A relatively recent convert to beach racing, Cyril Genot – Honda will travel from his Belgian home to France for this coming weekend’s Enduropale du Touquet with just one thing on his mind – victory.
The twenty-three-year-old rising star from the Flemish town of Riemst in the east of the country close to the Dutch border was sixth last year on his debut in the world’s biggest beach race, but following a solid 2022 season he is setting his sights much higher.
“Le Touquet is the most important race of the year for me,” he said. “Winning this race is something I’ve been dreaming of since I started this journey so it would be incredible. This is what I work for every day.
“I’ve been learning throughout the season and I’m feeling confident knowing the speed is there. It’s a challenging race, but I hope to be on my best and show what I’m capable of.”
Like many riders who will be in action this weekend, Genot’s background is rooted firmly in motocross – hardly surprising given the fact he was brought up around the sport in a country where racing is a national passion.
“My dad was a motocross rider, so I was practically born and raised in between engines roaring. I started riding at the age of three and haven’t stopped ever since.”
After achieving top-three finishes in the EMX125 series including an overall win in the punishing sand of Lommel in 2015 where he beat future motocross stars Jago Geerts and Jorge Prado, Genot graduated to the FIM Motocross World Championship.
In 2019 he scored a career-best seventh overall at Lommel in the MX2 class and two years later he helped his country to sixth in the FIM Motocross of Nations at Mantova in Italy before his focus shifted to beach racing.
He will start the 2023 Enduropale du Touquet as one of the favourites for victory and knows a solid result is essential if he is to be a contender for the inaugural FIM Sand Races World Cup.
With the other two rounds in Argentina on 24-26 February and Portugal in December, Genot views the new three-round series as a positive step forward for the sport.
“It’s nice to see the discipline growing. These kind of races are quite new to me so I still have a lot to discover, but it’s awesome to see how many people love to see us race. I know there is a lot more potential in this sport and I look forward to seeing it all unfold.”
For full event details visit www.enduropaledutouquet.fr
FIM Communication