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A Estrada Rally Adventure Galicia 2024.

PROLOGUE.
Zaragoza native Mario Lahoz Tolosana secures the best time in the prologue of the A Estrada Rally, valid for the European and Spanish Rally TT Championships and for the Adventure Galicia championship, in a tumultuous start to the rally.

At five in the afternoon, the prologue began on a sunny day with perfect temperature for rally raid practice. A 4 km liaison separated the bivouac from the start of a special stage of just 7 km that should determine the starting order for the first stage the following day.

Only thirty-three pilots finished the prologue due to a serious accident that ultimately stopped the race, neutralizing it for the remaining pilots who had not yet started.

Czech driver Marcim Somolski suffered a serious accident shortly after starting the timed section, requiring his immediate evacuation. Afflicted with pain but never losing consciousness, the pilot was airlifted to the University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela.
Mario Lahoz stopped the clock at 5 minutes and 43 seconds, just 3 seconds ahead of the winner of the previous edition of the A Estrada Rally, Dakar veteran Joan Pedrero, who claimed second place. Guillem Martínez, a Catalan based in Senegal, took third place with a time of 5 minutes and 53 seconds, while Miguel Gutierrez, with just three tenths more than Guillem, secured fourth place, and Javi Vega closed the top five with only 12 seconds more than the prologue winner. Five pilots in a heartbeat.

Mario Lahoz:
"I actually felt quite comfortable. The terrain surprised me considering how wet it was. It had good grip, held on quite well, really. Looking forward to tomorrow and hoping the weather holds up a bit and it doesn't rain on us."

STAGE 1

Dakar veteran Joan Pedrero clinches this first stage of the Rally Adventure Galicia, marked by extremely harsh weather conditions.
At 8 in the morning, the first rider set off, and minute by minute the rest followed suit, to face a liaison under the incessant rain that was forecasted for the tone of this first day. Hail also made its appearance accompanied by sharp drops in temperature, adding significant difficulty to the over 200 km of roadbook that the riders would have to decipher on rocky and flooded terrain in countless sections.
Joan Pedrero finished the special stage in 3 hours and 54 minutes to claim his first stage victory. French rider Jagu Julien would be the second to reach the finish line with a gap of just 1 minute and 48 seconds, followed by Guillem Martínez at 10 minutes and 50 seconds, and Javi Vega at 1 minute and 11 seconds behind his predecessor.

Mario Lahoz, who won the prologue yesterday, lost up to 31 minutes compared to Joan Pedrero today after suffering an incident that forced him to make repairs to his bike to continue in the race. Thus, the general classification is led by the same riders, with Pedrero in first position, followed by Jagu Julien at 1 minute and 48 seconds, and Guillén Martínez at 10 minutes and 50 seconds behind the leader.
Joan Pedrero:

"It's been truly crazy. We, who are used to dry weather, come here and it's pouring rain. It's been a very tough stage psychologically. You're constantly worried about nothing happening... because of the mud and its different textures, and spending a lot of time opening the track. At km 20, I caught up with Jagu, who stuck with us for the rest of the stage, and we alternated leading the way. At km 50, we caught up with Edu Iglesias, and he also joined us until the end. I'm very happy because I'm back on the small bike and I have very good feelings. We've been fast and made very few mistakes. Tomorrow we open the track."

Jagu Julien:
"The day went well for me. I'm coming off a serious crash in the 2023 Rally of Morocco and I've only been training on the bike for about three weeks, so today went very well, but the weather wasn't so good because of the rain. The roadbook was really good, and I took a lot of pleasure on my bike. I hope to continue like this for the rest of the week and see if results come."

STAGE 2

Joan Pedrero wins the second stage of the Rally Adventure Galicia, opening the track and leading throughout the day.

At eight in the morning, the longest stage of this Rally de A Estrada began, covering a total of 365 km, half of which were timed. The organization divided the race into three sections: a first liaison where the drivers would alternate between asphalt and off-road sections, leading them to the Ribeira Sacra in Ourense to start the special stage; a timed section through the central massif of Ourense and a final liaison on asphalt to the Manzaneda Mountain Resort.

If rain had been the protagonist in the first stage, in this second one, the sun compensated all the pilots, allowing them to enjoy a day with unbeatable views in a constant natural environment. Galicia dressed in its deepest green to accompany the pilots, who encountered large puddles and muddy areas that slowed down the pace of the race. Nevertheless, the stage was a gift to enjoy full throttle through continuous sections of several kilometers on fast tracks.

Joan Pedrero, who was the first pilot to start, would not abandon the lead of the race during the 3 hours and 19 minutes it took to complete this special stage. The rider from Canet de Mar took the lead from the first moments, achieving more or less significant differences with his closest pursuer, the Frenchman Jagu Julien, who finally stopped the clock 3 minutes and 23 seconds behind Joan. Mario Lahoz stood out again in the classification after his magnificent prologue, achieving the third position, 12 minutes and 4 seconds behind the stage winner, closely followed by Javi Vega, who with this fourth place, positions himself third in the general classification.

Joan Pedrero remains the leader of the classification with a total of 7 hours and 13 minutes of racing, followed by Jagu Julien by 5 minutes and 37 seconds, and Javi Vega by 28 minutes and 41 seconds.

This first day, classified as a marathon stage, ended at the aforementioned mountain resort, where the riders had to perform the necessary maintenance of their motorcycles without the assistance of their team before passing them to the closed park.

Joan Pedrero:
"This was a very good stage to gauge references. At km 40, we had the first refueling, and I attacked to see how they reacted. I gained a lot of advantage and in the second part, I managed it. I found a fallen tree that was going to stab me, and I almost fell when I let go of the handlebar and stopped to move it aside, it was very dangerous. It's been an incredible stage. Congratulations to the organization because it was amazing, a spectacle, and honestly, I had a great time."

STAGE 3

Jagu Julien scores his first victory on Spanish soil and closes the gap with Joan Pedrero in the dispute for the title.

The second day of the marathon stage began in the mountains of the Ourense massif to finish the return stage in the Pontevedra town of A Estrada.

The organization planned a return in which the specials and neutralized areas would alternate until reaching the bivouac in said town and for a total of 280 km. The native forests, valleys and rivers of the south of the province of Ourense would see all the pilots pass through in a natural setting that left no one indifferent. Without a doubt, both marathon stages, round trip, will remain in the retina of all participants due to the unique landscape that the Galician community offers.

One more day the pilots took the start in the strict order that marked the classification of the previous stage. Joan Pedrero opened the track and made a navigation error in the second of the three special stages of the day, which made him travel several km in the wrong direction and, of necessity, he would have to go back to locate the last wrong vignette and correct his navigation. The Frenchman Jagu Julien, who started one minute behind Joan and without making any navigation errors, continued his race until he was caught up with Joan, and after a few kilometers of riding together, he was passed by him to both reach the finish line in the same minute.

Jagu Julien achieved the stage victory, stopping the clock in 5 hours and 17 minutes, 57 seconds ahead of Joan Pedrero; 8 minutes and 3 seconds over Tomas Zoldos and 9 minutes and 51 seconds over Guillém Martínez, who today suffered a fall in the fast zone without major consequences.

Joan Pedrero continues to lead the general classification, with Jagu Julien at 4 minutes and 40 seconds and Guillém Martínez at 42 minutes and 58 seconds.
Javi Vega was relegated to eighteenth position in the general classification due to a mechanical failure. A leak in the radiator of his motorcycle forced him to make repairs on the track, losing more than an hour, but achieving the goal within the maximum time established by the organization.

Jagu julien:
"Today was a good day for me. I don't know what happened to Joan but I didn't make any navigation errors and something happened to Joan that he caught up with me at the end of the special and we went together to the end. I am very happy with the result."

STAGE 4

The French riders strike back, and today it was Tomas Zoldos who claimed the stage victory after catching up with Joan Pedrero and Jagu Julien.

After two intense marathon days, the organization had prepared a stage that, at first glance, with its 130 km roadbook, might seem like a transition. Nothing could be further from the truth. Relentless navigation over terrain littered with loose stones and constant changes in elevation made this stage both physically and psychologically demanding. Pilots couldn't afford even the slightest lapse in concentration. Taking their eyes off the track to check the roadbook could result in a nasty encounter with a rock, and neglecting the roadbook could cost them precious minutes. Balance was more valuable than ever.

Today, the winner of the third stage, Jagu Julien, opened the track, only to be caught up by Joan Pedrero a few kilometers later, who started just a minute behind. They alternated leading the way and measuring themselves against each other so closely that Tomas Zoldos soon caught up with them to claim the stage victory. Zoldos stopped the clock at 1 hour and 44 minutes, leading Joan Pedrero by 57 seconds and Jagu Julien by 1 minute and 57 seconds. Mario Lahoz had a fantastic race, securing fourth place, 4 minutes and 13 seconds behind Zoldos, while Javi Vega, after his disastrous previous stage, started from the back of the grid and navigated through heavy traffic to secure fifth place of the day, 6 minutes and 6 seconds behind the winner.

Joan Pedrero remains the overall leader and extends his lead over Jagu Julien to 5 minutes and 40 seconds. Guillém Martínez solidifies his third position, now 48 minutes and 50 seconds ahead of his pursuers.

Tomas Zoldos:
"I'm very happy with the day. It was very good for me. After twenty kilometers without any navigation errors, I caught up with Jagu Julien, and we continued together with Joan Pedrero until the end of the race, pushing hard, very hard. It was incredible to ride together with so much throttle. I'm really enjoying the tracks. I'm having a great time."

STAGE 5

Jagu Julien achieves a very important victory in this penultimate stage of the Rally and closes in on the title fight, which so far seems to be dominated by Joan Pedrero. If yesterday's stage had been physical in terms of terrain and psychological in terms of navigation, today's has left that as a mere appetizer. Today, the riders would have to ease off the throttle to avoid choking on the roadbook of a 130 km special stage. The double and constant notes, just a few meters apart, on delicate terrain of mud, stones, barely visible trails, and constant changes in direction and altitude, required an extra effort to detect the correct directions indicated by the route book. Today was more about managing than racing.

Tomas Zoldos, after solving the mechanical problems of his bike during the initial liaison, opened the track early in the morning as the winner of the previous stage. He would soon be caught by Joan Pedrero and later by Jagu Julien, who despite making a navigation error shortly after the start of the stage, regained ground to reach the head of the race. Tomas Zoldos remained in the group led by Joan Pedrero. Some navigation errors at the front of the race were well exploited by Mario Lahoz from Zaragoza, who at times found himself opening the track only to be overtaken again. A fall without major consequences forced Mario to align the direction of his bike during the race, losing sight of the leaders of the special stage.

Finally, Jagu Julien crossed the finish line in first place, securing his second stage victory after 2 hours and 28 minutes against the clock. Joan Pedrero stopped the race time just 2 minutes behind Jagu, and Mario Lahoz achieved a fantastic third place, 4 minutes behind the leader. The fourth position of the day went to Guillem Martínez, who, at 51 minutes and 40 seconds behind Joan in the classification, continues to consolidate his third position overall. Joan Pedrero maintains the lead of the race closely followed by Jagu Julien, 3 minutes and 39 seconds behind.

Jagu Julien:
"Today, I started third behind Tomas and Joan. I made a mistake about ten or twelve km from the beginning of the special stage, and after finding the right track, I opened the track with Joan for the rest of the stage. Joan was pushing hard to maintain the lead and the time difference, but he made a mistake a few km from the finish line, and I was able to pass him, entering first at the finish line and winning the stage. Tomorrow, in just thirty-nine km of special stage, it won't be enough to close the gap with Joan, but I'll try my best."

STAGE 6

After securing the top position in the general classification on stage one, Dakar rider Joan Pedrero maintained his lead throughout the remaining days of the competition, ultimately clinching victory at the Rally de A Estrada.

The sixth and final stage of the Rally de A Estrada began with the overall standings frozen on the podium positions since the first day of the race when Joan Pedrero solidified his first place and kept his closest rivals, Frenchman Jagu Julien and Catalan Guillem Martínez, in check, gradually building a lead with each stage until claiming the title.

Frenchman Jagu Julien launched an attack in the final stage of the rally with a 3-minute and 39-second gap in the general classification behind Joan Pedrero, which he had to overcome in just 39 km of special stage. A piloting error allowed Joan to catch up and dashed any hopes of seizing the title for Jagu Julien. Joan Pedrero secured victory in this last stage and in the Galician Rally, which he seemed to have under control throughout. Jagu Julien and Guillem Martínez defended their positions with outstanding performances, securing second and third places on the overall podium, respectively.

Joan Pedrero:
"From the first day, we knew we had to build a lead because it was a rainy day, and the rival I was up against in this rally started two minutes ahead of me, so I went out to find him, and from there, it was about managing. I pushed hard on some days, not so much on others, always intelligently managing the race, gaining a bit of time each day. Today, I went out with the goal of winning the stage, and by kilometer 12, I had caught him right where he made the mistake, and I pushed until the finish. My rear brake failed for a while, but everything went well. I'm very happy. I had a great pace on the track and controlled the race. I had an incredible time. Galicia is amazing. Usually, we're always in the deserts, but here it's another level. The grass, the vegetation, I love this race. A ten for the organization. There's unseen work, permits... and thanks to everyone who worked, we can ride our bikes through these mountains. I think it's the best race in Europe."

Jagu Julien:
"Today, I started from the first position and made a small navigation error. That's how it goes. I lost a lot of time, but in the end, I'm second overall. It's been an incredible week in Galicia. The race, the roadbooks, and the organization have been really good. I'll definitely be back next year. This was my first completed rally since my accident in the Rally of Morocco. There are many enduro races, but when it comes to navigation, it's different. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win, and there's a lot of navigation here. At the beginning of the week, I got lost a few times, and then I tried to win day by day. Sometimes it was Joan, sometimes me, and in the end, it was for Joan, but I'm very happy. Since my accident, I've only been training on the bike for three weeks, so for me, this is a victory."

Guillem Martínez:
"The race has been intense. I had a lot of fun except for a somewhat nasty fall in the third stage, but I managed to regain the feeling on the bike and feel comfortable again; and a navigation mistake due to lack of concentration, which cost me a lot. The rest went very well, enjoying it a lot. I came to this rally thinking it would be an easy roadbook like the one in Hellas, but here, the tulips and the distance between them made it more complicated. More technical. I'm very happy with my third position. It's true that after winning Hellas, you always want to be up there, but you have to be realistic, and based on my training and not having done more roadbooks since then, I would have settled for a third place before starting."

Scoring for the European Championship, the three fastest riders were Jagu Julien, Eduardo Iglesias, and Matthew Gird, while for the Spanish Championship, it was Joan Pedrero, Guillem Martínez, and Mario Lahoz who secured the first, second, and third positions, respectively. In the Enduro category, Guillem Martinez topped the podium accompanied by Eduardo Iglesias and Miguel Gutierrez. In the Trail category, Joan Pedrero, Mario Lahoz, and Brian Gómez took the top positions in the classification, and in the Maxitrail category, these were occupied by Alberto Yañez, Javier Solá, and Süleyman Aydin.

Adventure Galicia concludes the second edition of the Rally de A Estrada, which featured up to seven days of competition. Outstanding organization and meticulously crafted roadbooks remain the hallmarks of this race. An international event that, for a week, turns the town of A Estrada into the capital of Rally Raid.

All classifications: https://anubesport.com/timing/?rallyId=137
Source: Pablo Pillado. Photos: Ingine Creators.