2010 ISDE Yamaha Results
The oldest and arguably one of the most prestigious motorcycle races in the world, the FIM International Six Days Enduro, has finished with Yamaha WR technology on the podium after the 85th edition of the event was completed in South America at the weekend.
France were able to toast success and were followed by the four representatives from Italy, including MX1-GP campaigner Manuel Monni on a Yamaha WR450F, claiming the second step of the podium after negotiating five grueling days of hot, dry conditions, diverse terrain and long distances in Mexico.
Amid security concerns in the region, the final day of the program was canceled meaning that results from the fifth outing confirmed the final classification.
Monni, fresh from racing for Italy at the Motocross of Nations at Thunder Valley in Colorado late September, again found himself flying the flag for his country in the slightly slower but more technical demands of enduro.
The 26-year-old rookie distinguished himself in the ISDE E2 class in his first major competitive attempt at the discipline by taking two runner-up positions in two of the days, fighting with and beating the likes of multi world champions Juha Salminen and Johnny Aubert.
Monni went 5-2-2-9-4 on his results card to be fourth overall in the ISDE category and one of Italy’s best performers aboard the Yamaha.
In fact it was a shame that Monni was not able to contest the final day because the ISDE course ahead involved a rigorous motocross test and would have seen the rider from Perugia in confident form and with a chance of making the final E2 top three.
Spain’s Cristobal Guerrero was simply superb to help his country to the first of two class victories. The rally and EWC rider was unbeatable on his Yamaha WR250F on all five days of the Club E1 division and boosted his three man squad towards the top spot. He ended the contest six seconds ahead of Maurizio Micheluz.
New Zealand’s Adam Smith and Chris Power were third and fourth in E1 respectively enforcing the excellent capabilities of the quarter-liter Yamaha WR.
In the ISDE Junior Trophy Cristobal’s sibling, Victor, assisted Spain’s successful title defence. He classified 9th in the E1 class on his Yamaha WR250F and pushed the team to victory, with Sweden a distant second (by over one minute) to the specialists from the Iberian Peninsula.
Other ISDE riders to earn distinction across the Mexican landscape was Belgium’s Jean Francois Goblet (seventh in E2 on the Yamaha WR450F) and Michal Szuster for Poland just behind in eighth. In the Club section Kiwi Karl Power was runner-up in E2 while American Brian Sperle was fifth.
The 2011 ISDE – typically the season-closer for international off-road motorcycle racing- will take place in Finland.