Garcia, Pichon Split
EnduroGP Wins in Portugal
K
TM's Josep Garcia of Spain
and TM Moto's Zach Pichon
of France traded overall wins at
the EnduroGP of Portugal, June
12-14. Garcia beat Pichon by
13.64 seconds to win day one
(Saturday), but Pichon respond
-
ed the next day by beating Garcia
by 10.15 seconds. Garcia's team-
mate Andrea Verona was third
Saturday and Sherco's Steve Hol-
combe was third Sunday. Garcia
also topped Friday evening's
Super Test, setting the stage for
the weekend's main racing.
Garcia carried Friday's mo-
mentum into Saturday's racing,
making a strong start and quickly
taking the overall lead. The
reigning EnduroGP Champion
maintained control throughout
the day, winning three tests and
finishing outside the top three
in the remaining six. His consis
-
tency paid off, though, with the
overall (EnduroGP) and Enduro1
class wins.
On Sunday, Pichon got off to a
fast start, opening a small lead.
Garcia chipped away at Pichon's
lead, getting as close as three
seconds going into the final test,
but Pichon stepped it up when it
counted and held on to take the
overall victory over Garcia and
win the Enduro2 class, as he did
on Saturday.
After a heartbreaking DNF on
Saturday while battling for the
win in second place, suffering a
mechanical in the last test, Hol
-
combe bounced back with third
overall on Sunday.
The opening day of racing in
the Women's Enduro class be-
longed to American Rachel Gutish,
with the Rieju Factory Team rider
winning by 36 seconds. Gutish
enjoyed the hot, dry and dusty ter-
rain, consistently finishing inside
the top two in the special tests,
securing four fastest times.
Gutish blasted out of the gate
on day two, jumping into a quick
19-second lead that only got
larger as the day progressed.
She eventually secured the win
by 47 seconds over Canadian
Shelby Turner (Triumph), who
also placed second on Satur
-
day and was competing in the
championship for the first time
this year.
CN
ENDUROGP DAY 1 (Top 5)
1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:01:56.78
2. Zach Pichon (TM) +13.64
3. Andrea Verona (KTM) +45.18
4. Hamish Macdonald (She) +59.81
5. Theo Espinasse (Fan) +1:27.89
ENDUROGP DAY 2 (Top 5)
1. Zach Pichon (TM) 1:01:14.61
2. Josep Garcia (KTM) +10.15
3. Steve Holcombe (She) +42.63
4. Brad Freeman (Bet) +49.57
5. Andrea Verona (KTM) +50.56
WIND
IN THE
P32
(Left) Josep Garcia won day one at
the EnduroGP of Portugal. (Above)
American Rachel Gutish (Rieju) was
the top Women's-class rider both days,
extending her class championship
lead.
PHOTOS: FUTURE7MEDIA
