Rain marked the second day of the 2020 Italy EnduroGP. However, under deplorable conditions, Holcombe brought out his technique to claim victory.
The dreaded rain and cold weather hit the EnduroGP World Championship throughout Sunday. Unsurprisingly, the organizers and stewards of the Italian Grand Prix made course changes to ensure the safety of all competitors, and Steve Holcombe (GBR-Beta) took advantage of the difficult terrain conditions to claim the third victory of the season.
The Beta Factory rider felt completely comfortable with the adverse weather conditions on the second day of the Italian GP. Even in the midst of the flood, Steve Holcombe remained the master of his discipline. His problems with the bike the day before were forgotten, and the Briton was able to relax at a strong pace. However, he had to keep a close eye on his teammate, Brad Freeman (GBR). The 2019 EnduroGP World Champion was very threatening during the first lap, even the difference dropped below half a second in some moments. But Freeman was forced to let the victory slip from his grasp, losing a few seconds on each of the stages in the final laps. However, Freeman and Holcombe can leave Italian fans satisfied with their dominance in the Enduro World Championship. The third of the day was Loïc Larrieu (FRA-TM), more than a minute behind the British duo.
Larrieu can be happy with this result, as it took a lot of effort to get the coveted place on the final podium. Sixth at the end of the first round, Loïc went on the offensive and was very strong throughout the day, even beating the local favorites. He held onto the podium from the end of the second lap onward, setting stage times similar to that of the Beta drivers.
Thomas Ooldrati (ITA-Honda) was just 6 seconds behind third place, but his overall performance over the weekend satisfied the Honda rider. Andrea Verona (ITA-TM) never got into the race. However, he still put in a superb performance as a Senior rookie, finishing in the Top 5. Similarly, Belgian rookie Antoine Magain (BEL-Sherco) was the big reveal of the day. He was fighting for the top positions all day, but a crash in the last Enduro test knocked him out. Still, he will be someone to watch in the upcoming races.
Hamish MacDonald wins for the first time in the Junior category
Very disappointed after losing the victory to an accident on the first day, New Zealander Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) took revenge on his Sherco teammate Théo Espinasse (FRA-Sherco) on day 2. The southern hemisphere rider played all his cards in the difficult conditions, winning by more than a minute in his second race in the Junior class. The winner of last year’s Youth 125cc Cup was thrilled with this strong result that keeps him in the race.
Wil Ruprecht (AUS-Beta) made up for his difficulties on the first day with a good podium finish, finishing second in the category. The Australian was ahead of Théo Espinasse (FRA-Sherco) by just under 2 seconds. However, the Frenchman who was so strong in his home race at Requista remains at the top of the standings. Ruy Barbosa (CHL-Husqvarna) improved his game on Saturday. The Chilean still struggled under the downpours, but today’s 4th place should give him the confidence to aim higher next time.
Jaume Betriu, protagonist in Italy
Regarding the rest of the Spanish who have competed in this event, yesterday Jaume Betriu finished second in E3 while Cristóbal Guerrero approached the honor boxes with a fourth position. Jorge Paradelo and David Corbalán were third in Open 4s and Open Sénior, respectively.
This Sunday Betriu was back on the podium with another second place in E3 and, in addition, he was accompanied by Enric Francisco on the third step. Paradelo, in Open 4s, and David Corbalán, in Open Senior, have repeated their position as the third.
The next round of the Enduro World Championship will be on November 6 and 7 in Marco de Canaveses, Portugal.
