In the wooded calm of Sivry-Rance, the echo of turbocharged engines cut through the autumn air as the Boucles Chevrotines hosted the sixth round of the Kroon‑Oil Belgian Rally Championship Division 2. Over twelve fast and flowing stages, one driver was untouchable: Sébastien Bedoret. The local talent, at the wheel of his SXM‑run Volkswagen Polo GTi Rally2, clocked every fastest time of the day to secure a commanding win — five minutes clear of his nearest rival, Lander Depotter. It marked a rejuvenating second victory of the season for the former factory Škoda driver, who last triumphed at the Omloop van Vlaanderen in 2019.
“It wasn’t an easy rally,” Bedoret admitted afterwards. “We struggled with technical issues from the start — low power on the first stage, a suspected rear‑diff failure, then a pop‑off valve problem. Yet even with a car that wasn’t perfect, I was able to enjoy every kilometre of these fantastic home roads. This one really feels good.” The result also marked his second success at the event, following a win here in 2021 — and it continues a family story: a decade earlier, his mother Samantha Meunier co‑drove Sébastien Sturbois to victory in 2011.
Elsewhere, drama punctuated the early stages. Britain’s Tom Mellors briefly kept Bedoret in sight with his distinctive Proton Iriz before rolling out in Montbliart. Dutchman Richard Pex took up the chase until a brush with a wall broke his radiator; he later rejoined to finish 19th after time penalties.
With Bedoret well ahead, second overall — and first in Division 2 — went to 22‑year‑old Lander Depotter. His rally was anything but smooth. “We had a puncture on stage one and then a differential issue that left one wheel spinning constantly,” he said. “Still, the car felt great on the fast sections, and I kept things tidy.” The Avelgem driver, guided by co‑driver Thibaud Vandeputte in an Opel Corsa Rally4, not only sealed the Division 2 honours but also clinched the Junior BRC title, along with the inaugural ACTronics Driver of the Day fan award.
Behind them came a battle steeped in heritage. Swiss historic specialist Florian Gonon muscled his Ford Escort Mk1 past Christophe Jacob, whose engine expired late in the day. Fourth place was claimed by Sivry resident Michael Nuée — last year’s winner — who overcame a puncture and brief power loss in his Renault Clio Rally3. “I’m happy,” he smiled. “I even managed to beat Jérôme Clément, another local, and had a lot of fun.” Clément, on only his second rally appearance, impressed with fifth overall, just ahead of Geoffrey Watremez, who guided his BMW M3 E30 to Youngtimer victory.
Quentin Collignon consolidated his Division 2 championship lead with third in class, while Bram Fonteyne’s hopes evaporated almost immediately with a throttle‑cable failure on the opener, dropping four minutes. Out of 33 starters in this first national‑level running of the Boucles Chevrotines, 20 teams reached the finish in Rance — a compact field, but one thick with local pride and resilient stories from Belgium’s rally heartland.
