Australian female rider Jessica Gardiner - Sherco heads both the Women’s individual standings as well as helping her Women’s World Trophy Team pull out a fifteen minute lead over their American rivals as the 2014 FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) moves into day three. Come the close of play today, the 89th edition of the ISDE will have reached its halfway point.
Calm and collected Jessica summed up her first two days in the saddle. “Day two was quite challenging, the tests were rough with the them being the same as the first day. I really enjoyed the first lap today, the second lap was really about getting the right lines, and although I didn’t get them all right I did mange not to crash, which was good. It was really hot in the afternoon, so we were all feeling pretty tired, so it was important get in as much fluid as possible.”
“The weather has been crazy, really bizarre from one extreme to the other. My hydration pack was leaking all day so it was acting like a cooling system on my body, which was good.”
“Day three looks to be really tough, the sand tests are going to get plenty of whoops in them so it is going to be interesting to see who can keep the front wheel up through those sections. Thankfully I love sand, so I am looking forward to days three and four.”
At the end of each day the girls face one final challenge, when they are required by the rules to work on their own bikes and change their own tyres.
“With the fifteen minute time frame it really helps as you have the pressure to get it done, for me its one of the most exciting parts of the day. You have to make sure you get your tyres on ready for the next day of racing.”
“Now it comes quite easy to me, but in the early days every night I would run from the front fence at home to the garage and start doing the tyre changing against the clock. It took a lot of practice, but now it pays off.”
When asked about retaining the title they won at last year’s ISDE Jessica rounded off by saying. “Yes most definitely, the Aussie girls are very determined and will keep aiming for that top step.”