 
The changing face of the EWC!
While it’s the end of the year, the teams have nearly finished their
market in the free agency… Here is an overview of future teams!
KTM redistributes the cards…
It makes at least one month that the KTM Farioli team is complete! But in
2014, everybody will change of classes. Indeed, Antoine MEO (F) has decided
to defy Alex SALVINI (I) in Enduro 2 and will be the only rider of the team
in this category. Ivan CERVANTES will make his comeback in the E3 class with
the 500cc 4 stroke on which he won his last World Title. The Spanish will be
associated to the 2013 Junior World Champion Matthew PHILLIPS (AUS) who will
compete on the 300cc 2 strokes. Finally, the big surprise remains as
Christophe NAMBOTIN (F) who has radically decided to change and will enter
the Championship next to Cristobal GUERRERO (E) in the E1 class.
On the supported team side, Fabio FARIOLI will keep the former Crossman Rudy
MORONI (I), the other GUERRERO… Victor and also Oscar BALLETTI (I). Nicolo
MORI (I), from Beta, and Jeremy JOLY (F) will join them and will ride in the
E3 class.
Husqvarna… nearly the same!
With the disappearance of Husaberg, it’s now Thomas GUSTAVSSON who will
manage the official Husqvarna team in the EWC. And the first change will
come from the name as the team is now called “Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory
team”. Otherwise… there are few changes in the team. Thomas OLDRATI (I)
in E1, Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F) in E2, Mathias BELLINO (F) in E3 and Loïc
LARRIEU (F) and Jamie MCCANNEY (GB) in the Junior class. Exit Oriol MENA
(E). But the big question is which class will choose Joakim LJUNGGREN (S).
We heard that the Swede is hesitating between the big and the small engine…
For the supported team, we’ll see again Christophe ROBERT (CH), the actual
leader of the SuperEnduro Women Cup Jane DANIELS (GB) and the young guns
Albin ELOWSON (S) and Jesper BORJESSON (S) while Jeff GOBLET (B) can join
them just like Manuel MONNI (I) and Mario ROMAN (E)…
Honda plays on SALVINI
Good Bye HM Honda, Welcome Red Moto. But on the team side, once again not so
many changes. Exit Simone ALBERGONI (I) who gave not so many satisfactions
to Franco MAYR last year. Alex SALVINI (I), despite numerous rumors of
transfers in autumn, will fight again for the E2 class. Now, we don’t know
if one or others riders will team with SALVINI…
Gas Gas…
During the offseason, the Catalan team managed by Sergi DURAN has realized
some nice shots! Instead the retirement of Rodrig THAIN (F), the team has
recorded the comeback of Oriol MENA (E) who we still don’t know the class
and the arrival of former EEAT rider Antoine BASSET (F)…
Jonathan MANZI (I), who has signed a contract with Gas Gas Italy, must make
some apparitions during the Iberic tour and the Italian Grand Prix… and
what about the School of Champions?
Beta signs REDONDI
As last year, Fabrizio DINI was looking for three riders for 2014, and he
has made some nice shots in the free agency! Luis CORREIA (P) has signed a
new contract to rider in E3 and most of all, the Italian firm has signed the
2 times World Champion Johnny AUBERT (F) to fight for the podium in E2 and
more recently, 2013 Junior vice-Champion Giacomo REDONDI (I - Photo). Two
faces who have the talent and the desire to fight for the title in their
respective classes… Decidedly, the Beta ambitions are getting bigger and
bigger!
Beta Boano is getting stronger!
For the other team Beta managed by Jarno BOANO, a nice operation has been
done too… Indeed, while Deny PHILLIPAERTS (I) continues his adventure in
E3, it’s the 2013 SuperEnduro Junior World Champion Danny MCCANNEY (GB)
who joins the team with only one goal, the Junior title for his last year in
his category! Davide SORECA (I), on his side, should ride for the title in
the FIM Youth Cup 125cc…
Sherco all-round…
But the brand which has made the most of noise in the offseason remains the
French/Spanish brand based in Nimes. Indeed, in addition to sign David
KNIGHT (GB) for Hard Enduro, SuperEnduro and few EWC races, the firm managed
by Marc TEISSIER has benefited of the “Husaberg/Husqvarna changes” to
recruit Fabrizio AZZALIN as team manager. A team which must be called Sherco
CH Racing team. While Sherco had already signed Lorenzo SANTOLINO (E) in
September, “AZZA” should bring in his luggage the Finn Matti SEISTOLA…
It is two nice international faces who will team with Fabien PLANET (F –
E3), Jérémy TARROUX (F – E1) and Jessica GARDINER (AUS – Women).
On the Moto Pulsion team side, the team will remain unchanged with Anthony
BOISSIERE (F) in E1 and Julien GAUTHIER (F) in E2. But we’ll see more blue
in the paddock this year as Didier VALLADE (Commercial Sherco) has signed
the 2013 Women French Champion Geraldine FOURNEL and Frederic BOLLEY son,
Theo BAZERQUE in his Sherco Academy team who will participate to three or
four Grand Prix in 2014. The multiple German Champion Marcus KEHR (D) has
also joined Sherco…
TM in advance
For TM, everything’s ready since more than a month. Luca CHERUBINI hasn’t
change nothing from last year with Eero REMES (SF) in E1 and Aigar LEOK
(EST) in E3… Dawid CIUCCI (I) will also join the TM team and is a good
recruitment for the firm from Pesaro.
Ina TV Racing and Yamaha
The sympathetic Greek team had a nice 2013 season with the title of best
private team of the year. But this season, Yannis KOLIGLIATIS (manager) is a
wised man. For instance… Indeed, Juliette BERREZ (F) will still represent
the team in the Women World Cup while Nicolas DEPARROIS (F) will still ride
in E1. The young Portuguese Luis OLIVEIRA (P) should join this nice team
which will still ride on Yamaha.
EEAT and its new guys
Good Bye Alexandre QUEYREYRE (F) and Antoine BASSET (F). The most
experienced guys are now Kevin ROHMER (F) still under contract, and Jeremy
MIROIR (F). The son of Jean Luc MIROIR will enter the FIM Youth Cup 125cc.
Those two riders will be join by Anthony GESLIN (F) and Maelig
BRON-FONTANNAZ (F), the two young guns, of the team of Frederic WEILL that
is still continuing his partnership with Yamaha Motor France.
Bordone Ferrari is back…
Or at least, that is what we heard on the EWC… Less than a year after the
end of a nice adventure, a new team is going to be built on via Emilio
COMOTTI. Indeed, COMOTTI has already found a top rider with Simone ALBERGONI
(I) who will be help by Mirko GRITTI (I) and the young Guido CONFORTI (I)
and Nicolas PELLEGRINELLI (I)… KTM should equip the Italian team. Stay
tuned…
Rigo Racing
The Italian team equip with Suzuki bikes and managed by Marco RIGO should
present the same face as last year with Maurizio MICHELUZ (I) in Enduro 1
and the young Andrea MANARIN (I) in the FIM Youth Cup 125cc…
Frenchies
On the side of the Frenchies who are not under contract with a team, Romain
DUMONTIER and Marc BOURGEOIS must continue their adventure as private rider.
After a long injury in 2013, “Dudu” is really looking forward to make a
big comeback in the EWC and to show his talent on the handlebar of his
Yamaha. BOURGEOIS, on his side, should make more apparitions in the World
scene in 2014…
Johansson MPE
In the Swedish private team who took more importance last year, it’s
totally a mystery… With the retirement of Marko TARKKALA (SF) and the
signature of Jeremy JOLY (F) with KTM France, Joakim JOHANSSON is now
without his two best riders… What about Jemma WILSON (AUS) and Jakob
MORHED (S)? Some start of answers in few times…
Laïa SANZ
Another big question concerned the situation of Laïa SANZ (E)… Free of
any contract since the start of the 2013 season, the 2 times Enduro World
Champion will race the Dakar with a Honda. Will she do the same in 2014 in
the EWC? Will an official team sign her? So many questions in which will
have quickly some answers…
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