After a complicated year for the motorcycle world, the Dubai International Baja has attracted 43 registered competitors (37 motorcycles and six quads) for two stages and a total of 427 competitive kilometres.

South African Aaron Mare (Honda) sports the #1, ahead of compatriot Marck Ackerman (#2 Husqvarna) and Emirati Sultan Al-Balooshi (#3), who will ride alongside his brother Mohammed (#7) on a Husqvarna. Four riders will be present in the female category: Llobera Farre, Pissay, Pol and Hkuraibet, while Konrad Dabrowski (KTM) who, at 19-years-old, has just finished 28th at the Dakar Rally, will set off to try and win the Junior title.

In the Quads, Al-Musallam (Yamaha) faces Al-Tuwayjiri and Al-Suwayh, both on Yamahas.

Centred around the city of Dubai, the event gets underway with administrative and technical checks at the Innovation Center on Wednesday (February 17th) for national riders and for international riders on Thursday (February 18th).

This year the FIM Bajas Cup takes on a new format with a series of qualifying events and a final. Each event has a coefficient of 1 and the final at Baja Portalegre in Portugal will have a coefficient of 2. The final is open to all competitors, provided that they have completed and scored points in at least one of the events of the qualifying series. The final classification of the FIM Bajas World Cup will be established on the basis of the two best results of the qualiying series added to the points awarded during the final.

Programme of events

Wednesday February 17th

15.30-17.00hrs Administrative and technical checks for national pilots (Innovation Center)

Thursday February 18th

07.00-13.00hrs Administrative checks for international pilots (Innovation Center)
11:30hrs Virtual Press Conference
08.00-14.00hrs Scrutineering for international pilots (Innovation Center)
18.00hrs Entrance to the Parc Fermé

Friday February 19th

07.01hrs Departure of the first motorcycle for the first round of 212.13 km
07.41hrs Distribution of the Road Book before the start of the first bike.

Saturday February 20th

08.01hrs Departure of the first motorbike for the second round of 214.55 km
08.41hrs Distribution of the Road Book before the start of the first bike.
17.15hrs Podium and Prize-giving



Source: FIM Bajas & Cross-Country Rallies