In Neuquén, the category raises the curtain on a track that was chosen as the best in five seasons. Its ideologue gave details of its design.
The path that borders the lake is inserted in that unique conjunction that nature sheltered in this privileged place on the planet. The vegetation seems to want to jump into the crystalline mirror of the water that multiplies the fascinating Patagonian landscape. And in the middle of that enchanting place of Villa La Angosturaa motocross track appears, almost unnoticed between the trees, unevenness and the mountains in the background.
In this unique place in the province of Neuquén, the MXGP World Championship opens the 2023 season with the date of the Argentine Republic. It is estimated that the record of 39,000 spectators from the previous year will be surpassedbecoming a classic of motor sports in the country.
How did Argentina come to find a “dream” place, as foreign journalists say, to host, for the 7th consecutive year, the MXGP World Cup date?
“It was for 2015 that we had to find a site for the track. That was the hardest part, finding the place. And once we choose this position we begin to clean the area. Obviously we enhance the environment so that it stands out as everyone sees it now”, he explained to Clarin Lucas de la Fuentea former local pilot, who carried out the project, together with a group of professionals, to design the layout especially for the Motocross World Championship.
In 2011, a large part of the country, and fundamentally in this area of Patagonia, was severely affected by the ash released by the Puyehue volcano. That episode of nature had endless negative consequences in the region, from health to economic.
But now with the fait accompli, and like a Phoenix bird, De la Fuente chose to take those ashes as part of the elements to develop the track.
“When we arrived with the aim of putting together the circuit, in 2014, only three years had passed since that situation that hit the place so hard. Here where we are standing there was 30 centimeters of volcanic ash. We tried to take advantage of this situation and the truth is that it was great for us, because with that layer on this two-hectare surface, we achieved 60,000 cubic meters of material to make all the volumes of the falls and others. Every unevenness that is seen now is the product of the movement of volcanic ash. We did not bring a truckload of material from abroad”De la Fuente commented.
From a place that was collapsed, the venue became the best of all those visited by the MXGP World Championship: “Many people worked on this track. We are more than 400 people in the organization. We know that we have a very high benchmark, but we continue working so that the World Cup continues to come to Argentina and they continue to choose us”.
The organization of the Argentine MXGP date does not stop, and year after year works to optimize the drawing and design of the layout so intricate and attractive for the pilots, but fundamentally for the public: “We modified 30% of the obstacles on the route, which is not the same as 30% of the route, with the aim that people, now with more grandstands, can see beyond the sector that touches them, enabling more natural places to observe a good part of the track”.
Beyond the work carried out on the property facing the lake, very close to Villa La Angostura, De la Fuente highlights the unique landscape, between the water and the mountains: “I highlight the natural environment of the Argentine circuit. It is different and everything looks different from any other scenario between the lagoon, the vegetation and the mountains”.
Argentina thus affirms itself in the concert of motorsport worldwide, hand in hand with motorcycles. Not only MotoGP grabs the attention. Beyond the commitment of the highest level of motorcycles on the track, which will once again visit the Termas de Río Hondo racetrack on the first weekend of April. there is also the Superbikein Villicum, San Juan, and this year the Route 40 Challenge, to yearn less for that passage of the Dakar with the Argentine date of the W2RC World Cup. He MXGP gain ground in the preference of the public and increase the potential here in Patagonia, with a formidable stage and a show that captures the attention of fans and unsuspecting.
Villa La Angostura, Neuquen. Special for Clarion.
