Mancha munch in super-tough Spain
By TMX Archives on 6th Apr 07
BOTH the opening 2007 European and World Championship trials which were staged at Mancha Real in southern Spain at the weekend, proved a lot different - and a lot harder - to what most people were expecting. There were real cricket scores from the winners and right down the field as simple survival and just getting through sections proved crucial.
The Euros got the weekend's action under way onSaturday and on paper we were looking for the Brits to pack the topten. We had a really strong presence and given the conditions, wet andvery slippery, the boys should have been right in there, so it wasshocks all round as Michael Brown, a pre-season favourite to take theEuropean crown, was indeed the best Brit - but down in 11th place.Since switching to a 290 Sherco from the little 125, Lee Sampson hasbeen on fire in Britain so 13th was not what Lee was looking for onSaturday. Wiggy was of course still on his little 125 - as 17-year-oldsmust under International rules - but the boy was not happy with 15th.Richard Ellwood was arguably the only rider who punched somewhere nearhis weight while Sam Haslam was certainly looking for a better start tohis European Championship season than 19th.
Brits were certainly a bit thin on the ground inthe Euro Juniors with Ross Danby having been left behind by Wiggy,Haslam, Ellwood and co and unfortunately no-one has moved in to taketheir place. Ross took a strong second although as suspected, AlfredoGomez looks like he will take some stopping in the Junior class.
However, it was a different story on Sunday as theBrits definitely learned a lesson from Saturday's tough opener. Brownytook a crushing win in the Juniors while Wigg, Haslam and Lee Sampsonall nailed strong top ten placings - that's more like it lads!
This, coupled with Dougie's third place andDabill's sixth in the World Champs, was the kind of strong performancewe were expecting and all things being equal, Britain's youngergeneration of trials riders is certainly a match for the currentSpanish crop of up-and-comers.
There's a lot more to come from the Brits, butwe'll have to wait now until May 26/27 for the second round of the Euroseries in Senez France when it preceeds the third World Champs round.
World Championship chasers have their second roundat the strange venue of Guatemala on April 21/22, a place where eventhe factories fought against travelling to on grounds of cost - nevermind the fact that they don't sell any bikes there!