ISDE: Good Day For Caselli

Mark Kariya | October 15, 2009

Finland’s Simo Kirssi had an off day on the fourth day of competition in the 84th Maxxis FIM International Six Days Enduro in Figueira da Foz, Portugal. As a result, the perennially strong ISDE team slipped to sixth while Team USA moved up one to fifth. France remained the leader of the pack followed by Italy and Australia.

Team leader Kurt Caselli put in another good day, though he termed it mediocre. Topping the second test and ending the day second overall showed improvement, though it seems that most of the top teams have rosters full of racers who improved as much if not more. Still, Caselli held onto fourth place in E3. Destry Abbott moved up a bit to 13th in E2 while Timmy Weigand is ninth in E1.

Cory Buttrick of the U.S. Junior World Trophy team and Amanda Mastin on the Women’s World Cup team both had minor injuries, though Mastin’s ankle injury is likely to be more problematic in the coming days. Buttrick got pitched off his bike in the sand and landed softly, but his bike then landed on top of his back, leaving a long, ugly skid mark.

But at least the end of four days spells the last racers will see of the dreaded sand whoop section. As Missouri Mudders Club team rider Toby Atkins quipped, “I never want to go to the beach again, and I’m not going to get my kids a sandbox!”

Caselli said, “All in all, it’s a good Six Days for me. I’m doing better than I did last year so that’s a plus. I feel fine and the bike’s good so I’m looking forward to tomorrow — another new day of trails and new tests. I think the tests tomorrow are going to be really long.”

And Day Five is often full of surprises that could help or hurt Team USA so stay tuned.