Ryan Sipes becomes the first American in the 90-year history of the ISDE to claim the individual overall win. France takes a controversial World Trophy win.
Rockstar Energy/AirGroup Racing Husqvarna’s Ryan Sipes went from being a recognized talent in American motocross and off-road racing circles to one of the world’s premier off-road racers in the span of one week when he became the first American ever to win the 90th International Six Days Enduro in Kosice, Slovakia, today.
Sipes, who made his ISDE debut in 2013 and proved his capabilities by finishing as the top club rider that year, was passed over in the selection to represent Team USA in 2014, but he returned this year as part of an American World Trophy team effort in which U.S. off-road racing fans pinned high hopes. Sipes put together strong rides in the first two days of the event, holding an overall lead in E2 and assuming the overall individual lead on Day 3 after fellow American and E1 competitor Kailub Russell suffered a knee injury and pulled out of the event. Sipes maintained his lead over Australia’s Daniel Milner through Days 4 and 5. That left Sipes with a lead of about 35 seconds on Milner as the riders took part in today’s final MX test.
Sipes got a bad jump off the line at the start of the MX test, but he wisely checked up and went under everyone to come out of the first turn in second place. In the very next turn, he hit a bump, and his left hand came off the handlebar, but he was able to recover. Then, when the leader went wide, Sipes took the lead and sprinted hard for two laps to put daylight between himself and the rest of the pack. That advantage allowed him to coast home with E2 overall win as well as the individual overall win.
Sipes’ victory was a bright spot on an otherwise bleak Team USA result by comparison to year’s event, in which the American World Trophy team finished second and the Junior World Trophy team won. In a controversial finish that is likely far from settled, Team France defended its 2015 World Trophy title, a result that is under protest by Australia, who led the event all week until yesterday’s decision by the FIM International Disciplinary Court (CDI) to suspend the disqualifications of eight riders, including half of the French team and American rider Taylor Robert, for missing an observation check during Day 3. That decision helped push France to the top of the order after yesterday, with only the the MX test day remaining. Spain finished third and Italy fourth, although the final results will likely be validated after further hearings by the CDI.
Whatever the outcome, it will not significantly change the US World Trophy team’s standing as Russell was injured on Day 3 and teammate Thad Duvall suffered an ignition failure on Day 4, ending the team’s hopes for a podium finish, let alone a win. Likewise, the Junior World Trophy team’s hopes for a podium finished ended yesterday with the DNF of Nick Davis, who suffered an engine failure.
Despite the World Team controversy, Australia will still have plenty of reason to celebrate this year’s ISDE, as it claimed both the Junior World Trophy and Women’s World Trophy.
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