Mike Brown is back on top! The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider topped Taylor Robert and Cody Webb to claim his career third X Games gold. Photography by Nick Guise-Smith / ESPN Images
He may be the reigning champion, but X Games gold continues to elude Cody Webb. The FMF/KTM RPM racer got out to a great start and held the lead in the 10-lap main event at the Circuit of the Americas, but it wasn’t to be for the former trials champion. Instead, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Mike Brown who got back on top, and claimed his third career X Games gold medal in Austin, Texas. Taylor Robert made his return to racing a proud one, as he was able to claim the silver medal with a second-place finish in his first EnduroCross race of 2015, while Webb held on for third.
They say if you don’t like the weather in Texas, just wait 10 minutes. The adage was true as ever today, as the skies opened up following practice to thoroughly soak the Moto X Enduro X racing course during qualifying. Although the skies cleared up in time for the main events, the damage had been done, and the technical course was a slippery and technical minefield ready to punish anyone who pushed too hard.
Case in point was Colton Haaker – a featured favorite to be a front-runner in Austin – as he struggled with mistakes throughout the main event. He got out to a great start, only to bobble the landing of the first jump and slip back into the pack. From that point on, he struggled to work his way forward in the remaining laps as tipovers continued to trip him up.
Meanwhile, Webb was making an attempt to run away with the lead. But the moto-ey obstacles gave a distinct advantage to Brown, who steadily reeled in Webb. One mistake from the KTM rider was all it took for Brown to move into the lead, where he remained to the finish.
Webb made an attempt to hang on to second, but couldn’t fend off a hard-charging Taylor Robert. In his first race back since breaking his wrist early this season, Robert proved he hasn’t lost a step. The Factory KTM rider made his presence known at X Games, and reeled in Webb by clearing a tractor-tire step-up, and tripling his way out of the log jumps. It looked as though he could have reeled in Brown with a few more laps, but Robert went on to collect silver.
Webb held on to collect the bronze medal, and though he had to watch the gold slip away, he can’t be that upset about his evening. In terms of the championship, he finished where he needed to – ahead of Colton Haaker.
Haaker finished fourth in Austin just ahead of Gas Gas rider Geoff Aaron and Beta’s Kyle Redmond. Ty Tremaine, Nick Thompson, Cory Graffunder and Jamie Lanza rounded out the top-10.
Men’s Enduro X Results:
1. Mike Brown (Hus)
2. Taylor Robert (KTM)
3. Cody Webb (KTM)
4. Colton Haaker (Hus)
5. Geoff Aaron (Gas)
6. Kyle Redmond (Bet)
7. Ty Tremaine (KTM)
8. Nick Thompson (KTM)
9. Cory Graffunder (KTM)
10. Jamie Lanza (KTM)
Laia Sanz starred in a thrilling battle in the Women’s Enduro X. The KTM rider bested Honda-mounted Tarah Gieger in the main event after a race-long battle. Photography by Nick Guise-Smith / ESPN Images
In the women’s Moto X Enduro X competition, Laia Sanz and Tarah Gieger dazzled the crowd with a race-long game of cat and mouse throughout the main. Laia, the former X Games medalist and top Dakar competitor put her size and technical skill to work on the track while Gieger used her motocross background to her advantage. The result was a back-and-forth battle that saw pair swap the lead and forth nearly every lap. In the end, however, Sanz would not be denied. She collected gold while Gieger went on to finish second ahead of former X Games gold medalist Kacy Martinez.
Women’s Enduro X Results:
1. Laia Sanz (KTM)
2. Tarah Gieger (Hon)
3. Kacy Martinez (KTM)
4. Shelby Turner (KTM)
5. Emma Bristow (Shr)
6. Maria Forsberg (KTM)
7. Sandra Gomez Cantero (Hus)
8. Rachel Gutish (KTM)
9. Lexi Pechout (Shr)
10. Chantelle Bykerk (KTM)
