All content © Bob MuIIins

Super Test
Great impression from Guarneri and Robert!

The beach at Agadir was the venue for the first Super Test of the 2016 FIM Enduro GP season. Around 3 000 Moroccans came to watch the stars of the EnduroGP and despite an early finish they had a lot to cheer about!

Before the poor light cause problems for the EnduroGP riders, Davide Guarnier (I – Honda), in his rookie season, impressed everybody with a cracking time of 1'43''45! . Taylor Robert (USA – KTM) also shined in the dusk (1'47''69). He was followed by Nathan Watson (GB – KTM), 1'48''55, and the fourth rookie of the season, Pascal RAUCHENECKER (AUT – Husqvarna), 1'49''15. Jamie McCanney and Steve Holcombe continued where they left off in 5th and 6th but Danny McCanney lost half a minute in the gloom to finish 24th.

The light was good for the Junior class. One of the favorites of the category Giacomo Redondi (I – Honda) set the best time of 1'49''03 ahead of Sweden's Oliver Nelson (TM) and Diogo Ventura (P – Gas Gas). The competition was intense in the Juniors with only 10 seconds separating the leader and Josh Gotts in 19th. In the FIM Youth Cup 125cc, Frence's Valerian Debaud (Yamaha) and Jean-Baptiste Nicolot (Yamaha) made impressive debuts right in front of Italian prospect Mirko Spandre (KTM). Jack Edmondson was 4th. 

Despite the light problems, the Super Test of the GP of Agadir will remain as one of the most beautiful of the season with an awesome environment and some nice duels…  After an FIM decision, the Super Test was canceled for the EnduroGP class but it counted for the Juniors and the Youth Cup.

Day 1

France's Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna) has put his name into the Enduro history books as the first rider to top the results in the newly introduced EnduroGP class. Showing countryman Johnny Aubert (Beta) and Tasmanian Matt Phillips (Sherco) the way home, Bellino topped the opening day's results by 21 seconds having delivered an impressive day-long performance.

The overnight temperature in Agadir was a balmy 60 degrees and the sun's heat soon burnt off the morning sea mist as the competitors hit the first Extreme test. Matthew Phillips (Sherco) checked out his chain tension with a signature wheelie off the line and he set the fastest time ahead of Mathias Bellino {Husqvarna} and Finland's Eero Remes (TM) in 3rd  Britain's Steve Holcombe (Beta) - riding in his first full EWC season was 4th. Jamie McCanney was 9th and Danny McCanney was 15th. Nathan Watson was 23rd. In the Juniors Josep Garcia (Husqvarna) was quickest with a top 20 scratch time from Giacomo Redondi (Honda) and Albi Elowson (Husqvarna). Redondi maintained his overall lead and Josh Gotts moved up 4 places on the leader board to 15th. Jack Edmondson was the fastest in the Youth class and he moved from 4th to 2nd - 5 seconds behind Valerian Debaud.

The field moved on to the 5.5km Enduro Test where Matthew Phillips consolidated his lead ahead of Mathias Bellino and Steve Holcombe moved up into 3rd. Garcia was again the fastest Junior but Redondi still maintained the lead. Josh Gotts stepped up to 14th and Jack Edmondson put in a flyer to take the lead in the Youth class.

Positions were consolidated on the 5km MX Test with the exception of Jamie McCanney who leapt up from 13th to 6th to lead the E1 class. At the end of the first lap Matthew Phillips topped the leader board and the E2 class. Mathias Bellino was 2nd and Steve Holcombe - best E3 - was 3rd. Nathan Watson was 12th and Danny McCanney was 23rd. Josh Gotts maintained his Junior 14th and Jack Edmondson extended his lead in the Youth class to 8 seconds.

Lap 2 started badly for Jamie McCanney who picked up a 60 point penalty which then disappeared. Christophe Nambotin sustained a wrist injury. Matthew Phillips also had a problem on his 2nd Enduro Test when he dropped 7 seconds and lost the overall lead to Mathias Bellino. Lorenzo Santolino got a shiner after a big crash on the test. Kirian Mirabet had a good test and he pulled himself up into 3rd in the Junior class behind Redondi and Garcia. Jonny Aubert had been all over Steve Holcombe's rear fender and on the 2nd MX Test he got everything right while Steve posted his worst time to drop out of the top 3.

Throughout the day riders battled against extremely dry and dusty conditions, with the rock littered Moroccan terrain ensuring a demanding day's racing for all competitors.

On lap 3 Jonny Aubert continued to push and he succeeded in dislodging Matthew Phillips from the runner up position but he couldn't catch Mathias Bellino who took the overall win ahead of Aubert and Phillips. Steve Holcombe was 4th. 

This is a great start to the championship,” commented Bellino. "The day was tough – the terrain was dry but very slippery, it was very easy to make mistakes. But for me everything went well. I felt good. It was important to be consistent all day, and I managed to do that. I'm looking forward to day two now, which I know will be hard." 

Defending Champion Eero Remes was the best E1. Jamie McCanney was runner up in 11th and despite setting the 2nd fastest time on the final MX Test Nathan Watson finished 13th but that was good enough to take 3rd. Danny McCanney in 18th was 6th. 

Mathias Bellino won the E2 class ahead of Matthew Philips and Alex Salvini. 

The E3 class podium was Jonny Aubert. Steve Holcombe and Antoine Basset with Italian Manuel Monni (TM) fourth and Spain's Jaume "Birthday Boy" Betriu (KTM) fifth.

Giacomo Redondi was the best Junior  finishing 12 seconds clear of his closest challenger.. Josep Garcia was the runner up and Kirian Mirabet was 3rd. Josh Gotts took a firm hold on 2 Championship points and he wouldn't let them go.

The Youth Class was a battle between Jack Edmondson and Jean Baptiste Nicolot with Jack taking the win.

Day 2

Turning the tables on his EnduroGP rival Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna), Tasmanian Matt Phillips (Sherco) delivered the goods on day two of the GP of Agadir to claim the outright EnduroGP class win. The fast starting former Enduro 3 World Champion won the day's opening two special tests before remaining at the head of the EnduroGP class, going on to earn his first win of the 2016 season.

As expected day two of the GP of Agadir proved to be extremely demanding with the long, rock strewn enduro test once again proving to be the toughest test of the event.

"I started really well on day one, but I knew what I needed to do to improve on day two,” commented Phillips at the end of a long and demanding day two. "I kept things smooth throughout day two and it worked great, I'm so pleased to give Sherco this first EnduroGP win. The tests got pretty brutal, but you just had to keep plugging away. My bike was awesome all weekend, we can carry some well earned confidence into next weekend's GP of Portugal.” Second to PHILLIPS was day one EnduroGP class winner Mathias Bellino. With little to separate the two riders at the mid-way point of the race, a crash from Bellino on the final Enduro test ended his chances of battling for the win. Bellino ended the day 15 seconds behind Phillips. Third went to Eero Remes (TM). The 250f-mounted Finn enjoyed a strong day-long performance to earn his debut EnduroGP podium result. British youngster Steve Holcombe (Beta) once again showed impressive speed in Agadir. Placing just seven seconds behind Remes, Holcombe's Beta team-mate Alex Salvini finished fifth but crashed heavily on the day's second enduro test. Losing significant time Salvini dropped from third. Italian Gianluca Martini (Kawasaki) claimed a career best sixth.

In the Enduro 1 class Eero Remes claimed a healthy margin of victory, placing 25 seconds ahead of Martini. Earning his first ever podium result Italian Gianluca narrowly edged out EnduroGP rookie Nathan Watson, who eventually placed third. After close to one-hour of racing just 30 seconds separated the top three Enduro 1 class riders. McCanney brother Jamie and Danny placed fourth and fifth respectively with Italian Rudy Moroni sixth."I'm happy with my GP,” commented Remes. "I rode better on day two but it was difficult to really push hard. The track was so rough that it was impossible not to make mistakes.”

As the EnduroGP class winner Matt Phillips also put his name at the top of the Enduro 2 class, finishing ahead of Mathias BELLINO and Alex Salvini. Yamaha mounted team mates Loic Larrieu and Cristobal Guerrero placed fourth and fifth, separated by just four seconds. The USA's Taylor Robert placed a close sixth.

Steve Holcombe enjoyed an eventual 25-second margin of victory in the Enduro 3 class, earning his first ever senior class victory following a fast and consistent day's riding. Winning three of the days special tests Holcombe placed ahead of France's Antoine Basset (KTM) who in turn finished ahead of day one Enduro 3 class winner Johnny Aubert (Beta). Basset and Aubert were separated by just 0.94 of a second. "I'm thrilled with the way the first GP of the year's gone for me,” enthused Holcombe from the podium "I couldn't get to grips with the Motocross test like I wanted but the Enduro and Extreme tests were good to me today, which was really important.”

Giacomo Redondi (Honda) backed up his day one Enduro Junior class win with victory on day two, placing 10 seconds ahead of Spaniard Josep Garcia (Husqvarna). Rounding out the podium was Portuguese rider Diego Ventura (Gas Gas).

Jean-Baptiste Nicolot (Yamaha) claimed the top position in the Enduro Youth class. Day one winner Jack Edmondson broke a finger on the first test of the second day but he toughed it out to finish 2nd and take the Championship lead. Third went to Valerian Debaud (Yamaha) ahead of Mirko Spandre (KTM).

The 2016 EnduroGP championship now moves onto Portugal.