Mark Kariya | September 2, 2017
2017 ISDE France Day Five Results – As the fifth day drew to a close at the 92nd International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France, it appears the host nation will enjoy most of the glory as it leads both the FIM World Trophy and Junior World Trophy categories. In addition, it’s a relatively safe third place in Women’s World Trophy as the field heads into Day Six with final motocross tests.
2017 ISDE France Day Five Results
Though he lost a few seconds to the leaders this morning and slipped to third overall individual, Taylor Robert strengthened his hold on the E3 lead, due in part to rival Christophe Nambotin breaking his hand yesterday. Photo: Mark Kariya
As for the U.S. ISDE team, with just Taylor Robert, Kailub Russell and Ryan Sipes still going after Thad Duvall was injured and DNFed on the first day, it’s a non-factor in World Trophy.
But when you’ talk individual overall honors, Taylor Robert, last year’s winner, has been a factor all week. Though he hasn’t led individually, he’s been second overall up to this point when Loic Larrieu from France zoomed past both Robert and Spain’s Josep Garcia to take top honors for the first time this week. Had the penalty against him for being late stood, it probably wouldn’t have affected the French team’s standings in World Trophy, so strong and deep is the French squad.
Despite dropping to third overall, Robert managed to look at the bright side: “I was off [pace] in the first test then the second test is super-tight. Honestly⏤not to make any excuses⏤but I just had a lot of bike in that test! It’s like the tightest [test] we’ve had all week and I was just struggling to turn on that [KTM 500 XC-F of mine]. I lost quite a bit of time in the first two tests then the last three tests I rode really good and kind of made some time back up.”
2017 ISDE France Day Five Results
Loic Larrieu from France became the third different overall individual leader so far this week. It appears the host nation will win both FIM World Trophy and Junior World Trophy plus earn third in Women’s World Trophy for quite the haul of awards. Photo: Mark Kariya
Beyond that, Robert explained, “Me and Kailub [Russell] and [Daniel] Milner [from Australia] are winning the Manufacturer’s Cup [for KTM] so there’s a few positives out of it, just not the big one.
“But anything could happen tomorrow, I guess.”
Indeed it could as a crash ended Christophe Nambotin’s run at the top. Spain’s Josep Garcia beat him yesterday, of course.
Interestingly, the top 10 individuals are E1 (second-place Josep Garcia of Spain) and E2 (leader Christophe Nambotin) mounted. In fact, of the top 10, Robert’s the only one aboard a 500cc four-stroke, everyone else choosing either 250cc or 450cc four-strokes. In Europe, E3 is the province of 300cc two-strokes.
As for France’s lead in Junior World Trophy, it’s pretty comfortable over Italy in second and the U.S., which now holds third.
In Women’s World Trophy, Brandy Richards provided a possible glimpse at her future when she won two tests, both being run at the Dafy Moto track outside of Allassac Brochat, the track serving as the venue for Cross Tests 1 and 4.
Though the young American trio isn’t likely to threaten leader Australia for a few years at least, they fought fatigue and uncertainty while getting used to how the game’s played.
An even brighter spot had to be SRT Off-road’s trio of tall guys moving into third place in Club standings. Italy leads the category followed by a trio from Wales that includes GNCC veteran Jason Thomas. Ben Kelley led the way for SRT, finishing the day fifth-fastest among all 500-plus Club riders, backed up ably by Ty Tremaine (12th) and Cody Webb (15th).
2017 ISDE France Day Five Results
