Italian Baja 2021: Al Rajhi sings his second triumph

Holowczcy leads Saturday’s race, but Al Rajhi sings his second triumph
Seaidan leaves the race and the Overdrive pilot gains the World Cup’s lead

An Italian Baja hard and unforgiving, as by tradition. Exalting the first arrived ones and disheartening all competitors who suffered the track difficulties, the dust, the thousands of traps characterizing a route always treacherous in the labyrinth of tracks along the Meduna, Cosa and Tagliamento riverbeds. 
The restart edition, with Head Quarter at the Freight Village – Wholesale Centre (promoted), is a “hate and love” swing of the old and new protagonists, firing up the engine and stepping on the gas like Edi Orioli (1993) and Pierre Lartigue (1994-1997), pioneers of a World Cup wonder in Pordenone, which makes the history.

Yazeed Al Rajhi deserves victory, by duplicating the success got in 2014, this time with a Toyota Hilux Overdrive that gives the rythm on Friday and goes on a bit slower yesterday, when the World Cup scene was taken by the Mini John Cooper Works Rally of Krzysztof Holowczcy, hunting an impossible recovery after the double sufference of the first Leg. 
The Pole first overturned on the Meduna riverbed crossing a ford, then he succeeded in restarting but on the long sector because of the dust he lost the track and a lot of time. He was formidable in signing the best time in all the three Selective Sectors, but he crossed the arrival line reaching just the 14th position, no scores for the World Cup ranking.
Al Rajhi, first in 5:02’47’’, defeated the Portugues Tiago Reis, who came second with a gap of 3’03’’, and the Lithuanian Benediktas Vanagas, third after 10’46’’, creating a podium dedicated to Hilux and Toyota even for the fourth position thanks to the Dutch Erik Van Loon who preceeded Miroslav Zapletal with Ford 150, the Czech already used to the Italian Baja (second place in March at the Artugna Race). 
Italian colors exalted by the perfect Amerigo Ventura (Yamaha Quaddy), eighth in the World Cup overall ranking, navigated by the co-driver from Pordenone Mirko Brun, who grew up with “bread and Italian Baja” working since years for the Fuoristrada Club 4x4 led by Mauro Tavella. As for the World Cup overall ranking, thanks to this victory Al Rajhi climbs to the lead before the last race in Portugal in October, overpassing Yasir Seaidan who got no scores because of the broken turbo manifold of his Mini.

It is too early to say it, but probably also in 2022 the Fuoristrada Club 4x4 Pordenone will organize the race of the Italian Championship and the World Cup, hoping in a defeated pandemic and therefore in a higher number of competitors.

Source Italian Baja /  Carlo Ragogna