November 19th, 2023.



The fight for Quad supremacy in the inaugural FIM Sand Races World Cup looks set to go all the way down to the wire following yesterday’s opening race at the Monte Gordo Sand Experience, the third and concluding round of the series.

The one-hour race in the soft, shifting sands of Portugal’s famous Algarve region was won by France’s Keveen Rochereau – Honda. However, with today’s race deciding the overall result it is just too close to call between the French pairing of Michel Trannin – Honda, and Pablo Violet – Yamaha, who sit first and second in the standings separated by just five points after February’s opening two rounds – the Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais in France and the Enduro del Verano in Argentina.

“I did not get a great start,” said Rochereau. “I prefer it when it the course is rough and it was very smooth in the early laps and everyone was going at the same speed. For me it is better when it gets technical with lots of ruts. The battle was very difficult with Pablo, but it was a good race and an amazing event and I am very happy to be here.”

Violet got off to a flying start and opened up a lead of three-and-a-half seconds on the opening lap under a cloudless blue sky ahead of his compatriot Frederic Lefebvre – Yamaha, with Belgian Oliver Vandendijck – Honda, an initial third as Trannin slotted into fifth.

On lap four Rochereau moved ahead of Lefebvre into second, although by this point he was already almost eleven seconds behind the leader as Violet made the most of a clear track ahead.

However, Rochereau began to reduce Violet’s advantage as the race progressed and he was less than five seconds behind at the halfway mark as Trannin kept his title hopes alive in a strong fourth, although all the time he was losing ground-on the leaders who were setting an incredible pace.

With time rapidly running out, Rochereau got within striking distance of the lead and made his move on the seventeenth lap and once ahead was able to quickly increase his advantage to almost forty-five seconds when the chequered flag came out after twenty laps of racing.

Vandendijck ended the race in third a further forty-one seconds behind, with Trannin keeping his title aspirations firmly on track in fourth as the final rider to complete twenty laps.

With both the event overall and the FIM Sand Races World Cup to be decided today, it promises to be a thrilling conclusion to a very exciting new series.


Image: 2023 FIM Sand Races World Cup at Monte Gordo Sand Experience, Portugal © Frederik Herregods