Sagar and Spice
By TMX Archives on 29th Nov 13
Tom Sagar clinched his third outright ACU British Enduro Championship at the Muntjac Enduro, adding to those he won in 2007 and 2008.It was a close championship and a tough final day on the trails in the Thetford Forest, but the canny Welshman was all smiles by the end after narrowly edging out Jamie McCanney. Sagar needed only to finish sixth at the final round the Muntjac Enduro in the Thetford Forest to win the outright title.But after placing seventh on the first lap of the five-lap six-test timecard competition, the KTM UK backed Colwyn Bay Motorcycles rider knew he needed to more than cruise if the championship was to be his.I was definitely feeling the pressure, said a relieved Sagar at the finish.I went into the first test feeling terrible. I always know coming into the Diss (aka the Muntjac Enduro) that the test is so quick and you have to be so fast, right from the start.After that test Id thought I had ridden with a good rhythm, that I was riding well but obviously I wasnt!I had pushed as hard as I could and that was it seventh.Certainly Sagar had found a great way to entertain the spectators.With a live timing screen on public display right next to the test, the entire paddock was aware that Sagars battle for his third outright championship was going to be a tough, day-long, one.Heading the timesheets was Sagars arch-rival Jamie McCanney (Midwest Husqvarna TE250), who had set a blistering first-test time nearly eight seconds ahead of his nearest competitor his brother Danny (Fowlers KTM 250EXC).But for Sagar it was the names packing themselves between Jamie and himself that caused him most concern.Among these were some classy riders such as former European champion Daryl Bolter and extreme enduro specialist Jonny Walker.McCanney had a guest team-mate along for the ride in the form of his former Spanish EWC Husaberg team-mate Mario Roman and he had jumped ahead of Sagar as well.I came around after that first lap and I was gutted, said Sagar.I didnt know what to do. I knew I just had to push as hard as I could. Id learnt something a few weeks back and I thought, do what you did then.Since I had my hand injury mid-season I havent been pushing as hard as I would have liked.I have been riding tests smoothly and neatly. Really I have not been riding aggressively enough and you could see from that first test that it doesnt work.I had to push harder, take it to the edge and thats what I did.Sagar posted third-fastest time on his second test but he was still seventh overall. It was set to be a tough day indeed.Another lap finishing second barely one second behind Jamie McCanney did the trick as Sagar leapfrogged the tightly-packed leaderboard into third place.Out front Jamie McCanney was storming though, having pulled an 11-second gap on his brother Danny, who in turn was nine-seconds ahead of Sagar.With the gap from Sagars third to Jonny Walker in seventh still barely seven seconds, no rider could afford a mistake.The final three tests were run back-to-back and again the pace was never less than frantic. Jamie McCanney kept pushing at the front, but Danny still getting used to riding the four-stroke KTM 250EXC-F found his usual end-of- the-day speed, beating Jamie in both the final two tests.Importantly Sagar stayed on, placing 5-4-5 in the last three tests, but not surrendering any significant time, keeping Roman in fourth a not-quite-comfortable three-seconds distant.The tests done there was the no-small matter of the last two laps of the 20-mile course. These have been traditionally and quite expertly on the part of Diss MCC been timed tight.It was tight enough for even the time taken refuelling the bikes to be critical.In past years it has happened that only the winner and maybe one or two others have finished clean on time.And so with the prospect of attracting 60 penalty points for every minute lost, Sagar knew the championship wouldnt be secure until the very second he arrived at the final check.On the last lap I felt terrible, I was thinking and thinking and thinking, said Sagar.It didnt affect my riding, which was still fairly good. But once I got to the secret check out the back I knew that as long as the bike didnt break it was done.So I pushed nice and hard for the last half-lap, thinking yeah, got it in the bag! It is nice to win the title again. I have tried hard for years now, since 2008 and my last title, but it has been third and then second in every year up until now.It is not that I dont like the No.2 plate, but it is nice to have that No.1.Jamie McCanney finished on the minute after Sagar and on handing in his timecard rode straight over to congratulate the Welshman on his championship. I came here and did what I needed to do and Tom rode well too, said McCanney.It was highly unlikely the championship was going to go my way, but in racing anything can happen, but Im happy for Tom it was always in his hands and with him being so experienced he handled it well.All I can say is bring on next year!Sagar knew hed made his championship based on brilliant early-season form the latter half of the year has been a succession of victories for McCanney, the EWC Youth Cup champion.I cant take anything away from Jamie, this year hes been coming on loads, so its a massive relief for me to have won, added Sagar.I think for next year theres going to be some stiff competition, the two McCanney boys are the real fighters in this paddock and Im sure will be taking home much of the silverware.I am going to have to come back stronger if I am going to win this championship again.The Expert overall championship was also in the balance coming into the final round, although for Brad Freeman it was virtually a finish-to-win situation.Nonetheless he took the fight to his rival Ryan McLean, the pair lighting up the special test, with McLean a motocrosser at heart able to set times that would sit comfortably within the championship class.I just had to finish, said Freeman. But if you have to finish you might as well finish as well as you can, so I was happy with second.Next year Im going up to the championship class on the 125 that will be a big challenge for me.Jonny Walker (Red Bull KTM 300EXC) took the E3 championship class, while Jane Daniels won the Womens class and Derek Little the Veterans
