Jacob Smith tops Finke Bikes Prologue

Jacob Smith has set the fastest time in the Bikes Prologue at the 2023 Tatts Finke Desert Race.

Smith completed the 8.3km Prologue track in 4:50.49s on his Husqvarna FE 501, meaning he will be first out for the 226km ride from Alice Springs to Aputula (Finke) tomorrow.

The 2022 event runner-up was six seconds slower than when he topped last year’s Prologue, but still more than three seconds up on his nearest rival today.

That was Callum Norton, who set a 4:53.88s on a KTM 450 EXC-F, with Korey McMahon (GasGas MC450) third at 5.182s off the pace.

David Walsh, riding with the #1 plate on his KTM 500 EXC-F after winning the Finke for a third time in a row last year, clocked a 4:55.97s which was good enough for fourth, ahead of Ivan Long (Husqvarna FE 501).

Earlier, six-time Finke Bikes winner Toby Price kicked off his bid for a third straight crown on four wheels with the fastest Prologue time in the Cars section.

The Cars set off for Aputula tomorrow at 07:30 local time/08:00 AEST, and the Bikes at 12:00 local time/12:30 AEST.