|
|
||||
All content © Bob MuIIins | |||||
 
Alfredo Gomez wins inaugural Minas Riders The inaugural running of Red Bull Minas Riders drew to an exciting close today in Belo Horizonte with Gomez securing the win on the fourth and final day of racing to end the event as the overall winner. As the rider to beat from the start of this year’s race Gomez didn’t disappoint on day four. With victory within his grasp the Spaniard hardly put a foot wrong throughout the day. Pulling clear of his closest rivals towards the latter half of the day, the KTM rider rode into the record books as the winner of South America’s first Red Bull Hard Enduro. With the chance of overall victory still possible, Husqvarna’s Graham Jarvis began the final day of racing in high spirits. But a costly mistake effectively ended any hope of winning. Mistakenly riding a few extra kilometres at one of the Gold class No Help Zones, Jarvis run out of fuel about 15 minutes from the end of the day. Flagging down classmate Lars Enockl (KTM), who he’d earlier helped, Enockl returned the favour by giving Jarvis enough fuel to get him home and secure his position as runner-up in the four-day event. The battle for the final step on the podium was a close affair between Paul Bolton (KTM) and Philipp Scholz (KTM). With little to separate the duo, the pair rode at maximum attack to try and win the final piece of silverware on offer. Reaching the finish line first, Bolton did enough to hold Scholz at bay. Despite giving his best Scholz missed out on a potential debut Hard Enduro podium but ended the event as one of the most impressive performers in Brazil. Along with the award for Good Samaritan for helping Jarvis, Enockl crossed the day four finish line in fourth to cement his position of fifth overall at Red Bull Minas Riders. In the Silver class there was no denying Rigor Rico Ferreira of victory. With a sizeable lead, the Brazilian put his KTM in cruise mode on day four. Riding together with his brother Ripi Galileu Oliveira he crossed the finish line safely to claim his first ever Hard Enduro win at his first attempt. Making it an Oliveira 1-2 in Silver, brother Ripi Galileu got the honour of winning day four to join his brother on the podium in second overall. Confirming a Brazilian lockout of the podium, Sergio Araujo completed the top three. With a 95-minute lead in the Bronze class entering the fourth day of racing, Loandro Anton had the luxury of not needing to ride anywhere near his limit. Enjoying his final ride in the 2016 Red Bull Minas Riders, he finished second to secure the overall victory in Bronze. Showing that European riders didn't only take to the start in the Gold class at red Bull Minas Riders 2016, Austria’s Martin Lindtner earned himself an overall podium result in Bronze. Vicenzo Barbagallo had the honour of winning the final day of racing in Bronze. With the inaugural running of the Red Bull Minas Riders now in the books, the world’s best riders can look forward to the next Red Bull Hard Enduro Rally - Red Bull Romaniacs on July 12-16. Will Gomez be able to win again? Or will Graham Jarvis or Jonny Walker, once back in action when his broken leg is fully healed, ensure British riders return to the top step of the podium? Alfredo Gomez: “It’s an incredible feeling to have won the Red Bull Minas Riders. It’s the first Red Bull Hard Enduro of the year so to come here and win like this is fantastic. I was a little nervous today despite holding a good lead in the race. But I soon settled into things and began top enjoy the ride a lot more. I was so happy riding into the finish line. It’s been a tough week of racing, really hard, so to win is just amazing. I can’t thank KTM and my team enough for their support in achieving this result. Finally, I’d like to dedicate this victory to a close friend of mine Alberto Lessmann who sadly passed away yesterday. This victory is for you Alberto.” Graham Jarvis: “It was always going to be tough to pull a victory out of the bag on the final today. But I’m pleased enough to end Minas Riders in second overall. To be fair Alfredo has been riding well all week so he’s earned this win. Day four was a bit unlucky for me. I understood that we were to ride this no help Gold zone twice, which I did, but I think I was mistaken. It resulted in me running out of fuel about 15 minutes from the finish line. Luckily I had earlier given Lars Enockl my wire cutters so when he came past he returned the favour by giving me some of his fuel to get me home.” Paul Bolton: “I’m made up with third overall in what’s been a hard week of riding. To end the first Red Bull Hard Enduro of 2016 on the podium is a brilliant result. The battle for third was tight between Philipp Scholz and myself entering today - it was only about a one-minute gap. We were both pushing but I managed to stay in front of him and get third.” Martin Freinademetz: “After two years of planning it’s fantastic to see the very first running of a Red Bull Hard Enduro in South America completed. It’s been a lot of work behind the scenes to keep a mammoth event like this running smoothly. But I’m so thankful of my team for their hard work in getting the job done so professionally. I think we’ve shown to the world what a place like the States of Minas Gerais can offer and we’ve really only scratched the surface of what’s possible here. Finally, a big congratulations to Alfredo on his win and to each and every rider who reached the finish line of Red Bull Minas Riders 2016.”
KTM’s Alfredo Gomez answered back to Graham Jarvis’ day two win with victory of his own on day three of Red Bull Minas Riders. With competition continuing to ramp up, Gomez responded to Jarvis’ attack by securing his second day win of the Hard Enduro Rally. Marking the start of the second half of the four-day race, day three saw riders return to Belo Horizonte following their overnight stay in Oro Preto. Under fierce Brazilian heat, the weary competitors left in the race faced another long and demanding day in the saddle. While the mountains were a familiar sight to many from the previous day, a host of new trails and hidden challenges were waiting to catch out the weak. With organisers easing riders into things during the morning ride, the intensity level was soon ramped up a couple of notches. Culminating in a spectacular final “Sweating Climax” hill climb for Gold class only, the penultimate day of racing favoured only the fit and strong. Following his day two win, Jarvis was served with the honour of leading the field out at 6.30am sharp. Knowing Gomez - starting behind in third - would be chasing hard, Graham set about keeping the KTM rider at bay until the midway service point. Gomez came out swinging as they left service, closing the gap to Jarvis by 30 seconds. Reaching the three quarter distance, the Spaniard had latched onto his rival’s rear wheel and looked certain to take a commanding victory. But there was a final sting in the tail to day three. The “Sweaty Climax” hill climb almost swung the result back in Jarvis’ favour. As Gomez struggled to make traction on a shredded tyre, Jarvis worked his magic to scale the almost vertical ascent with incredible skill. Crossing the finish line first, the clocked ticked on to see if Jarvis had done enough to dampen Gomez’ spirits. But with the Spaniard just doing enough to make it home, he beat Jarvis by 45 seconds to secure his second day win of the event. The battle for third was again played out between Paul Bolton (KTM), Lars Enockl (KTM) and Philipp Scholz (KTM). Starting together, Bolton and Enockl, spent the majority of the day riding in tandem. Catching up to Scholz, they quickly moved in front and remained that way until the finish with Bolton gaining the edge on Enockl during “Sweaty Climax” to take third. In the Silver class Rigor Rico Ferreira De Oliveira once again proved the rider to beat. Making short work of day three, the Brazilian was top of the standings. With three wins from three starts, Oliveira is on course to claim the Silver class victory. Ripi Galileu Oliveira wasn’t so close to Ferreira De Oliveira this time around, finishing over nine minutes behind in second. With the Oliveira pairing setting the pace out front, Sergio Araujo finished a further 30 minutes behind in third. Loandro Anton was again the clear winner of the Bronze class topping the day’s standings by over 22 minutes. Enjoying his best day of the race so far, Austria’s Martin Lindtner claimed a very impressive second position. Lucas Rocha completed the top three. For the fourth and final day of competition, the Red Bull Minas Riders will start and finish in Belo Horizonte. While the chequered flag is almost in sight, the road to the finish line won’t be an easy one. Sections like “Raposo Down”, “Rio Acima” and “River Climb” are waiting to ensure that only the best will reach the final Red Bull finish line arch of Minas Riders 2016. Graham Jarvis: “With yesterday’s win it was my turn to start off first on the road. The morning part of the race was nice - flowing and good riding. After service it got much tougher and about three quarters of the way through Alfredo caught up to me. We rode together until about the final climb. It was a brutal hill but I got up it best. With one day left it’s still all to play for tomorrow.” Alfredo Gomez: “It was a hard fight today. Graham started about six minutes in front of me so I wanted to do my best to catch him. I rode well before service and then went on the attack after it. I managed to catch Graham and knew then I’d gained more time on him. But I think I pushed my pace too hard because when we reached the final hill climb my tyre was finished. I lost so much time there, which was disappointing. But I still have the overall lead with one day to go.” Paul Bolton: “It was another tough day out there. This morning was long, nothing too extreme but it stepped up a few levels after service. Lars Enockl and myself started together and pretty much rode the day together. The hill climb was the final sting in the tail of a hard day but I’m pleased to have come home in the top three.” Lars Enockl: “I had a good day. The track was nice. There were some really hard sections but there was enough flowing trails between them to offer a breather in this heat. It was a blast riding with Paul for most of the day, I enjoyed it out there.” Provisional Results - Red Bull Minas Riders, Day Three Gold Class 1. Alfredo Gomez 6:07:51 2. Graham Jarvis 6:08:36 3.
Paul Bolton 6:12:40 4. Lars Enockl 6:13:34 5. Philipp Scholz 6:17:38
Graham Jarvis Fastest On Day Two At Minas Riders Husqvarna’s Graham Jarvis was the rider to beat on day two of Red Bull Minas Riders with the British rider leading the field home. With ground to make up on race leader Alfredo Gomez (KTM) the King of Hard Enduro went on the attack as the race made its way from Belo Horizonte to Oro Preto. With the punishing 160-kilometre long track to his advantage, Jarvis pulled two minutes back on Gomez’ lead. Delivering competitors a long and demanding day of riding, the route from Belo Horizonte to Oro Preto was both physically and mentally taxing for all. With challenging climbs, mountain top single track trails and fresh, grassy off-cambered hills littered with hidden rocks and stones, keeping full concentration for the duration of the seven-hour day was anything but easy. From Gold to Bronze class almost every rider sampled their fair share of Brazilian dirt. With the top three riders from day one allowed to select their starting position for day three, Gomez opted to leave third, resulting in Paul Bolton (KTM) leading everyone out at 6.30am sharp. Immediately Jarvis went on the attack and before the service point had put himself into the lead. Going on to win the day, his winning margin may have been even greater if not for one costly error. Mistiming a stream crossing, he ended up waist deep in water in an attempt to save his bike from drowning. Claiming a career best second place, KTM’s Philipp Scholz was one of the day’s standout performers. Bouncing back in style following his day one disaster, the German ended his day just one-minute behind Jarvis. Race leader Gomez’ race took a turn for the worst 30 minutes before service. Falling off a narrow single-track ledge, he almost put himself out of the race. With his bike lucky to catch a tree lower down the slope, it took the efforts of Gomez, Scholz and Lars Enockl to pull the bike back to the trail. Needing to work overtime to recover the time lost, Gomez put in a remarkable charge during the latter half of the day. One of the fastest riders following the service, the Spaniard ended his day two minutes adrift of Jarvis to maintain a three-minute lead as the race enters its second half. Despite starting first on the track, Paul Bolton didn’t have the best of days and finished 11 minutes behind Jarvis in fourth while Lars Enockl completed the top five in the Gold class. In the Silver class it was battle royale between Ripi Galileu Oliveira and Rigor Rico Ferreira De Oliveira for victory. Starting only one-minute apart, the duo rode in tandem for the day with Galileu Oliveira edging Ferreira De Oliveira out for the win by just 22 seconds. Finishing ten minutes behind, Sergio Araujo completed the top three. Loandro Anton claimed a 35-minute winning advantage in the Bronze class, placing ahead of Martin Lindter and Renato Figueiredo. Entering the second half of the race, day three will be another demanding affair with approximately 170 kilometres of tracks and trails awaiting both Gold and Silver classes as they race back to Belo Horizonte. Graham Jarvis: “I started out second on the road behind Paul Bolton and caught up to him close to the service point. The course wasn’t incredibly difficult but the combination of slippery dirt and hidden rocks and stones made for a physically draining day. I only really had one major mistake when I mistimed a ditch jump and almost drowned my bike in a stream. I was left standing in waist deep water trying to save it. Other than that it was a really enjoyable day. I’ve closed the gap to Alfredo Gomez in the overall standings so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Alfredo Gomez: “I made one major mistake about 30 minutes before the service point. My bike slid of a narrow ledge. I tried to pull it out by myself but it wasn’t possible. When Lars Enockl and Phillip Enockl arrived next we managed to get it out. A big thank you to them otherwise my race might have been over.” Philipp Scholz: “After the problems yesterday today has been fantastic. This is my best ever result in Hard Enduro, finishing second. I’m so pleased with that. Before service I helped Alfredo Gomez recover his bike from a ledge and after that we rode together. He was riding really hard but I followed him. It felt great to ride that pace, I learned so much doing that. Hopefully I can keep this form going for the final two days.” Provisional Results - Red Bull Minas Riders, Day 2
ALFREDO GOMEZ SET THE PACE ON DAY ONE KTM mounted Spaniard Alfredo Gomez has asserted himself as the man to beat following a confident day one win at the Red Bull Minas Riders in Brazil. Ready to prove himself as one of the top contenders in this year’s Red Bull Hard Enduro series, Gomez set a blisteringly fast pace throughout day one to take an impressive four-minute lead over second placed Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna). KTM’s Paul Bolton sits third overall. With day one’s morning Time Trial kicking things off, it was Jarvis who led the field away followed three minutes later by Gomez. Pushing the pace hard early on, the Spaniard worked his way up to Jarvis’ wheel tracks. Moving in front after three quarter distance the duo then remained in close contention, crossing the finish line within seconds of each other. Starting fifth, Bolton worked hard to overtake both Lars Enockl and Philipp Scholz to end the Time Trial in third. Scholz had a dramatic time of things when a broken throttle housing almost forced him out of the race. But with creative hands, the young German mended the housing with cable ties and tape and incredibly completed the Time Trial using only quarter throttle. Even more impressively he ended it fourth. The feature Gold class Prologue saw the world’s best Hard Enduro riders go head-to-head. Gomez claimed a start-to-finish victory from Jarvis and Bolton. In the Silver class, Brazilian riders topped the first four positions. Fereira De Oliveira was the strongest rider of the day. Making light work of the difficult Time Trial and then winning the Prologue he already holds a 40-minute lead. Oliveira holds a 50-minute advantage over Castoldi in third while Arajo in fourth. Ensuring South America command the top five position, Colombia’s Palacio Mejia is fifth. In the Bronze category, Brazilian Anton is the early leader with a
34-minute advantage over Rocha with Lindtner in third.
Graham Jarvis: “I rode steady today. Leading the race out on fresh tracks wasn’t to my advantage so I knew the guys behind me would be pushing hard to catch me up. I found a pace I was comfortable with and despite a few mistakes midway through the time trial loop I was happy enough. Again for the prologue I just rode steady. Alfredo Gomez has raced a full season of SuperEnduro so I knew he’d be the guy to beat. Second is good and it means I’ll start second tomorrow too. Day two is a long 160-kilometre ride and that’s when the race will really get started.” Paul Bolton: “That was a hard opening day. It was short but tough. It took me a while to get going in the time trial, the dirt feels so slippery here so I took some time to adapt. Once I found my rhythm I stepped up my pace and caught up to Lars Enockl and Philipp Scholz. I passed them in a riverbed section and then rode my own race to the finish. The prologue was fun. I started third and battled a bit with Graham Jarvis. I’m happy to end day one third overall and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.” Provisional Results - Day One
Red Bull Minas Riders Ready To Rock The first Red Bull Hard Enduro race of 2016 roars into life tomorrow, April 17 with the inaugural running of Red Bull Minas Riders in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Breaking new ground, Hard Enduro heads to South America where many of the world’s best riders will tackle some of the toughest terrain Brazil has to offer. Following a similar format to the tried and trusted Red Bull Romaniacs, Minas Riders certainly won’t be an easy one for those brave enough to take on the challenge. With four days of punishing trails under a blazing Brazilian sun, competitors will undoubtedly work up a sweat as they battle to reach the finish line. Husqvarna’s Graham Jarvis tops the entry list. As the undisputed King of Hard Enduro, Jarvis makes his bid for a first victory on South American soil. As a multi-time winner at Romaniacs, the Brit will be looking to put those skills to good use in Belo Horizonte. Feeling faster, fitter and more hungry for victory than ever before he’s determined to attack from the off. “I feel ready for Red Bull Minas Riders,” told Jarvis. “I’ve worked hard during the off season to prepare for this race. My goal is to try and set the pace early on. It’s a tactic that’s worked well for me at Romaniacs so I hope it can work here in Brazil.” Regarded by many as Jarvis’ toughest competitor, KTM’s Alfredo Gomez also has his sights set on victory. With a successful winter of SuperEnduro competition under his belt, Gomez is fighting fit. With dry and technical conditions sure to suit the Spaniard’s style, he too is looking for a winning start to 2016. “It’s going to be a tough race, we can be sure of that,” said Gomez. “But I’m confident. The advantage of a new race like this is that everyone is on an equal footing. No one knows what to expect and I think that will help me a lot.” Looking to reach the podium at the very least, the vastly experienced Paul Bolton (KTM) could be a dark horse. Having claimed numerous day wins at Red Bull Romaniacs, Bolton is up to speed with GPS navigation, plus always a favourite for success in the Prologue. Expect the British rider to run up front from the off. Adding in 2015 Hell’s Gate podium finisher Lars Enockl (KTM) and the ever improving Philipp Scholz (KTM) and the battle for a top five result looks set to be a close affair.
The fastest 35 riders will then qualify through to a very Brazilian styled Prologue, designed by Romaniacs mastermind Andy Fezekas. With a 6.30am start, the rally then ventures even deeper into the surrounding mountains. The aptly named “River Jump”, “Snake Trail” and breath taking ridge section make up part of the 160-kilometre ride out to the event’s Day Two overnight stay in Ouro Preto. Day Three points those left in the race back towards Belo Horizonte. Sections “Stomach Cramps” and “Fly On The Wall” will further test both the rider’s physical condition and determination. On approach to the finish Bronze will be gifted an easy pass. Gold class riders will endure one final sting in the tail on Day Three, where the nasty vertical climb of “Sweaty Climax” will surely decide the outcome of the day’s results. Finally, all that stands between the competitors and the Minas Riders finish line is Day Four. Another unrelenting day of riding, with “Italian Corner” waiting to punish the weak, it certainly won’t be an easy right to passage. “I’m really proud to bring the first Red Bull Hard Enduro to South America,” told Martin Freinademetz. “Our team has worked tirelessly during the last two years to put together a Hard Enduro Rally worthy of carrying the Red Bull name. “With some breath taking trails at our disposal in and around Belo Horizonte we feel we’ve crafted out a race that will challenge the very best but still be enjoyed by those at the opposite end of the ability spectrum. I’m looking forward to seeing how the action unfolds and wish all competitors the best of luck.”
|
Alfredo
Gomez: “Today was pretty much perfect. It feels great to lead the race
after day one. I tried to push hard from the beginning of the time trial
loop. The tracks were tricky but I felt confident with my bike. Graham
Jarvis had a three-minute head start but gradually I managed to reel him in.
From there we pretty much rode together to the finish line. A winter of
SuperEnduro really helped me for the prologue. I felt sharp and got the
holeshot. Graham challenged me early on but I pulled away from him towards
the end. Like I said it’s been a great start to the Red Bull Minas Riders
so I hope to continue like this.”
Following
many months of hard work building fresh tracks, Red Bull Minas Riders is a
four-day Hard Enduro Rally. Day one wastes no time in allowing riders to
settle into the Brazilian terrain. An early 7.00am start for the
60-kilometre long time trial loop with sections like “Front Flip”, “Monkey
Cascade” and “Tirol Extreme” will offer a perfect wake up call for the
unwary.
