Defending FIM Sand Races World Champion Todd Kellett extended his advantage at the top of the standings by dominating round two, the 2025 Enduro del Invierno in Argentina.

With the effects of winter in the southern hemisphere in full force and a big storm expected to hit the Atlantic coast the following day, organisers revised the timetable to fit all the championship races into Saturday’s programme at the 2025 Enduro del Invierno.

Things were still wet and wild on the Mar del Plata, around 400 kilometres south of Argentine capital Buenos Aires. With long straights on the four-kilometre course and a healthy amount of flat-out fast, the riders riders had a pretty wild for the two 35-minute plus one lap races.

Renowned for his fast starts and ability to up his intensity from the drop of the gate, Britain’s back-to-back champion in 2023 and 2024 Todd Kellett recorded his best lap time of 3:03.793 on lap two as he sought to seize early control of the opening race onboard the Drag’on Yamaha.

As expected, former FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship competitor Cyril Genot on the Honda Belgium machine was in contention and was only a little more than half-a-second down on Kellett’s best with the rest over seven seconds slower.

With the leaders steering clear of the inevitable opening lap chaos, Kellett and Genot settled into a good rhythm at the front and after 13 hard-fought laps it was Kellett who took the chequered flag first, just under five seconds in front of Genot.

France’s Milko Potisek Drag’on Yamaha, who started the day second in the championship following February’s Enduropale du Touquet Pas-de-Calais – 2025 round one – took a solid third, although nearly 50 seconds behind Kellett at the flag and only 0.290 ahead of fourth-placed Jeremy Hauquier – Yamaha.

With riders registered for the championship dominating the top 10 in a field packed with very fast South American starters, the French pairing of Matheo Miot and Joey Nuques completed the top six.

Kellett dished out his second Sand Races masterclass of the day in race two to record another win by just over 34 seconds from Potisek who was a two-and-a-half seconds clear of Genot. France’s Hauquier was again fourth with compatriot Alexis Collignon taking fifth from Nuques.

“I’ve taken this race really seriously, after all there is an FIM World Championship on the line,” said Kellett. “I came to Argentina two weeks ahead of the event to prepare and that’s been really beneficial because it’s winter here and conditions are very different to those at home where it’s summer. I’m very happy to keep the ball rolling in this way after a great result at Le Touquet.

“This was a kind of mixture between a European race and what we experienced at last year’s Enduro del Verano because it is incredibly fast. I enjoy both [styles of circuit] and it’s good to have some diversity in the championship.”

450 power helps Verstappen

The Moto Women category was dominated by Belgian defending champion Verstappen who opted for 450cc power instead of her usual choice of 250cc machine. The 26-year-old – currently sixth in the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship – was first woman across the line in both points-scoring races and more than held her own against her male counterparts.

In race one she crossed the line in 22nd overall as the 10th registered rider home and, despite a crash at the start of race two, she recorded a finish of 27th overall and was ninth registered rider across the line.

“Honestly, I was really happy with my riding,” she said. “On top of that, I was on a 450cc machine so it was a real challenge, but in the end it went incredibly well. In the second race I crashed in the first corner. I had to restart in last place but managed to fight my way back so I'm really pleased with my weekend.”

Chasing Verstappen home in both races, 2023 champion Mathilde Denis from France recorded finishes of 55th and 49th overall with her compatriots Camille Viaud finishing 70th and 52nd and series newcomer Sara Jugla carding 68th and 62nd.

The Moto Veterans class was won by series leader Fernando Rubio ahead of Nicolas Lavenant and compatriot Dominique Mieuzet.

2025 Enduro del Invierno Results:

The Sand Races World Cup next round is the Bibione Sand Storm – that is scheduled for October 24-26.

Photo Credit: Fred Herregods