Going into a warmer climate of Spain from the snow filled season opener held in the snow of Lake Päijänne, Finland; the EnduroGP returns in full swing this weekend. With the first of the Iberian back-to-back races in Spain and it will be followed by the Portuguese GP one week afterward.
The organizing club inside Spain, Movete Na Moto of Lalin, have fashioned a 70km long lap around the holy city of Santiago de Compostela. The riders will take on three times transversely Saturday and Sunday. In addition, the Friday night Super Test from 18:00hrs. Following the home town riders dominant illustration in the Finnish snow, the championship have returned once more to a more recognizable landscape of rocks, dirt and dust inside Northern Spain.
During the opening round of the 2018 EnduroGP season in the snow, Aleksi Jukola was the shocker winner. Eero Remes followed him and situate a target for the EnduroGP regulars. As Remes arrives in Spain, he is currently in the lead in the Enduro 2 and holds the second place within the EnduroGP (scratch) category. With only a mere six points ahead of Alex Salvini in E2 nevertheless the Italian is in top condition in 2018 following the switch to the Jolly Racing Husqvarna.
In contrast to his less appreciation in a snow field, Matthew Phillips will be back on a more suited landscape and is raring to go and grab his 14-point deficit on his competitor. Following a complicated time in Finland, Loïc Larrieu will also be back hoping to even out the field. Deny Philippaerts and Josh Gotts already showed their speed and ability in the snow and wants to bring the same energy to the next venue.
Thomas Oldrati and Christophe Charlier will have to step up their game in Spain to have a better shot at the crown and also to lessen the margin between them and the leaders. Italian Oscar Balletti will also make his Suzuki entrance in Galicia.
Enduro 1
Jamie McCanney and Brad Freeman equally had strong Päijänne Enduro GPs. Yamaha rider McCanney holds the red 24MX Leader Plate heading toward Compostela. Eemil Pohjola of Gas Gas will have to prove himself on Spain as his performance in Finland was a set-back although he showed a promising speed and might as well be a favorite in this small capacity class. Davide Guarneri will also hope for the best in this familiar terrain as he seems to be ever more self-assured on the RedMoto Honda as well as is a candidate for E1 honors. Returning from his knee ligament injury, Antoine Basset is in top shape and is ready to race. Manuel Monni, Victor Guerrero and Cédric Cremer who were not in attendance in Finland will be in the game as well.
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Enduro 3
Steve Holcombe took pleasure in improved winter training en route for big points in Finland. It bodes well for the two-time world champion at the same time as the series heads south. He is currently in third place in the overall standing behind Jukola and Toni Eriksson with only eight points in front of associate British rider Danny McCanney and 10 points ahead of Christophe Nambotin. Aiming to get to the top spots are Frenchmen Anthony Geslin and Romain Dumontier.
Up-to-the-minute for the 2018 season, the Junior category is separated into two ‘World Cups’. It will be the Junior 1 for bikes equal to or less than 250cc (2T and 4T), next is Junior 2 for bikes higher than 250cc (2T and 4T). Within these two categories, there will only be one ‘scratch’ Junior World Champion.
There will be a huge competition in the Junir 1 Category. Young and talented riders such as Mikael Persson, Andrea Verona, Kirian Mirabet, Leo Le Quere and the 2017 No.3, Albin Elowson will be worth keeping an eye on. In addition to outsiders such as Jean-Baptiste Nicolot, Lari Jukola, Theo Espinasse, Antoine Magain, Antti Hannien, Thibaut Passet and Emmanuele Facchetti. It is really a well-built class.
There is already a favorite in the Junior 2 Class. It is the 2017 vice-champion, Davide Soreca on a TM 300EN 2T this year following two seasons resting on a 4T at Honda. The contest is ferocious even if from Matteo Cavallo, Jack Edmondson, Enric Francisco and Tosha Schareina chaperoned next to Ivan Cervantes on behalf of the RFME. Not to forget Italian Mirko Spandre and Englishman Joe Wootton.
Ruy Barbosa seems to be the early favorite in the Youth 125cc Class following his third place in 2017. Competing for the crown alongside Barbosa will be Dan Mundell, Hugo Svard, Matthew Vanoevelen, Roni Kytonen, Joakim Grelsson and Marcus Adielsson. They will also serve as real page turners in the game, so we’ll have to keep watch for Charly Mesnard, Robin Filhol, Killian Lunier, Melvin Monzo and the young New Zealander Hamish Macdonald for the Iberian rounds.
Event logistics
The Enduro Test, positioned in the vicinity of the ‘A Sionlla’ industrial area, is said to be between 8 and 10 minutes long. With about 10 minutes long, the Cross Test is also being situated within industrial area.
The Super Test will commence at 18:00 on Friday, April 27.
Racing begins on Saturday and Sunday starting 09:00.
The Spanish GP compound is based in Santiago’s San Lorenzo Stadium which hosts the Friday night Super Test as well as the Xtreme Test throughout the weekend.
Santiago de Compostela is to be found within Galicia plus more distinctively, within the province of A Coruña. With approximately 96,000 in population, a place of pilgrimage is what it is well-known for, on a same level with Rome or Jerusalem. This is also where the tomb of Saint Jacques is located and has numerous monasteries and churches.
The contenders will finish the 70km lap among the Xtreme Test inside the stadium. To be noted, a number of impressive passageways on the liaison and will be highlighted by the organizers on site.
