Daniel Milner has completed the perfect four days at the 2018 Yamaha Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE), after taking out the final moto on day four aboard his KTM 500 EXC.
Milner has been the fastest man over the first three days and day four was no different, clinching his first final moto and his first E3 Australian Title. Daniel Sanders return to Australia has gone from strength to strength, clinching the E2 title and taking out the final moto aboard his Husqvarna. The evolution of Luke Styke, Motocross rider turned Enduro rider has taking another step forward after he claimed the E1 title with his final moto win on day four.
Coming into day four there were many riders in the field feeling the effects of a tough first three days, but a 45km trail ride and the all important final moto was what stood between the riders and the finish line. The final moto was held at Cessnock Racecourse, a wide grass track was what faced the riders as they battled the 2.1km long course for five laps.
E3
Daniel Milner came into the final day of the A4DE with one objective in mind, to take out his first final moto. Milner accomplished that and looked to be in a class of his own as he navigated his way around the rough and tough final moto, winning with a time of 12:17.949. Lachlan Stanford continued his consistent form over the A4DE, coming in second place with a time of 12:38.829 but just couldn’t find the speed to hang with Milner. Tom Mason jumped up onto the podium in the final moto after being around the mark for the entire A4DE, stopping the clock at 12:47.623.
Milner was overjoyed to take out A4DE title number five; “Yeah it feels incredible, got a decent holeshot on the 500 and put my head down and my bum up and just tried to put some good lap times together. That track was so rough though but to clinch my fifth four-day title, that don’t get any easier and this has been a hard four days, but I’m stocked to wrap this up. It’s my first Australian E3 title so I may have to buy this bike and put it in the trophy room,” added a stocked Milner.
E2
The battle for the win in the E2 final moto had everyone at the Cessnock Racecourse eyes glued to the track, as Active8 Yamaha Yamalube’s Josh Green got the holeshot. Sanders came from sixth at the first corner to be in second by corner number two, and the pair then checked out from the rest of the pack. Green held Sanders off for the first four laps as the Husqvarna rider through everything he had atGreen to make the pass, but on lap four Sanders made the move. The pair continued to go back and fourth before Sanders put a bit of breathing room between himself and Green, picking up the final moto and sweeping the E2 class with a time of 12:31.901. Green had to settle for second in what was the race of the day, stopping the clock at 12:33.410. Wil Ruprecht was the last man on the podium picking up third place with a time of 12:51.545 and putting his injured shoulder to the test on the rough Cessnock Racecourse circuit.
Sanders was stoked to wrap up the E2 title at Cessnock; “I battled behind Greeny for a bit and then made my move and it’s a great start to the year with the new team. The E2 win is awesome and if you would have told me I would be in this position last year I definitely would have taken it any day of the week,” finished Sanders.
E1
Luke Styke showed his motocross experience on day four as he led the final moto from start to finish, grabbing the holeshot Styke didn’t look back finishing with a time of 12:23.642. Jack Simpson aboard his KTM sat on the back wheel of Style throughout the five laps, but just couldn’t make a move to take the lead clocking a time of 12:29.069. The pair gapped the field early in the final moto and battled it out. Frenchman Jeremy Carpentier put in a good final moto, claiming the last spot on the podium in his first A4DE aboard his Yamaha, finishing with a time of 12:50.202.
Styke was thrilled to win his first A4DE; “It was good, I got into a good position of the start and I knew a good start was important as the track was a one-line track. I rode a smart race and didn’t want to throw anything away and it was a good moto,” finished Styke.
Final A4DE E3 Provisional Results
1. Daniel Milner (KTM Enduro Racing Team) – 2:00:48.454
2. Lachlan Stanford (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) – 2:06:01.626
3. Broc Grabham – 2:07:39.257
4. Tom Mason – 2:09:46.354
5. Kane Hall – 2:10:23.467
Final A4DE E2 Provisional Results
1. Daniel Sanders (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) – 2:01:57.804
2. Josh Green (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Off-Road Team) – 2:04.50.584
3. Wil Ruprecht (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Off-Road Team)- 2:06:19.332
4. Chris Hollis – 2:08:33.635
5. Stefan Granquist – 2:08.33.800
Final A4DE E1 Provisional Results
1. Luke Styke (Active8 Yamaha Yamalube Off-Road Team) – 2:05:14.483
2. Fraser Higlett (Husqvarna Enduro Racing Team) – 2:06:34.727
3. Michael Driscoll – 2:07:03.881
4. Jack Simpson – 2:08:45.344
5. Jeremy Carpentier (Yamaha MX Store Ballard’s Off-Road Team)- 2:08:45.344