{"id":38320,"date":"2017-07-17T19:15:25","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T16:15:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enduro.nl\/?p=38320"},"modified":"2017-07-17T19:15:25","modified_gmt":"2017-07-17T16:15:25","slug":"gp-polisport-portugal-castelo-branco-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/38320\/gp-polisport-portugal-castelo-branco-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"GP Polisport Portugal \u2013 Castelo Branco preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Daniel<\/a>A highly anticipated Grand Prix!<\/span><\/h2>\n

Here we go! The\u00a0Grand Prix Polisport of Portugal<\/strong>, which looks set to be one of the most important and exciting GPs of the season. For the sixth round of the\u00a0Maxxis FIM EnduroGP World Championship<\/strong>, and only three weeks after the tough Hungary \/ Greece tour, the stars of the\u00a0EnduroGP<\/strong>\u00a0series arrive in Castelo Branco, Portugal, 260km North-East from Lisbon and close to the Spanish border.<\/p>\n

First international organization<\/strong><\/h2>\n

To ensure the success of this\u00a0Polisport GP of Portugal<\/strong>, and to achieve a stage worthy of the\u00a0Maxxis FIM<\/strong>\u00a0EnduroGP World Championship<\/strong>, the event was entrusted to\u00a0Escuderia Castelo Branco\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 the experienced team who have proved repeatedly that they are able to organize major sporting events. Since the 1960s, this sports association has specialized in the development of motorsports, becoming the most famous organizing club in Portugal. Known for organizing major races such as the Choice Rally, the Serra da Estrela Rally and the Castelo Branco Ramp. The\u00a0Escuderia Castelo Branco\u00a0<\/strong>was recognized as a public utility by the Portuguese Prime Minister in 1999. It is also considered as the best organizer of the National Enduro Championship but also of the National Rally Championship and the National Rallycross Championship in 2015. This Portuguese team has all the cards in hand to make the GP of Portugal a great feast of the Enduro.<\/p>\n

Its President\u00a0Antonio SEQUEIRA<\/strong>, its Director\u00a0Helder ESTEVES<\/strong>, their team and the 1,500 members of the\u00a0Escuderia Castelo Branco<\/strong>\u00a0have created a stunning lap for the\u00a0EnduroGP<\/strong>\u00a0competitors.
\nConcentrated in the heart of the city, the special tests will undoubtedly reserve few surprises. This\u00a0GP Polisport of Portugal\u00a0<\/strong>will start on Friday at 20.00 with the always exciting\u00a0Super Test Akrapovic<\/strong>, in the military camp of\u00a0Montalvao<\/strong>. Then the riders will start from the Paddock on Saturday and Sunday morning at 9.00 to head to the\u00a0Maxxis Cross Test<\/strong>, next to the\u00a0Valongo<\/strong>\u00a0football pitch. They will then join the\u00a0Technomousse Xtreme Test<\/strong>, 2kms away and finish the lap with the\u00a0KTM Enduro Test<\/strong>\u00a0located in front of the Paddock, near the\u00a0Alegro<\/strong>\u00a0shopping center.<\/p>\n

Castelo Branco\u00a0<\/strong>is a very old city with more than 50,000 inhabitants, located in the heart of the Central Region of Portugal and is full of history. Its proximity to the Spanish border led to numerous invasions during the 19th century, as evidenced by the ruins of the castle that dominate the city. Today, the city has developed considerably in its southern part and is one of the largest Portuguese communes. In\u00a0Castelo Branco<\/strong>, we\u2019ll have to take care of the sun as the thermometer could reach 40 degrees this weekend.<\/p>\n

LARRIEU, NAMBOTIN, WATSON and PHILLIPS in emergency…<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even though\u00a0Steve HOLCOMBE (GB – Beta)<\/strong>\u00a0only claimed one win during the Hungary-Greece tour, he is still sat firm at the top of the\u00a0EnduroGP<\/strong>\u00a0championship standings. In fact, the 2016 E3 World Champion is now 28 points ahead of\u00a0Lo\u00efc LARRIEU (F – Yamaha)\u00a0<\/strong>and more than 45 points ahead of the trio of\u00a0Christophe NAMBOTIN (F – KTM)<\/strong>,\u00a0Nathan WATSON (GB – KTM)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Matthew PHILLIPS (AUS – Sherco)<\/strong>. But, if he wants to maintain his championship advantage he will unquestionably need to be on top of his game in\u00a0Castelo Branco<\/strong>.
\nEach of the four riders behind\u00a0HOLCOMBE<\/strong>\u00a0are, as we\u2019ve seen, more than capable of winning. And all will be looking for the slightest error from the Brit. Each has proved during the season that they have the speed to beat the Beta rider with\u00a0LARRIEU<\/strong>\u00a0having so far shown the most consistency.\u00a0PHILLIPS<\/strong>,\u00a0NAMBOTIN<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0WATSON<\/strong>\u00a0have nothing more to lose.\u00a0Alex SALVINI (I – Beta)\u00a0<\/strong>could well challenge for the podium as the Italian returns to form.
\nWe\u2019ll also have to keep an eye on\u00a0Mathias BELLINO (F – Husqvarna)<\/strong>, who is gradually gaining confidence after his early-season shoulder injury and hopes to be back challenging for the podium before the end of the season. Spanish rider\u00a0Jaume BETRIU (E – KTM)<\/strong>, who rode brilliantly in Greece, is another hoping to seriously challenge for a first podium in\u00a0EnduroGP<\/strong>…
\nMeanwhile,\u00a0Cristobal GUERRERO (E – Yamaha)<\/strong>,\u00a0Giacomo REDONDI (I – Honda RedMoto)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Deny PHILIPPAERTS (I – Beta)\u00a0<\/strong>will be looking for strong results, just as\u00a0Christophe CHARLIER (F – Husqvarna)<\/strong>, who returns to competition following the hand injury he sustained at the GP of Hungary.<\/p>\n

REMES hoping for a win<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Struggling with a blood infection since the Italian GP, the pressure mounts on Finn\u00a0Eero REMES (TM)<\/strong>. The official TM rider is now 24 points behind Enduro 2 leader\u00a0Josep GARCIA (E – KTM)\u00a0<\/strong>and 12 points behind second placed\u00a0Jamie MCCANNEY (GB – Yamaha)<\/strong>.\u00a0REMES<\/strong>\u00a0needs a double class win this weekend in Portugal if he is to keep his world championship hopes alive.
\nBut the task will not be easy in view of the recent performances from his two younger rivals. Indeed,\u00a0GARCIA<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0MCCANNEY<\/strong>\u00a0shared the victories in both Hungary and Greece and their duel seems set to continue throughout the year. The question is, can anyone step-up and match their pace and can that rider be\u00a0REMES<\/strong>?
\nIf\u00a0REMES<\/strong>\u00a0must absolutely grab points, he will also have to control the likes of\u00a0Pascal RAUCHENECKER (A – Husqvarna)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Davide GUARNERI (I – Honda RedMoto)\u00a0<\/strong>who have become increasingly dangerous during recent GPs.
\nDanny MCCANNEY (GB – Husqvarna)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Daniel SANDERS (AUS – KTM)\u00a0<\/strong>will have to step up after a less than impressive Hungary – Greece tour, as well as\u00a0Gianluca MARTINI (I – Suzuki)<\/strong>,\u00a0Victor GUERRERO (E – Yamaha)<\/strong>,\u00a0Rudy MORONI (I – KTM)<\/strong>,\u00a0Manuel MONNI (I – TM)<\/strong>,\u00a0Lorenzo SANTOLINO (E – Sherco)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Thomas OLDRATI (I – Husqvarna)<\/strong>…
\nHenric STIGELL (SF – Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Jonathan BARRAGAN (E – Gas Gas)<\/strong>\u00a0have made good progress and will look to improve their rank within the top ten.<\/p>\n

Can SORECA resist?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If the start of the season was to the advantage of\u00a0Davide SORECA (I – Honda RedMoto)<\/strong>, the wind turned during the last two Grand Prix as his two title rivals \u2013\u00a0Brad FREEMAN (GB – Beta)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Mikael PERSSON (S – Yamaha)\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 have become more and more dangerous… Only 17 and 18 points behind, the Brit and the Swede have launched a fantastic comeback, piling on the pressure to “SHOWRECA<\/strong>” with impressive results.
\nEspecially since many riders such as\u00a0Matteo CAVALLO (I – Beta)<\/strong>,\u00a0Kirian MIRABET (E – Sherco)<\/strong>,\u00a0Enric FRANCISCO (E – KTM)<\/strong>,\u00a0Albin ELOWSON (S – Husqvarna)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Tosha SCHAREINA (E – Husqvarna)\u00a0<\/strong>have the means to challenge the class leaders…
\nThis\u00a0Polisport Grand Prix of Portugal\u00a0<\/strong>can be a turning point in the Juniors category.<\/p>\n

Finally, in the FIM Youth 125cc class\u00a0Andrea VERONA (I – TM)\u00a0<\/strong>will try to continue his impressive run of eight victories. But the Frenchman\u00a0Leo LE QUERE (TM)<\/strong>\u00a0and the Chilean\u00a0Ruy BARBOSA (Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0continue to challenge, ready to pounce on the Italian…
\nAlonso TRIGO FERNANDEZ (E – Husqvarna)<\/strong>,\u00a0Pau TOMAS FONT (E – Husqvarna)\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Hugo SVARD (SF – Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0also have the talent to battle for the podium.<\/p>\n

This sixth Grand Prix of the season promises to be a scorcher, with racing in all classes expected to be as hot as the Portuguese weather. Renowned for organizing motorsports events, the\u00a0Escuderia Castelo Branco\u00a0<\/strong>will be pulling out all the stops from 21st to 23rd of July in order to offer to the\u00a0EnduroGP<\/strong>\u00a0stars and the Portuguese fans alike an unforgettable weekend and a great racing…<\/p>\n

Information:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Castelo Branco (District of Castelo Branco);
\n– \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Friday, July 21st: Akrapovic Super Test from 20.00;
\n–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Saturday, 22nd and Sunday 23rd July: Starts at 9h00 \u2013 Finish around 16h00;
\n–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Organizer:\u00a0Escuderia Castelo Branco<\/strong>
\n–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Website: www.endurogp.org;
\n–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Track: 60kms \u2013 3 laps;
\n–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Free Access;
\n–\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Airport: Lisbon (218 kms) et Porto (259 kms)
\n– \u00a0 \u00a0GPS Points:
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0KTM Enduro Test<\/strong>:\u00a039\u00b048’59.5″N 7\u00b031’16.9″W<\/a>
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Maxxis Cross Test<\/strong>:\u00a039\u00b048’03.5″N 7\u00b030’08.2″W<\/a>
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Technomousse Xtreme Test<\/strong>:\u00a039\u00b048’53.6″N 7\u00b029’54.2″W<\/a>
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Akrapovic Super Test<\/strong>:\u00a039\u00b048’53.3″N 7\u00b030’15.6″W<\/a>
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Paddock<\/strong>:\u00a039\u00b049’01.6″N 7\u00b031’08.6″W<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A highly anticipated Grand Prix! Here we go! The\u00a0Grand Prix Polisport of Portugal, which looks set to be one of the most important and exciting GPs of the season. For the sixth round of the\u00a0Maxxis FIM EnduroGP World Championship, and only three weeks after the tough Hungary \/ Greece tour, the stars of the\u00a0EnduroGP\u00a0series arrive…<\/p>\n

Lees meer “GP Polisport Portugal \u2013 Castelo Branco preview”<\/span> »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ekwk","category-persberichten"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38320","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38320"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38320\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}