Hellas Rally Rescheduled For May 2021

Originally planned for May, then October 2020, Europe's biggest off-road rally will now take place in May 2021.

By: Justin Hughes

Dec 12, 2020 at 4:00pm ET

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The entirety of 2020 has been canceled, and the Hellas Rally, the biggest off-road motorcycle rally in Europe, was no exception. Originally scheduled for May, then postponed until October, it was finally canceled due to the second wave of COVID-19 and the associated travel restrictions. Undeterred, the Hellas Rally has now announced that it is planning to take place in Nafpaktos, Greece from May 23 to 30, 2021.

"All competitors who have submitted their entries for Hellas 2020 will have their registration transferred to 2021 or 2022 depending on their choice," event organizer Meletis Stamatis told ADVrider. "We’re expecting numbers similar to what we saw in 2019, possibly higher, in 2021."

The rally appears to be following essentially the same plan it had for 2020. It will cover 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) in total. Each day riders will follow roadbook directions for that day's route, Dakar style. Most days will be a loop that ends back in Nafpaktos, except for one extra-long day where riders will spend the night in Karpenissi before returning to Nafpaktos the next day.

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The Hellas Rally offers classes for all riders from zero to hero. It offers FIM classes, amateur classes, and an Adventure Raid class for larger adventure bikes rather than dedicated racing machines. For the less adventurous, there is also an Enduro Cup class, which does 70 percent of the total route, and riders are allowed to have a GPS backup for navigation rather than relying exclusively on the provided directions. There are classes for ATVs and side-by-sides as well.

Registration will open on January 1, 2021, with a provisional entry list expected to be published in February. Here's hoping the Rona doesn't ruin the Hellas Rally for the third time.