Blazusiak and Martinez Take Golds for KTM at X-Games EnduroCross
OutdoorHub 06.09.14
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Taddy Blazusiak of Poland picked up his fourth gold medal at the 2014 X-Games and second round of the AMA EnduroCross Series at the Circuit of the Americas Grand Prix facility in Austin, Texas.
FMF/KTM rider Kacy Martinez took the gold in the women’s event to make it a good night out at the event for the Austrian manufacturer.
Blazusiak has now moved into the lead on the championship table with a one-point margin over Cody Webb, setting up a hard fought fight for the 2014 title. Factory FMF/KTM rider Taylor Robert, fresh from a solid ninth-place finish in the Erzbergrodeo Red Bull Hare Scramble last weekend, finished sixth. Blazusiak is a former 5-times winner of the Red Bull Hare SCramble
Robert contested the first heat race, was third at the first corner and then moved up to second after passing Webb in the matrix. He then made a mistake on the last lap in the rock section but finished third to qualify for the final.
Blazusiak had a difficult start in heat two after he slid out in the first corner but quickly picked up his bike and exited at eighth place. In typical fighting style he had worked his way back to third by the close of the first lap then slipped by Mike Brown and Geoff Aaron in the rock section to take over the lead. Blazusiak then led the remaining 4 laps to transfer into the main.
At the start of the main event Blazusiak was second out of the first corner behind Brown then doubled through the water obstacle to take over the lead. He stayed out in front until mid-race then went down in the rocks. Colton Haaker jumped in behind him and the two riders battled wheel to wheel for a few laps before lapped traffic allowed Blazusiak to put time on Haaker. With two laps to go Blazusiak continued to stretch out his lead and he went on to seal his fourth X-Games gold medal.
“It feels great to win another X-Games gold,” stated Blazusiak. “I struggled a little this morning with some of the jumps in practice, but the main is where it counts.”
Robert was mid pack at the start and fifth at the half-way mark in the main. Then he made a mistake that allowed Max Gerston to pass him and went on to finish in sixth place. KTM riders also took places 7-10 in the men’s competition.
Martinez takes gold in Women’s Enduro X
Factory FMF/KTM rider Kacy Martinez was thrilled to earn her first-ever X-Games gold medal. She launched her KTM off the start of the women’s event to grab the holeshot and never looked back, leading every lap of the six-lap race. KTM rider Rachel Gutish took the bronze medal. The women’s event did not accrue points towards the AMA Championship.
Next event: Round 3 of the AMA EnduroCross Series in Sacramento, CA on June 21, 2014.
Overall Results Men’s Enduro X:
1, Taddy Blazusiak (KTM)
2, Cody Webb
3, Alfredo Gomez
4, Colton Haaker
5, Max Gerston
6, Taylor Robert (KTM)
7, Cory Graffunder (KTM)
8, Ty Tremaine (KTM)
9, Geoff Aaron (KTM)
10, Kyle Redmond (KTM)
11, Chris Hollis
12, Mike Brown
Overall Point Standings Men’s AMA EnduroCross Series:
1, Taddy Blazusiak – 47
2, Cody Webb – 46
3, Colton Haaker – 43
Overall Results Women’s Enduro X:
1, Kacy Martinez (KTM)
2, Sandra Gomez Cantero
3, Rachel Gutish (KTM)
4, Chantelle Bykerk (KTM)
5, Shelby Turner
6, Emma Bristow
7, Tarah Gieger (KTM)
8, Kristie McKinnon
9, Lexi Pechout
10, Morgan Tanke
