A Dark Dog Moto Tour with a genuine Belgian touch!
The organisers of the next Belgian Dark Dog Moto Tour have already crossed several hundreds of kilometres with their Chevrolet Captiva, in order to fine-tune the itineraries.
As planned, the first stage on the 21st of May will pass through the Flemish part of the country. For administrational reasons, the details of this day have changed slightly. After an early morning start from the track of Spa-Francorchamps and a rather technical special across the little roads of Jevoumont, the competitors will head to the first service point in Theux. After that they will set off for Riemst over a very attractive itinerary, towards the second service point. They will have to do this part a second time actually but before that, they first have to face two other specials, one in Slins and one in Kanne. These two specials will also feature regularity tests, during which it will be mandatory to respect an average speed of 60 km/h in between the hidden control posts. Contrary to the previous editions, this regularity test will only be accessible to the riders themselves and prohibited for the followers hence the riders will have to cope on their own.
At their return in the paddocks of Spa-Francorchamps, the day still won’t be over, because as from 21h00, the participants are expected to show their skills on the carting track and offer some spectacle to the visitors.
The next day the theatre will be set up in the heart of the town Ciney, where the service park will be located. The schedule will be the same as the previous day: two stages separated by two specials (at Bourseigne and Froidfontaine) and a regularity test. Experiencing the roads that marvellously exploit the change of heights of this region, varying from 240 to 360 m and from 310 to 225 m in the first stage, and going up to 310 m in the second stage.
At the end of this 484 km long stage, the competitors are expected back in Francorchamps around 18h30.
The third day, the 23rd of May, will enclose a round of the Belgian Championship Moto Rally hence will be open to amateurs and to all motorcycles. For these license holders, special conditions will be applied, mainly regarding the technical control, which will be less strict for their machines, except of course when it comes to safety.
The participants will head for Libramont and the service park will be set up in the infrastructure of Wallexpo, house of the famous agricultural show. With the help of MC Chevy, a first special will take place at the track of Jehonville. The speed of this part will be counterbalanced by the extreme technicality of the second special in Sainte Marie. Before the 540 km long stage back to Spa-Francorchamps, they will have to successfully pass another three regularity tests.
As you can see, for this new edition, the organisers really have set out to reinvent motorcycle rally and added a real Belgian touch to it, that only our very specific countryside roads are capable of providing.