Pecco Bagnaia, Augusto Fernandez win Valentino Rossi’s 100km of Champions dirt track race

Francesco Bagnaia and fellow MotoGP rider Augusto Fernandez won the 11th edition of the 100km of Champions dirt track race, held at Valentino Rossi’s moto ranch in Tavullia on Saturday.

Bagnaia and Fernandez fought through from ninth on the grid, beating defending 100km winner (and 2026 MotoGP rookie) Diogo Moreira, this time paired with Federico Fuligni, by 2.4s.

HRC MotoGP rider Luca Marini, a five-time 100km winner with brother Rossi, and team-mate Matteo Patacca completed the podium in third (+3.9s).

It was the first 100km victory for factory Ducati star and VR46 Academy member Bagnaia, who faded to a frustrating fifth in this year’s MotoGP standings.

“Winning at home hits different 🏆🔥” Bagnaia wrote on social media.

Fernandez, meanwhile, signed off a year of Yamaha MotoGP test riding, wild-cards and development of the factory’s new V4.

This year’s event featured another all-star line-up of MotoGP, WorldSBK, Moto2 and road racing stars.

However, this time the 100km pairs were picked ‘by an algorithm’, using the results of the previous day.

Reigning Moto2 champion and new LCR Honda MotoGP rider Moreira qualified on pole ahead of Sprint winner Valentino Rossi and team-mate Mattia Casadei.

However, crash damage for Casadei meant the duo retired on lap 29 of 50.

KTM star Pedro Acosta and Moto2 race winner Senna Aguis took the chequered flag in fourth place, 14 seconds behind Bagnaia.

Aprilia MotoGP star Marco Bezzecchi and team-mate Tim Reave also completed the full 50-lap distance, for tenth.

But Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller and former 100km winner Lorenzo Baldassarri struck trouble, finishing six laps down.

Tomado de https://www.crash.net/rss/dakar