Main trophy of the rally "FIA Eco Rally Cup Around Lithuania" went to Czech Republic
The 35th rally "Around Lithuania" which started in Kaunas on Friday, finished in Vilnius on Sunday. This traditional race, whose history dates back almost a century, was so different from all previous ones. It was the first rally in its history to be won by a foreign crew, it was the first rally in the country included in the 2026 "FIA Eco Rally Cup" calendar. This was the first race when two rallies were held simultaneously - the "FIA Eco Rally Cup Around Lithuania" race, in which 16 teams driving electric cars from 12 European countries competed, and the traditional rally "Around Lithuania", in which drivers of standard and historic cars took part.
6/7/20262 min read
The winner of the “FIA Eco Rally Cup Around Lithuania” is not determined by speed, but by many other factors. The competition regulations state that the main trophy-winning crew, which has collected the fewest penalty points while driving through regularity stages and time control points and at the same time achieved the lowest energy consumption becomes the winner.
The President’s Trophy was raised by the championship leaders
To the applause of the rally finishers, friends and rivals gathered at S. Daukantas Square, the President’s Chief Advisor Jolanta Karpavičienė presented the main race award to Czech athletes Michal Zdarsky and his navigator Jakub Nabelek, who were driving the “Hyundai Inster” electric car.
This is not the only award won by these Czech crew. In addition to the President's trophy, they also took home the Elektrėnai Mayor's Cup, for winning regularity stage which ran along municipal roads, and the prize for the crew that used the least energy to complete the entire 606 km route.
"This is my first time in Lithuania, and my co-driver has been here since he was a student, but that hardly counts," said M. Zdarsky, in a good mood. - We really liked everything here, especially the roads. You know, when I compare it to other stages on the FIA calendar, you have so much beauty here, great sections in the forests, interesting and attractive gravel sections. It is a complete discovery for me, I would say a wonderful country.”
The winners of the “FIA Eco Rally Cup Around Lithuania” category, in which women’s crews competed, were the crew of Raimonda Jagminaitė and Rita Sabaitė with a BYD SEAL.
Linas Žvinakevičius and his sister Evelina Žvinakevičiūtė won the Kaunas City Mayor’s Cup for their victory in one of regularity stages. Vitoldas Milius and Aidas Bubinas were awarded the Jonava Mayor's Cup.
The second step of the winners' podium was taken by another Czech duo - Milanas Bydzovsky and Petr Timura, who drove a Peugeot 208.
Third place was won by athletes from distant Portugal, Carlos Silva and Sancho Ramalho, who also visited Lithuania for the first time, driving a Mini Cooper SE.
