{"id":38343,"date":"2017-07-22T20:33:32","date_gmt":"2017-07-22T17:33:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enduro.nl\/?p=38343"},"modified":"2017-07-22T20:33:32","modified_gmt":"2017-07-22T17:33:32","slug":"watson-mccanney-win-on-day-one-of-gp-of-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enduro.nl\/wordpress-enduronlnewsite\/38343\/watson-mccanney-win-on-day-one-of-gp-of-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"WATSON & MCCANNEY WIN ON DAY ONE OF GP OF PORTUGAL"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Nathan<\/a>Day one of the\u00a0Maxxis FIM EnduroGP of Portugal<\/strong>\u00a0saw\u00a0Nathan Watson (KTM)<\/strong>\u00a0deliver one of the championship\u2019s most dominant winning performances as the Brit secured the top step of the EnduroGP class podium by finishing one-minute and 23 seconds ahead of second placed Matthew Phillips<\/strong>. A day dominated by extreme dust on the motocross and enduro tests, and featuring numerous technical trails, in the Enduro 2 class\u00a0Jamie McCanney (Yamaha)<\/strong>\u00a0was the rider to beat as he topped all but one of the day\u2019s special tests to place 23 seconds ahead of championship rival\u00a0Josep Garcia (KTM)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

With few riders making it through the opening day of competition at the\u00a0Polisport GP of Portugal\u00a0<\/strong>without mistakes, in the EnduroGP class Nathan Watson\u00a0<\/strong>made light work of the dry and extremely dusty conditions to dominate the EnduroGP class. Beaten on only two of the day\u2019s special tests,\u00a0Watson\u00a0<\/strong>set an unmatchable pace on both the high-speed motocross and enduro tests. \u0093I had a really excellent day today,<\/em>\u0094 explained\u00a0Nathan<\/strong>. \u0093As soon as I saw the tests I knew they would be good for me. Fast, wide and open enduro and motocross tests really suit my riding. I had a solid first lap and managed to put some time between myself and\u00a0Loic<\/strong>. From then on, I just rode steady and kept chipping away. The dust was pretty bad today. Other than a small slip on the going the day was flawless. I\u2019m really looking forward to tomorrow now and hope to bag another win.<\/em>\u0094<\/p>\n

Day one in Portugal saw a return to form for\u00a0Matt Phillips (Sherco)<\/strong>. Although one of many riders unable to match\u00a0Watson<\/strong>\u2019s pace, the Tasmanian managed to come out on top of a day-long battle with EnduroGP championship leader\u00a0Steve Holcombe (Beta)<\/strong>. Enduring numerous mistakes during the day, in finishing third and ahead of\u00a0Loic Larrieu (Yamaha)<\/strong>,\u00a0Holcombe\u00a0<\/strong>extended his championship lead by two points. With\u00a0Larrieu\u00a0<\/strong>fourth, fifth went to\u00a0Christophe Charlier (Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0who returned to the championship following a hand injury picked up at the GP of Hungary. Spain\u2019s\u00a0Jaume Betriu (KTM)<\/strong>\u00a0placed sixth, one position ahead of\u00a0Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0with local favourite\u00a0Diogo Ventura (Honda)\u00a0<\/strong>eighth,\u00a0Giacomo Redondi (Honda)<\/strong>\u00a0ninth and\u00a0Christophe Nambotin (KTM)\u00a0<\/strong>rounding out the top 10.<\/p>\n

Claiming a winning Enduro 2 class result on day one for the first time in 2017,\u00a0Jamie McCanney (Yamaha)<\/strong>\u00a0showed his class rivals the way home, winning all but one of the day\u2019s special tests. Starting the day unsure if the super-dry conditions would suit him, in winning all three tests on the opening lap he established himself at the top of the E2 class and remained there to the finish. \u0093Setting off this morning, I wasn\u2019t sure how these fast, dry tests would suit me<\/em>,\u0094 admitted the\u00a0Manxman<\/strong>. \u0093Us British riders aren\u2019t so used to riding in these conditions. I tried to ride mistake-free and just take things lap by lap, ticking off the tests as the day went on. The dust wasn\u2019t too bad for me, it just depended on where you hit it. I was unlucky to get caught in a cloud of dust on the cross test and ended up overshooting a corner. It cost me a few seconds getting back on track. Hopefully I can keep this form going into tomorrow and have another good day.<\/em>\u0094<\/p>\n

Second to\u00a0Jamie<\/strong>,\u00a0Josep Garcia (KTM)<\/strong>\u00a0fell on both the opening extreme test as well as the second enduro test. Placing an eventual 23 seconds behind\u00a0McCanney<\/strong>,\u00a0Josep\u00a0<\/strong>nevertheless finished a sizeable 30 seconds ahead of third placed\u00a0Davide Guarneri (Honda)<\/strong>. Continuing his impressive run of form, in finishing on the final step of the podium\u00a0Guarneri\u00a0<\/strong>secured his third consecutive third place E2 result. Finn\u00a0Eero Remes (TM)<\/strong>\u00a0eventually placed fourth, but more than one-minute behind winner\u00a0Jamie McCanney<\/strong>.\u00a0Pascal Rauchenecker (Husqvarna)\u00a0<\/strong>finished one-minute behind\u00a0Remes\u00a0<\/strong>in fifth but ahead of Italian\u00a0Manuel Monni (TM)\u00a0<\/strong>who placed sixth despite getting things very wrong on the second run through the rock-littered extreme test.\u00a0Danny McCanney (Husqvarna)<\/strong>,\u00a0Henric Stigell (Husqvarna)<\/strong>,\u00a0Rudy Moroni (KTM)<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Thomas Oldrati (Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0rounded out the top 10.<\/p>\n

Earning his first day win of the series,\u00a0Albin Elowson (Husqvarna)<\/strong>\u00a0got the job done in style on day one. Holding off a hard-charging\u00a0Mikael Persson (Yamaha)<\/strong>\u00a0to win the Enduro Junior class by close to seven seconds,\u00a0Albin\u00a0<\/strong>topped four of the day\u2019s tests. Consistently fast throughout the day, were it not for an off-the-pace enduro test at the end of lap one\u00a0Persson\u00a0<\/strong>might have taken his second win of the series. While a good day for the Swedes, third placed\u00a0Davide Soreca (Honda)<\/strong>\u00a0was unable to match the pace of the riders ahead of him placing 38 seconds adrift of\u00a0Persson<\/strong>. Making too many mistake to challenge for the podium,\u00a0Brad Freeman (Beta)<\/strong>\u00a0finished fourth with\u00a0Anthony Geslin (Beta)<\/strong>\u00a0fifth.\u00a0Freeman<\/strong>\u2019s Boano Beta team-mate\u00a0Matteo Cavallo\u00a0<\/strong>crashed heavily on the final enduro test and was forced to retire just meters from the end of the day.<\/p>\n

Extending his win streak to nine days, Italian TM rider\u00a0Andrea Verona<\/strong>\u00a0finished two minutes ahead of\u00a0Leo Le Quere (TM)<\/strong>\u00a0to top the 125cc Youth class.\u00a0Le Quere<\/strong>\u00a0in turn placed close to two minutes ahead of third placed\u00a0Gerard Gomez (KTM)<\/strong>\u00a0from Spain.<\/p>\n

With temperatures expected to be even hotter on Sunday, day two of the\u00a0Polisport GP of Portugal\u00a0<\/strong>looks set to be even tougher than the first.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Day one of the\u00a0Maxxis FIM EnduroGP of Portugal\u00a0saw\u00a0Nathan Watson (KTM)\u00a0deliver one of the championship\u2019s most dominant winning performances as the Brit secured the top step of the EnduroGP class podium by finishing one-minute and 23 seconds ahead of second placed Matthew Phillips. A day dominated by extreme dust on the motocross and enduro tests, and…<\/p>\n

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