Stéphane Lefebvre leader... but not yet winner of the Legend Boucles @ Bastogne 2022

With two loops of five RTs, the first stage of the Legend Boucles @ Bastogne 2022 was full of twists and turns, and if Frenchman Stéphane Lefebvre (Ford Escort MK2) is the leader this Saturday evening, everything has not been easy. Stefaan Stouf (Ford Escort MK1) and Loïc Pirot (Ford Escort MK2), who complete the provisional podium, can still believe in their chances...

We didn't have to wait long before witnessing the first major event of the race on Saturday morning. In front of the TV Lux cameras, Cédric Cherain (Porsche 911 Gr.4) broke a cardan shaft in RT2 Les Herdiers d'Ardenne, forcing him to go back to the service centre for repairs. This was all the more frustrating as, once back in the race, Cherain was several times the fastest.

Not much better for Renaud Verreydt (Ford Escort MK1), awaited by all the fans, who had transmission problems that put an early end to his day. But he will start again tomorrow, in order to face the RT foresters...

If Stéphane Lefebvre immediately took the lead, the rider from Béthune was never able to make a significant gap. After some clutch problems, he found himself with the gear lever in his hand, which cost him some time. But with an advantage of 18 small points, he remains leader on a ground that should suit him well. Let's mention that this morning, in the RT1 La Roche-en-Ardenne, Lefebvre managed to 'go to zero', despite the Target Time. Impressive...

Winner of the 2011 Legend Boucles de Spa, Stefaan Stouf was impressive on Saturday. He will continue to put pressure on Lefebvre during the RT Foresters and will be in contention for a second victory.

In the wake of the two Escorts of different generations, the fight was total. In the end, Loïc Pirot, one of the regional drivers of the stage, finished the stage in 3rd position, ahead of Frédéric François (Ford Escort MK2) who suffered a puncture in the first passage of Vaux-sur-Sûre, and Olivier Cartelle (Ford Escort MK2) who had to fight his way through a field during the last section of the day! 

As for Christophe Daco (Ford Escort MK2), a broken first gear at the start of RT10 did him no good. He completes the provisional top 6 this Saturday evening.

The top 10 of this Saturday evening is completed by a promising Emile Breittmayer (Ford Escort MK2), a very regular Gérard Marcy (Porsche 911), a Yannick Neuville (Toyota Starlet) whose efficiency is reminiscent of his brother Thierry, and a Benoît Galand (Opel Manta 200) as usual very fast.

It should be noted that these rankings are to be taken with all the usual reservations, as road and other penalties may occur in the second half of the evening, or even during the night.

Romuald Thirion (Opel Ascona A) went off the road in the Offensive des Ardennes, while he was in the provisional top 3.

In the 'Youngtimers' category, Charles Blerot is the clear leader ahead of his brother Nicolas, with the BMW 325i E30 with M3 mechanics ahead of the more recent cars...

Unexpected provisional hierarchy in the 'Challenger' category, with Jeancôme Theis having positioned his Ford Escort MK1 at the head of the race ahead of the BMW 325i E30 of Sébastien Mauroit and the Ford Escort MK2 of Michaël Magerotte.

If the battle promised to be royal in the Classic 60, Patrick Lienne, winner in 2020, and Yannick Albert did not leave the top of the ranking with their BMW 2002 Tii, with a lead of about twenty points over the Frenchman Christophe Berteloot and his Belgian team mate Baptiste Gengoux, on a Porsche 924, and the duo composed of Johan and Joppe Gitsels on their impressive Porsche 911 SC. But just like in the other categories, everything is possible...

As in the 'Legend' category, these rankings are clearly provisional and subject to change.

This Sunday, six highly anticipated forest sections are on the programme, with the day starting at around 9 am and the final return to the covered market at 2 pm...