Price, Merriman and Phillips lead after A4DE Day 1
Reigning A4DE Outright winner, Toby Price, just snuck in front of closest rival, Chris Hollis (Yamaha) to take the lead of Championship E2 and Outright in Day 1 of the Yamaha Yamalube Cycra GYTR Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE).
Hollis, 26 (from Port Macquarie) was in the lead after the first test, but lost precious seconds from a crash in the fourth and final special test of the day (the Pirelli Cross Test).
The event is being held at Koumala and Gum Valley, just south of Mackay (QLD), until Sunday.
Price, 22 (from Singleton, NSW) said he was riding in “survival mode” today.
“I’ve got some pretty big blisters from Hattah at the moment,” Price, of the Motorex KTM Off-Road Team, said.
“I had a crash at Hattah and hurt my ribs a bit there as well… just making sure I get to the fourth day so I can just stay near the front and should be all good and hopefully by then I’ll be all healed up and ready to go.
“A couple of tests I felt a bit slow out there… just have to try and pick the pace up a bit coming into some of the turns .
“But I’m feeling pretty good and the bike’s really good, handling well, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Hollis said his crash in the last test was due to a front end wash-out.
“I lost the front there for a little bit and kissed the ground,” Hollis said. “Picked it up and kept going, but I lost a lot of time.
“But there were only four tests today and me and Toby are really close… tomorrow we’ve got six tests and I’ll try and make it back up then.
“We’ve got one new test tomorrow that we do twice, which is a good grass track.
“So things are looking good. I’m riding good and my bike’s working good, I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
Third in the class and Outright is Yamaha rider Daniel Milner, from Victoria.
Another rider who came to grief in the final test of the day was young Tasmanian, Matt Phillips (Yamaha).
Phillips, 18, crashed and “knocked himself out” in the last test, but was still able to maintain his lead of Championship E3 over Motorex KTM’s Jarrod Bewley.
“I’m fairly happy with how I went,” Phillips said. “I was running third Outright until the last test and I had a big crash and knocked myself out.
“But I’m stoked to be leading the class so far and hopefully I can hold that lead and get back up there in the outrights by pushing hard and staying on the bike.”
Fellow Yamaha pilot, Stefan Merriman, leads Championship E1, after taking the win in three out of four special tests.
“I was a little bit nervous to start with, took me a bit to get into it… in the first test I was a bit slow,” Merriman said.
“And then I got quicker and quicker and had a good day. It was really good out there.
“The ground’s quite dry and slippery… when you’re racing it’s always a challenge to stay on. But the trails look good, it’s going to be a good four day.”
Husqvarna’s Alex Salvini sits second in E1.
Third in E3 is Queenslander Nick Beattie (Honda).
In the Championship Women’s, YZ250F pilot Jemma Wilson (from Brisbane) leads the class ahead of New Zealander, Natasha Cairns. Reigning champ, Jessica Gardiner (Yamaha) sits third.
Fellow Brisbane rider and motocross legend, James Deakin, is ahead of five-time Master’s class winner, Geoff Ballard. Deakin is riding his first ever enduro.
And it’s another Queenslander, Matt Dumigan (of the Gum Valley Motorcycle Club), who leads another star-studded field in Veteran’s. Second in the class is Motorex KTM rider and team manager, Brad Williscroft. Damian Smith (Husqvarna) sites third.
In Outright, TM’s Josh Green is sixth, followed by Merriman (in seventh), Salvini (eighth), Bartosz Oblucki (ninth) and Glenn Kearney in tenth.
Day 2 of the 2011 Yamaha Yamalube Cycra GYTR Australian 4-Day Enduro (A4DE) kicks off tomorrow from Parc Ferme (at the Koumala State School).
The final motocross event will be held Sunday at the Gum Valley Motocross Complex (off Turnor’s Paddock Rd, racing from 9am).
Classes of competition include: Enduro 1 (100cc-150cc two stroke and 150cc to 250cc four strokes), Enduro 2 (175cc to 250cc two stroke and 275cc to 450cc four stroke), Enduro 3 (290cc to 500cc two stroke and 475cc to 650cc four stroke), Veteran All Powers – Rider must have turned 35 years before 1/1/11, Masters All Powers – Rider must have turned 45 years before 1/1/11, and Women All Powers.
RESULTS
A4DE Day 1 E1 top-three
Stefan Merriman YAMAHA
Alex Salvini HUSQVARNA
Anthony Roberts HONDA
A4DE Day 1 E2 top-three
Toby Price KTM
Chris Hollis YAMAHA
Daniel Milner YAMAHA
A4DE Day 1 E3 top-three
Matt Phillips YAMAHA
Jarrod Bewley KTM
Nick Beattie
A4DE Day 1 Women’s top-three
Jemma Wilson YAMAHA
Natasha Cairns KTM
Jessica Gardiner YAMAHA
A4DE Day 1 Veteran’s top-three
Matt Dumigan YAMAHA
Brad Williscroft KTM
Damian Smith HUSQVARNA
A4DE Day 1 Master’s top-three
James Deakin KTM
Geoff Ballard YAMAHA
Trent Lean SUZUKI
A4DE Day 1 Outright
1. Toby Price KTM E2
2. Chris Hollis YAMAHA E2
3. Daniel Milner YAMAHA E2
4. Matt Phillips YAMAHA E3
5. Jarrod Bewley KTM E3
6. Josh Green TM E2
7. Stefan Merriman YAMAHA E1
8. Alex Salvini HUSQVARNA E1
9. Bartosz Oblucki HUSQVARNA E2
10. Glenn Kearney HUSQVARNA E2