With four of its riders in the top six overall, France certainly got off to a fast start at the 87th International Six Days Enduro in Sachsenring, Germany, September 24. After just one day, the French team, made up of Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Antoine Meo, Rodrig Thain, Johnny Aubert, Sebastien Guillaume and Christophe Nambotin, has already opened up a substantial lead of approximately four minutes over the next-best team of Australia, which includes former GNCC champ Josh Strang and former GNCC racer Glen Kearney.
Last year’s winner, Finland, is third, about five and a half minutes back of the leading team.
Team USA – Kurt Caselli, Mike Brown, Russell Bobbitt, Destry Abbott, Charlie Mullins and Taylor Robert – is sixth. The team got off to a rocky start with both Caselli and Mullins crashing early in the day. Caselli aggravated his shoulder, which he injured earlier this year, but was able to pick up his speed as the day went on, as did Mullins, who was Monday’s best American overall finisher in 11th. Robert is next best in 18th, followed by Caselli in 32nd, Brown in 38th, Bobbitt in 43rd and Abbott in 62nd.
Mullins is also the top class finisher among the Americans. He’s currently sixth in the competitive E2 (450) class.
Caselli said that his shoulder is quite sore but expects he can do better tomorrow.
The U.S. Junior World Team, made up of Travis Coy, Andrew DeLong, Thad DuVall and Jesse Groemm, finished the opening day in fifth. They trail the leading team, Italy, by four-and-a-half minutes, and the fourth-place team, France, by 20 seconds.
In the Women’s Trophy division, the U.S. team of Mandi Mastin, Sarah Whitmore and Rachel Gutish, hold down fifth place, 16 minutes behind the leading French team.
The top American Club Team is the Boise Ridge Riders. Devan Bolin, Reid Brown and Derek Steahly are holding down 16th place, more than 13 minutes in back of the leading team.
The JAFMAR Senior Team – Ron Schmelzle, William Burns and Jeff Fredette – occupy the 24th-place spot and is the second-best U.S. Club team.
The top overall rider is currently France’s Renet, on the Husaberg. He has a 10.6-second advantage over fellow countryman Meo, closely followed by Finland’s Eero Remes, Aubert and Finland’s Juha Salminen.
Day One: ISDE International Six Days Enduro, Saxony Germany
World Trophy
1. France: Antoine Meo (KTM), Rodrig Thain, Johnny Aubert (KTM), Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Christophe Nambotin (KTM) and Sebastien Guillaume – 5 hours 37 minutes 01.50
2. Australia: Glenn Kearney, Daniel Milner, Christopher Hollis (KTM), Matthew Philipps, Josh Strang (KTM) and Toby Price (KTM) + 4:13.29
3. Finland: Eero Remes (KTM), Antii Hellsten, Roni Nikander (KTM), Juha Salminen, Jari Mattila (KTM), Marko Tarkkala +5:34.42
4. Spain: Victor Guerrero (KTM), Lorenzo Santolino, Ivan Cervantes, Cristobal Guerrero (KTM), Armand Monleon (KTM), Aaron Bernardez + 55:37.31
5. Italy: Maurizio Micheluz, Deny Philippaerts, Alex Salvini, Oscar Baletti, Manuel Monni (KTM), Mirko Gritti (KTM) + 7:49.05
6. USA: Mike Brown (KTM), Destry Abbott, Kurt Caselli (KTM), Taylor Robert, Charlie Mullins (KTM), Russell Bobbitt (KTM) + 8:15.13
7. Sweden +8:49.70
8. Britain +16:53.50
9. Netherlands +18:17.36
10. Czech Republic +24:55.94
11. Belgium +26:55.53
12. Austria +32:01.21
Junior World Trophy
1. Italy: Thomas Oldrati, Gianluca Martini, Nicoli Mori, Rudy Moroni (KTM) three hours 29 minutes 27.45
2. Britain: Jack Rowland, Steve Holcombe (KTM), Alex Rockwell, Danny McCanny +1:10.46
3. Australia: Benjamin Burrell (KTM), Luka Bussa, Mitcham Harper, Lachlan Stanford +2:56.98
4. France: Jeremy Joly, Matthias Bellino, Alexandre Queyreyre, Kevin Rohmer +4.11.68
5. USA: Travis Coy (KTM), Andrew Delong, Thaddeus Duvall, Jesse Groemm (KTM) +4:31.03
6. Portugal: +6:09.61
7. Spain: + 7:41.62
8. Finland: + 8:04.37
9. Sweden: 8:50.46
10. Czech Republic: 9:58.40
Manufacturers Trophy
1. KTM 1: Cristobal Guerrero, Antoine Meo, Christophe Nambotin 3:21.59.18
2. Husqvarna CH Racing 2: Juha Salminen, Lorenzo Santolino, Alex Santolino at 1:27.28
3. KTM 2: Eero Remes, Kurt Caselli, Johnny Aubert at 1:53.99
4. KTM 3: Mike Brown, Charlie Mullins, Russell Bobbitt at 5:18.14
5. Husaberg 1: Joakim Ljunggren, Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Mathias Bellino at 5:41.11
E1 individual
1. Antoine Meo, France, KTM 1:06.56.92
2. Eero Remes, Finland, KTM, at 12.44
3. Lorenzo Santolino, Spain, Husqvarna at 52:59
4. Rodgrig Thain, France, Honda, 1:30.64
5. Thomas Oldrati, Italy, Husaberg at 1:32,86
6. Daniel Milner, Australia, 1:47.82
7. Roni Nikander, Finland, KTM 2:06.62
8. Maurizio Micheluz, Italy, Honda, 2:10.09
9. Victor Guerrero, Spain, KTM, 2:16.83
10. Antti Hellsten, Finland, TM, 2:21.17
E2 Individual
1. Pierre-Alexandre Renet, France, Husaberg 1:06.46.29
2. Johnny Aubert, France, KTM, 34.81
3. Juha Salminen, Finland, Husqvarna, 41.59
4. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, KTM, 46.34
5. Josh Strang, Australia, KTM, 46.70
6. Charlie Mullins, USA, KTM, 1:07.25
7. Matthew Philipps, Australia, Yamaha, 1:13.63
8. Alex Salvini, Italy, Husqvarna, 1:22.76
9. Ivan Cervantes, Spain, Gas-Gas 1:38.20
10. Taylor Robert, USA, Kawasaki 1:50.31
E3 Individual
1. Christophe Nambotin, France, KTM 1:07.29.63
2. Toby Price, Australia, KTM, 4.32
3. Joakim Ljunggren, Sweden, 47.17
4. Sebastien Guillaume, France, Gas-Gas 1:30.01
5. Manuel Monni, Italy, 1:42.11
6. Pontius Hogberg, Sweden, Gas-Gas, 1:43.89
7. Algar Leok, Estonia, TM, 1:44.38
8. Mirko Gritti, Italy, KTM, 2:05.30
9. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, 2:06.89
10. Aaron Bernadez, Spain, TM, 2:08.80
