VOL. 53 ISSUE 41 OCTOBER 18, 2016 P59
the lead by a minute and three
seconds. After Italy lost Manuel
Monni and Oscar Balletti on
day five, Great Britain inherited
second place, though it was
a somewhat distant 3:43.62
behind the Americans. After the
final motocross tests of day six,
Team USA found itself on the top
step of the podium for the first
time, Great Britain second and
the young team from the Czech
Republic a distant third but
winners of the Watling Trophy
in the top 21 with Russell sec-
ond in E2 and seventh overall,
Duvall seventh in E3 (500cc
two-stroke/650cc four-stroke)
and 16th overall, and last-minute
replacement rider Michael sixth
in E1 (125cc two-stroke/250cc
four-stroke) and 21st overall.
Italy provided the biggest
challenge, though the U.S.
managed to ease away slowly
in the first two dry days before
rain changed the complexion of
the race on day three, stretching
tion among 123 three-man units,
Team USA's Trail Jesters (Ben
Kelley, Jason Klammer and Josh
Toth) found itself second on the
podium, beaten only by Italy with
Team USA's Eric Cleveland Me-
morial (Alex Dorsey, Broc Hepler
and Jimmy Jarrett) third. Toth
won the C1 class and ended up
the fastest individual Club rider
of the week in only his second
ISDE.
FIM WORLD TROPHY
As early challengers fell by the
wayside, the U.S. quartet of
Thad Duvall, Layne Michael,
Taylor Robert and Kailub Russell
kept going, mindful that while
a subpar test score would be
disappointing, a DNF by any of
them for any reason would put
them out of the running altogeth-
er. This was the first Six Days un-
der the new rules reducing team
size and with only four riders on
a World Trophy squad, there are
no longer any throwaways.
The smaller number of rid-
ers did make it easier for every
country to pick four fast riders,
and it showed in the depth of
the American team. Not only did
Robert win the E2 class (250cc
two-stroke/450cc four-stroke)
and post the best score by an
individual in the entire 546-rider
field, but all three of his team-
mates did well enough to place
Tasked with racing a two-stroke
in a major event for his first time
ever, Thad Duvall responded
well to his Husky TE 300. He
ultimately finished seventh in E3
and 16th overall.
