On the island of Lombok, near Bali, there is a world-class motorcycle track. It's even a venue for the main MotoGP races (like Formula 1 for motorcyclists).
Additionally, the Indonesian championship Mandalika Racing Series takes place here five times a year. Few foreigners participate, and the competition is usually between locals. Therefore, a podium finish for Russian Eldar Galiulin was a real sensation.
"My qualification on the first day was not great (the races determine starting positions for the main race). Saturday's race wasn't very successful either; the bike wasn't perfectly tuned, so the mechanic worked on it all evening to give us a chance to compete on Sunday."
The race itself consists of 6 laps on the track and lasts about 12 minutes on average.
"There's no time to ease into it, so everyone takes big risks from the start, with constant overtaking. We fought for second and fourth place throughout the entire race. It's 12 minutes of total concentration at maximum speeds."
"Besides me, there were no other foreigners among the participants. Hardly anyone expected to see me on the podium. In fact, in the history of this relatively young series, foreign riders have been in the prizes only a few times."
Eldar moved from St. Petersburg to Bali three years ago. He initially went to Lombok for track days (rented race tracks to try out training races, which anyone can do), then started working with a coach, and later began participating in official competitions.
"Unfortunately, despite the developed motorcycling culture on Bali, there’s nowhere significant to train. There is a small track in Kintamani, but it’s not suitable for full preparation."
In 2025, Eldar stood on the podium already. He placed second among 30 participants in competitions organized by YAMAHA (in the 250cc class) and fourth in the 150cc class.
"Next year, I want to participate in all five races of the Mandalika Racing series," says Eldar. His goal is to secure the first place overall.
By the way, Eldar rides a sporty YAMAHA R-25 around Bali, so you might have crossed paths with him in traffic somewhere in Canggu.
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