Cycle News Staff | April 8, 2019
It was a dramatic conclusion to the 2019 Maxxis FIM World SuperEnduro World Championship in Bilbao, Spain, April 6. When it was all over, Colton Haaker emerged with his third title, despite defending champion Cody Webb taking the overall win for the night at the Bilbao SuperEnduro Final.
Haaker Crowned In Bilbao SuperEnduro Final
Webb won the first of the three main events, and Haaker won the second race. This meant that the title would come down to the final race of the night. Haaker led Webb by nine points and needed to finish inside the top five to take the title even if Webb was to win.
Webb did in fact go on to win the third and final race and looked to have the championship in his grasp, because Haaker was running in fifth place on the last lap. In the last turn, however, Haaker’s teammate Alfredo Gomez, who was running in third place, slowed down to let Haaker pass and ran another rider off the track in the process. This allowed Haaker to get third in the race and sew up the championship. Gomez was disqualified for his actions but Haaker still took the title.
Adding to the drama, Haaker crashed while taking the checkered flag and was knocked unconscious. He woke up to find his team around him, congratulating him on the championship.
“In the last race I gave my all and I had some help from my teammate, too,” said Haaker. “I started to fall apart a bit with arm pump, but I knew I had to win that second race, or at least finish ahead of Cody. I got a bit too comfortable and made too many mistakes, but I’m here now as the Champion and it feels good.”
“I didn’t feel that I had the title until the last lap,” said Webb. “Then I started to celebrate it, I thought I had won. But I suddenly saw Alfredo Gomez and I realized what had happened. Colton and I always seem to end up having wild battles until the end of the season and this year has been another good fight.”
Bilbao SuperEnduro Final Video Highlights
2019 Maxxis FIM World SuperEnduro Championship
Final Round
Bilbao, Spain
RESULTS: April 6, 2019
Heat 1 : 1. Cody WEBB ; 2. Taddy BLAZUSIAK ; 3. Colton HAAKER ; 4. Alfredo GOMEZ ; 5. Pol TARRES ; 6. Kevin GALLAS ; 7. William HOARE ; 8. Diogo VIEIRA ; 9. Xavi LEON SOLE ; 10. Blake GUTZEIT…
Heat 2 : 1. Colton HAAKER ; 2. Cody WEBB ; 3. Taddy BLAZUSIAK ; 4. Alfredo GOMEZ ; 5. Pol TARRES ; 6. Blake GUTZEIT ; 7. William HOARE ; 8. Kevin GALLAS ; 9. Jose Maria JUAN BERNABEU ; 10. Diogo VIEIRA…
Heat 3 : 1. Cody WEBB ; 2. Taddy BLAZUSIAK ; 3. Colton HAAKER ; 4. Kevin GALLAS ; 5. Pol TARRES ; 6. Xavi LEON SOLE ; 7. David LEONOV ; 8. Diogo VIEIRA ; 9. William HOARE ; 10. Blake GUTZEIT…
Super Pole Akrapovic: 1. Cody WEBB; 2. Colton HAAKER; 3. Taddy BLAZUSIAK…
Provisional Standing : 1. Colton HAAKER 263pts ; 2. Cody WEBB 259pts ; 3. Taddy BLAZUSIAK 234pts ; 4. Pol TARRES 155pts ; 5. Alfredo GOMEZ 145pts. 6. Diogo VIEIRA 124pts ; 7. Blake GUTZEIT 121pts ; 8. Kevin GALLAS 119pts ; 9. Xavi LEON SOLE 100pts ; 10. David LEONOV 74pts…