This Sunday 6, Tomás de Gavardo (Coliseo-Gold Data-ZX Autos), will travel to Europe the cross country rally rider who after almost a year of international inactivity, to compete during the first round of FIM World Cup for Cross Country Bajas in Portugal that will be held on the 12th and 13th of September.
It will be the first round of the competition where the older of De Gavardo brothers will have the difficult mission to defend the world title in the Junior Category he conquered back 2019 and winning the category and finishing third overall. However, on this season the competition was postponed due to the pandemic events in Covid-19.
The Baja do Pinhal 2020 will be raced in the center of Portugal, between the cities of Sertã, Proença-a-Nova, and Vila Velha de Rodão and will have a total distance of 297.27 kilometers that is divided into 3 selective sections (SS) of 80.87 km (SS1), 140.32 km (SS2) and 76.08 km (SS3) for the categories Moto, Quad, Side by Side (SSV) and Hobby Class. The competence will unfold along paths and paths in a cubic region in its majority through pins and eucalyptus.
“I travel with the best attitude and single goal: to be the Junior World Champion for the second year (up to 25 years). Only I have the conditions to obtain a new title. Along with my intern Pablo Levalle we have been working hard to walk for a few hours of endurance ”, said the 21-year-old rider who will ride a KTM 450 EXC-F motorcycle.
The race will take place over the hills and valleys of the municipalities of Sertã, Proença-a-Nova, and Vila Velha de Rodão. The riders will find some sections of fast to very fast speed but the roads of this region are often very technical with stretches of forest trails that go up and down, which requires an additional focus for the pilot.
The organizers are working taking into account all the variables to make the race possible, including health and safety measures for the event of a sprout in the Covid-19 region. Another variable that comes into play is the dry climate, as, in recent years, Portugal has experienced large, dry, and warm summers, which have caused many forest fires especially in this particular region.
“I trust that everything will be done normally and that there can be a good time. Like everyone else, I had no competitive activity, I only have practiced for a few months in my grandfather's farm in my home in Huelquén (Paine), where I've spent the period of quarantine. In any case, Serta's roads are very similar to those of Chile ”, indicates the pilot of 21 years.
Tomás de Gavardo will compete at the Bajas Cross Country FIM 2020 World Cup thanks to: Coliseo Foods, Gold Data, ZX Auto, Hacienda Malpaso, Lucano Rent a Car, Ministerio del Deporte, Red Bull Lola, KTM, Motorex, Seven, Garmin, Clínica Meds, Tatersall, Palmax, Rudy Project, Procircuit, Gravity Group, Uswesports, KTM Bikes, Brush Designer, MP Decals and JF Sports; and with the sponsorship of Carabineros de Chile.
Source Official press-release
Translation and adaptation Rally-Raid Network
