BELLINO & MCCANNEY HOLD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LEADS

[totalmotorcycle]

@BELLINO & @MCCANNEY HOLD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP LEADS

@Husqvarna Motorcycles enjoy podium success across all classes at the Enduro World Championship’s GP of Portugal

The third round of the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship proved to be another productive weekend of racing for Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing with all riders claiming top three results.

For Jamie McCanney the GP of Portugal ended with the Manx rider further extending his Enduro Junior championship lead with a pair of runner-up results. With competition fierce in the junior class, McCanney dug deep on the rough and technical terrain to secure second overall each day and maintain his championship lead.

In the Enduro 1 class, Danny McCanney returned to the podium on day two for the first time since the GP of Chile. Feeling good but off the pace of the leaders on day one, McCanney turned things around as conditions became increasingly difficult during day two. Fighting hard, the Husqvarna rider secured a much-needed confidence boosting third overall on his FE 250.

Hoping to end each day on the top step of the podium as he did in Spain, Enduro 3 championship leader Mathias Bellino didn’t quite achieve the results he hoped for in Gouveia. Struggling to find his rhythm on the long and challenging cross test, Bellino lost out on his chance for victory and had to settle for second on day one.

Locked in another fight for a top three result on day two, the Husqvarna rider missed out on securing a podium position by the narrowest of margins. Ending his day in fourth – one-second adrift of third place – Bellino had a frustrating end to his GP of Portugal. Despite his disappointment the Frenchman remains in the lead of the Enduro 3 world championship.

One of the most competitive classes in the EWC, Enduro 2 was once again hotly contested in Portugal. Ending day one a distant third, defending class champion Pela Renet got right into the thick of the action for day two. Fighting hard with close rivals Antoine Meo and Alex Salvini, Renet edged ahead of Salvini by just three tenths of a second to end his day as runner-up.

Husqvarna’s Spain Josep Garcia again delivered the goods in the Youth Cup class to win day one and place second on day two. In the Women’s Cup, Husqvarna UK’s Jane Daniels put in a strong showing to record a 2-3 scorecard.

The Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship continues with round four in Serres, Greece on June 6/7.

Danny McCanney: “Day one started badly as I stalled my bike twice in the opening enduro test, which cost me a lot of time. I felt like I was fighting all day but not getting the results I wanted. I crashed again on the second enduro test, which set me back even more. I kept pushing but I just couldn’t turn things around. I don't know why but I wasn’t able to put in a clean lap on the enduro test. I made mistakes on laps one and two during the second day but managed to get third, which I’m really pleased with.”

Pela Renet: “It’s been a really tough race. There were so many rocks during each lap that there was no place to relax – it was really hard going both on and off the special tests. The enduro and motocross tests were really hard to ride. It was hard to know if you had to use the ruts or the soft, dust berms on the outsides of the corners. It’s been a real enduro. For my results, well, second place on day two is really good for me. I was a long way behind at the end of the first lap because I took some time to find my rhythm. Things got better and better and I ended up not so far from the first position.”

Mathias Bellino: “I didn't get the results that I hoped for but it’s certainly not been a disaster. I got some cramps on day one, also made a few mistakes and didn't have enough speed in the motocross test. I wasn’t far from winning but that’s how it goes some times. Day two was really disappointing. I don't really know what happened but to miss out on a podium result on the final test is hard. Normally I get stronger during the day, so it wasn’t what I was expecting. But the championship goes on and there is a lot more racing to be done, so I hope that in Greece I will be able to win again.”

Jamie McCanney: “I felt a lot better coming into this event than I did before the GP of Spain, but this race was three times harder so I always knew that I’d find things tough. I’m never great at the super test and I lost a little too much time there, but my main problem on day one was just feeling weak. I was a little off the pace, so I spent some time working out some new lines on the enduro test for day two. That seemed to work because my speed was really good on day two. All in all it was a good weekend and more solid points in the championship.”