Tony Cairoli makes enduro debut

500 riders lining up for round two of the 2022 KTM Enduro Trophy series in Italy were joined by MXGP legend Tony Cairoli for a proper mudfest in what was his first ever enduro.

Organised by Baglioni Motorcycle Club, round two of the popular series in Italy for riders on Austrian-built enduro bikes (there’s a Husqvarna Enduro Trophy and GASGAS Enduro Trophy alongside the established KTM Trophy) was staged in Castiglion Fiorentino in Tuscany.

One bike stood out in the parc ferme, an 350 EXC-F with the number 222 on the sides which the nine times motocross world champion used to compete in his first race equipped with lights and a license plate.

Taking part alongside his friends Joakin Furbetta and Gianluca di Marziantonio, Cairoli took the race pretty seriously despite the announcement this week he will race in the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship for KTM North America.

Conditions were bad in the hills of the Umbrian Apennines with rainfall during the build-up to the event, plus a “water bomb” which fell over Saturday night. That caused the organisers and track inspector and enduro legend Giovanni Sala to modify the route to make it passable.

The race kicked off at 8:30am however with Cairoli winning early tests and on top of the time sheets. Ironically the Scicilian crashed in the Cross test handing the overall win to Joakin Furbetta ahead of Matteo Del Coco by just two tenths, with Tony Cairoli less than three seconds back in third.

The next round of the 2022 KTM Enduro Trophy is on May 29 in the same location which hosted the International Six Days Enduro in Rivanazzano Terme, also with the same Moto Club Valle Staffora in charge.

Complete round two results: www.enduro.ficr.it

More information on the KTM Enduro Trophy: www.trofeoenduroktm.it

Photo Credit: KTM Italy