Increased competition for PHILLIPS !
After the Enduro 1 and 2, let’s have a look today to the “big bikes” category (from 250cc 2 strokes to more than 250cc 4 strokes). Last year, Matthew PHILLIPS (AUS – KTM) has surprised everybody dominating the second part of the season and winning the E3 title but the competition is getting more intense in 2015…
The favorites
– Matthew PHILLIPS (AUS – KTM): After a long hesitation with the E2 class, the Australian is back in E3! Very first Junior World Champion to be crown just a year after in the Seniors class, the official KTM rider is the favorite for his own succession… His rise all along the 2014 year has impressed everybody and if he keeps the level he had during the last Grand Prix, he will be very tough to beat!
– Ivan CERVANTES (E – KTM): “Torito” was on the good way to win a fifth title last season until he injured himself to the ankle and his teammate PHILLIPS has decided to step up… Again injured during the off-season (shoulder), we don’t know how the Spanish will be physically. But if he is perfectly back, his thirst of title could bring him to the top in a season very important for the remainder of his career.
– Matti SEISTOLA (SF – Sherco): After a first season learning the category and his Sherco, finished with a nice 3rd rank, the Finn has announced: “Nothing but the title!” To do so, SEISTOLA has made a very serious and discreet off-season and he really wants to offer to himself a first title and also a first crown to Sherco!
– Mathias BELLINO (F – Husqvarna): In the fight for the podium, the 2012 Junior World Champion signed a convincing win in Sweden right before… an ACL injury during a round of the French Championship! Season ended, he couldn’t fight for the podium in Italy and France. But he finishes 4th and arrived this season with a thirst of revenge after 9 months without competition. Moreover, the French still remains one of the biggest prospects of the discipline.
The outsiders
– Aigar LEOK (EST – TM): For the sure the 2014 season of LEOK has been disappointing. Indeed, out from a 2013 Vice-Champion rank, we were waiting much better than a 5th position from the Estonian. But if the bad luck and the physical problems leave him quite, LEOK could be a serious outsider on the handlebar of his official TM.
– Luis CORREIA (P – Beta): 2014 has been a solid season for the Portuguese… But he will have to step up if he clearly wants to fight for the Top 5 against at least 10 riders ready to do battle!
– Jérémy JOLY (F – KTM): The KTM France rider wasn’t so far from the 3rd place in the overall last year… but a bad injury to his cervical in Brioude (France) stopped him. Vindictive, “JJ” will look to prove to everyone that he would have been a great 3rd and he will surely look to climb on some podiums…
– Jérémy TARROUX (F – Sherco): The official Sherco rider arrives in E3 to replace the retiredFabien PLANET (F)… If he adapts quickly to his bike, he could be a serious contender for the Top5…
– Thomas OLDRATI (I – Husqvarna): It’s the same song for OLDRATI who’s arriving in E3 after three seasons with the small bikes… The Italian, on the handlebar of a private Husqvarna, should be vindictive after two deceiving season under his ambitions.
– Manuel MONNI (I – TM): After an unconvincingly season in E2, MONNI is back with the big bikes with TM… And when we are taking a look to his brilliant results in the Italian Championship, the “Fiamme Oro” rider seems physically ready and could makes some noise in this tough class!
– Jonathan BARRAGAN (E – Gas Gas): The 2014 “Rookie of the Year” arrives also in E3. After two brilliant victories in the Spanish Championship, the former MX rider has showed he has the weapons to fight with the best… but the EWC, as he could testify it last season, makes no present and forgives no mistakes!
– Antoine BASSET (F – Gas Gas): 9th last year for his first season with Gas Gas, the French will look to improve against a tougher competition…
We can’t forget them…
– Oscar BALLETTI (I – KTM) who signed a brilliant win in Italy last year. He will look to prove that he can fight with the best on an entire season…
– Greg ARANDA (F – Beta) arrives on the EWC for few Grand Prix and can play the spoilsport…
– Kevin ROHMER (F – TM) arrives in Fred DI GIAMBATTISTA team and will have a lot to do against a so big competition!
But the main question remains: who can upset Matthew PHILLIPS in his quest for a second title. Champion last year, the KTM rider can reasonably look for the E3 title but CERVANTES, BELLINO andSEISTOLA will do everything to beat him while MONNI, JOLY, TARROUX, CORREIA, LEOK or alsoBARRAGAN… could confuse the cards in a more homogeneous category where every mistake will be decisive and each points will be important! See you on Friday, April 17th in the evening in Talca (Chile) to see the first fight!
The E3 World Champions since 2004
2014: PHILLIPS (KTM – Australia)
2013: NAMBOTIN (KTM – France)
2012: NAMBOTIN (KTM – France)
2011: AHOLA (Honda – Finland)
2010: KNIGHT (KTM – Great Britain)
2009: CERVANTES (KTM – Spain)
2008: ARO (KTM – Finland)
2007: CERVANTES (KTM – Spain)
2006: KNIGHT (KTM – Great Britain)
2005: KNIGHT (KTM – Great Britain)
2004: ARO (KTM – Finland)