Hi all,
Last time I wrote we were on our way to our 1st Italy indoor, most Italy indoors are held outside and are held in the town centre or a town car park. Start was 5:00pm and there were 20 riders that started and only the top ten go through to the semi. 1st up there are 4 sections to make the top ten. Jake just missed out by one point for the top ten. Then a two hour break and the top ten ride five harder sections as well as the race section that start’s 9:00 at night. Then the top four go to the final and the sections are made even harder. The next week Jake and I and TTT truck driver head for the 21 hour drive for the next world round in Spain.
Pits at Spain WTC
Practise area at the WTC, you have to fight to just have a practise with so many riders and a little area that you are allowed in
The round was held at a new trials park that has just been finished for only trials. With the section’s surrounding the pits and made up of grippy rocks and dusty climbs. Jake finished with a good 15th placing. We then packed up on the Monday and head off for Andorra Tuesday morning. Midnight Tuesday we arrived to the WTC paddock and weren’t allowed to set up till Thursday morning so it was time for Jake and I to have a look around by foot.
Pits at Andorra
Friday we had the normal practise and walk the sections already for the euro round the next day. From walking the sections both Jake and I knew this was going to be the hardest WTC round by far. With not only the section’s full gas everywhere but to just do the lap there were area’s where even A Grade riders back home would of struggled to do the lap. So after two very hard days we were both already for the drive home to catch up on some rest. The following week we had Jake’s next indoor and as well I had to fill in for TTT top rider Jack Cholner as his minder.
Me minding for Jack Challoner at an Italy Indoor
I was looking forward to mind for such a world class rider and a night to remember. Jake had an excellent ride to make the top ten and just miss out on the top 4 for the final. To win in Italy you have to be a better rider than what they are as with the home advantage and language it is hard to win here. Jake finished a very good 8th and Jack came home with a close 2nd. Two days later we had the Italy WTC round and was the closest we were going to get to a home round over here. To date it was the best run round to date. With also Jake coming home with his best finish in the euro round with an excellent 5th. With also beating TTT top rider Jack for the 1st time. Jake also fished a very well 10th in the WTC round as sits just 7 points outside the top ten going into his last round in Scotland in two weeks. As I am writing this I am sitting in the middle of the next round of the Italy indoor why they are making all the sections which is to be held in 2 days’ time on the Thursday night. This time it is indoors, inside a big stadium. So both Jake and I am looking forward to this one and with making the top ten last time the goal is to make the final this time and go for the win. We have our last Italy race on Sunday and then a week of before we head to Scotland. So I will fill you in on all that in my last week here before returning back to NZ.
See you all soon.
Karl.
P.s since writing this Jake achieved a fantastic 3rd placing in the previous Indoor event, well done Jake!!