Xavi Cardelús Finishes 19th and 20th in Portimão World Supersport Races, Drops to 23rd in Standings
The Andorran rider suffered off-track errors in both races, ending pointless after a strong start each time and slipping from provisional 17th place.
Key Points
- Xavi Cardelús finished 19th in Saturday's race and 20th in Sunday's race at Portimão World Supersport.
- Off-track errors in both races cost him points, dropping from 17th to 23rd in standings with 2 points total.
- Strong starts led to brief advances to 13th or 9th, but mistakes caused finishes outside points.
- Next round is April 19-20 at Assen, Netherlands.
Andorran rider Xavi Cardelús finished 19th in Saturday's opening race and 20th in Sunday's finale at the World Supersport Championship round in Portimão, Portugal, earning no points and dropping to 23rd in the standings with two points total.
In the second race on Sunday, Cardelús lined up from the seventh row after qualifying 19th with a lap of 1'44"779, more than two seconds off pole-sitter Can Öncü. He made a strong start, gaining several places early on, but went off track just before the first corner. The mistake for the Cerba Yamaha Racing Team rider broke his rhythm, preventing a challenge for points, and he crossed the line in 20th after settling into mid-pack for the 16-lap contest.
Saturday's race followed a comparable script. Starting 19th, Cardelús advanced to as high as 13th—or briefly ninth according to some accounts—before a late off-track moment in the final sector dropped him back to 19th.
The blank weekend followed his Australia opener, where he scored 16th and 14th to sit provisionally 17th in the championship beforehand. Cardelús called it "a particularly negative weekend," marked by earlier issues and no real chances to score, but highlighted progress in bike setup and data gathered for upcoming rounds.
The series resumes April 19-20 at Assen in the Netherlands.
Related Articles
Other articles from Catalan-language sources about the same story:
- Diari d'Andorra•
Xavi Cardelús acaba en la 20a posició a la segona cursa de Portimao
- Bon Dia•
Xavi Cardelús, 19è i 20è a Portimao
- El Periòdic•
Cardelús acaba 20è a Portimao després d’una errada inicial i es queda sense punts en un cap de setmana complicat
- Diari d'Andorra•
Cardelús, 19è, acaba fora dels punts a Portimao
- Diari d'Andorra•
Cardelús sortirà en el 19è lloc a les curses de Portimao
- Bon Dia•
Xavi Cardelús, a Portimao