RISULTATI DA SITO ENDURO-ABC.COM
CLASSIFICHE DA SITO ENDURO-ABC.COMDAY 1 SABATO 5 APRILE 2014LIVE RESULTSCALENDARIO CAMPIONATO DEL MONDO ENDURO EWC 2014RACE MAPFONTE: ENDURO-ABC.COMNambotin, Meo & Cervantes Win Day One at the AMV GP of Catalunya
Saturday, 5 April 2014Ensuring an exciting start to the 2014 FIM Maxxis Enduro World Championship, the AMV GP of Catalunya delivered some closely fought racing. Under perfect race conditions in Solsona, Spain, KTM claimed a clean sweep of all three Senior classes. Christophe NAMBOTIN topped the Enduro 1 category, Antoine MEO won Enduro 2 and Ivan CERVANTES secured a home win in the Enduro 3 class. Britain’s Danny MCCANNEY (Beta) recorded the first win of the season in the Enduro Junior class while Laia SANZ (Honda) dominated the Women’s category.
Wasting no time in adapting to the Enduro 1 class, Christophe NAMBOTIN (F-KTM) – the 2013 Enduro 3 World Champion – secured victory. Fighting with teammate Cristobal GUERRERO (S), NAMBOTIN – despite a crash midway through the day – claimed a 14-second margin of victory. “I’m very happy to win,” confirmed NAMBOTIN. “It’s only the first day but it’s great to start the season like this. The class is very tight and I think it will be a good fight all year.” Topping the Friday SuperTest, GUERRERO immediately showed that he was ready to battle for the win. Matching NAMBOTIN’s pace during the day, the Spaniard placed a well-deserved runner-up result. Finishing 13 seconds behind GUERRERO and posting the fastest time on the second Extreme Test, France’s Jeremy TARROUX (Sherco) claimed his first podium result of the season in third. Impressing on his debut ride in E1, Spaniard Jaume BETRIU (Husqvarna) edged out Finland’s Eero REMES (TM) by less than one second to snatch fourth.
Impressive Antoine MEO on this first day
Stamping his authority on the Enduro 2 category, France’s Antoine MEO (KTM) immediately positioned himself as the rider to beat this season. Setting the fastest time in six of the day’s 10 special tests, MEO eased his way to a comfortable win. “It was important to try and win the first day of the season but it didn’t come easy,” explained MEO. “I crashed on the Extreme Test, which cost me time, and because I started in the middle of the pack it was quite dusty in places. But it’s fantastic to start with a result like this – I’m delighted.” Despite his best efforts to give chase, France’s Johnny AUBERT (Beta) was unable to stay with his countryman and had to settle for the runner-up result. After a steady start to his morning, Husqvarna’s Pela RENET (F) won the final Enduro Test to end his day 12 seconds behind AUBERT. Off the pace of the leading trio, Spain’s Lorenzo SANTOLINO (Sherco) and Oriol MENA (Beta) traded places all day. Getting the better of MENA in the final test, SANTOLINO took fourth, pushing MENA back to fifth. Fighting through the pain barrier, defending champion Alex SALVINI (I-Honda) was sixth.
In the Enduro 3 category a battle raged between the KTM duo of Ivan CERVANTES (S) and Matt PHILLIPS (Aus). With little to separate them, it was CERVANTES’ better time on the final Enduro Test that ultimately secured him the win. “That was an incredible fight with Phillips – I really enjoyed it,” smiled CERVANTES. “We pushed each other hard all day but thankfully I got the win. It’s fantastic to win my first race back in E3 but also do it in Spain.” Instantly establishing himself as a title contender, 2013 Enduro Junior champion PHILLIPS secured his first Senior class podium with second. Behind the leading duo the race for the final step of the podium was played out between Husqvarna’s Mathias BELLINO (F) and Portugal’s Luis CORREIA (Beta). Beating CORRIEA by eight seconds, BELLINO placed third. With CORREIA just missing out in fourth, France’s Jeremy JOLY (KTM) – also debuting in E3 – completed the top five.
Britain’s Danny MCCANNEY (Beta) was the clear winner of the Enduro Junior class on day one. Fastest in six of the day’s 10 tests, the Beta rider got his season off to a perfect start. Despite crashing heavily in the SuperTest, France’s Loic LARRIEU (Husqvarna) narrowly beat Italy’s Giacomo REDONDI (Beta) to secure second. Finishing over one minute behind REDONDI, Italy’s Nicolo MORI (KTM) was fourth with Honda mounted Alessandro BATTIG (I) rounding out the top five. Italy’s Davide SORECA (Yamaha) recorded a comfortable victory in the Youth Cup category. Michele MARCHELLI (I-KTM) ended his day in second with France’s Jeremy MIRIOR (Yamaha) third.
Queen of enduro Laia SANZ (S) won all but Friday’s SuperTest to record her first win of the season in the Women’s class. Britain’s Jane DANIELS (Husqvarna) ended her day second while Australia’s Jessica GARDINER (Sherco) completed the top three.