The first day of the 24mx Enduro European Championship saw 186 riders from 15 European nations at the start. This first round, organized by the Castiglion Fiorentino Fabrizio Meoni motoclub, officially opened yesterday, Friday 22 March, with the official presentation of the participating riders.
Words and Images by European Enduro Champions
The parade, which started from the paddock, traveled through the streets of Castiglion Fiorentino, the host city, up to the town square where the mayor and many lover were waiting for the European Enduro family. Once the ceremony was over, everyone rested in view of the first day of competition which began under a beautiful spring sun.
Three riders at a time, from 8.30 am, took to the starting stage to begin their personal 2024 European season. After the start, the competitors reached the spectacular 24mx extreme test, traced on natural stones and which involved all the riders. This was followed by the Enduro Test, designed in the undergrowth and which gave the competitors breathtaking landscapes, while the Cross Test concluded the lap, set on an immense hilly meadow. All the tests, as the riders progressed, became more and more challenging lap after lap.
Andrea Verona, incisive in all the special tests, enchanted all the enduro lover who reached Castiglion Fiorentino to witness this first round of the 24mx Enduro European Championship of the season. Verona, who took part in this European event to train for the world championship, put his signature on the overall standing, placed Samuele Bernardini, a minute and a half behind him, also here in Castiglion Fiorentino to prepare himself for the world championship . The Italian flag also flies in third place overall: occupying the lowest step of the podium is Davide Soreca, who finished his race a few seconds behind
Bernardini.Andrea Verona, in addition to winning the overall of this day 1, also took home the victory of the class, the E2, again ahead of Bernardini, while Daniel Mundell (TNT Corse) finished in third place, returning to the European championship after a year.
Davide Soreca was the winner of E1 class, which he won putting Davide Mei (Diligenti Racing) and Jacopo Traini behind him. In E3 the French national anthem echoed thanks to the determination of Anthony Geslin (Atomic Moto) who won by 14 seconds ahead of Mattia Capuzzo, with whom he battled throughout the day. Andrea Castellana completed the podium. The young guys from Youth class gave us a truly intense day. The top three in the standigs are in fact grouped within seven seconds; Riccardo Pasquato (Fantic Specia) asserted himself above all, taking his Fantic to the first step of the podium on this day 1 in Castiglion Fiorentino.Luca Piersigilli (Diligenti Racing) finished in second place, while third place went to Valentino Corsi (Fantic Specia). Who will win tomorrow? The only certainty we have is that we will experience another day full of emotion in the Youth!Excellent return to the European stage for Killian Lunier; the Frenchman won the Junior1 category ahead of his compatriot David Scheid Guillemot (Atomic Moto) and the British Charlie Charter. Off the podium was Kevin Cristino, protagonist of the top of the standings all day long but relegated due to a TC penalty.
Heart-pounding race also in Junior2 with Riccardo Fabris and Matej Skuta protagonists of this first day of the championship. The winner after 9 special tests was the 2023 champion Fabris, who managed to take home the victory by less than three seconds over Skuta. Instead, the Finnish flag flies on the third step thanks to Samuli Puhakainen who climbed onto the podium, placing Matyas Chlum behind him by just two seconds. Tomorrow will definitely be an intense day too!In the Senior, first place still have the signature of Maurizio Micheluz, reigning champion of this class. The Italian rider won ahead of the German Nico Rambow and Martin Gottvald.
Ten girls were at the start of this first appointment with the 2024 24mx Enduro European Championship; Tanja Schlosser set the best time on day 1; the young German knows no rivals and won the class with 1 minute and 17 seconds on Team Atomic Moto rider Mauricette Brisebard. Closing the podium was an European Championship new entry, the Argentine Carla Scaglioni.
About the trade teams, the Gaerne team won the first day of competition, followed by Diligenti Racing and Sweden Enduro.
The 24mx European Championship couldn’t have started better than this; we are ready to experience another day like today. See you tomorrow at 8.30am with the official start of day 2!
Day one results
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Overall victory again for Andrea Verona on the second day of the first round of the 24mx European Enduro Championship. The world champion rider also left the competitors behind him on day 2, taking first place in the overall standings of the day, but this time, unlike yesterday, with a gap of just 25 seconds on Samuele Bernardini. The two Italian riders battled throughout the day, giving the large crowd a great spectacle.
The second day of the 24mx Enduro European Championship started at 8.30 this morning, Sunday 24 March, from Castiglion Fiorentino under a cloudy sky that promised rain, rain which fortunately did not arrive, instead leaving room for a warm sun.
Like day one, the 186 riders completed the three special tests prepared by the organizer three times: after the start the riders went to the extreme test, which was truly technical and spectacular. Followed by the Enduro Test lasting almost 10 minutes and the Cross Test, designed on an immense lawn. As mentioned, many Enduro enthusiasts reached the Tuscan city to witness the show offered by our riders, with Andrea Verona and Samuele Bernardini at the forefront, who certainly did not disappoint the enthusiasts. Also warming up the public’s spirits was Kevin Cristino, who made up for yesterday’s penalty and took home an excellent third place overall and first in the class. The Team Fantic motor riders won the J1 classification ahead of Killian Lunier, winner yesterday, and David Scheid Guillemot.
In J2 Riccardo Fabris was unable to replicate yesterday’s result and finished his race in sixth place in the category, won on this day 2 by Matej Skuta. The rider from the Czech Republic won his class by 21 seconds over Diego Haution (Atomic Moto), while in third position we found Samuli Puhakainen 38 seconds behind. Among the young Youth, Valentino Corsi (Team Specia) stood out, putting his teammate Riccardo Pasquato behind him. Closing the podium was another Italian, Simone Cagnoni of the Gas Gas Sissi Racing team.
Davide Soreca once again conquered the E1 class, the strong Italian rider took home an excellent one-two in the first round of the 2024 European Championship. Great battle for second position with Jacopo Traini and Davide Mei (Diligenti Racing) fighting until to the last special. At the end of the day Jacopo Traini took the second step of the podium and won over Mei by less than a second!
As in the overall, Andrea Verona and Samuele Bernardini animated the first two positions in the E2 standings, with Daniel Mundell (TNT Corse) closing the podium in third position. In the E3, a worry-free victory for the Frenchman of Team Atomic Moto Anthony Gaslin, who put Mattia Capuzzo (TNT Corse) behind him with a gap of over a minute and a half and Robert Riedel by more than 2 minutes.
Double victory also for Maurizio Micheluz in the Senior class; the Italian riders took home his second victory of the season, putting Nico Rambow and Martin Gottvald behind him.
The category reserved for girls, the Women, was won again today by Tanja Schlosser, who was truly incisive in all the special tests. In second place we found Sara Traini and in third Mauricette Brisebard (Atomico Moto). The trade team ranking reflects exactly that of yesterday: Gaerne first, followed by Diligenti Racing and the Sweden Enduro Team.
The 2024 season has begun. The first round is over and we can’t wait to see our riders back in action! The next appointment is June 15th and 16th in San Marino, which will host a European championship race for the first time.
But before San Marino there is another important event waiting for the European Enduro, the one with the MiniEnduro European Cup which will open the 2024 season in Italy in the city of Aviano on 25 and 26 May
Day two results
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