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Rallye Breslau 2023: The big winners
Drama and action until the very end of the marathon
Rallye Breslau 2023 officially is in the books, as the international marathon finished after 6 challenging days in the regions of Zagan and Drawsko Pomorskie in Poland. Over 220 racing vehicles from all classes and categories passed under the start arch, and, after some 1300 kilometers against the clock it was the time to determine the new crowned champions of the 29th edition of Europe’s oldest and biggest off-road race.
But it wasn’t an easy walk in the park for the last day, where they were about 100 kilometers for cover in full throttle. And, if in some classes and categories the winners were almost sure from the penultimate day, there was also some big drama and action until the last meters.
It was Rafal Jawien, who was the most disappointed racer in the ATV class. The raider from Poland led the race before the last stage, but problems costed him the finish of Leg 5 and he dropped out from the top rankings. So, the winner of Rallye Breslau 2023 is another pilot of Polaris Polska Racing Team - Adam Krysiak. Krysiak made it with over 6 minutes at the finish to his team-mate Marcin Wilkolek, but Wilkolek was the winner of the very last stage. And the “bronze medal” of this year’s rally went to Frenchman Gaetan Martinez (Can-Am, FRA).
Nerimantas Jucius (Beta), is the new king of the bike class in Rallye Breslau 2023. The pilot from Lithuania made a good fight with Dutch raiders Bas Eikelenboom (Husqvarna) and Ties Hellegers (Beta) during the whole week, but at the end of the rally had a good 9:35 min. advance to Eikelenboom and some 10 minutes more to Hellegers.
It was another Dutch – Latvian battle in the SSV class, this time won by the Nederland. It was Janus Van Kasteren Jr. (Arcane T3) who grabbed the title in the “buggy” group, beating Dalius Olechnavicius (Can-Am) with almost 9 minutes on the finish line. The third place went to another pilot of Arcane T3 - Michiel Becx, also from Nederland.
In the car CC open class, it was another big drama, as Roger Schonbrood (Toyota) missed the victory in the last stage of Breslau 2023. The Dutch had technical issues and, loosing respectable 1:52 hours, dropped to the third place on the podium. So, the new winner of the race is Antoine Idelot (Bowler) from France, who, without problems, made it to the finish with 46 minutes advance to Henry Ulke (Nissan) from Germany.
In the class of the cars CC with limited modifications, Hans-Peter Meyer (Suzuki) managed to clinch the final victory just in the last kilometers. The pilot from Austria completed the race with little more than a minute advance to Maikranz (Mitsubishi, DEU). After they were separated by only 13 seconds in the penultimate stage. Third on the podium is Jurgen Weyland (Ford), also from Germany.
Lucas Gembala grabbed the first ever Ultra4 title in Rallye Breslau. The pilot from Poland had a huge advance from the first half of the rally and there was not a chance to his main rival Mathias Armand from France to change the situation. Another Polish pilot – Szymon Salamon completed the top 3 podium.
William Van Groningen (Iveco) doesn’t need to push up in the las stage, as hi was almost sur champion in the truck cross-country class. The driver from Nederland finished the rally with a more than a god advance of 35 minutes Hugo Kupper (DAF). Third place went to their compatriot Richard De Groot (Iveco).
Wining every single stage from the beginning till the end, Hardo Mere were undisputed dominator among the car class of the Extreme category. Mere grab the victory in Rallye Breslau 2023 and Estonia was the triumphant country with Rait Maendla and Rainer Rueuetli finishing on second and third place. Martin Hertwig (Land Rover) won the title in the class of the cars with limited modifications.
Ralf Britz (MAN KAT) in the bigger (>7.5 t) class of the extreme trucks, and Felix Muellenheim (Unimog) int the smaller truck Richard De Groot (Iveco) class are the champions of Rallye Breslau 2023, both with huge advance to their rivals.
As Rallye Breslau is still hot as emotions, the mastermind behind the marathon Alex Kovatchev, already is working of the next episode of The RBI Sport series – Balkan Offroad Rally, which will be held for second year in Romania, in the beginning of October.
Source Rallye Breslau / RBI
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