Defending champion Todd Kellett – Yamaha from Great Britain completed his Moto class clean sweep of the Enduro del Verano when he raced to his second victory of the weekend at Villa Gesell in yesterday’s Main forty-five-minute race, in the process maintaining his one-hundred per cent record after two rounds of the 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup.
Report by FIM Sand Races – Images by Frederik Herregods
Matching him win-for-win in the Moto Women’s class, Amandine Verstappen – Yamaha also kept her win-streak going in Argentina, as did Quad class pace-setter Pablo Violet – Yamaha.
Following his victory in yesterday’s shorter Sprint Race, twenty-six-year-old Kellett put on a masterclass of sand racing to win by almost forty-two seconds after completing six laps of the full twelve-and-a-half-kilometre course. France’s Camille Chapeliere – KTM had to settle for the runner-up position for the second time this weekend, thirty-five seconds ahead of his compatriot Maxime Sot – KTM who improved on his fifth-placed finish on Saturday to complete the podium.
With Dutch racer Lars Van Berkel – Honda, who at the start of the day was Kellett’s closest challenger, finishing the race back in sixth behind the French pairing of guest rider Adrien Van Beveren – Honda and Jeremy Hauquier – Honda, the result sees Kellett extend his series lead with four rounds to go.
Verstappen, the Belgian former FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship contender, maintained her unbeaten record in the Women’s class with a typically confident performance. Reigning champion Mathilde Denis – Honda from France matched her title rival’s total of five laps of the ferociously fast course, but was just over forty seconds behind at the chequered flag.
“It’s the first time for me here so it’s been a totally new experience,” said Verstappen. “Great terrain and very fast. The sand is different compared to races in France and is a little more hard-packed.”
The last racer to finish on the same lap as Kellett, Javier Pizzolito from Argentina ended the race in eleventh overall to top the hotly-contested Moto Veteran’s class one lap ahead of reigning champion Arnaud Besnier – Honda from France. Home hero Danilo Goes repeated his third-placed finish from yesterday which was once again good enough to earn him maximum points in the Moto Vintage class.
Also remaining unbeaten after the two opening rounds of the 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup with another victory today, France’s Paolo Maschio – Kawasaki extended his Junior 2 class advantage.
Violet has started the season in incredible form and after taking maximum points from the series-opening Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais earlier this month, the fast Frenchman continued his command of the Quad class in Argentina and following Saturday’s Sprint Race win he looked in complete control again today.
With the three podium finishers all recording an impressive total of five laps, Violet ended the race with a comfortable cushion of three minutes and forty-four seconds ahead of Argentina’s Hugo Giambruni and over six minutes clear of Sebert Benoit from France in third as defending champion Michel Trannin – Honda lost ground in fourth.
Giambruni also claimed maximum points in the Quad Veteran class from Benoit with yesterday’s winner Axel Dutrie forced to settle for third.
Competitors must now wait until the autumn before the 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup resumes with round three, Great Britain’s infamous three-hour Weston Beach Race on 13 October.
Results
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