he was delighted to make sure of a repeat performance today after his conclusive win on Saturday. Already leading Valentin Madoulaud – Yamaha by over five seconds following the opening lap, the twenty-seven-year-old British star quickly asserted full control of the hour-long race.
By the halfway mark he had stretched his advantage over Madoulaud out to thirty-two seconds and by the time Jérémy Hauquier – Yamaha moved into second he was out of reach, eventually winning by fifty-one seconds with an impressive total of twenty laps.
“It’s absolutely awesome to wrap it up today,” said Kellett. “It feels like it’s been a long time coming with the opening round back in February making it a long season so to get the victory is incredible, especially to do it again in Portugal.”
READ MORE: Kellett and Rochereau in control on day one at 2024 Monte Gordo Sand Race – Race Report
With second today added to his third-placed finish on Saturday, Hauquier is virtually assured of second in the series and Madoulaud’s two-three finishes make him a solid contender for third at the end of the year alongside Maxime Sot – Fantic who was fourth today.
Winner of Monte Gordo last season, former MXGP racer Yentel Martens – Fantic was running fourth in the early stages, but slipped back to fifth at the finish on twenty laps as he continued his comeback from injury.
Already confirmed as Moto Women class champion at the previous round in Italy, Amandine Verstappen – Yamaha repeated her win yesterday while unbeaten French sensation Paolo Maschio – Kawasaki also doubled up to top Moto Junior 2, a result that guarantees him the title with next weekend’s deciding round – the Ronde des Sables Hossegor Capbreton – still to run.
After finishing second last year, twenty-five-year-old Verstappen has dominated all season and the Belgian remains unbeaten in 2024 with her latest victory in Portugal following wins at the Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais, the Enduro del Verano, the Ronde des Sables de Loon-Plage and the Bibione Sand Storm.
Verstappen completed the opening lap in twenty-ninth and spent the race’s full sixty-minute duration fighting her way forward to nineteenth at the flag on a total of eighteen laps. Defending champion Mathilde Denis – Fantic from France has had a tough season and she suffered another DNF today when she went out on lap four.
Maschio, the nephew of 2002 FIM 125cc Motocross World Champion Mickaël, has spent most of the season near the front of the full field and his total of nineteen laps was good enough for fifteenth overall, two laps clear of his closest class challenger Leopold Magnien – Husqvarna.
In a reversal of Saturday’s top-two, Dominique Mieuzet – Honda led home Moto Veteran series pace-setter Gregory Deleu – Fantic who retains his points lead and Felix Faure – Honda raced to his second win of the weekend in the Moto Vintage class to make sure of the title after Sebastien Antony – KTM once again failed to finish.
Completing his double win in Moto Junior 1, series leader Matheo Gerat – Yamaha finished twenty-one seconds in front of Maxime Miet – KTM with both riders one lap ahead of Moto Junior 1 Women class winner Ema Satabin – GASGAS.
READ MORE: BEACH RACING NEWS
After finishing second to Rochereau yesterday, twenty-two-year-old Violet knew that victory today would be good enough for the Quad crown, but after getting left behind on the opening lap he put himself at an immediate disadvantage as his sole title rival led and he found himself back in eleventh.
With Belgium’s Olivier Vandendijck – Honda leading the chase ahead of Glenn Swarte – Honda and Axel Dutrie – Drag’on Yamaha, Violet needed just a lap to force his way up to fifth and he kept moving forward and picking up positions until, after thirty minutes of the forty-five-minute race, he had climbed to second.
However, by this point Rochereau was over twenty seconds clear and still moving away from the field and he took the flag forty-six seconds ahead of Violet with a total of thirteen laps. Vandendijck stayed strong for the full duration to complete the podium ahead of Dutrie whose finish has assured him of the Quad Veteran title.
“I took the lead, kept an eye on what was happening behind me and had to control the entire race,” said Rochereau. “Olivier was close so I had to stay focused. Then I noticed Pablo was catching up, which meant I needed to stay on my toes and keep pushing because you never know what can happen.”
Nathanaelle Abgrall – Yamaha made sure of the Quad Women title when she finished a fighting twelfth overall on a total of twelve laps while Alois Waloszek – Yamaha wrapped up the Quad Junior crown with his third consecutive win.
The action now switches to south-west France this coming weekend (30 November and 1 December) for the Ronde des Sables Hossegor Capbreton that concludes the 2024 Sand Races.
Results
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Race Report by FIM – Images courtesy of Frederik Herregods Photography
