A mere 17 seconds separated Bruno Santos, the national cross-country vice-champion, from securing a second victory at the Baja Portalegre 500, the penultimate round of the Portuguese Cross-Country Championship organized by ACP. Riding a Husqvarna and supported by Frutas Patrícia Pilar and Momento TT, the rider fought for the win from start to finish.
“This year’s Portalegre was fun, but also very competitive. We had plenty of rain, then moments when it stopped and the sun came out, and others with dust. The constant change of pace because of those conditions made it challenging. I returned just last week from a rally in the desert, so the change was huge — the bike is different, and so is the type of race. It took me a bit to adapt to this rhythm. On Friday I struggled a bit more, but on Saturday I was better, more fluid. The victory slipped away, but I achieved a good result and good times. Finishing second at Baja Portalegre is great. Just 17 seconds off first place — but that’s racing. It was fantastic to reach another podium in this iconic event. I’m happy to feel good physically. My next season starts already in January at the Dakar Rally, so I also approached this race with some caution to avoid any injuries that could jeopardize my participation in Dakar, which is just around the corner,” said the Torres Vedras rider at the end of the race, after stepping onto the overall podium for the sixth time. In September, he had already finished 2nd in Rally 2 at the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal.
Speaking about his upcoming participation in the world’s most prestigious rally, he added:
“This will be my third Dakar. The first was a great learning experience, but with excellent results. In the second, I was doing quite well until a crash compromised two stages due to mechanical issues, but I’m very happy to be returning once again to the world’s premier rally-raid. I feel privileged,” said the rider who, in 2024, during his debut year, climbed the podium at the 46th edition of the Dakar Rally, finishing 2nd in the Rookie Ranking and securing a Top 20 overall in Rally 2.
Official Press Release
Photo: Imagens Desportivas
Disclaimer:
As a service to the sport we all love and follow, Rally-Raid Network posts numerous media releases from a wide variety of sources on our website. Due to the large number, and some times short time available, it is nearly impossible to review each public release. These articles are written by reporters or press officers who work for various organizers, teams, drivers, riders, and other parties, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Rally-Raid Network.
