Olympic gold medallist Geraint Thomas will be a celebrity guest at the ceremonial start of the forthcoming Wales Rally GB, the final round of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship.
Being born in the Rally GB host city of Cardiff, Thomas won’t have far to travel and is certain to be a big draw for the crowds clamouring to see heroes of both four and two wheels. Thomas not only won the Team Pursuit gold medal for Team GB at the summer’s Beijing Olympics, he also smashed the world record. He will cycle across the start ramp before being followed by the fastest rally drivers in the world.
Thomas isn’t the only two-wheeled superstar in attendance, of course. This year’s MotoGP winner Valentino Rossi will see his trademark number 46 plastered down the side of a Stobart VK Ford World Rally Team Focus RS WRC 07 for the first time in Cardiff. Fresh from finishing the recent Monza Rally in second place, Rossi is gunning for a top-10 result on his second attempt at Rally GB.
Rally fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite drivers should head to the centre of Cardiff at 1630 on Thursday December 4. Citroen’s five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb will be joined by Petter Solberg - a four-time winner of the event - and last year’s Rally GB winner, Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen. All of the drivers from the leading teams will be present to sign autographs and have their photographs taken with the hordes of fans.
And once the leading drivers have signed all the autographs, then the fastest men in the Production Car World Rally Championship and British Rally Championship field will assemble before the crowd.The official start of the rally is at 1800, after which all 86 crews will cross the start ramp.
Andrew Coe, chief executive of Rally GB, said: “There’s going to be a great atmosphere at the ceremonial start. I would recommend families arrive early and make the most of the opportunity to meet the drivers and enjoy the special events we have planned for the ramp.”
Coe added that the finish celebrations on Sunday December 7 at 1450 will also be free of charge and in the same venue.
Thomas isn’t the only two-wheeled superstar in attendance, of course. This year’s MotoGP winner Valentino Rossi will see his trademark number 46 plastered down the side of a Stobart VK Ford World Rally Team Focus RS WRC 07 for the first time in Cardiff. Fresh from finishing the recent Monza Rally in second place, Rossi is gunning for a top-10 result on his second attempt at Rally GB.
Rally fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite drivers should head to the centre of Cardiff at 1630 on Thursday December 4. Citroen’s five-time world champion Sebastien Loeb will be joined by Petter Solberg - a four-time winner of the event - and last year’s Rally GB winner, Ford driver Mikko Hirvonen. All of the drivers from the leading teams will be present to sign autographs and have their photographs taken with the hordes of fans.
And once the leading drivers have signed all the autographs, then the fastest men in the Production Car World Rally Championship and British Rally Championship field will assemble before the crowd.The official start of the rally is at 1800, after which all 86 crews will cross the start ramp.
Andrew Coe, chief executive of Rally GB, said: “There’s going to be a great atmosphere at the ceremonial start. I would recommend families arrive early and make the most of the opportunity to meet the drivers and enjoy the special events we have planned for the ramp.”
Coe added that the finish celebrations on Sunday December 7 at 1450 will also be free of charge and in the same venue.
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