2022 European Enduro Champions: trophies galore at German finale
The 2022 Borilli Enduro European Championship concludes in Rudesdorf, Germany with Erik Willems crowned the overall champion and Nieve Holmes taking the women’s title.
The final two days racing in the 2022 European Enduro championship saw riders not so far from teh German capital of Berlin and taking on some typical tests from the nation which hosted the final EnduroGP round just a few weeks ago.
Natural tracks littered with stones and roots, plus plenty of elevation changes was capped off by a 12-minute long enduro test which proved decisive in some of the final outcomes of the season.
Italian Enrico Rinaldi mastered those tests with a double day win in Rudersdorf. Some unmatchable times sealed the overall and J2 class win. The scratch results also saw German Jeremy Sydow take second and E1 class win on home soil and young Frenchman Clement Clauzier taking his Fantic 125 to third overall and take the points lead in the Youth class.
It wasn’t such a weekend in the results for some of the leading championship contenders including Erik Willems and Dan Mundell who finished in P11 and P13 on day one, both suffering with injuries at this final round – sadly Mundell would pull out of the second day.
Already on day one though, Willems had done enough to finish ahead of Mundell to claim the overall 2022 European Enduro Championship.
On the second day the last championship titles were awarded after a very dramatic in the Youth, under 21 class. After a major crash on day one, Manuel Verzeroli, who had been leading the championship until then, slipped back to second place. Frenchman Clement Clauzier held the lead on day two and after a slip by Verzeroli in the very first special stage, it looked to be in Clauzier’s hands.
But in the penultimate special test Clauzier did the crashing, dropping him to fourth place in class which meant Verzeroli was back incharge of the championship again. Despite putting everything into the final test, Clauzier had to concede victory to the Italian Vezeroli won the day’s Youth classification, finished fourth overall and took the title.
14th EEC title for Micheluz
The decisions in the E1, E2 and E3 cubic capacity classes were less spectacular with defending champion Maurizio Micheluz taking second in the E1 class behind guest entrant Edward Hubner. The results was more than enough for Micheluz to take his 14th European Championship title which is some record for the guy who otherwise makes his living as FIM track inspector at EnduroGPs.
In the E3 class, the duel between the Belgian Dietger Damiaens and the Frenchman David Abgrall was hanging after Mundell took a DNS due to injury. Damiaens had a seven-point lead over the Frenchman but with Luca Fischeder from Germany winning the class but, in the end, Dietger was faster than Abgrall and took the championship: “I didn't expect this myself at the beginning of the season,” the KTM rider said.
In the E2 class, Erik Willems fought his way through the pain after his crash on the first day. “I knew I could still be champion in the class, but actually my body was against it,” said the Belgian.
His rival in E2 class, Nicola Recchia from Italy, was only 12 points behind but finished second behind his compatriot Giuliano Mancuso. Willems’ eight points for eighth was enough to take home two titles this weekend despite the pain.
Double win for Nocera but Holmes is 2022 Women’s Champion
Francesca Nocera made a name for herself in her first appearance in the EEC by taking the double day win in Germany. She had also raced the recent EnduroGP round, finishing fifth. The win relegated Nieve Holmes to second for the first time this season but P2 was more than enough to see the British rider take her first major international championship on day one.
Despite a broken shoulder, Vilde Marie Holt finished third in the women’s class on both days to seal her season off with a podium behind Holmes.
European Championship of Nations
The European Nations Trophy was also held at the weekend with Italy finishing ahead of the Netherlands and Norway in the seniors on day one.
On day two Italy kept on the gas to seal the overall Trophy result ahead of host nation Germany and the Norwegian team third. The Junior Trophy was won by France with the Italians second and the Czech Republic third.
The German Seniors kept the crowd rowdy at the prize giving ceremony after their triumph over the Slovak team.
The National Women Trophy saw Italy climb to the top step of the podium but they were the only squad with four official riders so automatically took the win.
Full results for all classes and championship standings: www.europeanenduro.com
Photo Credit: Robert Pairen + Maxim
