Red Bull/KTM rider Taddy Blazusiak of Poland picked up his second X-Games gold medal of the season at the Men’s EnduroX in Los Angeles on Sunday. His team-mate factory FMF/KTM rider Mike Brown took the silver while Maria Forsberg and Tarah Geiger took the silver and bronze medals in the woman’s event.
In his heat race, from an inside gate, Blazusiak jumped out front quickly to take the holeshot. Blazusiak led all six laps of his heat race to easily transfer to the main event. Brown was also cleaned up in his heat to put himself in the main with his teammate
In the main event, it was Blazusiak who grabbed the holeshot with Brown and Taylor Robert in tow. Blazusiak started to feel the pressure of Mike Brown as the two riders came into the matrix section side by side on lap three. Then Brown made a slight mistake and Blazusiak was able to stretch his lead. Meanwhile, Brown was on the gas and was making inroads into Taddy’s lead when he had a small off in the rock section that put him back to fourth. He was quickly back on the bike as passed Cody Webb for third before exiting the water obstacle before taking second from Colton Haaker in the firewood. He was off in pursuit of Brown with two laps to go, Taddy had it in the bag and the KTM riders came home with both the gold and silver.
Taddy Blazusiak: “I am feeling the best I’ve felt all year coming into this race. The track was really different than what we’re used to, but I was very prepared and I’m happy to leave with a gold medal.”
Silver and bronze for KTM in Women’s event
KTM also had a great showing in the Women’s EnduroX class, with Maria Forsberg and Tarah Gieger taking both the silver and bronze medal. KTM support rider Gieger got the holeshot to take the early lead and Factory FMF/KTM rider Maria Forsberg was in the mix with a fourth place start. Gieger crashed a number of times in the next laps and slipped to fifth but her motocross skills allowed her to make up time doubling through the rhythm sections. Forsberg was in second place by lap four but never got the chance to challenge Laia Sanz for the top spot.
