Let's start at the Finnish - EnduroGP Finland preview
By Team TMX on 14th Mar 18
Finally! Nearly five months after the season finale in Germany, EnduroGP is back! And with an equally well-known event The Paijanne Enduro in Finland will be ready to provide an intense season opener.
After the success of the first edition last year, Alain and Bastien Blanchard (ABC Communication) quickly got back in touch with the HMK, the organiser of the event and they quickly responded in favour of running another winter Enduro in the World Championship calendar!
Known as the great Finnish adventure, this two-day race attracts all types of riders, from experienced veterans to young novices. This year, the 250 entries (made up of EnduroGP and national riders) will battle their way through 11 hours 30mins of racing with 16 different special tests on Saturday, including two night tests!
A further 7 hours 30mins and 12 special tests will follow on Sunday, before the riders arrive at the finish in Helsinki. The riders will also have to face long and difficult transfers in the freezing cold, this will culminate in the crossing of Lake Paijanne, which is frozen at this time of the year.
Loic Larrieu
This year the race is expected to be harder than ever since the weather is likely to be very different from last year, with much more snow and lower temperatures! The Grand Prix of Finland will debut 2018s return to the Enduro 1, Enduro 2 and Enduro 3 class format. And, as in 2016, there will also be the ultimate scratch (overall) class named EnduroGP!
EnduroGP World Champion Steve Holcombe is facing a tricky task in 2018. The old adage says: The hardest thing is not only to win a title, but to defend it!
So well see if this applies to the Brit who has worked very hard on his winter preparation and has already ridden in snowy conditions a few weeks ago. The factory Beta rider will not only aim for the overall title, but also for the Enduro 3 title. There are many riders keen to take his place on the throne, starting in the E3 class.
Christophe Nambotin is back to his first love; Gas Gas. The Frenchman has declared that its the E3 title or nothing! He also has an eye on the EnduroGP title. In the same pit Danny McCanney will also be a favourite in E3 and the Brit will certainly have a shot at the EnduroGP title too.
In the E2 class a large number of riders are also capable of claiming the EnduroGP title. Starting with the 2017 Vice-Champion, Loic Larrieu (Yamaha) and the very first EnduroGP Champion - Matthew Phillips (Sherco), who is back in the World Championship despite his announcement last year that he would head home to Tasmania.
Jamie McCanney
In addition, Eero Remes, winner of Paitsi 2017, will also be ready to attack for class and overall titles. You cant rule out an ever-impressive Christophe Charlier (Beta) who will be ready to challenge after a very promising rookie season.
While Alex Salvini (Husqvarna) is back with Franco Mayr in his JET Racing team, and he will aim to prove that he still has all the qualities to be champion. There will be great competition in E1 too with the likes of Britains Jamie MCcanney (Yamaha) and Brad Freeman (Beta), and Italys Davide Guarneri (Honda).
We could also see Eemil Pohjola (Gas Gas), who was ultra dominant in the Junior class at Paijanne 2017, lead the E1 charge. In addition, Antoine Basset (Gas Gas) will finally return to competition after a year of recovery to treat a cruciate ligament rupture in his right knee. Thomas Oldrati (Honda), Deny Philippaerts (Beta) and Josh Gotts (TM), could all do well in these extreme conditions.
Note that there will be no Junior or FIM Youth 125cc classes this year at the Paijanne GP. Their first event will be the Spanish GP in April.
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