WIND
IN THE
P56
MIE's Gomez, Zaragoza Top Inaugural
E-Xplorer FIM World Cup
T
he inaugural E-Xplorer FIM
World Cup concluded with
two rounds of racing in Sardinia
where the MIE racing team of
Sandra Gomez and Jorge Zara
-
goza used a pair of second-place
finishes to wrap up the electric
all-terrain motorcycle racing se
-
ries. The Spanish duo finished on
the podium at all five the rounds
this season to clinch the cham
-
pionship despite the runner up
Gravity team coming on strong
with three wins in a row to close
out the series. The E-Xplorer
racing format includes head-to-
head matchups with one female
and one male rider on each team
completing one lap each.
The Gravity team of Kiara
Fontanesi of Italy and Camille
Chapeliere from France won both
the Saturday and Sunday races
to close in on the MIE team in
the points, but ultimately finished
ten points behind. Fontanesi is a
six-time FIM women's motocross
champion and Chapeliere is a
former winner of the iconic Le
Torquet beach race and multi-
time Dakar Rally competitor and
their skills were put to good use
on the sandy course in Italy.
The MIE team of Gomez and
Zaragoza, who both have im
-
pressive resumes of their own,
kicked off the five-round series
with two wins and then had a
third-place finish at round three
and wrapped up the champion
-
ship with two second place fin-
ishes at the double-header final
in Sardinia.
The MaddWill team owned by
freestyle motocross icon Robbie
Madison and riders Sandra Keller
and Jonathan Rosse finished
third at both races over the
weekend and secured third in the
championship.
"It is fantastic to win this new
world cup," said Jorge Zaragoza.
"We have been competitive from
the outset and we are really
thrilled to be taking the top step
in this series. It is a great new
championship and fantastic to
be involved from the beginning
and to take the series title."
"Jorge and I have been a good
team," said Sandra Gomez. "We
have very different skills and
have helped each other through
-
out this series with all the dif-
ferent terrains and courses. He
has taught me how to manage
the jumps and I have helped him
with the trees. It is fantastic to
win this for Midori (Morawaki –
Team Principle of MIE)."
CN
Saturday
1. Gravity (Kiara Fontanesi,
Camille Chapeliere)
2. MIE (Sandra Gomez,
Jorge Zaragaza)
3. MaddWill (Sandra Keller,
Jonathan Rosse)
Sunday
4. Gravity (Kiara Fontanesi,
Camille Chapeliere)
5. MIE (Sandra Gomez,
Jorge Zaragaza)
6. MaddWill (Sandra Keller,
Jonathan Rosse)
Frenchman Camille
Chapeliere (pictured)
and Italian teammate
Kiara Fontanesi won both
Saturday and Sunday races.
PHOTOS: RICHARD BYLES
