Countdown to the start of the Sertões BRB 2024. Next Friday (23), at 8 a.m. in Brasília, the first motorcycle will set off for the Prologue to open the nine-day, eight-stage, 3,704km race across the heart of Brazil. On two wheels, in fact, the race for first place has all the ingredients for a lot of excitement, with the presence of three champions.
Winner of the rally in his first participation last year, American Mason Klein is looking to repeat the feat on a different bike and with a different team. He now rides a CRF 450RX from the official Honda Racing team. His participation in the stages of the Brazilian Rally Raid Championship in the first half of the year helped him adapt to the equipment and even more to the different types of terrain in Brazil. The Californian, who holds a world title in the Rally 2 category, proved to be precise in his navigation and fast even when he was the first to start, without the references and tracks of the other competitors.
Adrien Metge also knows what it's like to win the Sertões BRB. The Frenchman, on the Yamaha WR 450F of the IMS Yamaha team, was the best rider in the 2021 edition and is undefeated in the Brasileiro this year. He arrives equally motivated and prepared to face this year's challenge. Ricardo Martins, winner in 2020, from Santa Catarina, is on the same team.
Another foreign standout, Martin Duplessis (Honda CRF 450RX / Honda Racing) considers it a dream to win the biggest rally in the Americas. He also wants to maintain his record of podium finishes in the event. Current Latin American champion - the Sertões BRB is the second stage of this year's competition - the Argentinian says he is at his best and hopes to use his familiarity with the sandy surface, present throughout the route, to advance in the standings.
The Brazilians are also coming in strong and promise a separate fight for the Moto 2 category, with an eye on a podium place in the overall standings. Last year, Gabriel Bruning (Yamaha WR 450F / IMS Yamaha) from Santa Catarina showed all his progress by completing the rally behind Klein. Another representative of the new generation, Gabriel Soares, from Minas Gerais (Honda CRF 450RX / Honda Racing) is the reigning Brazilian champion and is looking to win for the first time in his class.
There is also room for female riders, with two names full of experience and achievement. Moara Sacilotti (Yamaha WR 450F / Musa - Caminhos da Serras) is taking part in the Sertões BRB for the 24th time, with her sights set on another victory. In 2022, in the 30th anniversary edition, she dominated the Over 45 category. Last year, she was third. Janaína Souza (Yamaha Ténéré 700 / MSL), who lives in Portugal, has a women's Baja Rally world title to her name and will be making her debut in Brazil on the new version of a legendary rally model.
Self by Motul
Sertões BRB 2024 also marks the return of Self by Motul, which brings together lovers of an even more extreme challenge. In this separate competition (the riders are also registered in the categories of the Brazilian Motorcycling Confederation's regulations), only the participants themselves can maintain the motorcycles, with tools provided by the category. In addition, everyone sleeps in tents in the Sertões Village. The technical coordination of Self by Motul has a name that knows the secrets of riding hard in these conditions: Marco Antônio Pereira, three-time Self champion (2020 to 2022) and his Txai Rally Team. The Sertões Institute is organizing the event through the Federal Sports Incentive Law.
QUADS:
The technical level is also high among the quad bikes. The reigning champion, Wescley Dutra from Ceará, will have a respectable opponent to keep him on top of the podium: Marcelo Medeiros from Maranhão. A four-time champion (2012/2015/2019/2020), he is back in the Sertões BRB after a year's absence. Medeiros won three stages of the Dakar 2024 and has excelled in the sport's main international races.
QUOTES:
Mason Klein: "The secret to winning the Sertões is consistency. That's how I won last year. This time will be no different, but there are several strong opponents and it's very important not to make mistakes throughout each stage.”
Adrien Metge: “I'm sure the team will once again do a very good job. I'm excited to try to win another title, another Sertões, so I'm going to try to continue at the same pace as at the start of the year, when I won the first three rallies. We're going to discover a new region for me, around Brasília, and then we're going to Luis Eduardo Magalhães, a region where we've ridden before.”
Gabriel Bruning: “This is my third Sertões. It's a very special competition, which has all its charm. This year I think it will be a fast, fun race, with nine days of adrenaline and dust. Our team is prepared, I in particular had a good pre-season and a good year. The bike is 100% aligned and we're going for another year in pursuit of the Overall title and retaining the Moto2 title.”
Gabriel Soares: “It's the most anticipated race of the year and I'm very excited. The aim is to win for the first time, extend my lead in the Brazilian Championship and get the best possible result for the team.”
Moara Sacilotti: "“As I've come from two great results, my expectations are very high: I want to win again. The category is very competitive, all the riders know what they have to do and it won't be easy to finish in front, but I'm well prepared and the bike is in perfect condition. I'm going to fight on equal terms.
Automatic translation of the Brazilian Portuguese version
Source: Rali dos Sertões / Sertões
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