U.S. ISDE Team Raring To Go In Spain
T
he 31 riders that comprise
the U.S. team entered in the
98th NOCO FIM International
Six Days Enduro (ISDE) have
been in the Northwest of Spain
for more than a week and have
already successfully weathered
a number of challenges. It's not
just been jet lag or the fatigue
that results from walking more
than 100 miles in order to learn
the various special tests, but it's
been doing so in storms that
have caused the organizers to
throw out two tests of day three
that remain mostly underwater.
But the defending champions
remain focused and ready to go
racing for six days starting on
Monday morning, October 14.
Preliminary indications are for less
rain and many kilometers on pub
-
lic roads to link trail sections and
tests. Still, the Spanish Six Days
promises to be a stern test for all.
Johnny Girroir, one of two
returning team members of last
year's winning U.S. World Trophy
team (the other being Dante Olivei-
ra, with recent replacement rider
and former Junior World Trophy
rider Cody Barnes and 2023 Club
team winner Josh Toth joining
them), eagerly anticipates his third
Six Days. He said, "The nerves are
out and I'm more familiar with [the
format]; I'm not so nervous com-
ing over here, walking the tests,
remembering more, talking with
the team, and it's just all coming
together more, for sure.
"I think everyone's working to-
gether [well], and we're all work-
ing as a team and discussing the
tests. Everyone remembers a lot,
so we're ready to roll."
On the other end of the ex-
perience scale is Olivia Pugh, a
member of the Eric Cleveland
Memorial trio—alongside Joc-
elyn Barnes and last-minute call-
up Rachel Stout, all of them ISDE
first-timers—which is entered in
the new Club team category for
women.
"This is my first time out of
the country!" Pugh said. "We
don't have a lot of grasstracks
in Washington; it's a lot of trees.
It's a lot different, because it's a
lot of grasstracks compared to
what I'm used to. I'm excited for
it, though."
Mark Kariya
WIND
IN THE
P24
The 2024 U.S. ISDE team riders gather before getting their bikes
teched and impounded on the Saturday before the race.
One of the final teams on stage at the opening ceremonies, the U.S. team
hopes to do well enough again in Spain to earn that spot next year in Italy.
