Results from day three of the 2023 International Six Days Enduro in San Juan Argentina where the USA World Trophy team continue to lead comfortably but Italy and Spain start to fire warning shots as Great Britain stumble.

2023 ISDE day 3 in a nutshell:

• Day three brought fresh tests and conditions which, unlike the first two days, seemed to suit the European riders much more. Why? For the first lap at least you had to look outside the top 15 to find a non-European rider.
• The reason was more enduro-like conditions as opposed to the wide, open tracks of days one and two. Conditions were still rocky, dusty and dry but, hell, we even saw some ruts today!
• Basically, it took the Americans a lap to get going by which time their best rider on the day, Taylor Robert, was a minute down on the two rocketships out front Josep Garcia and Andrea Verona.
• NB: we bet you can’t guess which rider was fifth fastest scratch on day three...(see below).
• Garcia turned the table back around on Verona today, taking the scratch win by 17 seconds in their daily ding-dong battle for the individual honour.
• In terms of the all-important World Trophy the USA boys may have been minutes down on the flying Spaniard and Italian out front but collectively each of the four riders are still inside the top 10 and that means their team effort remains strongest compared to their rivals. Their lead is extended to 8:15.17 overall and they look just as solid.
• It’s a different story behind them though as the podium fight heats up. The Italian World Trophy effort today was a strong one with Samuele Bernadini taking third place scratch behind Verona which helped them finish just 55 seconds behind the USA – pointing at what could have been if Bernadini’s chain hadn’t broken in a test on day one.
• It was a similarly solid day for Spain also who were a mere 10 seconds further back.
• Meanwhile Great Britain’s riders dropped down the order with Jamie McCanney the best performer in 10th. Nathan Watson was among a list of top riders struggling on the first lap today and his 13th place finish, plus Alex Snow in 32nd (Jed Etchells was 12th) meant a fifth placed finish behind all of the above, plus France fourth.  
• It means France narrow the deficit to 40 seconds as they home in on GB’s silver medal place. Spain in fourth and Italy fifth are not out of contention for podium places either.
• The Swedish Junior riders show no signs of wobbling and continue to massively impress with Axel Semb and Albin Norrbin well inside the top 10 scratch today, Semb finishing sixth overall.
• Their performance including Max Ahiln were all inside the top 15 scratch which means the Swedes have approaching a seven-minute leading margin after day three.
• France have a slightly more comfortable, almost three-minute advantage after another good day ahead of the USA Juniors who lost ground in third.
• It was bad news for the Great Britain Juniors today as Charlie Chater was another rider from the GB squad to go out, his father making the call after he was too unwell to continue.
• Over 10 minutes is now the lead USA’s Women have after doubling their advantage following yet another day where all three riders were inside the top four – although Rachel Gutish was left to reflect on a really good day (she took a test win away from Richards) ruined by a bad crash in the final test.
• Australia’s Jess Gardiner followed USA’s all-conquering Brandy Richards home in the scratch result though to keep the Green and Gold flying.
• Club class is still ruled by Josh Toth individually after a flying day three scratch time putting him fifth fastest overall, behind Taylor Robert...food for thought for the USA World Trophy team manager!
• That means the XC Gear team took another day win, extending their advantage over braaptastic.com and GTBN third, which makes it an all-USA podium lockout on the Club podium positions so far.

2023 ISDE World Trophy classification after day 3:

Junior World Trophy classification after day 3:

Women’s World Trophy classification after day 3:

Scratch (individual) day 3 results (top 40):

Club Team classification after day 3 (top 10):

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Nicki Martinez