Yamaha riders Adrien Van Beveren and Maxime Renaut dust the competition in the Le Touquet sand.
Moto Land-Yamaha Yamalube Racing’s Adrien Van Beveren was the man to beat at the fabled Enduro du Touquet on the beach and in the sand dunes of Le Touquet, France, yesterday and claimed the French Sand Racing Championship (FFM des Courses sur Sable) title for the second successive year.
Van Beveren made it look easy as he pulled the holeshot on more than 1000 participants rushing to the first turn at over 100 mph. The 25-year-old then engaged in a battle with rival Yentel Martens, closely followed by fellow Yamaha rider Daymond Martens. The leading trio soon started lapping riders, as heavy traffic resulted in a jam in front of the first jump after the start finish.
Van Beveren followed Martens through the cluster of stranded riders and then took the lead. Martens gamely fought to retake the point, but Van Beveren was able to hold off Martens’ attacks. The race was effectively decided by the first of three mandatory pit stops, as Van Beveren made a quick stop at the end of the fifth lap and was soon back on his way, remaining in the lead. Van Beveren tangled with a backmarker at one point, but he managed to otherwise stay out of trouble to complete 14 laps and finish with a time of 3 hours, 2 minutes and 46.986 seeconds. Daymond finished second, 5 minutes and 50.964 seconds behind Van Beveren. Julien Tournessi was 6:32.862 behind in third place, and Yamaha Factory Racing Rally Team Yamalube’s Dakar rider Olivier Pain was fourth.
“This is my second victory and I am very happy!” Van Beveren said. “I managed to make the difference from the beginning of the race and I increased my rhythm throughout. I don’t plan to stop here and I hope that this is only the beginning of a long victory list. My motorcycle’s performance was great, so I was able to take the holeshot because I had a very good top speed on the straight line.”
In the MX2 Junior class, 14-year-old French rider Maxime Renaux became the is the first rider to win the Enduropale du Touquet MX2 Junior class on a 125cc model when he cross the line first on his Yamaha YZ125. Renaux completed 24 laps on a shortened course and finished with a time of 1 hour 30 minutes amd 52.082 seconds.
“I had a crash on the first lap and after that I worked really hard to get back to the first place,” Renaux said. “The race lasted one hour and thirty-five minutes, and I won with one minute and thirty seconds over the rider in second place at the finish. It was a good race and I had a good feeling on the track. I’m happy to have put the 125 on the podium in first place. When I started the race I wanted to win and at the end of the race I wasn’t very tired, the conditions weren’t very difficult. Yamaha has supported me since 2012 and these last three years they have helped me to have a very good bike in the European and French championship, so I am happy to work with them.”
The Enduro du Touquet was created by Thierry Sabine in 1975, and has become a legendary event in the world of motorcycle racing, attracting more than a 100.000 spectators every year. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the legendary event has been able to thrive despite environmental constraints and is widely viewed as the ultimate beach race.
Enduro du Touquet
Le Touquet, France
Results: February 1, 2015
1. Adrien Van Beveren, FRA (Yamaha) 14 laps, 03:02:46.986
2. Daymond Martens, BEL (Yamaha) 14 laps, 03:08:37.950, +5:50.964
3. Julien Tournessi, FRA (KTM) 14 laps, 03:09:19.848, +6:32.862
4. Olivier Pain, FRA (Yamaha) 13 laps, 03:12:56.342, +1 lap
5. Nicolas Cailly, FRA (Honda) 13 laps, 03:15:55.967, +1 lap
6. Rodolphe Bignot, FRA (Yamaha) 13 laps, 03:16:22.918, +1 lap
7. Nicolas Leteve, FRA (Suzuki) 13 laps, 03:21:03.131, +1 lap
8. Eddy Mollon, FRA (Yamaha) 12 laps, 03:03:10.072, +2 laps
9. Arnaud Moras, FRA (Suzuki) 12 laps, 03:03:37.808, +2 laps
10. Cedric Tosatto, FRA (Yamaha) 12 laps, 03:05:25.912, +2 laps
Your Privacy Choices