| September 13, 2021
Taylor Robert came out ahead of KTM teammate Dante Oliveira and won the Rocky Mountain ATV-MC WORCS Series Presented by Polaris RZR and Dirt Bike Pro 450 motorcycle race at Three Peaks Oasis, September 12.
Tallon Lafountaine won the Pro 250 race, Evan Stice finished first in Pro-Am, and Brandy Richards, fresh off her ISDE victory, continued her dominance in the Women Pro class.
In the Pro 450 race, Oliveira snagged the holeshot with Robert hot on his rear tire. Coming into the motocross section on the first lap, Robert out-jumped Oliveira and took the lead. For the next hour, Oliveira stayed just behind Robert, trying everything to get past him, while taking a beating from Robert’s roost. Oliveira’s pace slowed after the first hour and he settled for second.
Cole Martinez was third on a Honda.
“I knew I had to get around Dante fast because he’s so quick,” said Robert, who took the points lead with the win. “Luckily, I got around him about a minute in, and then we battled for about an hour. He was not making it easy on me. The track is really fast, and we were holding a pretty high pace. I made it through without making any major mistakes and made it up here to the top step.”
When Oliveira was running second, he never gave up and stayed right on Robert’s rear fender.
“I rode five feet behind him until we pitted after an hour,” said Oliveira. “I fell back a little after taking a good amount of roost.”
Martinez scored his first podium of the season and definitely worked hard to get it. He overcame a big get-off on the first lap and ended up third.
“On the first lap I got clotheslined by a tree,” Martinez said. “Thankfully, I improved a lot on my first lap, and I think it was a great day. It was a tough track and I’m happy to come out of here healthy and on the podium.”
In Pro 250, Lafountaine (Honda) took the lead on the first lap and never looked back.
Mason Ottersberg (Yamaha) was second, followed Angus Riordan (KTM).
“The track really suited my style,” Lafountaine said. “You could get super flowy on it, but you also had to be patient and hit your marks.”
Ottersberg got a decent start but had issues getting into the groove during the first half of the race. After pitting with an hour to go, Ottersberg found his lines. With three laps left, he flew past Riordan to score second at the finish.
“Once again, my second-half magic kicked in,” said Ottersberg. “After the pit I loosened up, found some good lines, and started charging. I started reeling in Angus. I put on a push, and I got it done. I put a decent gap on him and cruised to the finish.”
Riordan had worked his way up to second before losing the spot to Ottersberg.
“I got passed with three laps to go, but racing is racing,” said Riordan.
In Pro Am, Evan Stice (Honda) took his second consecutive victory. After starting 10th, Stice moved his way through the field and took the lead early in the event. From there, he wasn’t challenged.
Brandy Richards (KTM) took second overall, followed by Alex Morgan (Husqvarna).
“Once I got into the lead, I just rode my own race,” said Morgan. “This track is sick. It’s really choppy and tight, but I liked it. I’m pumped.”
Richards rode a great first half but struggled a bit during the second hour. She tried to put on a charge during the waning laps, but settled for second, earning her fourth consecutive podium finish.
“I rode pretty fantastic in the first half of the race and made it all the way up to second,” said Richards. “I tried to sprint to the end, but the last few laps were pretty tough. It was a little bit of a struggle, but it was good weekend.”
Morgan took the lead early, but the track’s many turns took its toll on him. He finished third but retained the points lead.
“My hands are pretty mangled, so I was just trying to hold on, and then Brandy and Evan came on pretty strong,” said Morgan. “From there, I just tried to click off the laps and ride smooth.”
Richards continued her streak in Women Pro, winning her sixth straight race of the 2021 season.
Kaitlyn Jacobs (KTM) was second, followed by Ava Silvestri (Yamaha).
2021 WORCS Championship
Round 6
Three Peaks Oasis
Cedar City, Utah
RESULTS (September 12, 2021)
Pro 450
1. |
Taylor Robert |
(KTM) |
2. |
Dante Oliveira |
(KTM) |
3. |
Cole Martinez |
(Hon) |
Pro 250
1. |
Talon Lafountaine |
(Hon) |
2. |
Mason Ottersberg |
(Yam) |
3. |
Angus Riordan |
(KTM) |
Pro-Am
1. |
Evan Stice |
(Hon) |
2. |
Brandy Richards |
(KTM) |
3. |
Alex Morgan |
(Hus) |
Click here for complete 2021 Cedar City WORCS results.