Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia has won the hotly-contested E1 class at the 2019 International Six Days Enduro held in Portugal, also earning an excellent runner-up overall, individual result. The all-KTM Team USA won the coveted World Trophy category with KTM also taking the top two places in the Manufacturer’s Team Award.
Held in southern Portugal, the 94th edition of the International Six Days Enduro was based at the well-appointed Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Over the six days of racing competitors faced a variety of terrain and weather conditions, all coming together to test riders, teams and machines in what is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious events on the enduro calendar.
Unable to compete in the 2018 ISDE, Josep Garcia arrived in Portugal looking to reclaim the E1 title he won at the 2017 event. The young Spaniard started well, stamping his authority on the E1 class while also finishing second overall on both the first two days of racing. As the event progressed, Garcia continued to push, challenging overall leader Daniel Sanders on every test.
Results – United States win 2019 FIM International Six Days Enduro
Clinching the overall win on Friday’s day five, Josep went into Saturday’s final motocross with a commanding lead of over six minutes in the E1 class. Putting in a superb ride on the technical, half dirt, half tarmac track, the former world champion won his race, securing his E1 class victory and the runner-up result in the overall standings.
Josep Garcia: “Overall, I am happy with my result, winning the E1 class was always going to be my first goal here in Portugal. I’m a little disappointed not to have been closer to the overall win, but the tests in the sand on the first two days didn’t suit the smaller bike so well. I finished second on both of those days, but it was tricky to make up time after that. I pushed as hard as I could every day, but to take the overall win on day five felt very special. With such varied conditions and terrain each day, the whole event has been tough. I’m happy with my performance and my bike has been great.”
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FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Taylor Robert and Kailub Russell made up half of the all-KTM United States World Trophy Team. Enjoying strong performances on each day of competition, the two American riders also battled each other for top honours in the ultra-competitive E2 class. Robert had the upper hand on days one to four, with teammate Russell finally taking the win on day five. At the close of the event, Robert took the E2 class win from Russell by just one-minute and forty-seconds with the pair also finishing third and fourth respectively in the overall individual standings.
Taylor Robert: “I’m so happy to be part of the winning team. All four of us have ridden amazing and stayed so consistent. Throughout the whole event the team have been really close, often within a few seconds of each other. To take the win in the E2 class, with Kailub second, feels great too. Obviously, it would have been nice to take the overall win again, but the level has been so high this year. Believe it or not I got through to day five without having a single crash, then managed to come off three times. After that I knew I needed to just make it to the finish safely and secure the result for the team. Everyone has worked so hard, so I’m really pleased with the result.”
Kailub Russell: “It awesome to stand here as World Trophy champion once again, we had a rough couple of years and then I missed last year so to step on top of the podium once again feels really good. It takes a huge effort from Antti and the whole team for us to come over here, and to be able to reward all that hard work with a win is great. We have a lot of fun when we come here but we take the racing extremely seriously and the hard work has certainly paid off.”
The two FMF KTM riders were joined by KTM-mounted Ryan Sipes and Steward Baylor to make up the United States World Trophy Team with all four competitors putting in consistent performances over the course of the event. Heading off defending champions Australia, they clinched the World Trophy Team category win by just over two minutes after a combined 13 hours of riding.
KTM riders took the top two positions in the Enduro Women’s class with Germany’s Maria Franke narrowly beating Brandy Richards for the win. Richards, along with Rebecca Sheets helped Team USA to claim victory in the Women’s Trophy category.
Finishing third in the E1 class, KTM rider Lyndon Snodgrass led his Australian team to the win in the Junior Trophy category with the all-KTM trio of Josh Toth, Ben Kelley and Grant Baylor taking Team USA to the runner-up spot. (source: ktm)
RESULTS: United States win 2019 FIM International Six Days Enduro
STORY: Steve Holcombe Forced To Withdraw From 2019 ISDE
LINK: FIM International Six Days Enduro
photo (c) Dario Agrati & Future7Media & KTM