The provisional standings have been published… but sadness prevails

The Legend Boucles @ Bastogne 2026 did not reach its conclusion, for the reasons we all know. While sporting considerations were obviously irrelevant on this sad Sunday, provisional standings were published, even though any awards ceremony was cancelled.

“In the wake of the events at RT Eglantine, the entire team at the Royal Automobile Club of Spa is still in shock,” commented Pierre Delettre, organizer of the Legend Boucles @ Bastogne. “The death of someone present at the event is undoubtedly the worst-case scenario. Everything is being done to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible, especially regarding safety, but motorsport remains a risky activity, and mechanical failure can never be ruled out. We reiterate our condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased spectator.” Our thoughts are also with those who, in one way or another, were affected by this unfortunate accident, as well as those who responded to the scene, including the marshals…

While the final regularity tests were obviously cancelled, along with all post-race celebrations, unofficial results have been published. Stéphane Lefebvre and Andy Malfoy (BMW M3) have therefore won the ‘Legend’ category, allowing the driver from northern France to now be counted among the two winners of the event.

Two regional crews complete the final podium, and… just two points separate Frédéric François and Jérémy Penoy (Ford Escort Mk2) from Loïc Pirot and Jean-Baptiste Bodet (Triumph TR7 V8)! The British sports car with its captivating sound certainly made an impression, bringing back some memorable moments… Sébastien Incardona (BMW M3) and Romuald Thirion (Opel Ascona 400) completed the top five overall, while Grégoire Munster (Porsche 911) quickly adapted to driving his car, having been a late entrant. Seventh overall, Billy Simoné (BMW 325i) recorded his second consecutive top-ten finish, having outpaced several favorites, including Emile Breittmayer (BMW M3), Jos Verstappen (BMW M3, who was penalized as early as RT1), John Wartique (Ford Escort Mk1), and Ghislain de Mévius (Mazda 323 4WD), the latter having been slowed by a puncture on the first forest stage, in addition to a penalty on Saturday. As for Charles Blerot (BMW 325i) and Fred Caprasse (BMW 325i), penalized from Saturday morning onwards, they demonstrated impressive speed on more than one occasion!

A final word about Sarah Bovy (Ford Escort Mk1), who completely fulfilled her mission, avoiding any major mistakes in her first rally, and winning over the crowd! Perfectly coached by Aurélie Vanhoudenhove, our 'Iron Dame' impressed everyone while clearly enjoying herself immensely.

Jérôme Martiny wins in the 'Challenger' category Following his superb podium finish in the 'Malle Moto' category at the Dakar Rally, Jérôme Martiny, co-driven by Frédéric Lejeune, achieved his goal in Bastogne, taking the 'Challenger' victory in his BMW 325i! The battle was nonetheless close, with Guillaume Glaude and Bastien Allard (Volvo 142) leading for a long time, while Maxime Jaumin and Pierre-Yves Godfrin (BMW 325i) completed the top three. Also of note was the 16th place finish of TV Lux journalist Antoine Masson, assisted by Dany Monfort (Peugeot 205 GTi), who thoroughly enjoyed his time behind the wheel!

Ninane and Cara sprint in ‘Classic 65’ While Michael Bartholemy and Patrick Lienne (Ford Escort Mk1) led the ‘Classic 65’ category for a long time, a puncture brought their excellent performance to an end on Sunday morning. That was all it took for Claude Ninane and Freddy Cara (Opel Kadett GT/E) to secure their first victory at Bastogne, beating René Georges and Romain Lahaye (Volkswagen Golf GTi), who put up a fierce fight! The 'little' Citroën Visa GTi of Pieter Van Loocke and Tom Vanbecelaere earned an unexpected podium finish, while Jean-Marc Devillers and Guy Hardenne (Ford Escort Mk2) also finished ahead of the unfortunate Bartholemy and Lienne. Dave Cuynen and Guy Desmet also suffered a stroke of bad luck after holding second place for a considerable time.

The favorites live up to expectations in 'Classic 50' With only 4.7 points separating the top two in the overall standings, the 'Classic 50' category was incredibly intense right to the very end! While Jean-Christophe and Mathieu Henderickx (Alfa Romeo Giulia GT 1300 Junior) managed to overtake Mario Varrewaere and Pablo Cracco (Nissan Sunny) in the second half of Saturday's stage, it was this duo who ultimately prevailed… by the narrowest of margins! Frédéric Sente and Sabine Antoine (Volkswagen Golf GTi) snatched the silver medal, finishing ahead of the two-time winners Dominique Dufrasne and Isabelle Dogné (BMW 323i).

As specified in the regulations, these classifications will be officially announced on Wednesday morning.

Legend & Challenger classifications: https://lbb2026.jbtc.be/en-GB/rally/105/live

Classic 65 & Classic 50 classifications: https://lbbc2026.jbtc.be/en-GB/rally/104/live