Presentation of the 2017 Vall del Tenes 24 Hours Moped Endurance Race

Last Wednesday evening, July 19, the XXXVIII edition of the Vall del Tenes 24 Hours International Moped Endurance Race – Gran Premio Barnasfalt was presented at the Ateneu Aliança in Lliçà d’Amunt. The race will take place in this town in the Vallès region of Barcelona on September 1, 2, and 3.

The race is open to motorcycles with an engine displacement of no more than 50cc, with a 2% tolerance, which must run for 24 uninterrupted hours, testing the endurance of both riders and machines. Each team will have only one moped to compete with and four riders.

The registration period opened last May, and several teams have already confirmed their participation. This year’s edition will once again feature some of the best Motocross and Enduro riders at both national and international level, while the race’s international reach is confirmed with 5 foreign teams already registered. This year, coinciding with the race’s first presentation in Lliçà d’Amunt, the number of entries at this point in the calendar has already surpassed those of previous editions. Among them, four teams from France, one from Italy, an all-female team, and three teams made up entirely of riders from the Vall del Tenes stand out.

These figures bode well for a very good final entry list. During the presentation, the president of the 24 Horas Group, Francesc Padró, one of the race organizers, gave the details of the event and the novelties of this edition. Although the regulations remain unchanged, there are notable new features, such as the new online timing system, which will allow teams to access all race information in real time.

Padró explained that these novelties respond directly to suggestions from teams and fans, and reflect the organization’s commitment to recognizing the interest, enthusiasm, and effort of all the riders taking part. Unlike other races, no cash prizes are awarded; instead, participants compete for the great honor that finishing the Lliçà d’Amunt race represents for an endurance rider.

Regarding the parallel activities of the program for the XXXVIII edition of the 24 Hours International Moped Endurance Race of the Vall del Tenes – Gran Premio Barnasfalt, Padró highlighted the fair in the village area, children’s and adult entertainment, and noted that one of the challenges for this new edition will be minimizing the effects of dust on the circuit, although he said this issue depends largely on the weather.

For three days, the town takes on the form of a large paddock with a full program of activities, both recreational and cultural, with a charitable focus in some of these proposals that help reinforce the uniqueness of the race. Padró, for example, explained that this edition will once again donate everything collected from ticket sales for the mega zip line crossing part of the circuit to an NGO.

Riders who have taken part in the 24 Hours International Moped Endurance Race of the Vall del Tenes include current well-known names such as Oriol Mena, Aleix Espargaró, Javier Santolino, Joan Cros, Aaron Bernardez, Josep Garcia, and Javi Garcia Vico, as well as many legendary names in motorcycling such as Sito Pons, Carlos Cardús, Xavi Galindo, José Alonso, and many more.

On to the 2017 edition!

Source | XXXVIII 24 Horas Internacionales de Resistencia en Ciclomotor de la Vall del Tenes