Husqvarna TE310
Hell's Gate, the crazy enduro race in the heart of the Tuscan hills that has thrilled me as an enduro fan for the past three years, felt right. It is true that he could have done a good test even without a race or maybe in an amateur race, but to test what man and machine can do in the most extreme conditions is like a magnet. Especially if you can compete with Miran Stanovnik and the world elite of the enduro sport. Of course, just to see what the difference is between you and a "pro".
And so it happened. The alarm on my phone woke me up that damn early hour Saturday morning and (I admit) I really was, but I was really in a really bad mood and I told myself that I would never go to a race where I have to get up at five in the morning. ...
Husqvarna was waiting for me with the remaining 77 race cars, which were not very pleasant that day. Miran started with the same Husqvarna in total darkness (sometimes it's not so great if you are good and you are given a high starting number of 11), and my start was already met by the sun.
The XNUMX-year-old roared at the first press of the electric start button, and after a short warm-up, the track had already turned sharply uphill for a speed test.
Just an explanation to make it easier to understand the race: a classic enduro with four stages and two checkpoints and a speed test took place in the morning, and an extreme enduro without speed tests was conducted in the afternoon, like a motocross race with four passes through the most difficult terrain.
Husqvarna and I had a good start, and even over the first serious obstacle, which looked harsh (steep and wide climb over large rocks), we just flew. It turned out. Superb power, quality enduro suspension and excellent torque, while at the same time, thanks to its 250cc construction. See, it stays light enough to change direction quickly, perfect for the technically demanding enduro!
But the fun ended when the drivers in front of me got stuck on a narrow section. Let go of your concentration, you cannot find the correct line over the obstacles and we are already where no enduro driver wants to be, in the middle of a slope full of slippery rocks like ice (enduro equation: mud + rocks = ice).
You push and pull the motorcycle for a while, but after a few similar moments in the middle of the slope, it simply pulls all the energy out of your body. With the help of friendly spectators and track officials (you were created by the organizers to help the participants), I also managed to get to the finish line at this devilishly sliding speed. I felt terrible.
I knew that it would be difficult, but that it would be so difficult, I didn’t even think in my sleep. When I finished the first lap on a fantastic enduro track, beautiful, scenic, but full of obstacles, which could have belonged to the pre-enduro trial world championship, I just wanted to give up. But the encouraging words of the accompanying team members made me try another lap and again that impossible speed test.
That was enough then. The Husqvarna that drove me so obediently up and down when I barely gripped the wheel and barely got my feet on my feet did not deserve to be thrown to the ground. Among other things, I also realized the amazing abilities and endurance of the enduro gods. If Miran and I were exhausted and sweating (leave aside the fact that Miran looked as tired after four laps as I did after the first lap), then the top five didn't even sweat.
Final score: a full dozen motorcycles, suitable for classic enduro, undemanding and just powerful and lightweight. The driver ... well, yes, I tried it, nothing ...
The Englishman won again
Fourth race and fourth English winner! What makes them superheroes? After three consecutive victories from David Knight, who was scheduled to race in Le Touquet, France, on the orders of KTM, Wayne Braibook was also among the winners. But the victory was not easy. After eight kilometers, Wayne sprained his little finger on his left hand and by the end of all four laps overtook the main competitors, Paul Edmondson and Simon Albergoni.
To the goal, i.e. With the help of the audience, only seven exhausted participants managed to climb to the top of hell (77 of them started in the morning), unearthly heroes of the most difficult enduro race in the world. Unfortunately, there were no Slovenes among them. Miran Stanovnik admitted that the race is harder than he thought, but not impossible. “Only the training should be completely dedicated to this race and training on extreme terrain using a specially adapted motorcycle,” he adds. A rematch next year? May be?
Results:
1. Wayne Braybrook (VB, GasGas),
2. Paul Edmondson (VB, Honda),
3. Simone Albergoni (ITA, Yamaha),
4. Alessandro Botturi (Italy, Honda),
5. Gregory Aerys (FRA, Yamaha),
6. Andreas Lettenbihler (NEM, GasGas),
7. Piero Sembenini (ITA, beta)
Petr Kavchich
photo: Grega Gulin, Matej Memedovič, Matevž Gribar
