Micael Simão, the 2025 Portuguese national motorcycle champion, has a new sporting challenge for 2026. Riding a KTM and competing in the Rally 2 category, the rider will line up at the bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal, the second round of the World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC) and the only event held on European soil. This participation marks his first step into international rally raid competition, with the goal of a future—and long-dreamed—entry into the Dakar Rally.
“My goals for this debut in a W2RC race are to enjoy myself as much as possible, finish this long event organised by the ACP, and of course complete the final stage, which will be at ‘home’,” explains the Algarve-based rider, supported by Linda Rosa, who adds:
“I want to have a clean race, avoid crashes, stay healthy and get as used as possible to the bike. I hope it will be a progressive race, without focusing on results for now. It’s about enjoying the result of many years of work, and making the most of the pleasure that this race, alongside the best riders in the world, will certainly provide.”
The bp Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal, organised under the aegis of the ACP – Automóvel Club de Portugal, will be the second event of this season’s World Rally Raid Championship, following the 2026 Dakar Rally. The rally gets underway on March 17, based in the town of Grândola, in the Setúbal district. Over five days, the event will cover stages in Portugal and Spain, with around 1,300 kilometres of timed sections. Five stages will be contested, preceded by a prologue, in a route that starts in Grândola, passes through Badajoz, and finishes in Loulé, in the Algarve.
Official Press Release
Photo: Rally-Raid Network/ ImagensDesportivas.pt
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