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.
Hellas Rally Raid 2024: Day 4 Thrills, Spills, and Thunderstorms in Itea to Karpenisi Marathon Stage
Day 4 of the Hellas Rally Raid 2024 in Itea began with great energy under sunny seaside skies, but the weather took a dramatic turn as a thunderstorm rolled in while heading towards Karpenisi. The race started at 7:15 AM from the bivouac in Itea, with Leonardo Tonelli from Italy, riding his GasGas 450, opening the race. Jacopo Cerutti, also from Italy and racing with Team Aprilia in the M6 category, followed second on the starting line with his Tuareg 660 after yesterday’s classification.
Leonardo stated before the start of the demanding marathon stage: “Yesterday it was more in my riding style because you have more navigation. I tried to do my best, I made no mistakes and I won. I am happy about that, but the rally is long and we need to stay focused. We are here, we are racing, and we are having fun. The rally is unique as we start from sea level and in 20 kilometres we reach an altitude of 2,000m.”
Today marks the first day of the two-day marathon stage, covering a demanding 280 kilometres of Special Stage towards Karpenisi. The route tested the participants' limits and endurance, passing through challenging terrain starting from sea level and ascending to the highest mountains of Central Greece. No mechanical assistance is allowed, so all riders had to be proactive and maintain their vehicles themselves in this stage.
Unfortunately, Tobias Ebster had a crash in the first kilometers of the Special Stage, resulting in a broken arm and a destroyed bike which forced him to abandon the race, leaving an empty spot in the top positions.
Undoubtedly, it was an exceptionally demanding stage. In addition to the already challenging terrain, a thunderstorm caught up with them, adding an extra layer of difficulty. Toni Mulec from Slovenia, racing in the M3 category, achieved the best time of the day in 5h15:36.01 with Loic Minaudier following close behind in today’s classification with a 1-minute gap. Jacopo Cerutti from Italy in the M6 category delivered an incredible performance once again, which put him third on today’s stage with 5h24:24.13.
In M1, the Frenchwoman Mathilde Denis had the best time of the category with 6h29:48.55, while in the M2 category, Riva Mattia achieved a time of 5h39:41.80. The M4 category saw Andrea Rocchi finishing today’s stage after 5h34:52.33, and the M5 category saw Puocci Francesco achieving 6h18:58.83.
In the Quads, Baille Anthony once again finished at 5h30:33.10, while in the SSVs, the French Duo MANU - FAGET had the best time at 5h25:58.12.
Tomorrow marks the second and final day of the Marathon Stage, a tough return to the Itea bivouac that will push participants to their limits.
Text Credits: Hellas Rally Raid
Photo Credits: Actiongraphers
Video Credits: ICARUS Sports
Helder