FONTE: ENDURO-ABC.COM
Salvini Crowned World Champion In France
Saturday, 7 September 2013Salvini Crowned World Champion In France
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Italy’s Alex SALVINI (Honda) and Australia’s Matt PHILLIPS (Husqvarna) are crowned world champions on day one at weather disrupted Maxxis Enduro World Championship AMV GP of France in St Flour. Battling their way through a rain-inflicted day, SALVINI and PHILLIPS kept their cool to secure the Enduro 2 and Enduro Junior titles respectively.
For SALVINI day one ended in the best possible way. Claiming the Enduro 2 class win the Honda rider was crowned the 2013 Enduro 2 World champion. “It’s unbelievable to be champion,” told an emotional SALVINI. “My focus was on winning the title but to do it by also winning the race is great. When the rain came things got a bit crazy. But I just rode the best I could and thankfully it all worked out – I’m so happy to be the world champion.” What started out to be a normal day of racing quickly changed as the race passed the halfway stage. Threatening rain clouds finally broke - resulting in a torrential downpour of rain. Almost immediately the course became impassable in places. With numerous riders left stranded, organisers acted quickly to ensure a result. Stopping the race on Cross Test 4 at the end of lap three, day one came to a premature end.
Leading the Enduro 1 class after Cross Test 4, France’s Antoine MEO (KTM) was declared the winner. With the title secured at the previous GP of Greece, MEO opted to contest the race on a KTM 125 EXC. Trailing early pacesetter Jeremy TARROUX (F - Sherco), the KTM rider took control of the lead as the rain began to fall. Holding pace, MEO claimed the E1 class victory. With TARROUX falling victim to the conditions, he slipped back to sixth. Remaining relatively mistake free, Finland’s Eero REMES (TM) steadily improved his position throughout the day to finish as runner-up. Claiming a podium result in his home race, Honda’s Jeremy JOLY (F) was third. Missing out on a top three finish, Finland’s Juha SALMINEN (Husqvarna) was fourth with his teammate Matti SEISTOLA (FIN) fifth.
With SALVINI winning day one to secure the E2 title, the fight for the remainder of the podium was a tight affair. Putting his vast experience to good use, Spain’s Ivan CERVANTES (KTM) ended his day in second. Holding off Husaberg’s Pela RENET (F) by six tenths of a second, France’s Antoine BASSET (Yamaha) secured his debut EWC podium. Despite setting the pace on the opening lap, RENET fell victim to the changing conditions and dropped to fourth position. Spain’s Oriol MENA (Husaberg) rounded out the top five.
Relishing in the mud and rain, France’s Christophe NAMBOTIN grew stronger with each test. Despite the day being cut short, the KTM rider still managed to win by an incredible three minutes. “It was tough out there,” confirmed NAMBOTIN. “All of a sudden the rain made things incredibly tricky. I tried to ride as smooth and carefully as possible and it worked out. I’m pleased to have won.” With NAMBOTIN clearing off to a convincing victory, Sweden’s Joakim LJUNGGREN (Husaberg) collected the runner-up result. Adding to the French delight, Fabien PLANET (Sherco) took third. Securing his best result of the season, Italy’s Deny PHILIPPAERTS (Beta) finished fourth with France’s Benoit FORTUNATO (Honda) ending his day in a well-earned fifth.
Enjoying the wet conditions and remaining mistake free, Manxman Danny McCANNEY (Gas Gas) finally claimed his first win of the season in the Enduro Junior class. Placing 22-seconds behind him, Australia’s Matt PHILLIPS (Husqvarna) ended his day as runner-up to secure the 2013 Enduro Junior World Championship while Italy’s Nicolo Mori (Beta) took his first podium result of the season with third. “I’m so happy to have won the Junior world title,” told the newly crowned champion PHILLIPS. “It was a weird day. First I was riding tight. I was a little nervous and made a few mistakes. But then it started raining and it became a mission to finish. I’m just glad to have made it back. It’s fantastic to be a world champion – this is what I came to Europe to do.” Continuing his winning form from the GP of Greece, Sweden’s Albin ELOWSON (Husaberg) best mastered the mud to win the 125 Youth class. In the fight for the final steps of the podium, France’s Jeremy MIROIR (Yamaha) and Italy’s Davide SORECA (Yamaha) placed second and third respectively.
In the Women’s class the day belonged to Britain’s Jane DANIELS (Husaberg). Claiming a 10-second margin of victory over Spain’s Laia SANZ (Honda), DANIELS secured her debut EWC win. Losing out, SANZ ended her day as runner-up with France’s Geraldine FOURNEL (Husaberg) completing the top three.
FONTE: ENDURO-ABC.COMMagnificent Sanz Is Crowned Champion At St Flour
Sunday, 8 September 2013Spain’s Laia SANZ (Honda) is crowned the final enduro world champion of the year as the 2013 Maxxis Enduro World Championship draws to a close in St Flour, France. Ending her day second overall in the Women’s Cup, SANZ successfully defended her world title. “To win two enduro world titles is an amazing feeling,” admitted SANZ. “It’s been an eventful season. Missing one day of the championship and then suffering some problems yesterday has made things tough. But I’m glad I could win the title. It’s been a brilliant end to the year for me.”
After the weather disruption of day one, day two in St Flour saw a revised race schedule. Working hard overnight, event organisers rerouted many parts of the course to allow racing to continue. Using just the Cross Test and one liaison section that would be ridden four times, the competitors of the EWC enjoyed an unusually easier end to their 2013 season.
Determined to make amends for his disappointing end to day one, France’s Jeremy TARROUX (Sherco) claimed the Enduro 1 class victory on day two. Holding off Finland’s Eero REMES (TM) by just two tenths of a second, the Frenchman secured the win. “I was disappointed with how day one turned out,” explained TARROUX. “I led most of the day but two mistakes cost me a chance of victory. Today I felt like I had a point to prove. I’m so happy to get the win.” Despite winning two of the day’s four special tests, it was a costly mistake on the second test that ultimately cost REMES his chance of victory. Ending his year on a high, France’s Marc BOURGEOIS (Yamaha) beat Antoine MEO (F - KTM) by five tenths of a second to finish third. Ending his day just over two seconds shy of victory, MEO was unable to claim a double win in France and had to settle for fourth. Sherco’s Anthony BOISSIERE (F) completed the top five.
Ensuring a perfect end to a perfect season, Italy’s Alex SALVINI (Honda) took the final Enduro 2 class win. Placing second to France’s Johnny AUBERT (KTM) during the first two laps, the newly crowned champion upped his pace to overhaul his French rival and claim the win. “It’s been a perfect end to a perfect season,” told SALVINI. “Entering France my focus was on the title but to end the weekend with two victories is more that I could have asked for. Today I felt relaxed and rode without mistakes.” Relishing in the drying conditions, AUBERT set the pace during the opening two laps. But with SALVINI upping his speed, the KTM rider was unable to respond to the attack and slipped back to second. With the third fastest time on all four special tests, France’s Pela RENET (Husaberg) secured the final step of the podium with third. Capping off his year with the best result of his season, Manxman David KNIGHT (Honda) placed fourth with Spain’s Ivan CERVANTES (KTM) rounding out the top five.
Recording his debut Senior class win France’s Mathias BELLINO (Husaberg) emerged as a new winner of the Enduro 3 class. With early leader Christophe NAMBOTIN (F - KTM) crashing out of the race on the third Cross Test, BELLINO quickly took control of the lead to secure his first E3 win. “I was frustrated with how day one ended,” confirmed BELLINO. “I was riding great but then when it started to rain I made a lot of mistakes and it all ended badly. Today I rode well. After my injuries during the beginning of the season I’m so happy to reward my team’s faith in me with a victory – it’s a fantastic result.” Fairing better in the drying conditions, Estonia’s Aigar LEOK (TM) greatly improved on his day one result of seventh to finish as runner-up to BELLINO. Setting the fastest time on the third special test, Portugal’s Luis CORREIA (Beta) was third. Sweden’s Joakim LJUNGGREN (Husaberg) just missed out on a podium result and ended his day in fourth with France’s Fabien PLANET (Sherco) rounding out the top five.
Earning his second win of the season, France’s Loic LARRIEU (Husaberg) topped the Enduro Junior category. Benefitting from a one-minute penalty by Australia’s Matt PHILLIPS (Husqvarna), LARRIEU took a surprising win. Immediately establishing himself as a frontrunner for the 2014 season, current 125 Youth Cup world champion Jamie MCCANNEY (Husaberg) placed as runner-up to LARRIEU. Joining his brother on the podium, day one winner, Danny MCCANNEY (Gas Gas) was third. Delivering an impressive result, Italy’s Gianluca MARTINI (Beta) was fourth. Incurring a time penalty, PHILLIPS dropped back to fifth. Securing victory in the highly competitive Enduro Youth Cup class, France’s Jeremy MIROIR (Yamaha) delivered a home win. Italy’s Michele MARCHELLI (Husaberg) chased MIRIOR home for second position while France’s Mika BARNES (KTM) ended his day in third.
In the Women’s Cup it was Britain’s Jane DANIELS (Husaberg) that took her second win of the weekend. Beating rival Laia SANZ (Honda) by almost 50 seconds on the opening test, the young Brit ended day two in St Flour on the top step of the podium. Unable to match the pace set by DANIELS, SANZ settled for the runner-up result and with it was crowned the 2013 Women’s Enduro World Champion. France’s Juliette BERREZ (Yamaha) completed the top three.
