The combined speed stage of the WRC Latvian stage will take place in Talsi and the Talsi region

Mārtiņš Sesks/Renārs Francis | Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

The combined speed stage of the Latvian stage of the World Rally Championship (WRC) will be held in Talsi and the Talsi region, the organizers informed LETA agency.

The first WRC stage in history will take place in Latvia from July 18 to 21. The rally will cover the territory from Liepāja to Riga, with speed stages also taking place in Tukums, Talsi and Talsu districts, Kuldīgas and Dienvikkurzeme districts.

In the Talsi region, the stage of the Latvian Rally Championship “Rally Talsi” was previously held, which was visited later by the WRC starting pilots. In 2019, Talsi region became part of the Latvian stage of the European Rally Championship, hosting the speed stages of the first day of the competition.

“The Strazde speedway has been well known to motorists for a long time, it is shrouded in legends, just as the Talsi city section and our hills have always had their charm,” Andis Āboliņš, chairman of the Talsi County Municipal Council, said at the press conference held on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the speed stages in the Talsu region are planned in two parts – for the first time it will be possible to see WRC crews in SS4 Andumi, which will start exactly at noon. But later in the afternoon, two more speed stages are planned for the crews – first SS7 Strazde, and at the end of the day also the combined speed stage SS8 Talsi – the first part of which is planned for Talsos – the start on Gravas Street, then the route will lead along the market and further along Ezera Street to Pilsētas Square, then along Fabrikas Street along Lake Talsi would be taken further in the direction of Sauleskalns.

In the stage of the Latvian WRC, the distance to be covered in the stages will exceed 250 kilometers, but together with the crossings, they will be more than 1000 kilometers. Latvia will become the 37th country that has hosted a stage of the FIA ​​World Rally Championship (WRC) founded in 1973 at least once.