MATTEO CAVALLO, MATTEO PAVONI AND DENY PHILIPPAERTS PROTAGONISTS AT THE FIRST ROUND OF THE ASSOLUTI D’ITALIA DI ENDURO.

The past weekend officially opened the 2022 Italian Enduro season and the village of Arma di Taggia (IM) in Liguria hosted the first and second rounds of the Assoluti d’Italia di Enduro.

The race track created by Moto Club Sanremo included three special tests that were as challenging as spectacular, with a cross test on the beach of Arma and an Enduro Test and Extreme Test on hard and stony terrain in a hilly area 10 km from Arma, in Cipressa.

Two race days are planned, officially opened with the Special Test at night on Friday evening, March 4, followed by Day 1 on Saturday, when the riders repeated the race course four times and Day 2, which saw them engaged instead for three laps until early afternoon on Sunday.

The full team lined up at the start of the season with Matteo Cavallo, Matteo Pavoni, Will Ruprecht and Deny Philippaerts.

After his injury during the first round of the 2021 season Deny Philippaerts returned to competition and he did it in the best way, winning both days of the opening weekend at Arma di Taggia. Deny Philippaerts literally dominated the 125 class, clearly outclassing his direct opponents throughout the race weekend.

Matteo Pavoni also did well in the 300 class; the reigning Junior class champion closed the weekend in Arma di Taggia with two well-deserved second places. At his first year among the top riders, the rider from Brescia will certainly defend himself and show, as in Arma di Taggia, all his determination and tenacity.

Matteo Cavallo started the 2022 season on the right foot after a rather complicated past season, concluding the double stage in Liguria with an excellent fourth place in the Overall and climbing on the second step of the podium in the hard-fought 250 4T class. The Piemonte-based rider is acquiring the right feeling with the bike and his form is optimal. The results obtained in Arma di Taggia gave Matteo Cavallo confidence and in all three special tests his times were excellent.

Will Ruprecht ran a good race in the Liguria-based weekend finishing in fourth place in the Foreigners class and getting a seventh place in the Overall. The Australian rider did not push the gas of his bike to the maximum and without risking too much he tried to be constant and fast in all the special tests at stake.

The third round of the Assoluti d’Italia di Enduro is scheduled for Sunday, April 1, in the small village of Cavaglià in the province of Biella.

MATTEO CAVALLO

“Usually I never start well at the first race of the season and affectively Saturday I started with the handbrake pulled. With the passing of the specials I got rid of the tension of the first race and the final result is excellent.

MATTEO PAVONI

A good performance in the 300 class in this first outing of the season. This year will be a very challenging one but grit and determination are among my best qualities.

DENY PHILIPPAERTS

After my injury in the first stage of last season this double victory tastes even sweeter.

WILL RUPRECHT

In Arma di Taggia I didn’t ride the best of my races but not the worst either, so let’s file this away as a positive one.