Josh Green claims first ever Enduro World Championship podium  (May 2, 2010)

In only his second ever Enduro World Championship competition Australian Josh Green has claimed a podium finish, placing third in the Enduro Junior class at the GP of Portugal – round two of the ’10 EWC series. Making his EWC debut one week ago at the GP of Spain, where he placed eighth on day two following a day one DNF after he broke multiple spokes in his front wheel after over jumping an obstacle on the extreme test, Josh upped his pace in Portugal to finish with solid six/three results.

Competing as the lone Electraction TM UK team rider following the withdrawal of Enduro 1 class rider Phillip McLaughlin who having crashed heavily in Spain quickly realised he was in no fit state to compete in Portugal, Green made a cautious start to the Friday night Super Test before recording the second fastest EJ class time on Saturday’s opening test. Although finding the natural extreme test difficult, Josh set some impressive times throughout the day on both the enduro and motocross tests to end up sixth in class, less than two seconds behind the fifth placed rider, and only 10 seconds from the podium.

With the tough Portuguese event to his liking Josh matched his runner-up finish from the opening day’s first test on Sunday and vastly improving his performances on the extreme test set about claiming a top three result. Pushed every step of the way by GP of Spain winner Victory Guerrero and pre-season Enduro Junior title favourite Jeremy Joly, Josh held his own producing consistently fast test times. After close to 50 minutes of special test racing, and having posted the fastest time of any EJ class riders during the day’s eighth special test, Josh secured the final rostrum spot keeping Guerrero behind him and placing less than 10 seconds behind runner-up Frenchman Joly.

Josh now sits seventh in the ’10 Enduro Junior championship standings with the GP of Italy the next round of the ’10 EWC series on May 22/23.

Josh Green (TM EN 300): ‘I seemed to struggle on day one but on day two things began to click for me. The bike ran perfectly and I didn't have any dramas, which really helped. I re-walked the extreme test last night with Phil, my team-mate, and we picked out some new lines and that helped me stay clean on it all day. It was a close battle all day with Toby Price and Jeremy Joly but I wanted the podium pretty badly and pushed everything I had into that last lap. Between now and Italy, I need to work on my suspension setup as I'm riding on stock equipment as I missed out on testing when I had to go back home to Australia before the first race. I'm just really thankful to the team, and Nick the owner, for giving me the opportunity to be here in Europe to prove myself. It's been a brilliant weekend for me and one I hope I can build on.’

Phillip McLaughlin (TM EN 250 FI): ‘The weekend ended before it started for me really. I still wasn't 100 per cent after my crash last weekend. I tried to convince myself that I would be OK but as the race progressed on Saturday my vision began to blur and my reaction times were way off. I knew then it was time to stop before I injured myself.’

2010 Enduro World Championship

Grand Prix of Portugal – Day 1

Enduro Junior

1. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 47:38.94; 2. Jeremy Joly (Honda) 48:09.08; 3. Romain Dumontier (Husqvarna) 49:15.12; 4. Mario Roman (KTM) 49:20.67; 5. Edoardo D’ambrosio (Husaberg) 49:23.17; 6. Josh Green (Electraction TM UK) 49:25.03; 7. Elie Vecchi (Gas Gas) 49:31.13; 8. Yannick Bossi (Gas Gas) 50:19.31; 9. Johan Carlsson (Beta) 50:32.65; 10. Guillem Pares (Yamaha) 51:03.92

2010 Enduro World Championship

Grand Prix of Portugal – Day 2

Enduro Junior

1. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 49:28.14; 2. Jeremy Joly (Honda) 49:43.63; 3. Josh Green (Electraction TM UK) 49:53.49; 4. Victor Guerrero (Yamaha) 50:15.53; 5. Antoine Basset (Husqvarna) 50:46.93; 6. Elie Vecchi (Gas Gas) 51:35.40; 7. Mario Roman (KTM) 52:04.18; 8. Romain Dumontier (Husqvarna) 52:11.56; 9. Johan Carlsson (Beta) 52:28.81; 10. Berenger Carrier (Husqvarna) 52:30.45

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