Paddock News
From HOLCOMBE to BOTTREL…
After an exhausted and dusty Iberian tour (Spain – Portugal), back on
those crazy two weeks of competition and on the fact you couldn't miss in
the EWC paddock…
Not so easy…
We heard and read a lot of things during the days before the Grand Prix AMV
Seguros of Spain. "Special Tests were too easy, not ready; there were
90% of asphalt on the 74 kilometers loop…” But after a big job of the
organizers, the special tests were "easy to ride” even "nice”
for few riders, the 90% of asphalt were in fact only 9% as the FIM Track
Inspector Maurizio MICHELUZ underlined during the traditional Friday Morning
Jury Meeting. Indeed, numerous riders were all ok to say that, at the end,
this Grand Prix hasn't been as easy as it looked with a very tough heat and
technical special tests that force them to draw into their reserves… In
bonus, the EWC riders offered us a nice suspense in four classes (on six),
it didn't happen for numerous years!
Asphalt
During this Grand Prix AMV Seguros of Spain, the traditional photo shooting
session has been organized! And for this year, no more EWC podium! The
pictures of each category have been organized on the start line of the Jerez
circuit with the famous Jerez tower in background! "Too much asphalt”
for hardcore fans but mainly a great opportunity to promote the Maxxis FIM
Enduro World Championship in a MotoGP mythic circuit!
Revelation
When we arrived in Jerez de la Frontera, we were waiting for another
exciting fight for the Junior leadership between Jamie MCCANNEY (GB –
Husqvarna), Giacomo REDONDI (I – Beta) and Alessandro BATTIG (I –
Honda). We also doubt that the Portuguese Diogo VENTURA (P – Gas Gas)
would join them as he did, but we never think that new Jarno BOANO nugget,
Steve HOLCOMBE (GB – Beta), would also come to this party! Brilliant third
on Day 1, he gave some worry to his compatriot MCCANNEY during the entire
Day 2 before finishing second for just few seconds… Same story in Gouveia
(Portugal) where he continued to worry MCCANNEY and REDONDI on Day 1 before
signing his very first EWC victory on Sunday! When we take a look to his
results, the Beta Boano team and he will maybe regret to not sending him in
Chile… But, the Brit from Devonshire is still a young gun (21 years old)
and will be a serious title contender next year!
New Generation!
This season, we had a large renewal in the FIM Youth Cup 125… Good bye
Davide SORECA (I – Beta), Albin ELOWSON (S – Husqvarna), Jérémy MIROIR
(F – Yamaha), Jesper BORJESSON (S – Husqvarna), Matteo BRESOLIN (I –
KTM), Adam TOMICZEK (PL – KTM) and Welcome David ABGRALL (F – Yamaha),
Jean-Baptiste NICOLOT (F – Yamaha), Valerian DEBAUD (F – Yamaha), Luca
GARELLO (F – Yamaha), Sergi CASANY (E – Gas Gas)! With also Josep GARCIA
(E – Husqvarna), Luc MALIGES (F – KTM) and Mikael PERSSON (S –
Yamaha), the EWC is discovering the next talents! If GARCIA and PERSSON seem
to stand out and give us a nice fight for the top step of the podium in each
race day, the young French are also in a good way and makes no present for
the last step… Names that we should heard about for the next years!
Walk
of Fame
AGOSTINI, NIETO, CHECA, ROSSI, LORENZO… Those entire names from the MotoGP
are already legendary or on the way to be… What's the common point between
these road racing stars and our Ivan CERVANTES (E – KTM)? A star in the
"Walk of Fame” of Jerez de la Frontera. Indeed, "Torito” has
been inducted in the closed circle of riders having this star in the street
of the Motorcycling World Capital… Only off-road rider among the road
racing legends, CERVANTES was very emotional during the entire ceremony and
said he is "very proud to be next to starts like this and to represent
Enduro!”
Top organizer!
Special Tests far from each other for only a hundredth of meters, a paddock
also very near placed in the very sympathetic "Senhora dos Verdes”
natural park… Everything was gathered to enjoy a good weekend of World
racing! That's what the Natureza Eventos, organizer of the Grand Prix
Polisport of Portugal, manage to do last weekend on the doors of the nice
town of Gouveia! Spectators could enjoy the three special tests that, with
only few meters between them, were very very different! The riders, but also
the FIM and ABC Communication, wanted to underline the "top
organization” that can make it one of the favorite for the honorific title
of Best Organizer of the Year!
My memories…
Since last year, the experts are giving to Jonathan BARRAGAN (E – Gas Gas)
the image of the competitive rider only on Sunday when the lines are already
made… Unfortunately for the Spanish, it has been confirmed in Chile (DNF/3)
and in Spain (6/3). So we wanted to know the real explanation of this
"problem” and it is his team manager, Sergi DURAN that gave us the
answer… "The problem with Jonathan is that he will walk and recognize
the special test 5 or 6 times during the week but he never remembers them
during the first race day. Then on Sunday, everything is clear in his mind
and it's the true BARRAGAN racing!” So, it is a problem of memory that
prevents BARRAGAN to perform on Saturday. A thing he absolutely needs to
work on if he wants to be one day a real contender for the title.
Maxxis
is coming
Title sponsor of the Enduro World Championship since 2004, Maxxis Tyres has
never putted a permanent tire in the special tests of the EWC. And it's now
done thanks to the KE MotoRace team and its team manager Giancarlo COMOTTI!
Indeed, with the support of Italian importer Motocross Marketing, the only
Kawasaki team in the paddock is equipped with Maxxis since the start of the
season and it seems that the performances are good. Indeed, Simone ALBERGONI
(I – Kawasaki), the top rider of the team, has good results since the
start of the season and is 7th overall in E1, only 7 points behind the 4th
rank. The Italian wasn't so far to sign a first podium result this season on
Day 1 in Portugal. Thanks to KE MotoRace, Maxxis is trying to come in the
EWC while waiting some podiums…
Tasting
Thanks to the Portuguese organizer, some riders were invited on Friday
afternoon to a local wine and cheese tasting. Ivan CERVANTES, Aigar LEOK
(EST – TM), Mathias BELLINO (F – Husqvarna), Simone ALBERGONI, and the
Portugueses Diogo VENTURA (Gas Gas) and Gonçalo REIS (KTM) where present,
joking that they were hoping it would help them to be faster during the KTM
Super Test. And it has been the case for BELLINO and ALBERGONI… A great
and simple moment reminiscent of the true values of Enduro…
Two more!
Few
days before the Grand Prix of Spain, we announced you a list of TV
broadcasters… But we didn't stop our research and we are now very proud to
welcome Fox Sports Australia and NC+ (Poland) as our two new EWC
broadcasters. The Australian fans will have the opportunity to follow the
performances of there "animal” Matthew PHILLIPS (KTM) while Polish
can enjoy each apparitions of their star Taddy BLAZUSIAK (KTM) as well as
follow the improvement of their young prospect Adam TOMICZEK (KTM)… The
EWC broadcasting is getting bigger each day!
Brazilian Connection
As last year, Romulo BOTTREL (BRA – Honda) came to the Iberian tour as a
preparation for the next Brazilian Championship! Very smiling and simple,
the young Brazilian brought a bit of exotic to the EWC and also scored some
valuable points during the four race days. Ride of the Honda ZANOL team, we
had also the opportunity to see Felipe ZANOL, ex Rallye star, who, despite
his accident few years ago, is always keep smiling! We really to see this
very sympathetic duo back on the EWC this season and the next seasons also!
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