FONTE: ENDURO-ABC.COMWebb Fights back To Win In Brazil
Sunday, 28 February 2016
KTM’s Cody WEBB (USA) secures a close fought overall victory at round four of the Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Brazil. Returning to the top step of the podium for the third time this season, Webb edged out both Colton HAAKER (USA-Husqvarna) and Jonny WALKER (GB-KTM) by the narrowest of margins to take the win in Belo Horizonte. In the Junior class, the GP of Brazil saw championship leader Manuel LETTENBICHLER (D-KTM) at his best recording three wins from three starts.
With the 2015/16 SuperEnduro series entering the second half of the season in Brazil, the battle for top honours proved explosive between title contenders WEBB, WALKER and HAAKER. Securing the overall by one-point, WEBB made a last corner pass on rival WALKER to snatch victory in the final moments of the night. “I’m happy to be back on the top step of the podium again,” told WEBB.
“It all came down to the last corner for the overall and I managed to get by Jonny Walker for the win.” Kicking his night off with victory in the opening race, WEBB led race two before a costly crash dropped him back to third. Charging hard he found a way past HAAKER on the final laps to take second. And with a last corner pass on WALKER for second in race three, WEBB secured the top step of the podium.
“I felt like I was riding well, but I made it hard on myself with too many mistakes,” said WEBB. “I guess we’re all just pushing so hard that it’s so easy to crash. We’ve got a weekend off now and then it’s the final two rounds back to back so everything is still to play for.”
Delivering his best performance of the series to date, HAAKER matched his runner-up result from last weekend’s GP of Argentina but also added in a race three victory. Looking much more controlled and proving more consistent than in previous events, Haaker was a serious threat for the overall victory all night. Hampered only by a small, but costly, crash in race two, the Husqvarna rider ended his night just one-point behind WEBB in second. “I enjoyed it out there tonight,” said HAAKER. “I felt much more comfortable on the track than in races past. I’m happy to get a win in the final race and with it the runner-up result.”
Colton HAAKER (USA - Husqvarna)
Entering Brazil as the new championship leader, WALKER hit hard in the Akrapovic SuperPole by setting the fastest time. But unable to find a rhythm in the opening race he had to settle for third. Riding smart and consistent, he capitalised on the mistakes of both WEBB and HAAKER in race two to claim the win. Holding second for the majority of race three, he almost had the overall victory until WEBB sneaked past on the last corner.
Ending his night third overall, but just two points behind WEBB, Walker still maintains a nine-point advantage in the championship chase.
“Tonight probably wasn’t my best night but even so I was still fighting for the overall victory right up until the final corner so I think that’s positive,” told WALKER. “In the first race I rode sort of tense and just couldn’t do anything to challenge the top two guys, then in race two I focused on my own race and the win came my way.”
Behind the leading trio, fourth overall went to KTM’s Taylor ROBERT. Improving as the night went on, Robert placed fourth in the final two races of the night. In the battle for fifth, Alfredo GOMEZ (KTM) edged out Husqvarna’s Mario ROMAN by just one point to claim a top five result.
In the Junior class, Brazil saw championship leader Manuel LETTENBICHLER (KTM) return to top form. Fastest in practice, LETTENBICHLER went on to record three wins from three starts to claim the overall victory in Belo Horizonte. Behind Lettenbichler, the fight for the runner-up result was played out between Luis OLIVEIRA (Yamaha) and Blake GUTZEIT (KTM). With two second place results, it was OLIVEIRA who took second. Despite delivering his best result on the night in race three with second, GUTZEIT had to be content with third overall. Germany’s Tim APOLLE (Husqvarna) was fourth with Bruno CRIVILIN (KTM) taking fifth and best placed Brazilian. Norway’s Mathias MARTINSEN (KTM) completed the top six.
The Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with the penultimate round of the series in Prague, Czech Republic on March 12.
Manuel LETTENBICHLER (D - KTM)
Results
Prestige
Heat 1 : 1. WEBB ; 2. HAAKER 3. WALKER ; 4. ROMAN ; 5. GOMEZ ; 6. ROBERT; 7. ROOKSTOOL; 8. TREMAINE; 9. ADDESSO…
Heat 2: 1. WALKER; 2. WEBB; 3. HAAKER; 4. ROBERT; 5. GOMEZ; 6. ROMAN; 7. TREMAINE; 8. ADDESSO; 9. ROOKSTOOL…
Heat 3: 1. HAAKER; 2. WEBB; 3. WALKER; 4. ROBERT; 5. GOMEZ; 6. TREMAINE; 7. ROMAN; 8. ADDESSO; 9. ROOKSTOOL…
SuperPole powered by Akrapovic: 1.WALKER; 2. HAAKER. 3. WEBB…
Standing: 1. WALKER 212pts; 2. WEBB 203pts; 3. HAAKER 188pts; 4. GOMEZ 142pts; 5. ROBERT 141pts; 6. TREMAINE 116pts; 7. ROMAN 109pts; 8. BLAZUSIAK 79pts; 9. ROOKSTOOL 71pts; 10. LINUSSON 45pts…
Junior
Heat 1: 1. LETTENBICHLER; 2. OLIVEIRA; 3. GUTZEIT; 4. APOLLE; 5. CRIVILIN; 6. MARTINSEN; 7. WERNERSBACH; 8. ZANOTTO; 9. MATTOS…
Heat 2: 1. LETTENBICHLER; 2. OLIVEIRA; 3. GUTZEIT; 4. APOLLE; 5. CRIVILIN; 6. WERNERSBACH; 7. MARTINSEN; 8. MATTOS…
Heat 3: 1. LETTENBICHLER; 2. GUTZEIT; 3. APOLLE; 4. OLIVEIRA; 5. CRIVILIN; 6. MARTINSEN; 7. WERNERSBACH; 8. ZANOTTI; 9. MATTOS…
Standing: 1. LETTENBICHLER 223pts; 2. OLIVEIRA 181pts; 3. GUTZEIT 170pts; 4. APOLLE 146pts; 5. MARTINSEN 74pts; 6. HUMPHREYS 71pts; 7. SEALEY 62pts; 8. HERRERA 57pts; 9. JUSZCZAK 57pts; 10. HOARE 52pts…
