GP of France – It’s a Wrap!

That’s all folks… Seven rounds, 14 days, and one very eventful GP of France brings the 2013 Enduro World Championship to a close in St Flour.

After the drama – and dear we say excitement – of day one, day two of the French GP eventually got underway. With officials and organisers working overtime to ensure the show would go on, day two saw a slightly later start time and revised course.

Pushing the start of competition back to 10.00 (local time), the Enduro 1 class was the first category to roll off the starting ramp. Salvaging what was left of the course, riders would contest only the cross test plus one trail section. All in which would be rode four times. Ironically, the forecasted rain stayed away for the majority of the day resulting in near perfect conditions out on the special test.

With his day one challenge falling apart in the wet, Sherco’s Jeremy Tarroux bounced back to top the Enduro 1 class and claim his first EWC win. It was a close fight for the win and despite setting the fastest time in two tests, Eero Remes missed his chance of victory by two tenths of a second. Proving he’s still got the pace to run up front, Marc Bourgeois edged out Antoine Meo on his two-stroker to snatch third place.

Early on it looked as if Johnny Aubert was on course to win the Enduro 2 class. Winning the first two tests he probably thought so but Alex Salvini had other ideas. Outclassing him in the final two tests, Salvini claimed the final win of the E2 season. With Aubert relegated to second, Pela Renet rode a lonely race for third while David Knight – still reeling from his day one time penalty – took fourth.

Depending on how you view it the biggest news of the Enduro 3 class was either the early departure of Christophe Nambotin or the debut win of Mathias Bellino. Topping the opening two special tests, Nambo’ was on track for his second win of the weekend until he chart wheeled off it during the third Cross Test. Luckily he was uninjured. With Nambotin out of the equation, Bellino stepped up and claimed his debut win in the Senior class.

After riding like a cow trying to walk on ice on day one – his words not ours – Aigar Leok got it together on day two to finish second. Sandwiching himself between Leok and Joakim Ljunggren, Luis Correia took third.

Loic Larrieu took advantage of a time penalty incurred by Matt Phillips to win the Enduro Junior class. Firing out a fairly hefty warning shot to his rivals that he’ll be a contender in 2014, Jamie McCanney – the 2013 125 Youth Cup champion – edged out his brother Danny for second. Jeremy Mirior won the 125 Youth Cup class.

Pulling 50 seconds on Laia Sanz on the first test, Jane Daniels cruised her way to her second win of the season. Ending her weekend with a 2-2 scorecard, Sanz defended her world title.

So that’s it – barring the last of the victory celebrations – the 2013 Enduro World Championship is now officially over.

Ciao…