advrider Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 This is it, kids! After finally getting back to a normalish campaign after two years of pandemic interruptions, the FIM Cross Country Rally championship will wrap up its 2023 season this weekend. This time, the racers are off to Spain for the Andalucia Rally. This year was also not without its challenges, but the Spanish race closes down the most normal rally raid season for a while. The Andalucia Rally is a bit of a different event, as it runs in Spain instead of an Asian or African desert. Normally, it runs in the spring, but this year’s rally was postponed until fall because of intense heat during the originally scheduled weekend. That puts it as the last race of the FIM rally raid season, instead of the usual Morocco race. This season, Sam Sunderland got off to a hot start with a win at the Dakar Rally, and although he hasn’t been on every podium this year, the GasGas factory rider is on top of the standings. Currently, he has 74 points. American rider Ricky Brabec (on the Honda factory bike) is in second, with 50 points. All Sunderland has to do is grab three points this weekend, and he clinches the title. It would be his first-ever championship in the FIM rally raid series. Going into the racing, Sunderland said he’s recovered from a small injury at Rallye du Maroc, and he’s hoping for a simple, fuss-free race weekend. It’s been a long but really good season so far and I’m excited for the Andalucia Rally. It’s a lot different to all the other rounds with no sand dunes and a lot of slippery trails, so it’ll be a different challenge for sure. At the last round in Morocco I had a very minor injury holding me back after a small crash prior to the race. I hurt my hand but it’s been checked out and it’s all fine and 100% now so I’m ready for a good race here in Spain… I just need to score the few points needed to win the world title so I’ll be looking for a smooth race to get the job done without any drama. Bragging rights in the motorcycle manufacturers’ title are also on the line; Honda is poised to win with 112 points here; the real contest is between GasGas, KTM and Husqvarna, who have 74, 70 and 67 points respectively. No doubt all that stuff is very important to the riders, but as this is the last showdown before Dakar, you can bet that most riders are just as focused on their shakedown for the opening race in 2023. No other event on the calendar has the same prestige, even if they are all important for flying the manufacturer flag and paying the bills. Vezi sursa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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