November 25th, 2024.
The battle to determine the champion on the FIM Sand Race Series will go down to the wire after France’s Keveen Rochereau matched his finish on Saturday to secure a third consecutive overall win that reduces the deficit to series leader Pablo Violet.After finishing second to Rochereau on Saturday, twenty-two-year-old Violet knew that victory on Sunday would be good enough for the Quad crown, but after getting left behind on the opening lap he put himself at an immediate disadvantage as his sole title rival led and he found himself back in eleventh.
With Belgium’s Olivier Vandendijck – Honda leading the chase ahead of Glenn Swarte – Honda and Axel Dutrie – Drag’on Yamaha, Violet needed just a lap to force his way up to fifth and he kept moving forward and picking up positions until, after thirty minutes of the forty-five-minute race, he had climbed to second.
However, by this point Rochereau was over twenty seconds clear and still moving away from the field and he took the flag forty-six seconds ahead of Violet with a total of thirteen laps. Vandendijck stayed strong for the full duration to complete the podium ahead of Dutrie whose finish has assured him of the Quad Veteran title.
“I took the lead, kept an eye on what was happening behind me and had to control the entire race,” said Rochereau. “Olivier was close so I had to stay focused. Then I noticed Pablo was catching up, which meant I needed to stay on my toes and keep pushing because you never know what can happen.”
Nathanaelle Abgrall – Yamaha made sure of the Quad Women title when she finished a fighting twelfth overall on a total of twelve laps while Alois Waloszek – Yamaha wrapped up the Quad Junior crown with his third consecutive win.
The action now switches to south-west France this coming weekend (30 November and 1 December) for the Ronde des Sables Hossegor Capbreton that concludes the 2024 Sand Races.
Pictured: Keveen Rochereau at 2024 FIM Sand Races World Cup Monte Gordo Sand Race, Portugal © Frederik Herregods Photography