Fabien Planet took the overall victory at the innaugural FIM Ride Green Eco Enduro.
Green races are cropping up all over the place as electric motorcycle technology continues to expand. Joining the ranks of first-ever green competitions, the
2009 FIM Ride Green Eco Enduro was held in Denmark last weekend, Dec. 11-13. This three-day race featured a traditional enduro format for the first two days and then transitioned into a supermoto and motocross Superfinale on Day 3. The event held special meaning as it ran simultaneously with the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen.
The list of starters contained 35 names, most notable were five-time
World Motocross champion Joel Smets,
World Enduro ace Fabien Planet and
Dakar Rally ripper Pal Anders Ullevalseter. At the end of Day 1, which featured two special tests at Feddet and three in Faxe, it was Planet with Amel Advocaat and Smets following within four points.
“On the small special at Faxe, which was very technical on the woods, I didn´t think I could go faster, even with my enduro bike,” said Planet according to a press release. “I really had fun today, and with a bike that doesn´t make noise and doesn´t pollute! Unbelievable!”
Smets mirrored his enthusiasm and was also surprised by the competence of his modified Quantya. “I totally forgot I was riding an electric bike,” he said. “It is extraordinary, I have fun like crazy, and the organization is perfect.”
Pal Anders Ullevalseter traded his Dakar Rally bike for an electric Quantya.
Day 2 in Moen saw some more interesting format features with the riders being forced to swap their own battery between stages. Smets struggled with poor directions and a broken transponder support which hampered his efforts. Ultimately it was the Frenchman, Planet, who took the combined victory ahead of Holland’s Advocaat and Kasper Lynggaard from Denmark. Smets and Ullevalseter rounded out the top-five. Tommy Heimberg finished 19th overall on a Zero Motorcycle, the only competitor to use a different brand.
It was Stefan Olsen who topped the Superfinale by beating Smets, Mikkel Caprani and Brian Jorgensen. The young rider from Denmark scored the holeshot on his #16 Quantya machine as the quartet ripped silently away from the rubber-band start. The Dane gradually pulled away from his three competitors who ran a fairly uneventful freight train.
Vanja Kollmann works her way
through the deep sand en route to
a victory in the women's division.
In the women’s division it was a pair of speedy Swedes who landed atop the podium with Vanja Kollmann taking the enduro portion and Annie Seel claiming the Superfinale.
Ride Green Eco Enduro Forest Stages Overall Results:
1. Fabien Planet (Fra), 175 points
2. Amel Advocaat (Hol) 170
3. Kasper Lynggaard (Den) 161
4. Joël Smets (Bel) 161
5. Pål Anders Ullevålseter (Nor) 132
Ride Green Eco Enduro Superfinale Overall Results:
1. Stefan K. Olsen (Den)
2. Joël Smets (Bel)
3. Mikkel Caprani (Den)
4. Brian Jorgensen (Den)
Watch this short video about the FIM Ride Green Eco Enduro.
Watch this video about the FIM Ride Green Eco Enduro Superfinale.
