Next April, 4th, the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship will be back with the Grand Prix AMV of Cataluña that will take place in Solsona. With only two weeks before the kick-off, we propose you to take a look to the different categories. Today, let’s start with the Enduro 1 class composed mainly by 250cc 4 stroke and that knows a renewal with the arrival of the two times World Champ’ Christophe NAMBOTIN (F – KTM) and the departure of the 2013 Top 3: Antoine MEO (Enduro 2), Juha SALMINEN (retirement) and Matti SEISTOLA (Enduro 3)…
The favorites:
– Christophe NAMBOTIN (F – KTM): After two domination years in Enduro 3, the KTM rider is changing of category and will ride on the 250 EXC-F. Indeed, the French needed new challenge for 2014. But the question everybody has in mind is to know if NAMBOT’ will quickly arrive to adapt to his bike and if he will continue his nice streak…
– Eero REMES (SF – TM): After a good adaption on his TM last year, the small Finn is back on the E1 class with the entire hopes of a country behind him. Indeed, with the departures (for different reasons) of his compatriots SALMINEN and SEISTOLA, the TM rider remains as the last World title chance for Finland. Moreover, it’s been over four years that REMES is running after the title and maybe this season is the good one!
– Cristobal GUERRERO (E – KTM): After a season and a half of bad luck after his shoulder injury contracted during the 2012 ISDE in Germany, the very first Junior World Champion in EWC history will have the opportunity to start a season to 100%. With 30 years old, the Spanish has imposed himself as a serious contender to the World crown and seems really determined stopping to be the “eternal second”!
The outsiders:
– Nicolas DEPARROIS (F – Honda): After a nice season on the Yamaha, the French will ride a Honda still with Yannis KOLIGLIATIS and the Greek team Ina TV Racing. Very close from the best, he is just missing some podiums in Grand Prix… What he can do this year when we take look to his end of season in 2013, in condition to adapt quickly to the Honda!
– Thomas OLDRATI (I – HVA): After a 2013 season punctuated by injuries, the 2008 Junior World Champion is looking to do better in 2014. If he finds his level of 2012 and after a good start in the Assoluti d’Italia, the Italian could maybe have his word to say in the final podium race…
– Jérémy TARROUX (F – Sherco): Often unfortunate, the Sherco rider has finished 2013 strongly, signing his first GP win in St Flour (France). This season, if he has no injuries, the French could be the big surprise of the category when we take a look to his speed…
– Anthony BOI
SSIERE (F – Sherco): Named “2013 Rookie of the Year”, it’s time to confirm for the former MXGP… Last year, the Sherco rider has proved he has the speed and consistency as evidenced his podium in Portugal but he will have now to prove that he can fight regularly for a place among the five best of the class, in condition to progress in the Xtreme tests!
– Jaume BETRIU (E – HVA): Big surprise of last season, the Spanish joins definitely the HVA supported team for 2014. At home in Solsona (his parents have a hotel at 10 kms), BETRIU will continue to learn and can pretend to the Top 5 in Grand Prix if he adapts to the small HVA…
– Maurizio MICHELUZ (I – Suzuki): Last season, the Italian proved he still has the speed to fight with the best, clinching, for the first time since 2008, a podium (Greece)… MICHELUZ will wear the Suzuki colors in 2014. Will he arrive once again to bring the only “yellow” of the paddock on the podium?
We can’t forget them…
– Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yamaha) who didn’t made the entire 2013 season and who will have to find back his madness while avoiding injuries to fight with the best of the category…
– Kevin ROHMER (F – Yamaha) and Rudi MORONI (I – KTM) that are coming from the Junior class and that will made a first learning season… Top 10 goal!
– Jakob MORHED (S – Honda) who is back in E1 after a season in the Enduro 2 class. Leader of the sympathetic Johansson MPE team, MORHED will look to make shine the Swedish colors…
This 2014 season will be much more intense and rich in suspense than in 2013 where Antoine MEO flew over the category. With the arrival of Christophe NAMBOTIN and the departures of MEO, SALMINEN and SEISTOLA, the race for the title of 2014 E1 World Champion will be very uncertain and really open and some surprises must not be excluded.