The eighth and last round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship was held over three days from Friday to Sunday in Aguilar de Campoo (Palencia), where the best riders in the world gathered to compete in Hixpania Hard Enduro.
On Friday afternoon the participants faced the SuperEncierro, an artificial obstacle course installed in the center of the town, in a qualifying-type test. The best Rieju Team rider was Mitchell Brightmore who finished in a spectacular 9th place scratch, a good position to continue fighting for the World Junior Cup title, where he was in second place provisionally. While Nicola Grossi finished in 4th position in the Archers class.
On Saturday morning, the riders competed in the Campo Extreme Race, a Cross Country type race around the reservoir of the town, in two laps. Francesc Moret finished 11th in the Gentlemen's class, while Mitchel Brightmore was 12th and Eloi Salsench 32nd. Meanwhile, in the Archers class, Nicola Grossi finished with the second best time.
Only the 50 qualified riders went on to compete on Sunday in the real final test of Hard Enduro The Lost Road, in the middle of the forest, with very steep trials, complex climbs of grass and large stones, to perform as many laps as possible for two and a half hours to finally overcome the "Impossible Climb".
After a grueling and complex race, the Rieju Team finished the race and the World Championship celebrating a well-deserved podium with Mitchel Brightmore, who took a brilliant third place in the Junior Cup class. Brightmore has carried out a very good international season, which has kept him so far in second place in a championship that has been hard and very competitive, with riders who have exhibited a high level despite being in the Junior Cup class, with this, Brightmore arrived in Palencia with clear options. During the weekend he set a good pace, reaching the end of the race keeping his aspirations and although he was overtaken by one of his opponents, he could get this fantastic third position in his class.
While Francesc Moret finished in tenth position in Hixpania Hard Enduro, after carrying out a performance from less to more, staying competitive, especially in the last two days, thus completing his first year in the World Hard Enduro. For his part, Eloi Salsench, just back from injury and with the logical lack of training, also managed to finish the tough race in 30th position.
Miquel García Team Manager Rieju Team:
"We are very happy with the third position on the final podium of the Junior Cup World Championship for Rieju, in a championship that, in its first year of this Junior class, has been very competitive. The young British rider Mitchel Brightmore, who competes with the Rieju Team, comes through the dealer of Great Britain, is a rider of 17 years and that during the season has gone from less to more, in the end it is true that came to Palencia in the second position of the championship, but due to the great rivalry of the category, in the end he finished third of a very coveted podium, so it is also a great result for us. Mitchel is a rider with a lot of desire, who is fighting among the greats of the specialty, he has defended the brand, not only in Great Britain, but also at international level, a very positive fact for us and next year we hope to go one step further with him, as he is a talented rider.
In Elite I would have liked us to finish a bit further ahead in the world championship standings. Looking ahead to the 2023 season, with the team we intend to make another step further..."
