Europe Triumphs in Inaugural FIM Intercontinental Motorcycle Games
The world witnessed a thrilling spectacle of motorcycle racing as Team Europe emerged victorious in the inaugural FIM Intercontinental Games. Held over the weekend, the unique event pitted six continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, North America, and Oceania – against each other in a heated battle for supremacy.
Riders from renowned categories like WorldSSP, WorldSSP300, and WorldWCR laced up their boots for the intercontinental clash. Europe, riding Yamaha R7 and R3 models in the SuperSport and SuperSport 300 classes respectively, displayed remarkable skill and consistency to claim the coveted title.
The weekend commenced with intense qualifying sessions, setting the stage for nail-biting races. Dino Iozzo, representing Team Africa, snatched the pole position in the SuperSport class, edging out Europe’s Humberto Maier by a mere 0.369 seconds. Meanwhile, in the SuperSport 300 class, Europe’s Gonzalo Sanchez secured the top spot, outpacing Oceania’s Archie McDonald.
Saturday’s races were marred by incidents, injecting drama into the competition. Aldi Mahendra from Team Asia capitalized on Sanchez’s unfortunate crash in the first SuperSport 300 race, securing a well-deserved win from sixth on the grid. The SuperSport race saw a red flag stoppage due to a crash involving Africa’s Clint Seller, handing victory to South America’s Humberto Maier.
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Sunday brought further excitement with a close finish in SuperSport 300 Race 2. Mahendra initially crossed the line first by a hair’s breadth. However, a penalty for “irresponsible riding” relegated him to third. This unexpected turn of events allowed Latin America’s Nahuel Santamaria to claim victory, with Sanchez redeeming himself by securing second place.
As the grand finale approached, a downpour added an extra layer of challenge to the final race. While Asia’s Soichiro Minamimoto and Apiwath Wongthananon excelled in the tricky conditions, finishing first and second respectively, it wasn’t enough to dethrone Team Europe.
Elia Bartolini, Enzo De La Vega, and Valentin Folger from Team Europe all secured top-10 finishes, amassing enough points to secure victory in the thrilling championship.
Celebrating their individual achievements, Asia’s Aldi Mahendra and Josephine Bruno were acknowledged as the highest-scoring male and female riders in the SuperSport 300 class. In the SuperSport class, Bartolini and Mallory Dobbs received similar accolades.
The FIM Intercontinental Games showcased the global prowess of motorcycle racing, leaving fans eagerly anticipating future editions.
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