Italian Matteo Grattarola (Gas Gas) became European champion today at Isola 2000, Southern of France, very close to Italian border, in the coldest European round never held before!
The two riders clinched the title in the Europe and Over 40 classes, respectively. The next and last round, expected in a week in Holland, will be decisive to assign the title in the Junior class.
The weather in this wonderful mountain landscape, chosen for this fifth round played a bad joke to all the UEM Trials circus. It snowed the day before and the temperature was just few degrees above zero. Moreover it rained during part of the competition. Fortunately all the sections were fitted knowing in advance these very adverse weather conditions. Grattarola achieved his goal to be European champion, after having lost the title at the last round in the past two years. This season was fully dominated by the Gas Gas’ rider: he won all the 5 rounds. Today he did not start very well, finishing the first lap in third position. But something in his mind changed in the second part. He recovered soon, scoring less than half points of what done before, overtaking the two French riders, Cedric Tempier (Sherco) and Steven Coquelin (Gas Gas) who finished on the podium in this order.
In the Junior class, the victory went to French Quentin Carles de Caudember (Beta) ahead of Italian Pietro Petrangeli (Beta) . The leader Francesco Cabrini (Beta) was in third position at half competition and his rival for the title, Norwegian Sverre Lundevold (Gas Gas) was just behind. If that situation has been last until the end, Cabrini would have got the title, too. But Lundevold overtook him in the second lap, postponing the title assignation at the last round.
In the Over 40 class, not present Tommy Ahvala, Dutch Marco Reit (Beta) won quite easily and put a serious option for taking home the title. In second place, Italian Valter Feltrinelli (Beta) and in third French Didier Usseglio (Gas Gas). The International class went to ex world rider French Philippe Berlatier on Jotagas.
Next and final round is scheduled on the 9th of September in Zelhem (The Netherlands).
