World Championship Begins: CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team Completed Prologue

The World Rally-Raid Championship began back in January with the Dakar Rally, but for the quad category, the first round starts now – the five-day BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal has kicked off, bringing together nearly 120 crews. Among them are the reigning world champions in the quad category, CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team.

The team arrived in Portugal on Sunday and successfully completed all pre-race formalities on Monday, passing both technical and administrative scrutineering. On Tuesday, competitors had to complete the prologue stage and take part in the official opening ceremony of the rally.

“The prologue was fun and fast, and I managed to set quite a good time. The quad is running well – you can really feel the new suspension and all the improvements. The team is in good spirits, and we’re getting ready for the first special stage,” said Antanas Kanopkinas after the prologue.

His teammate Adomas Gančierius said he used the prologue to understand the terrain, as this is his first time racing in Portugal: “I rode fast in the prologue, but at the same time tried to understand what the track is like. It feels soft and slippery – the terrain is really interesting. The World Championship begins.”

On Tuesday, riders will have to complete 180 kilometers of special stage and 40 kilometers of liaison sections. The rally in Portugal stands out for its large number of spectators and the fact that the stages are closed – something quite rare in rally-raid events. The stages here are also particularly fast, so an intense week lies ahead.