After the first day of racing, the CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team riders expressed hope that the competition would remain intense until the finish. They didn't have to wait long, as the second day was filled with victories, challenges, and true racing spirit on the track. Both team riders completed the loop stage of nearly 230 kilometers and reached the finish line.
Today, A. Kanopkinas recorded the best result among the quads, beating his Polish competitor by 18 seconds. He shared that he pushed at full speed in the second half of the stage: "It was an excellent, very fast day. I could see my Polish competitor behind me the entire time, mainly because I had stopped at kilometer 60 to help A. Ahli, who had a battery failure. I lost about a minute and a half there, but when I saw my closest rival approaching, I went all out from that moment to the finish, even jumping off a massive dune. At the end of the day I have plenty of energy, I'm not tired—I just want to eat. Second day, a small victory, and now we prepare for tomorrow’s marathon."
Things were a bit tougher today for G. Martinez, who, despite finishing third, faced several unpleasant incidents on the track: "I had at least four different situations. First, I failed to notice a marked danger zone on the track and took a heavy hit, which even triggered the airbag in my jacket. Then, I stopped to help A. Ahli, who couldn’t restart his quad—I tried towing him with a rope, but unfortunately, it didn’t work. Later, I had some kind of gearbox failure and was left with only front gear, which is how I reached the finish. And for the last 60 kilometers, I started feeling motion sickness from riding over the dunes, so I just maintained a pace that would get me to the finish."
Today, the hopes of winning the title were likely shattered for A. Ahli, the four-time consecutive Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge quad champion, despite both CFMOTO Thunder Racing Team riders trying to assist him on the track. While he was a key competitor, the riders admitted that it’s always disappointing to see anyone drop out, as strong competition is what makes this sport exciting. However, the race continues, and tomorrow brings the marathon stage—once the riders finish, their quads will not be allowed to undergo repairs until the next day's start. This means they will need to focus on both speed and preservation. In total, the competitors will cover 388 kilometers tommorow, including 237 kilometers of special stage.
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