ÍNDEX RALLY GUIDE I BAJA PORTALERE 500 Introduction & Welcome 1 INTRODUCTION & WELCOME History 2 Dear friends, The Event 3 The Baja Portalegre 500 is back promising new emotions and great competition. Being the last event of Past Winners 7 the FIA Cross Country World Cup, as well as the last round of the national off-road championship for cars Organisation 10 and bikes, it will be decisive to define the national and international titles, which reinforces its international projection. Entities 11 Amongst the novelties this year, the return of old track and the passage through the Chamusca municipality, near to Santarém. AUTO Event 15 Elements which should attract even more off-road fans. BIKE/ QUAD/SSV Downtown Portalegre will host, once again, the starting ceremony at the Tarro Garden, where we hope to host a great celebration to signal the start of the largest and oldest Portuguese off-road event. The traditional 5 km of Event 22 the Prologue signal the start of the competition, after which, Cars, Bikes, Quads and SSV will face a further 98 km on SS2. Press 27 We are, once more, grateful for the support of our sponsors – BP, Municipality of Portalegre and Municipality of Ponte de Sor – as well as for Information & the collaboration of the Municipalities of Abrantes, Alter do Chão, Avis, Chamusca, Coruche, Crato, Fronteira, Gavião, Monforte, Nisa, e Sousel, Tips 28 and the Community Councils of Chanç a, Chouto, Comenda, Cunheira, Foros do Arrão, Monte da Pedra, Tolosa e Ulme. Without them, it wouldn’t be possible to organise this world-wide event which is so important for the The Region 32 region’s economy and tourism. We also count on the collaboration of the National Guard (GNR), the Fire Where to eat 33 Brigade of Portalegre District, as well as the support of Fonte Viva, Ibermedia, SNB, Fencaça, Portuguese Hunters Federation, RTP, and Environmental Rádio Portalegre. Policy 34 We also appreciate the support of all the elements of the organisation and we owe a special thanks to the support of the owners who allow the race to cross their lands. Support & We hope that you will be able to join us for the Baja Portalegre 500. Sponsors 35 Carlos Barbosa President of ACP 1 HISTORY Brief History of the Baja de Portalegre The Baja of Portalegre was the first cross-country event held in Portugal, in June 1987, based in Portalegre city. In fact, Clube Aventura, headed by José Megre, an ex-Dakar Rally driver, had this event in mind since 1983, but it took him almost four years to materialize the idea, since he had to get the help and authorization from the local authorities. Dr. Miranda Calha, today a member of Parliament and, at that time Minister of Sports, was behind this idea. 100 cars and more than 100 bikes entered the first Baja Portalegre, at that time called Rali Maratona de Portalegre and sponsored by Finicisa. The event ran on a 350 km route long to be done twice with no stops. Heavy rains and mud made the event a remarkable challenge for cars and bikes. The second and third edition, were held on the following two years, where entries and mud conditions doubled. On the memorable fourth edition in 1989, there were 250 cars and 450 bikes but only 10% of the competitors finished! It was amazing, besides the conditions! Since the first year, many international riders, even the best of them, who came from around the world just to join Portalegre, represented bikes. From Serge Bacou, Thierry Charbonnier, Gilles Lalay, Stephane Peterhansel, David Castera, Cyril Esquirol, Richard Sainct, Alain Perez, Thierry Magnaldi, and many others have participated in this event. Only in 1995 and 1996, foreigner riders reached the podium, as it was the case of Richard Sainct and Alain Perez. THE EVENT, along more than 30 years… The 1st edition of the event under the name Rali Maratona de Portalegre 1987 Finicisa, run with 2 laps on 350 km itinerary.. 2nd edition with 2 laps on a 400 km itinerary (800 Km Finicisa – 1988 Portalegre) The event ran on a single lap of 500 km, under the name – 500 km Cerveja Sagres Portalegre.. 1989 1990 On the bikes, the race changed to one rider per bike. Entries rose to 250 cars and 450 bikes and an identical figure ran on the following three years! 11ª Baja Galp 500 Portalegre – The event gets a new sponsor and, due to heavy rain, it was shorten to 200 Km. The main 1997 National TV Network – SIC, started a 5 years strong coverage of this event. Baja Porta da Ravessa 500 / Portalegre – A new sponsor entered again. The Adega Cooperativa do Redondo, producer of some of the best Alentejo Wines (Porta 1999 da Ravessa), became the main sponsor. For the first time this event was ran on two special stages for cars. 3 The event was not elegible for the National Cross-Country Championship 2000 (Auto). A 3rd special stage was introduced for cars, to be ran on Sunday morning. The event was candidate of the FIA Cup of Bajas. 2001 As a FIA Baja Cup event, the race re- entered the National Championship, as a “Joker” event. National TV Station RTP was granted the exclusive TV rights of the event. 2002 Porta da Ravessa wine gives way to a new 2003 wine: Anta da Serra, from the same company, therefore it became the name of the event. Colin McRae raced his first race with his new Nissan Pick Up, entered by Nismo. 2004 201 bikes and 133 cars at the start and a great participation from the factory teams. VW with Carlos Sainz (first cross country race), Bruno Saby, Jutta Kleinschmidt and Mark Miller, and Mitsubishi, with Luc Alphand and Hiroshi Masuoka. Under some heavy rain the race between Sainz, Kleinschmidt and Alphand was 2005 a great one. The winner was the Mitsubishi of Alphand. 2006 211 bikes and 114 cars at the start. Marc Blazquez dominated the race. Between the bikes, Mario Patrão won and Luis Engeitado was the fastest of the quads. Portalegre saw for the third time, Miguel 2007 Barbosa and Miguel Ramalho claim victory. António Maio wins at the Bikes. 144 Bikes and 90 cars at the start. The new brand Pajero Racing Lancer with Stephane Peterhansel and Jean Paul Cottret won its first 2008 race. In the Bikerbikes the local “hero” António Maio won again. 2009 4th victory of Filipe Campos (Auto) and Mário Patrão (Bike) in Portalegre. 2010 Krysztof Holowczyc (auto) and António Maio (bike) win the Baja. The 25th Baja Portalegre 500 was attended by more than 600 competitors in a tribute to the 1st 2011 Cross-Country event held in Portugal. 5 As a FIM Baja World Cup for the first time, António Maio wins the race for the 5th time. 2012 Victories for Roberto Borrego (Quads), David Além (UTV), João Guilherme (Buggy) and Miroslav Zapletal / Maciek Marton (Auto). Holowczyc (Auto), Patrão (Bike), Carita 2013 (Quad), Tavares (UTV) and Ferreira were the winners. The first place of the podium was achieved by Ricardo Porém (Auto), Mário Patrão (Bike), Luís Engeitado (Quad), João Lopes 2014 (UTV) e Bruno Martins (Buggy). Ricardo Porém bisa nos Auto, Luís Oliveira acaba com a 2015 hegemonia Patrão/Maio em Moto, Roberto Borrego regressa às vitórias em Quad, João Dias vence em UTV e Daniel Russso em Buggy. At the historical edition of the 30 years of the Baja Portalegre 500, the event hosted a record number of entries: 321 Bikes/Quad/SSV and 120 Auto. The great highlights is the third victory of Ricardo Porém and the presence of the couple Stéphane and Andrea Peterhansel, reaching the 3rd place in the UTV category. Luís Oliveira and Roberto Borrego won again Bike and 2016 Quad and João Silva and Marco Silva won the UTV category. 345 bikes and 105 cars started the 31st Baja Portalegre 500. If the previous edition had been marked by historical achievements, this event was not different, with several riders establishing records. Ricardo Porém (Car) is the first driver with four consecutive victories, António Maio (Bike) won for the 6th time, as well as 2017 Roberto Borrego (Quad). Rúben Faria won SSV. PAST WINNERS AUTO • António Bayona • Duarte Guedes • Rui Choças 1987 • José Pedro Costa 1990 • Carlos Barbosa "Tucha" • Carlos Almeida • Nuno Rodrigues da Silva 1988 • António Castro 1991 • Carlos Almeida • Tomás Mello Breyner • Jaime Baptista 1989 • Rogério Almeida 1992 • Tomás Mello Breyner • Filipe Campos 1993 • Jaime Baptista 1996 • Pedro Figueiredo • João Vassalo • Santos Godinho 1994 • António Caiado 1997 • Vítor Jesus • Joaquim Garcia • Filipe Campos 1995 • José Janela 1998 • Pedro Figueiredo • João Vassalo • Miguel Barbosa 1999 • Edgar Condenso 2002 • Miguel Ramalho • Rui Sousa • Miguel Barbosa 2000 • Carlos Silva 2003 • Miguel Ramalho • Filipe Campos • Colin McRae 2001 • Pedro Figueiredo 2004 • Tina Thörner • Luc Alphand • Stéphan Peterhansel 2005 • Gilles Picard 2008 • Jean Paul Cottret • Marc Blazquez • Filipe Campos 2006 • Jordi Mercader 2009 • Jaime Baptista • Miguel Barbosa • Krystof Holowzyzc 2007 • Luís Ramalho 2010 • Andreas Schulz • Filipe Campos • Ricardo Porém 2011 • Jaime Baptista 2014 • Manuel Porém • Miroslav Zapletal • Ricardo Porém 2012 • Maciek Marton 2015 • Jorge Monteiro • Krystof Holowcyzc • Ricardo Porém 2013 • Andreas Schulz 2016 • Filipe Palmeiro • Ricardo Porém 2017 • Hugo Magalhães 7 MOTO • Paulo Marques • António Lopes 1987 • Marcos Carvalho 1990 • António Lopes • António Lopes 1988 • João Lopes 1991 • João Lopes • António Lopes 1989 1992 • Carlos Crespo • Alain Perez 1993 1996 • Paulo Marques • Miguel Farrajota 1994 1997 • Richard Sainct • Rúben Faria 1995 1998 • Rúben Faria • Luís Serra 1999 2002 • Luís Serra • Sandro Marcos 2000 2003 • Paulo Gonçalves • Mário Patrão 2001 2004 • Mário Patrão • António Maio 2005