What a race at Termas de Rio Hondo! The battle goes all the way to the last corner: Piqueras wins, but risks a heavy penalty.
A fiercely contested race in Argentina: Angel Piqueras wins after passing Matteo Bertelle on the final lap (despite the risk of a penalty for running off the track). In the process, Fernandez (2nd) and Rueda (3rd) slip behind him. The gap between the top two at the finish line is incredibly just 36 thousandths of a second.
Bertelle finishes in fifth place, but Furusato is penalized for running off the track in the fight for the podium and loses a position in the final standings: the number 18 rider moves up to fourth. Lunetta finishes in seventh place.
In the final laps, both Carpe and Perrone crash out, retiring from the race.
Race Summary:
THE START – A terrible start for Matteo Bertelle, who drops from pole position to sixth place: he is overtaken by Almansa, Carpe, Yamanaka, Rueda, and Piqueras. Lunetta has an excellent start, making up nine positions in the first two laps, moving into twelfth place just behind Adrian Fernandez.
Riccardo Rossi also climbs up the field, using a soft rear tire and setting fast lap times, moving up to third place. Ahead of him, there’s a battle for the lead between Almansa and Rueda.
Meanwhile, Guido Pini starts the race spectacularly, setting the same lap times as Piqueras, which allows him to move from 22nd to 13th. However, the number 94 rider crashes out on lap 8, ending his first Argentine adventure.
The race is fiercely contested, with seven riders continuing to battle for the top spot on the podium. Along with the two KTM Ajo riders, both Leopard riders, Furusato, Bertelle, and Piqueras are in the mix. In the end, it’s Angel Piqueras who emerges victorious, crossing the finish line first, followed by Fernandez and Rueda.
Photo: Angel Piqueras
