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Dan Atherton takes 2nd in Belgium
With crowds to rival Fort William and a track that encouraged a bit of elbow action the racing was as good as it gets last weekend.
Houfalize, Belgium was the host for the second round of the 4X World Cup, a floodlit course saw a lot of action in the first round but it was Round two that saw Dan Atherton having to pull a inside move off to ensure he proceeded to the next round. His brother Gee was busy showing them all he hadn't forgotten how to ride the small bike as he cruised through the first few rounds.
The quarters saw Gee trailing into the 2nd to last corner, a perfectly executed move saw him move up two spots and take the fourth spot in the semi final number one alongside brother Dan. The pair were in the same draw and up against strong competition, Jared Graves and Romain Saladini. Graves got the best start, he hit the corner first as Dan Darted inside him, meanwhile Gee went wide and swooped back inside them he took Saladini and Graves. It was Dan in first and Gee in second as they came into the third corner, Dan went wide and fell, Gee came through into first while Jared moved up to second Dan was in third, on the last corner Gee pulled to one side and let Dan through, Dan was in the final. As this was Gee's only 4X race he didn't mind a bit of team work to help Dan's season long campaign.
This left Dan only one job to do and that was to win the final, his gate was good but he was still trailing in fourth he made the move to the inside and pulled up level with the leader Graves, they were tight into the third corner and Dan nearly made a pass, 2nd to last corner was his last chance he went for the inside but Jared held his line well, Dan kept his 2nd place and claimed his first 4X podium of the year. This bumps him up in the overall to 3rd which bodes well as we move into round three in Andorra.
Next stop for the team however is La Bresse for the second round of the downhill World Cup, keep posted to http://www.animalcommencal.com/ for the latest news from the team.
Picture: Victor Lucas
Houfalize, Belgium was the host for the second round of the 4X World Cup, a floodlit course saw a lot of action in the first round but it was Round two that saw Dan Atherton having to pull a inside move off to ensure he proceeded to the next round. His brother Gee was busy showing them all he hadn't forgotten how to ride the small bike as he cruised through the first few rounds.
The quarters saw Gee trailing into the 2nd to last corner, a perfectly executed move saw him move up two spots and take the fourth spot in the semi final number one alongside brother Dan. The pair were in the same draw and up against strong competition, Jared Graves and Romain Saladini. Graves got the best start, he hit the corner first as Dan Darted inside him, meanwhile Gee went wide and swooped back inside them he took Saladini and Graves. It was Dan in first and Gee in second as they came into the third corner, Dan went wide and fell, Gee came through into first while Jared moved up to second Dan was in third, on the last corner Gee pulled to one side and let Dan through, Dan was in the final. As this was Gee's only 4X race he didn't mind a bit of team work to help Dan's season long campaign.
This left Dan only one job to do and that was to win the final, his gate was good but he was still trailing in fourth he made the move to the inside and pulled up level with the leader Graves, they were tight into the third corner and Dan nearly made a pass, 2nd to last corner was his last chance he went for the inside but Jared held his line well, Dan kept his 2nd place and claimed his first 4X podium of the year. This bumps him up in the overall to 3rd which bodes well as we move into round three in Andorra.
Next stop for the team however is La Bresse for the second round of the downhill World Cup, keep posted to http://www.animalcommencal.com/ for the latest news from the team.
Picture: Victor Lucas