On Saturday the competition started with a 20-minute qualifying race, to be held four times, but scoring only the two best times. Team Rieju riders achieved outstanding results that allowed them to qualify for Sunday's final, finishing the British Mitch Brightmore in 18th position and Francesc Moret, who despite suffering a fall, got the 21st place.
On Sunday, the starting line started from 1953 meters above sea level, at the Abetone cable car. The 30 best riders of Saturday's qualifying, including the Rieju Team riders, had to face two laps of a grueling 31 km course, with very technical sections, all this added to high temperatures that increased the hardness of the test.
Francesc Moret, who started out in the group behind, rode a race that went from strength to strength, overtaking several riders ahead of him, finishing the first lap in the top 16. The Rieju rider advanced at a very good pace until he reached the last checkpoint before the finish line in 13th position, just two minutes away from finishing the maximum race time of five hours, finishing in 10th position in the FIM class. After four rounds in the Championship, Moret is 12th overall.
For his part, Mitchell Brightmore finished in third place among the Juniors and 18th scratch. With this result, the British rider still holds the second position in the provisional classification of the World Championship in the Junior class, with the last race to be held in October with the Hixpania, where Mitchell will keep the fight for the title alive.
The Hard Enduro World Championship will continue this month with one of the most charismatic races of the calendar as Red Bull Romaniacs, which will start on the 26th.
Francesc Moret:"It has been a hard race, on Saturday we made up to four qualifiers, counting the best in the morning and the best in the afternoon, adding his result. I was able to qualify in 21st position, after I crashed in the first two passes, while in the following ones I improved my performance."
"On Sunday we had a very linear race, with very technical areas, shortly after the start I was able to overtake some riders, finishing the first lap in the top 16. When I reached the second lap, I was able to overtake two more riders, keeping the distance, until I reached the last checkpoint with two minutes to go before they stopped the race at 5 o'clock. With that, I finished in 13th position, although for the FIM classification I finished in the top ten."
"They are being very tough races and only five riders finish. Now it's time to keep training to keep improving. I want to thank the team for the great work they have done throughout the weekend, the bike worked perfectly and both the people who followed me and the Rieju team I am very grateful to them for giving me this opportunity, to the sponsors who help me and logically to the family that supports me. Now I have my sights set on Red Bull Romaniacs".
