SOURCE: ENDUROGP.ORG DAY 2LARRIEU & GARCIA SECURE VICTORY ON DAY TWO OF ENDUROGP OF ITALY
Frenchman Loic Larrieu (Yamaha) has become the second rider to claim a first EnduroGP win of 2017 at the GP of Italy, claiming victory at the end of a long, hot and demanding second day of competition in Spoleto.
Just as Steve Holcombe (Beta) did on day one, Larrieu earned his first podium topping result of the year by heading the second day’s result and placing 33 seconds ahead of his closest challenger – day one winner Holcombe. In the Enduro 2 class KTM’s Josep Garcia completed a perfect GP, adding victory on day two to his winning result on day one to move to the top of the Enduro 2 championship standings. British rider Brad Freeman (Beta) comfortably topped the Enduro Junior class while Andrea Verona topped the results in the 125cc Enduro Youth category.
Removing the mistakes that prevented him challenging for the top step of the EnduroGP podium on day one, Loic Larrieu proved to be the rider to beat on day two in Spoleto. Winning six of the day’s 10 special tests he earned both his and Yamaha’s first winning result in the premier EnduroGP class.
“It was a very good day for me today,” confirmed Loic. “The big difference was that I didn't make any big mistakes like I did on day one. The first lap ended well and I really pushed hard during the second lap, which worked very well. The last lap I was able to be a little more cautious so not to make any mistakes. It feels great to win.”
Runner-up, but unable to match the pace of Larrieu, was day one winner Steve Holcombe. Fast and consistent throughout the day, Steve found himself battling with Christophe Nambotin (KTM) during the first half of the race, until Nambo’ lost time in the extreme test following a mistake.
Nevertheless, Holcombe’s runner-up result saw him extend his lead in the EnduroGP championship standings to 21 points. “Larrieu was riding extremely well today, I wasn’t comfortable pushing as hard as he was so I focused on securing the second place result. Getting more championship points was more important that taking big risks today,” admitted Holcombe.”
Making a costly mistake on the second extreme test Christophe Nambotin rounded out the EnduroGP podium in third, proving like he did on Spain that he has the speed to. “You can’t win if you make a mistake like I did today, but really Loic was too fast,” explained the Frenchman.
“It’s been a really good GP – typically Italian with two long, and tough days of racing.” Alex Salvini (Beta) placed as the highest finishing home rider in fourth, just four seconds adrift of Nambotin. Fifth went to Nathan Watson who made a notable improvement over his day one result of ninth – a result made all the more impressive considering he was forced to stay off a bike since the GP of Spain due to his wrist injury. Privateer Yamaha rider Cristobal Guerrero delivered one of the day’s most impressive result to earn a well-deserved sixth.
Back in action after being forced out on day one with a technical issue Matt Phillips (Sherco) placed seventh with Jaume Betriu (KTM), Giacomo Redondi (Honda) and Deny Philippaerts (Beta) rounding out the top 10.
Josep Garcia (KTM) and Jamie McCanney (Yamaha) battled it out for the Enduro 2 class win on day two. Garcia was the first to establish a lead, which he threw away when he crashed on his second run threw the extreme test. For the remainder of the day Josep and Jamie pushed one another to the limit with the Spaniard eventually wining by just under seven seconds.
“I’m very, very pleased with my results here in Italy,” confirmed Garcia. “I made a really positive start to day two and managed to open up a small advantage at the top of the results. But I made a mistake in the second extreme test and lost 15 seconds. That made things very close between myself and Jamie McCanney. Thankfully, I managed to get the win again, to complete a perfect GP.”
Despite finishing as runner-up Jamie McCanney was rightfully pleased with his runner-up performance on the second day. “Josep and myself have been pushing each other all day today. I don't think either of us could have gone any faster.
Together with my second place result on day one I’m more than happy with how I’ve performed this weekend,” said Jamie. Rounding out the podium, and matching his third place result from day two, Pascal Rauchenecker finished comfortably ahead of Spain’s Jonathan Barragan (Gas Gas) who in turn secured his best result of the series to date. Fifth went to Danny McCanney (Husqvarna) with Eero Remes (TM) managing to improve on his day one result to sixth. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco), Thomas Oldrati (Husqvarna), Rudy Moroni (KTM) and Manuel Monni (TM) rounded out the top 10.
Competing in his first Italian GP Brad Freeman (Beta) claimed victory in the Enduro Junior class, just as he did on the second day of the GP of Spain. Finishing 30 seconds ahead of team-mate Matteo Cavallo (Beta), Freeman topped six of the day’s special tests to climb to fourth in the Enduro Junior championship standings despite missing the season opening event in Finland. Finishing third and just three seconds behind countryman Cavallo, Davide Soreca (Honda) remains comfortably out front in the Enduro Junior standings – 37 points ahead of second placed rider Mikael Persson (Yamaha) who failed for finish day two.
In the 125cc Youth Cup Andrea Verona (TM) claimed victory ahead of Leo Le Quere (TM) with Brit Dan Mundell (KTM) placing third.
The Maxxis FIM EnduroGP World Championship now moves on to the GP of Hungary on June 23-25.
