The Algarve International Circuit bore witness to a riveting Moto3 showdown on Sunday, featuring a classic 19-lap contest that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the very end. At the chequered flag, it was Holgado and Jose Antonio Rueda who electrified the crowd, separated by a mere 0.044 seconds.
Launching off the pole position, Ajo KTM’s Rueda seized control of the race’s tempo for the initial nine laps, setting the pace at the forefront of the grand prix. However, by the onset of the 10th lap, Rueda found himself relegated to fourth position as Aspar CFMoto’s David Alonso surged into the lead.
What followed was a tense skirmish among the leading contenders, with Tech3 GasGas’ Holgado and Rueda gradually breaking away from the pursuing pack, setting the stage for a thrilling finale to vie for victory in the concluding laps.
On the final lap, Rueda made a spirited attempt to reclaim the lead, nearly overtaking Holgado on the exit of Turn 14 with a tighter racing line. However, despite his efforts, he couldn’t quite draw alongside to mount a challenge into the last corner, with Holgado successfully defending his position all the way to the chequered flag.
Completing the podium was Ivan Ortola of MT Helmets – MSI KTM, while Alonso finished fourth, trailing the podium by 1.3 seconds, ahead of BOE Motorsports’ Joel Kelso.
Further down the rankings, Collin Veijer secured the sixth position for Intact GP Husqvarna, followed by MTA KTM’s Stefano Nepa in seventh. Joel Esteban on the second Aspar bike, BOE Motorsport’s David Munoz, and Leopard Racing Honda’s Adrian Fernandez rounded off the top 10.
With this victory, Holgado now ascends to the top of the championship standings, leading Alonso by a margin of seven points.
In Moto2, a gripping 21-lap grand prix unfolded, marked by Fantic Racing’s Aron Canet clinching his maiden victory in the intermediate class after numerous close calls in previous races. Having secured 15 runner-up finishes in the 69 Moto2 races leading up to this momentous Sunday, Canet crossed the finish line with a commanding lead of 2.059 seconds over American Racing’s Joe Roberts.
Canet’s triumph was facilitated by an early crash from race leader Alonso Lopez on lap 11. Lopez had taken the lead in the early stages of the race, overtaking his Speed Up teammate Fermin Aldeguer, who had surged ahead into Turn 1 after leapfrogging pole-sitter Manuel Gonzalez (Gresini).
However, Aldeguer’s fortunes took a turn when he was penalized for a jump start, forcing him to serve two long-lap penalties. This setback opened the door for Lopez until the Spaniard’s untimely crash.
With a substantial lead of around six-tenths, Canet capitalized on the opportunity, extending his advantage to over two seconds to secure an emotional maiden win, with Roberts and Gonzalez completing the podium.
Aldeguer managed to salvage fourth place after a late tussle with MT Helmets – MSI’s Ai Ogura, with Ogura’s teammate Sergio Garcia finishing in sixth position.
As the championship standings currently stand, Canet leads by a narrow margin of two points ahead of Roberts.