As the 2017 FIM EnduroGP World Championship enters its eighth and final round in Zschopau, Germany, KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia holds a 13-point lead over rival Jamie McCanney in Enduro 2.
Zschopau is famous for its hill climbs and dense forest, difficult in the wet autumn weather.
However, Garcia is confident in his training and skills that are well suited to the German track.
“The terrain should be good for me, but if we get some rain before the race things could get a little trickier. I won’t think of the championship too much, I’ll just ride and enjoy the race.”
In the EnduroGP class, KTM’s Nathan Watson is coming off the back of a win at Hawkestone park, England aboard his KTM 350 EXC-F. Watson topped five of the six cross tests on Day 1, and followed that up with a win on Day 2 in the 3 hour cross-country race.
“I’ve ridden some physically demanding races recently so I know I am strong, fit and up to the job.”
However, Watson does not have enough Championship points to claim an overall win and is instead pushing for the runner-up position.
Australian rider Daniel Sanders, a two-time ISDE class winner, is well suited to the more technical tests in Germany, looking to improve his 8th place standing in the Enduro 2 class.
Current Championship Standings (after round 7)
EnduroGP
1. Steve Holcombe (GBR), Beta, 300 points
2. Loïc Larrieu (FRA), Yamaha, 260
3. Nathan Watson (GBR), KTM, 247
4. Matt Phillips (AUS), Sherco, 216
5. Christophe Nambotin (FRA), KTM, 180
Enduro 2
1. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 312 points
2. Jamie McCanney (GBR), Yamaha, 299
3. Eero Remes (FIN), TM, 274
4. Pascal Rauchenecker (AUT), Husqvarna, 244
5. Danny McCanney (GBR), Husqvarna, 207
Other KTM
8. Daniel Sanders (AUS), KTM, 162