Duhamel wins at Le Mans

Miguel Duhamel won the FIM e-Power & TTXGP race this afternoon at Le Mans. Despite a three-year break from competition, the Canadian champion had lost nothing of his will to win as he rode the US Barracuda Racing Team’s electric Lightening motorcycle on the track this afternoon. For his first race in this discipline, he carried the day after an intense battle with Matthias Himmelmann of the Münch Racing Team. “It was a fantastic race, said Miguel Duhamel with his delightful Quebec accent. Lightning is very powerful but you have to pace yourself to preserve the batteries for the end of the race. It’s the first time I’ve taken part in this type of race. I did 40 test laps this week, that’s all.” 2011 champion Matthias Himmelmann was out in front for the first few laps but was then stopped dead on the track. “A bit of rubber got stuck in the circuit breaker. I found the problem after a general check and then I was able to chase down Miguel.” In the meantime, his Münch Racing Team team-mate Katja Poensgen had a much more serious electrical problem which kept her out for the duration. As a result, she loses the 2012 FIM e-Power International Championship title that goes to Matthias Himmelmann for the second year running. After his win at Oschersleben, Tang Yu of the Zongshen Racing Team is on the podium again, ahead of his team-mates Ho Chi Fung and David Dumain, editor-in-chief of the French magazine Moto Journal. Christian Amendt of Germany, who brings up the rear in the rankings here at Le Mans, had to rebuild his bike after the practice following a motor burnout. His determination paid off as he takes the third place in the overall 2012 FIM e-Power rankings behind Matthias Himmelmann and Katja Poensgen.