
A successful tour!
Back from the Latin American tour of the Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World
Championship that took place recently in Mexico and Brazil and which saw
Taddy BLAZUSIAK (PL - KTM) finally being stopped in his winning streak by
Cody WEBB (USA - KTM)!
End of streak!
Twice Cody WEBB wasn’t so far from beating Taddy BLAZUSIAK. It was in
Finland and Mexico. The Fivefold World Champion had found in extremis the
resources to succeed in the last heat. This time, in Belo Horizonte, the
Poles couldn’t do anything against the 2015 Endurocross Champion. Winner
of the first race and second in the second, WEBB, despite a huge crash in
the start of the last race (he restart last), ensured a solid third place
that allowed him to win his first SEWC Grand Prix. So he stopped, at the
same time, the four straight wins of BLAZUSIAK... With the rise of WEBB, but
also WALKER and the return of KNIGHT in the foreground, the Grand Prix AMV
of France may be very exciting next March, 14th in Cahors (46)...
Huge celebration
Like last year, Sebastiao LAGO, director of Quanta Sport, had made it big to
host the Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Brazil. Indeed, for
the 8000 spectators, he organized a large commercial area at the entrance of
Mineirinho. So people could visit the booths of KTM, Honda or Beta importers
but also ASW one, manufacturer of textile that produced the SuperEnduro
shirts. In addition to this, a large snack bar and restaurant allow everyone
to cool down and to party like only Brazilians know how to do!
Holeshot 100%
This time, the Holeshot 100% has crowned two different winners in Prestige
category. Indeed, while Taddy BLAZUSIAK (PL) make it third Holeshot in a row
in Mexico, David KNIGHT (GB - KTM) was awarded the $ 300 in Brazil in what
turned out as the first corner the most spectacular and difficult to grasp
the season. In Junior Andreas LINUSSON (S - KTM) seems unbeatable in this
exercise. Indeed, he won his fourth consecutive Holeshot 100%. He could aim
for the perfect season in Cahors if Jack ROWLAND (GB – Sherco) didn’t
steal the first Holeshot of the season in Poland!
Super
Pole powered by Akrapovic
During this Latin American tour, the Super Pole powered by Akrapovic was
highly competitive again. While Taddy BLAZUSIAK won his first Super Pole of
the season in Guadalajara, right in front of Alfredo GOMEZ (E - HVA) and
Cody WEBB, it is Jonny WALKER who took over his "property" in
Mineirinho in Belo Horizonte beating for few hundredths David KNIGHT and
Cody WEBB. A Grand Prix before the end it is WALKER leading discussions with
11 points ahead of BLAZUSIAK (8 pts), WEBB (5 pts) then come KNIGHT (4 pts)
and GOMEZ (2 pts)... Everything is still open for this second edition of the
Super Pole powered by Akrapovic!
Setbacks
Convincing in Mexico (7th), Kyle REDMOND (USA - Beta) almost didn’t reach
Brazil. Indeed, the Beta team has struggled to find him a bike in Belo
Horizonte. A little lonely, REDMOND still signs the fourth fastest time in
the Super Pole but then nothing has gone as expected. Indeed, the official
Beta could finish just a race of all three of the Grand Prix and finished in
a disappointing 12th place. But we bet that REDMOND will recover and should
provide to the French public a good show!
Visit
Before we went to Guadalajara, we learned by the team manager of KTM, Antti
KALLONEN, that Taylor ROBERT (USA - KTM) would miss the rest of the season
due to a fractured scaphoid. But having already scheduled a few days off
with his girlfriend after the Grand Prix of Mexico, the American still
decided to make the trip to the Arena VFG to visit his teammates. The entire
SuperEnduro paddock wishes him a good and speedy recovery!
In the steps of the bests…
The duo Ty TREMAINE (USA - KTM) - Andreas LINUSSON (S - KTM) offers us a
great show and promises a huge and intense final in the Junior category.
Indeed, with the rule of the X-4 (the four worst results are out), the
American leads the discussion for only three points! Moreover, both riders
seem ready for the higher category. Indeed, in Time Practice in Mineirinho,
LINUSSON as TREMAINE achieved lap times worthy of the Prestige Top 5. If
evidence is that both prospects are at an excellent level since the
beginning of the season. If this continues, the one who will be crowned in
Cahors (46) should make some noise next season with the "big" as
Taddy BLAZUSIAK told us last Sunday after the race: "Whether Ty or
Andreas, their level is excellent! And it will close the gap next season in
Prestige! It will become increasingly difficult to h ang a Top 5! These two
are definitely the future stars of the sport!" A very nice compliment
from a five time World Champion!
The fight is going harder!
The season progresses and we feel the tension rising among riders,
especially those from the top of the table. And this has resulted in more
physical races than usual and tough overtakes that offer nice show to
Mexicans and Brazilians spectators. From BLAZUSIAK to KNIGHT, through WALKER
and WEBB, everyone made his block pass! But the most significant battles of
the tour will remain: the one between BLAZUSIAK and WEBB at the last heat in
Mexico, where leadership has changed more than three times in the last lap.
But also between KNIGHT and BLAZUSIAK during the entire Brazilian Grand
Prix. Both riders offered a show within the show, even to rub in the air
while chaining the pushes.
Injury
We have already reported the fractured scaphoid of Taylor ROBERT that he
drags since December... Unfortunately, another rider joined the ranks of the
injured list... It's Gethin HUMPHREYS (GB - HVA). Brilliant in Mexico (2nd),
the Junior racer fell heavily during practice in Brazil and fractured a rib
which caused him a punctured lung. No worries, the Brit is doing well but
will have to wait a few days before receiving the green light from
Brazilians surgeons to take the plane that will take him home... We don’t
know yet if he will have the opportunity to race in France or not…
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