2021 EnduroGP of France – Day Two

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The 2021 EnduroGP World Championship has wrapped up in France, with Brad Freeman claiming top honours with a 16-point lead and a win on the final day ensuring he couldn’t be toppled.

Cementing her status as one of motorcycling’s greatest competitors, Laia Sanz (GASGAS) won her sixth FIM Enduro Women World Championship with victory on Sunday. She adds this title to her 14th FIM Trial World Championship, won last month. The final world champion crowned for the weekend was TM’s Matteo Pavoni, taking the Enduro Junior title.

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EnduroGP

With the majority of the senior enduro titles won on Saturday, the talking point for Sunday was about who would end the day as the FIM EnduroGP World Champion. With a 16-point lead over his closest rival, Brad Freeman held the upper hand and was determined to see things through.

After a steady start on the opening ACERBIS Cross Test to settle his nerves, Freeman pulled the pin thereafter to top the following CHAMPION Enduro Test and NERVE by JUST1 Extreme Test to take up the lead. Clearly focused on clinching the title with a win, he built up a healthy 20-second lead with two tests to go.

Remaining trouble free, Freeman ended his day as the race winner, but more importantly, the new FIM EnduroGP World Champion. Adding to his Enduro3 crown from Saturday, the British rider is now a seven-time FIM Enduro World Champion.

Brad Freeman

“I wanted to go for the win today to take the title. I knew ninth place would be enough to get the job done, but that’s not my style or how I like to ride, so I just went for it. With two tests to go I had a good lead and then rode it home. I’m so happy with this year and how it’s gone. I feel like there’s a massive weight lifted off my shoulders now. I’m the EnduroGP World Champion and that’s an awesome feeling!”

While Freeman had control over the race lead, behind him positions were changing. Steve Holcombe (Beta) was on form, winning the opening ACERBIS Cross Test and sitting in second after the fourth test. Also enjoying a great GP of France, Jaume Betriu (KTM) moved up to second after test five. Newly crowned Enduro1 champion Andrea Verona (GASGAS) was next to slot into second at the end of test six, a position he would hold until the end.

After a slow start, day one winner Josep Garcia (KTM) spent his day racing his way into contention to grab the final step of the podium from Betriu on the final special test. Although denied an EnduroGP podium, Betriu could still be pleased with his efforts in fourth, while Holcombe was close behind in fifth.

With Freeman crowned the EnduroGP champion, Garcia finished the championship in second, with Verona completing the top three.

2021 EnduroGP Final Standings

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Enduro1

With the Enduro1 title already wrapped up on Saturday, newly crowned champ Verona convincingly won the category for the 10th time this year. Fantic’s Davide Guarneri took second.

Antoine Magain (Sherco) edged out TM’s Matteo Cavallo by six seconds to claim third, while Davide Soreca (Husqvarna) completed the top five.

Andrea Verona

“Today has been a very good day for me. After taking the Enduro1 title yesterday, I was able to relax a little more today and I think it helped my pace. I was fighting with Ruprecht for third position in the EnduroGP overall standings and today I was able to finish second overall, which is an amazing result for me. I was just over 10 seconds from the overall win, so I’m very happy with that. It has been an incredible year, changing teams early on, and getting used to the bike, but I was able to find my pace, and the results have been really good. Thanks to the team for all their work. I’ll get some rest now, but then we’ll soon be preparing for next year.”

2021 Enduro1 Final Standings

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Enduro2

The fight for the final Enduro2 victory of the season was a close one. Holcombe started out in a determined mood and led for the majority of the day. After special test six of nine, 2021 Enduro2 champion Garcia had managed to reel Holcombe back in and with momentum growing worked his way into the lead on test seven.

With Garcia pulling clear for victory, Holcombe took a strong second. The fight for third was incredibly close, with Honda’s Nathan Watson beating Sherco’s Hamish MacDonald by eight tenths of a second. Will Ruprecht (TM) completed the top five.

Josep Garcia

“After winning the E2 Championship yesterday, I knew I still had a lot of work to do today, and my goal was to try and get the very best result I could. I started off well, but then had a big crash in the first enduro test that cost me a lot of time, and I hurt myself too. I was able to carry on, but then in the next cross test, I had another crash that put me behind even further. After that, I re-focused for the rest of the day and won three of the last tests. After losing time early on, to take third in EnduroGP and win Enduro2 today is really good. It’s frustrating not to take the EnduroGP title this year, but after being away from the series for three years, I’m really pleased that I came back and took these results. The beginning of the year was tough for me – it took me a while to get up to speed and of course the level is very high. After making a few mistakes in the first couple of rounds, I knew I had to change my mindset and the way I raced. It all came together at the ISDE this year, and after winning that, I was a lot more confident coming into the final rounds of the world championship. I’m pleased with second in EnduroGP, and of course to win my second title in Enduro2 is great, but I know I have the speed to win, so I’m looking forward to next year already.”

2021 Enduro2 Final Standings

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Enduro3

With his Enduro3 crown safely defended on Saturday, Freeman secured a clean sweep of wins in 2021 with victory on Sunday. Delivering an impressively strong ride in France, Betriu comfortably placed as runner-up to Freeman.

Sherco’s Daniel McCanney joined them on the podium with third, while Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) and Marc Sans (Husqvarna) were fourth and fifth respectively.

2021 Enduro3 Final Standings

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Enduro Women

Rewriting the history books once more, Laia Sanz (GASGAS) became the FIM Enduro Women World Champion with a race win on Sunday. Returning to the championship having last won the title in 2016, Sanz was simply outstanding throughout 2021.

Claiming her fifth win of the season out of a possible six, Sanz’ sixth Enduro title, added to her FIM Trial and Rally achievements, makes her one of the most decorated motorcycle riders of all time.

With conditions dry and dusty in France, Laia produced a masterclass on day one, increasing her lead in the championship standings to 13 points, and carried her speed into Sunday to again dominate and take the win by an impressive 47 seconds.

Laia Sanz

“It’s been an amazing weekend, I’m really happy. Coming into this final round I had a small advantage at the top of the standings, so I knew that two good days should be enough to take the championship. After winning yesterday, my lead going into today was even greater, so I was able relax – maybe too much on the first test. I felt good and so I pushed a little harder on the second lap. But anyway, to get the title is amazing and of course, this season I have won two, so it has been a fantastic year.”

With Sanz crowned champion, the battle for vice-champion went down to the wire between Mireia Badia (GASGAS) and Jane Daniels (Fantic). Daniels held a one-point advantage over Badia starting the day, but with Badia beating Daniels by three seconds she ended the season in second.

2021 Enduro Women Final Standings

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Enduro Junior

The final world title to be played out was in Enduro Junior, with Matteo Pavoni (TM) taking the crown. Pavoni held a comfortable points cushion over closest rival Lorenzo Macoritto (TM), and by ending his day in second to Macoritto did more than enough to clinch the title.

Matteo Pavoni

“It’s an amazing moment. Without the support of my family and team I couldn’t have won this title. I’m so happy with the result and how the year has gone.”

Day one winner Jed Etchells (Fantic) finished third, with Bernat Cortes (GASGAS) just four seconds behind in fourth. Max Ahlin (Husqvarna) rounded out the top five.

2021 Enduro Junior Final Standings

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Enduro Youth

Signing off his season in style, Albin Norrbin (Fantic) took his ninth consecutive victory of the season. Behind him the battle for the runner-up result was close.

In the end Harry Edmondson edged out Kevin Cristino by seven tenths of a second, in what proved to be a Fantic clean sweep of the podium. Leo Joyon (Beta) and Thibault Giraudon (Sherco) completed the top five.

2021 Enduro Youth Final Standings

Source: MCNews.com.au