Nice one Cyril!
By TMX Archives on 3rd Dec 09
FRENCH Enduro and Rallye ace, Cyril Depres, triumphed at the first Red Bull Los Andes Extreme Enduro spectacular held in the Andes mountain range just outside Chile's capital Santiago.
Over 100 riders took on the Cordillera for a gruelling test of endurance in front of over 5,000 spectators. Cyril Depres, Enduro World Champion finished first in front of the Chilean Riders Nicolas Urrutia and Francisco Chaleco Lopez.
The Halcones flying squadron flew over the starting line, giving signal for the riders to start the race. The riders then sped off to find the first obstacle only 250 meters from the start of the race, a 50-metre drop that only half of the riders rode through unscathed.
The 30-kilometre route had it all, from long ascents, steep descents, loose gravel, mud, river crossings and rock fields, which were covered twice. The first lap was tough, but the second one was even tougher.
Local hero Chaleco Lopez gave the fans a great spectacle as he fought for the lead with champion Cyril Depres.
There were four categories, Super Expert, Expert, Intermediate and Women, of which there were only two – Maria Josefina Gardulski and Macarena Garreton. Gardulski commented: ‘‘I am so happy to have completed the race, Macarena and I supported each other through the course and we feel this is a shared triumph.''
The first prize for the competition was a 450 Honda motorcycle, which winner Cyril Depres decided to put up for auction and all proceeds will be donated to the ‘Wings for Life' Foundation, dedicated to find a cure to spinal cord injuries – www.wingsforlife.com
Red Bull Los Andes extreme enduro
Santiago, Chile
Super Expert: 1 Cyril Despres (1:36:43), 2 Nicolas Urrutia (1:41:36), 3 Chaleco Lopez (1:41:48).
Expert: 1 Manuel Beltran (2:10:16), 2 Carlos Marsh (2:21:54), 3 Gonzalo Herrera (2:25:24).