Mathias Van Hoof looks back on the first World Enduro round
After a long period of mandatory rest, the time had finally come last weekend and the World Enduro Championships got underway in Requista, southern France. With barely 2 races beforehand, Husqvarna rider Mathias Van Hoof also started in the Open 4 Stroke class, the unofficial World Championship for non-factory riders. The fast man from Herentals managed to reach the podium on both Saturday and Sunday and came second twice. A good start for this new and shortened World Championship, but there could have been more for the 27-year-old endurist.
Prior to this first World Cup competition, the Herentals rider rode the second and last race for the Belgian Enduro Championship in Verdun and managed to achieve a very creditable second place behind a fast Mathew Van Oevelen. “I knew that I could go to the World Cup well prepared. My new Husqvarna FE 350 runs like a dream and the feeling was very good. So I was looking forward to the first World Cup with full confidence.” Only a not so minor collision with a tree during the 2e test in Verdun, Mathias decide to replace the leading series with another one. And that didn't work out so well in France.
On Friday evening he started well in the extreme test, but the front wheel got stuck on the rock and 5 seconds were lost... and Mathias only became 14e in 7. e in his open four-stroke class. On Saturday the 5 seconds were immediately made up and he became 4de in the first special test of the 6. The man from the Kempen continued this progression and also managed the 3e to win a trial! He did that again in the cross test afterwards and rose to 2e place behind Damiaens who took part for the first time. The difference was barely 7 seconds; but in the 5de test went wrong and Mathias lost against the French plain and lost 20 important seconds. Still, he was able to make up for a few back, which was a nice 2de place in his open 4S class and 3de in scratch.
On Sunday the times were reset to zero and the men again went for 2 laps through the fine dust on the French mountain slopes. Mathias bit off and immediately managed a 3e time and always remained in the top 3. But again he made a small mistake in the extreme test and had to attack to get on the podium. He did that too and went all out in the last test. That didn't work out well, resulting in a fall. Yet his lead over his nearest competitor was still large enough that he was again 2de was in its class and 3e in general.
“Twice on the podium is not bad, but I made too many mistakes. The other head series resulted in a different steering behavior than I am used to and that turned out sour. Too many small mistakes, small and big crashes and that shouldn't happen. I could have done better and despite the 2 x 2e place not satisfied. We will solve the problem before the next World Cup match, which will take place in Italy this weekend. That's where I try to make a profit. This will be followed by 2 more matches in Portugal. Everything is still possible,” concluded the Husqvarna rider.
Photos: Fred Ccy
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