Being among the first to ride the day’s first test wasn’t something that Taylor Robert and Kailub Russell could avoid at the 2016 ISDE; their performances on Day Three of the 91st running of the event in Navarra, Spain, dictated that.
So, they had to make the best of it, but the extremely slippery conditions made for treacherous going, with Robert losing time due to a crash—an incident that threatened to wipe out both his standing at the top of the individual chart as well as that of the leading U.S. World Trophy team.
“It was slicker than it was even yesterday,” Robert said. “I don’t even know how that’s possible because I thought yesterday was the slickest stuff I’ve ever ridden! I low-sided it into the trees, but I went into such heavy trees that I couldn’t just pick my bike up and turn out—I had to pick it up, pull it backwards out of the trees back onto the trail and take off. I probably lost eight or 10 seconds there doing that, but after that I rode real timid because I didn’t want to make any other big mistakes. I lost 17 seconds to [Australia’s Daniel] Sanders in that first test, which was pretty much my whole lead that I’d accumulated the first three days, so I was kind of bummed on that.”
It was much the same for Russell. Though he didn’t crash in that test, he’s been struggling with setup issues on his GNCC-spec KTM 350 XC-F that have kept him from matching his performance in winning the very first test of the week when it was dry and dusty.
Fortunately, Thad Duvall and Layne Michael ably picked up the slack, their improved rides helping to keep the team out front, the margin over runner-up Italy at the end of the fourth day 1 minute and 22.31 seconds. Great Britain is still third, a further 1:59.20 behind Italy.
“I felt like I rode really well in the tests today and I’m excited to even be able to ride the [Husqvarna TE] 300 as well as I am because I didn’t really know what to expect,” life-long four-stroke racer Duvall shared. “It’s turned out to be a good week for me. If I walk out of here healthy and if I help the team win this trophy at the end of this week, I’ll be super-happy.”
The U.S. Junior World Trophy team also had reason to be happy. Though it’s still second to Sweden, the margin shrank to a more tantalizing 24.24 seconds. Italy is third, another 2:26.02 back. Steward Baylor rebounded from a somewhat disappointing Day Three to once again put in the top ride by an American Junior at 16th overall, which made him the second-fastest Junior of the day. Grant Baylor also had a solid day at 23rd overall with Trevor Bollinger hampered somewhat by a broken rear fender—the result of untold pounds of heavy clay accumulation—to finish 40th for the day, 15th in E1.
America’s Women’s World Trophy team lost Rachel Gutish to a suspected mechanical issue today, though Tarah Geiger and Nicole Bradford battled through to the finish. The U.S. remains fourth, though it lost ground there to Australia, Spain (which lost Sandra Gomez) and Germany. The best two scores count in Women’s World Trophy, but for Team USA to finish on the podium, catastrophe would have to strike one of the teams ahead of it.
The Club team standings saw a shakeup with Spain’s RFME Team 1 now leading over former leader Italy. Another Spanish team holds third while Team USA’s Trail Jesters (Ben Kelley, Jason Klammer and Josh Toth) drops to fourth followed by Eric Cleveland Memorial (Alex Dorsey, Broc Hepler and Jimmy Jarrett) and Missouri Mudders (JT Baker, Nate Ferderer and Ryan Powell). Michigan Offroad Events (Michael Pillar, Luke Ross and Talon Soenksen) holds 20th with the all-Senior rider Elizabeth Scott Community (Dan Capparelli, Jayson Densley and Brian Storrie) are 26th. Toth had another great day, his test scores the best of any Club rider and placing him ninth in E1 and 25th overall.
Tomorrow, the competitors will face a single loop 121 miles long, with four of the five tests previously used.
2016 International Six Days Enduro
Navarra, Spain
Results: October 14, 2016 (Day 4 of 6)
World Trophy Standings: 1. USA; 2. Italy; 3. Great Britain.
Junior World Trophy Standings: 1. Sweden; 2. USA; 3. Italy.
Women’s World Trophy Standings: 1. Australia; 2. Spain; 3. Germany; 4. USA.
Overall: 1. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/2:40:56.37; 2. Daniel Sanders (AUS)-KTM/2:41:22.39; 3. Giacomo Redondi (ITA)-Hon/2:41:53.41; 4. Josep Garcia (ESP)-Hus/2:42:04.83; 5. Luis Correia (PRT)-Bet/2:42:14.73; 6. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/2:42:51.95; 7. Daniel McCanney (GBR)-Hus/2:43:02.96; 8. Jamie McCanney (GBR)-Yam/2:43:53.51; 9. Manuel Monni (ITA)-TM/2:44:32.10; 10. Nathan Watson (GBR)-KTM/2:44:38.67.
Special Test 1: 1. Daniel McCanney (GBR)-Hus/11:29.66; 2. Daniel Sanders (AUS)-KTM/11:31.96; 3. Josep Garcia (ESP)-Hus/11:39.14; 4. Luis Correia (PRT)-Bet/11:41.47; 5. Giacomo Redondi (ITA)-Hon/11:43.41; 6. Jamie McCanney (GBR)-Yam/11:44.99; 7. Josh Toth (USA)-KTM/11:45.42; 8. Steward Baylor Jr. (USA)-KTM/11:46.46; 9. Manuel Monni (ITA)-TM/11:46.87; 10. Victor Guerrero (AUT)-Hus/11:48.48; 11. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/11:48.07… 13. Thad DuVall (USA)-Hus/11:50.16… 21. Grant Baylor (USA)-Yam/11:58.84; 22. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/11:59.94… 24. Trevor Bollinger (USA)-Hon/12:01.95… 35. Layne Michael (USA)-Hus/12:09.44.
Special Test 2: 1. Jaromir Romancik (CZE)-KTM/5:52.59; 2. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/5:54.23; 3. Luis Oliveira (PRT)-Yam/5:55.12; 4. Daniel Sanders (AUS)-KTM/5:57.35; 5. Nathan Watson (GBR)-KTM/6:00/14; 6. Giacomo Redondi (ITA)-Hon/6:01.14; 7. Luis Correia (PRT)-Bet/6:01.79; 8. Daniel McCanney (GBR)-Hus/6:02.48; 9. Oscar Balletti (ITA)-Hon/6:02.81; 10. Jamie McCanney (GBR)-Yam/6:03.89… 13. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/6:05.55… 16. Thad DuVall (USA)-Hus/6:06.80… 19. Layne Michael (USA)-Hus/6:09.07… 29. Steward Baylor Jr. (USA)-KTM/6:14.54… 39. Grant Baylor (USA)-Yam/6:19.01… 44. Trevor Bollinger (USA)-Hon/6:21.20.
Special Test 3: 1. Josep Garcia (ESP)-Hus/3:32.82; 2. Giacomo Redondi (USA)-Hon/3:33.99; 3. Luis Correia (PRT)-Bet/3:34.00; 4. Jaromir Romancik (CZE)-KTM/3:34.07; 5. Daniel Sanders (AUS)-KTM/3:34.25; 6. Jamie McCanney (GBR)-Yam/3:34.77; 7. Victor Guerrero (ESP)-KTM/3:35.01; 8. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/3:35.39; 9. Jonathan Barragan (ESP)-Gas; 10. Manuel Monni (ITA)-TM/3:35.72… 12. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/3:35.93… 17. Grant Baylor (USA)-Yam/3:38.28… 19. Thad DuVall (USA)-Hus/3:39.10… 27. Steward Baylor Jr. (USA)-KTM/3:40.59… 30. Broc Hepler (USA)-Gas/3:41.68… 33. Layne Michael (USA)-Hus/3:42.76… Nate Ferderer (USA)-Yam/3:44.11… 48. Trevor Bollinger (USA)-Hon/3:45.42.
Special Test 4: 1. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/11:11.17; 2. Daniel McCanney (GBR)-Hus/11:12.52; 3. Giacomo Redondi (ITA)-Hon/11:14.46; 4. Josh Toth (USA)-KTM/11:19.19; 5. Luis Correia (PRT)-Bet/11:21.23; 6. Daniel Sanders (AUS)-KTM/11:26.52; 7. Nathan Watson (GBR)-KTM/11:27.74; 8. Layne Michael (USA)-Hus/11:29.13; 9. Josep Garcia (ESP)-Hus/11:29.16; 10. Jaume Betriu (ESP)-KTM/11:30.50… 13. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/11:34.30… 15. Steward Baylor Jr. (USA)-Yam/11:35.15; 16. Grant Baylor (USA)-Yam/11:35.23… 25. Thad DuVall (USA)-Hus/11:41.81… 27. Ben Kelley (USA)-KTM/11:42.71… 38. Trevor Bollinger (USA)-Hon/11:49.81.
Special Test 5: 1. Jaromir Romancik (CZE)-KTM/5:02.52; 2. Jan Bajas (CZE)-Hus/5:03.55; 3. Giacomo Redondi (ITA)-Hon/5:06.23; 4. Nicolo Bruschi (ITA)-Hon/5:06.32; 5. Adam Tomiczek (POL)-KTM/5:08.35; 6. Luis Corriea (PRT)-Bet (5:09.15; 7. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/5:09.40; 8. Josep Garcia (ESP)-Hus/5:10.42; 9. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/5:10.62; 10. Nathan Watson (GBR)-KTM/5:11.32… 30. Broc Hepler (USA)-Gas/5:17.22… 37. Jimmy Jarrett (USA)-5:18.15; 38. Nate Ferderer (USA)-Yam/5:16.17… 44. Layne Michael (USA)-Hus/5:19.50… 52. Thad DuVall (USA)-Hus/5:21.17… 55. Ben Kelley (USA)-KTM/5:21.42… 62. Kale Elsworthy (USA)-Hus/5:22.04; 63. Josh Toth (USA)-KTM/5:22.69… 66. Grant Baylor (USA)-Yam/5:23.15… 71. JT Baker (USA)-Hus/5:23.84; 72. Steward Baylor Jr. (USA)-KTM/5:24.03… 104. Trevor Bollinger (USA)-Hon/5:29.06.
Special Test 6: 1. Josep Garcia (ESP)-Hus/3:35.00; 2. Jamie McCanney (GBR)-Yam/3:35.89; 3. Jonathan Barragan (ESP)-Gas/3:36.52; 4. Giacomo Redondi (ITA)-Hon/3:36.77; 5. Nathan Watson (GBR)-KTM/3:37.06; 6. Jaume Betriu (ESP)-KTM/3:37.80; 7. Victor Guerrero (ESP)-KTM/3:37.95; 8. Kailub Russell (USA)-KTM/3:38.14; 9. Luis Correia (PRT)-Bet/3:38.16; 10. Daniel Sanders (AUS)-KTM/3:38.54; 11. Taylor Robert (USA)-KTM/3:38.55… 16. Thad DuVall (USA)-Hus/3:40.90… 22. Grant Baylor (USA)-Yam/3:44.64… 25. Layne Michael (USA)-Hus/3:45.15; 26. Steward Baylor Jr. (USA)-KTM/3:45.17… 29. Trevor Bollinger (USA)-Hon/3:45.94.
Your Privacy Choices