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BROTHER BROADLINK KTM SUCCESSFULLY STARTS OFFROAD SEASON WITH TWO CLASS WINS

published at 07.02.2011

The first round of the SA National Offroad Championship took place this past weekend in Wolmaransstad, 80km’s west of Klerksdorp in the Northwest Territory. Recent rain had changed the usually dusty terrain into a relatively wet track with a lot of mud expecting the riders, even seeing a few drowning their bikes.

Offroad specialists Gray Dick, 17-year old Tyron Miller and 2010 OR2 champion Riaan van Niekerk had prepared themselves well for the race and finished the 50km Time Trial in fourth, sixth and seventh place, an ideal starting position for the following day.

Only one minute seperated Brother Broadlink KTM rider Gray Dick from the leaders. He played cat and mouse with them all day, seeing Dick in a comfortable second position overall after the first refuel. Experienced Van Niekerk managed to pass some of his competitors early in the race and played it safe defending his fifth position for most of the day. Young Tyron Miller who won the Junior Offroad Championship in 2010 surprised everyone when he held his sixth place for the entire day.

After a long and exhausting 400km race which saw a lot of riders crashing and braking bones, it was Louwrens Mahoney (Yamaha) who crossed the finish line first, closely followed by Brother Broadlink KTM rider Gray Dick (KTM 450 EXC) who won the premier Open class. Teammate Riaan van Niekerk saw the chequered flag in a comfortable fourth position (second in OR2 class) on his brand new KTM 350 XC-F while the talented Tyron Miller finished in a sixth position overall, securing his first class win (OR4) in the Senior Offroad Championship on his KTM 250 EXC-F.

New member to the Brother Broadlink KTM Team and enduro specialist Lionel Seydoux (Switzerland) had his debut race in the Offroad Championship and did not know what to expect. After an eye opening day but eager to come back, the swiss riders finshed 13th overall and sixth in the Open class on his KTM 300 XC-W. Pretoria based Seydoux has spent one year in South Africa already, mainly racing technical Enduro’s, and has decided to stay for another year and race for the Brother Broadlink KTM Factory Team.

Seydoux’s team mates Altus de Wet and Scott Scheepers finished the Wolmaransstad Offroad National in 3rd and 4th position in class (OR3 – 200cc).

The Brother Broadlink KTM Team is now looking forward to the second round of the South African Offroad Championship that will take place at Ermelo on 4/5 March.

Article and pictures: KTM