Day one - France take early World Trophy team lead
Defending champions France got their participation in this year’s FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) off to a successful start by taking an early lead in the FIM World Trophy team classification at the end of day one in Sardinia. With the six hundred and thirteen competitors entered in this year’s centennial race successfully leaving the Parc Ferme in Olbia, the ISDE finally began in anger. Heavy overnight rain gave way to clear skies and almost immediately perfect conditions before dry and dusty trails and special tests became par for the course.
In the FIM World Trophy team competition, France claimed top honours on day one. Starting as they meant to go on, the French squad placed two of their riders, Antoine Meo - KTM and Johnny Aubert – KTM, inside the top four in the individual overall classification. Helped in part by two top fifteen results by Pela Renet – Husaberg and Jeremy Joly – Honda, France hold a one-minute and fifteen second lead over the United States.
In the battle for the remaining podium places, United States, Australia and host nation Italy are respectively separated by just under thirteen seconds. Hoping to close the gap to France while holding their rivals at bay, the United States are already up to speed in the eighty-eighth edition of the ISDE and look set to improve as the week progresses. Almost two minutes behind Italy, Spain complete the top five at the end of day one.
Ensuring a strong start to the centennial year of the ISDE, France also maintains the lead in the FIM Junior World Trophy team classification. After their disappointing opening day in 2012, the French national team ended day one in Olbia with all four riders still in the competition. However, their lead is a slender one with Italy less than three seconds behind in the runner-up position. With the weight of their home support behind them, Italy will no doubt grow stronger throughout the week. Less than thirty-three seconds behind Italy, third placed United States hold a significant advantage over Great Britain in fourth. Completing the top five, but already over one-minute adrift of Great Britain, Australia are fifth.
In the highly competitive FIM Women’s World Trophy competition it is Australia that control the race lead at the end of day one. With team riders Tayla Jones – KTM and Jessica Gardiner – Sherco placing first and second in the Women’s individual classification and Jemma Wilson – Yamaha in sixth, Australia start day two with a one minute and thirteen second lead over Sweden in second. Off to a bad start in this year’s ISDE, defending champions France are already over five minutes behind Australia.
At the end of day one it’s Frenchman Joly who leads the Enduro 1 category from Spain’s Cristobal Guerrero – KTM with his compatriot Lorenzo Santolino – Husqvarna in third. Australia’s Daniel Milner – Yamaha leads the Enduro 2 category while also topping the outright individual classification. Just one-second behind the Australian, Italy’s Alex Salvini – Honda is second with Aubert in third. Opting to contest the Enduro 3 category at this year’s ISDE, Meo is the unexpected class leader at the end of day one. Mike Brown – KTM is second with Italy’s Deny Philippaerts – Beta third.