The Kiwis have steadied the ship and remain ranked 10th in their chase for Women’s World Trophy Team class honours after Day Four of the 2024 International Six Days Enduro in Spain.
The official three-rider Women’s World Trophy Team (WWT) from New Zealand comprises Te Awamutu’s Rachael Archer (Kawasaki, pictured here), Opunake’s Taylar Rampton (Husqvarna) and Tapanui’s Kylie Dorr (Beta), representing an historic first campaign by the Kiwis in the WWT class of this massive international competition.
Individually, Archer has moved up from 3rd to 2nd in the 11-nation WWT class (and now up to 88th overall when ranked alongside the men) after Day Four.
Remarkably, young Archer, the 2024 Grand National Cross-country Champion (GNCC) in the United States, is in a fierce and unrelenting battle with Spain’s 2024 enduro world champion Mireia Badia.
Dorr remains 31st in the WWT class (although improving to 132nd overall alongside the men) and Rampton remains 32nd (and she stays 137th overall alongside the men).
Day Four saw the United States’ Brandy Richards win again in the Women’s classification.
New Zealand’s Rachael Archer kept her honest throughout the day, placing an eventual 15s behind as runner-up. Australia’s Jessica Gardiner took third, with the United States rider Rachel Gutish and Australia’s Danielle McDonald completing the top five.
The Women’s World Trophy class saw another close battle between leaders the United States and Australia in second. The United States managed to win again and increase their lead on Day Four by another 21s to 3m 55s over Australia.
Sweden remains third in class and is now over 10m in front of France in fourth, with Spain now 30m behind France in fifth.
Meanwhile, there was no change at the top of the World Trophy standings in the ISDE with France continuing to lead after Day Four.
Sweden continues to lead Junior World Trophy, despite France stealing the win on Day Four.
Day Four marked the beginning of the second half of this year’s ISDE. Competitors from the 32 nations entered and repeated the Vilatuxe-Lalin course from the previous day.
Overnight rain made for wet and slippery conditions, and repeated rain showers throughout the day continued to test riders further.
With three day wins from three starts, France set about making it four on Day Four in the World Trophy.
The French have proved impressive and consistent in the mud and ruts of Galicia and again found their way to the top of the classification on day four. Entering the fifth and penultimate day of racing, they lead the United States, now in second, by almost eight minutes.
The biggest change of day four saw the United States move past host nation Spain in the fight for vice-champion. Despite Josep Garcia winning the individual classification, the United States performed better as a team and moved 1m 40s clear of their rivals. Australia maintained its position as fourth, with the Czech Republic as fifth.
Day four saw Spain’s Josep Garica claiming a commanding 32s margin of victory to extend his overall race lead to one minute over Great Britain’s Steve Holcombe (pictured above) in second.
The Spaniard was in a league of his own, winning five of the day’s six special tests. Sweden’s Max Ahlin was the best-placed Junior World Trophy rider with third overall. France’s Theo Espinasse edged out Italy’s Samuele Bernardini by one tenth of a second for fourth.
“Today was not so easy,” explained Garcia. “The special tests were full of water on lap one from the overnight rain. It was tough not to crash in those conditions.”
The Enduro1 category again belonged to Garcia, with the World Champion taking a commanding win on day four.
Espinasse was second, with the United States’ Grant Davis third. Holcombe topped the Enduro2 classification over Ahlin in second, with Bernardini third.
Times were tight in the Enduro3 category, with Italy’s Morgan Lesiardo claiming a two-second margin of victory over France’s Leo Le Quere. Matteo Cavallo placed five tenths of a second behind Le Quere in third.
Kiwi fans will be impressed also with Thames rider Chris Birch (KTM), a former winner of the famous Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro in Romania, who is riding as part of the KTM All Star Team in the “Club” grade.
Birch has moved up from 44th to 37th overall individual in the Club class ranks after Day Four.
Palmerston North rider Liam Ellis is the only other New Zealand rider listed among the entries and he is racing his KTM motorcycle in the C2 Club class as part of a three-rider Oceania squad.
Ellis has dropped from 61st to 68th overall individual in the Club ranks after Day Four.
The New Zealand ISDE campaign is supported by Ward Demolition, MJH Engineering Ltd, FIM Oceania, Macaulay Metals, Signbiz, Kiwi Rider Magazine, Silver-Bullet, New Plymouth Underwater, Hirepool and Motorcycling New Zealand.
Photo by Future7Media
© Words by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Find BikesportNZ.com on FACEBOOK here