Back to Chile to start!
After seven months of waiting, the highly anticipated start of the 2015 MAXXIS FIM Enduro World Championship is now just days away with the series kicking off with the Grand Prix Acerbis of Chile!
This Grand Prix is the first of 7 rounds and will take place once again in the capital of Maule region and around the foot of the Cordillera of Andes, Talca. Once again, a big heat will welcome the riders that are all back from a winter preparation.
The FIM has awarded the Federacion de Motociclisme de Chile and Abascal Produccion the honour of hosting the first round of what is expected to be a thrilling season. This federation, with Jose Tomas DIAZ as President have a wealth of experience. Indeed, she has been a part of the organizers of the 2011 to 2015 Dakar, has welcomed the ISDE in 2007 in La Serena and has of course hosted the EWC in 2012 and 2013. On his side, the organizers Rodrigo ABASCAL is great fervent of the Enduro and was at the origin of the coming of the EWC in Chile.
South America happy to see the EWC again
The Federacion Motociclisme de Chile (FMC) and Rodrigo ABASCAL have prepared a track which will be ridden three times each day during the two days of competition. Each lap will feature two Time Checks. The paddock will be situated once again in the centre of Talca on the “Mall Plaza Maule”. TheEnduro Test as the Cross Test will take place in Maitenhuapi. The Xtreme Test will be located in the Bosque Municipal while Friday night’s KTM Super Test will run at the Gimnasio Municipal. The tracks, trails and special tests are expected to be very dry, dusty, challenging and rocky and had caused some damaged to some favourites in the past.
Talca is situated in the province of the same name and is the capital of the Maule region. This charming city, has a more than 201 797 inhabitant, is located in a highly seismic region as the stars of the EWC have experienced last year. It is 250 km South of Santiago, the capital of the country. It is crossed by the Pan-American Highway that starts in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and finishes in Ushuaia, Argentina. Talca is also one of Chile’s better-known wine growing regions.
With once again more than 100 competitors entered for the event, the Enduro World Championship is set to start in spectacular fashion and in one of the world’s most picturesque places.
7 months to wait!
Every EWC stars are ready to race on the South American track. Christophe NAMBOTIN (F – KTM)is the big favorite for his own succession in the E1. But the three time World Champion will have to face Eero REMES (SF – TM) and the brand new Yamaha official rider Cristobal GUERRERO (E – KTM) that will look for their first World title. The Spanish Lorenzo SANTOLINO (E – Sherco), The Junior World Champion Daniel MCCANNEY (GB – Husqvarna), the French Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yamaha) and the Italian Simone ALBERGONI (I – HM Honda) and Rudy MORONI (I – Sherco)will be the most serious outsiders. We’ll have also to follow Gianluca MARTINI (I – Yamaha) andJonathan MANZI (I – Gas Gas)…
On his side, Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F – Husqvarna), 2014 E2 World Champion, will have a lot to do with the trio Alex SALVINI (I – Honda), Johnny AUBERT (F – Beta) and Antoine MEO (F – KTM). They have 9 World titles to all four… But the Spanish Oriol MENA (Beta), Victor GUERRERO (KTM) and Jaume BETRIU (Husqvarna), the Frenchies Romain DUMONTIER (Yamaha) and Loïc LARRIEU (Sherco) but also the Italians Nicolo MORI (KTM) and Deny PHILIPPAERTS (Beta) can play the spoilers if they improved during the off-season.
The E3 class is more open than ever and must offer some nice fight between Matthew PHILLIPS (AUS – KTM) and a tone of rivals leaded by Ivan CERVANTES (E – KTM), Mathias BELLINO (F – Husqvarna), Matti SEISTOLA (SF – Sherco), Aigar LEOK (EST – TM), Luis CORREIA (P – Beta)and Jeremy JOLY (F – KTM)… We will also attend to the nice performance of Jeremy TARROUX (F – Sherco), Jonathan BARRAGAN (E – Gas Gas) and Thomas OLDRATI (I – Husqvarna) in their debuts in the class but also to the come back on the foreground to Manuel MONNI (I – TM) and to the confirmations of Antoine BASSET (F – Gas Gas). The Top 10 will be tough to get in E3 this year.
Finally, in the Junior category, a duo composed of Giacomo REDONDI (I – Beta) and Jamie MCCANNEY (GB – Husqvarna) share the favors. But some young guns as Davide SORECA (I – Beta), Diogo VENTURA (P – Gas Gas), Alessandro BATTIG (I – Honda) and Luis OLIVEIRA (P – Yamaha) can create the surprise… In the FIM Youth Cup 125cc, the young Spanish Josep GARCIA (E – Husqvarna) will be the only rider to be in Chile. He will look to grab a maximum of points but will have to keep an eye on the young Chilean who are willing to show that they have the World Championship level.
This Grand Prix Acerbis of Chile is a much looked forward to event on the South American continent. Anticipating the arrival of the stars of the Enduro World Championship Chilean, Argentinean enduro fans will soon gather in Talca where the Federacion Motociclisme de Chile has prepared an international celebration of off-road motorcycle competition that’s not to be missed….
Information:
– Talca (Region of Maule);
– 250 kms from Santiago of Chile;
– Friday, April 17th: Super Test at 19.00
– April 18th/19th: Start at 9:00 – Finish at 16:00;
– Organizers: Federacion Motociclisme de Chile and ABASCAL Produccion;
– Website: www.enduro-abc.com and www.ewcchile.cl;
– Track: 60 kms – Three laps;
– Free access;
– Airport: Santiago of Chile (250kms)