After three Bajas in Saudi Arabia, Portugal and Jordan, the FIM Bajas World Cup resumes with the Baja TT Dehesa Extremadura in Spain this weekend.
A dozen motorcycle riders and four quad entrants competing for points in the FIM Bajas World Cup will meet for a two-day race over 647km of dirt roads between Spain and Portugal. Badajoz is a charming place to host the event, situated near the border with Portugal. It is a place steeped in history and culture and combines the charm of ancient architecture with a modern pace of life.
The city is surrounded by magnificent landscapes, including cork oak forests, meadows and rivers, including the Guadiana River that flows through the city. It is little surprise that the event has attracted riders from around the world.
Paulo Cardoso (Kawasaki) has only 16 points in the current championship standings but, on home soil, the Spaniard could well upset the rivalry between the reigning champion and current series leader, Mohammed Al-Balooshi (KTM), who has 63 points, and his closest Lebanese rival Rafic Eid, who has 56 points.
The trio will also need to be wary of Pedro Bianchi Prata, who returns to ride his Honda and is very familiar with this type of terrain.
Sara Garcia represents Spain in the Women’s category and faces Israeli rider Alona Ben, who has already scored 25 points.
In the quads, Hani Al-Noumesi leads the way with 61 points, while Jorge Sampaiao (25pts) is the only one of the other three riders to have scored points so far. Italy’s Alessandro Russo (20pts) is the only Trail rider in contention for the FIM Bajas World Cup.
Timetable
Thursday, May 1st
Administration and technical checks followed by the ceremonial start on the Paseo Fluvial in Badajoz.
Friday, May 2nd
Morning Prologue of 6.16km around the Guadiana River followed by two specials, including one in Elvas, Portugal.
SS1: Specials: 113.96km, Liaison: 78.85km, Total: 192.81km.
Saturday, May 3rd
The bikes will compete on a special between La Albuera and Barcarrota, before returning to Badajoz for the closing ceremony after a total of 647.48km over the two days,
SS2: Specials: 320.13km, Liaison: 134.54km, Total: 454.67km.
All results on SPORTITY code BEXT25BIKES