in enduro Laia Sanz is the new enduro world champion after finishing second in the last round of the series held in Brignoles, France. The Gas Gas rider did not have it easy at all when she faced a great Ludivine Puy who added two victories in the weekend that puts an end to the Enduro World Championship.
Laia, who could have been champion even if she finished in fourth place He saw the championship in jeopardy when he broke a radiator in the middle of a special stage due to a crash. But the mechanics of Gas Gas have reacted in time and have been able to replace the radiator before starting the second and decisive lap.
Puy won all the timed stages in front of her home crowd and Laia Sanz then dedicated herself to securing the title throughout the course without taking too many risks. The two second places in France were enough to move Puy 6 points ahead in the overall standings and thus get the only offroad title he was missing from his track record.
Laia now has 13 world titles: 12 in trial and the first in enduro, as well as having won two Dakar Rallyes. Despite the injury she suffered at the last Italian GP and which kept her away from the bikes for more than a month, Laia has won the trial world championship, the enduro world championship and the Dakar at the beginning of the year this year.
The successes place Laia Sanz as the Spanish rider with the most motorcycle titles, along with Ángel Nieto’s 12+1.
LAIA SANZ: “It’s very special to win a championship like this, having such a strong opponent as Lulu and even more so having overcome the injury I had. I knew it was very important to win both races in Italy because here it was difficult to beat it. This title completes a great year, I can’t ask for more! I don’t look at the numbers, I go season after season to meet my goals but I do give a lot of value to being able to combine trial, raids and enduro and to be able to win all three specialties in the same year”.
LUDIVINE PUY: “He’s had a very good weekend but it wasn’t enough to defend the championship. The bike was perfect and I trained a lot for how I won. It’s been a very tough year for us, but I’ve always done my best. Laia is the rightful champion and I congratulate her on that. This is my last enduro world championship because next year I want to be a mother.”
Text and photo: Gas Gas
