Daniel Milner on top after A4DE Day One
By Kendall Jennings
The first day of competition was held today (21 Oct) in the Wynyard area of Tasmania, A4DE competitors riding through local bushland and luscious green grass private farms.
Prologue yesterday was held in overcast and slightly humid conditions with a descent down into a grass track section. The grass was very slick and caught a few riders out, including some of Australia’s best.
Toby Price had an off early on in the prologue yesterday, which made him start well down the field this morning.
Tye Simmonds also had a mishap in the opening corners of the prologue, bending his handlebars which he replaced in the work period.
Today’s Day One consisted of six special tests and a 185km trail section.
Daniel Milner leads outright and E2 (450cc). The Yamaha rider circuited the six special tests in a time of 58:39.553; three seconds ahead of local hope and KTM Enduro Racing Team rider Matthew Phillips (58:42.657), who finished as the leader of the E3 class.
Daniel Milner – “Day one is over and what a crazy day it was, I have never been so scared holding the big 450 tapped in these crazy tests. Was still lucky enough to come away with the win today and it’s looking like she might be a wet one tomorrow.”
Price’s KTM stablemate Daniel Sanders (59:15.656) finished almost 33 seconds adrift from Phillips in third place overall, while Tuesday’s fastest rider in the Prologue Chris Hollis (CDR Yamaha) finished in fourth with a 59:22.287, despite a heavy hit to his clutch finger in one of the morning tests.
“I smashed my clutch finger pretty good in the second test this morning so I was in a bit of pain there for a while,” Hollis explains. “It looks a bit ordinary now but with some treatment tonight, it should be fine by the morning and we will be ready to get after it again,” he ends.
Josh Green sits in fifth outright on his WR250F and leads the E1 class for 250cc bikes. Green had a smooth opening day and will look to continue his good form on day two.
Right behind Green was his team mate, Beau Ralston who sits in sixth place. Milner, Hollis and Ralston make up a Yamaha 1-2-3 in the premier E2 division.
In the Veterans, Damian Smith took a commanding early lead in the classification to finish over three and a half minutes ahead of his nearest rival in Rowan Pumpa. After finishing yesterday’s Prologue as the second fastest rider overall, Yamaha’s Kirk Hutton looked the goods to lead the class into day two before he unfortunately crashed out of contention when completing the final test.
In the Masters, David Fleming leads by just under two minutes from Derek Grundy, with Mark Peacock sitting a further five minutes back from Grundy in third.
The Women’s class was dominated again by Australia’s trio of International Six Days Enduro world champions, but this time it was ShercoAus Ballards Motorex Off-Road rider Jess Gardiner who came out on top.
Gardiner finished 10 seconds ahead of ISDE Women’s champion Tayla Jones (Yamaha Racing), while Jemma Wilson (Yamaha Racing) finished the day in third.
Special Tests Top 5
Yamaha Cross
- Daniel Milner
- Matt Phillips
- Beau Ralston
- Tye Simmonds
- Will Ruprecht
Beta Cross
- Daniel Milner
- Matt Phillips
- Baylee Davies
- Daniel Sanders
- Beau Ralston
IFarm Coal Mine Cross
- Matt Phillips
- Daniel Milner
- Chris Hollis
- Daniel Sanders
- Josh Green
Husqvarna Takone
- Matt Phillips
- Toby Price
- Chris Hollis
- Beau Ralston
- Daniel Milner
Beta Cross
- Matt Phillips
- Chris Hollis
- Daniel Milner
- Riley Graham
- Daniel Sanders
Powertech Enduro
- Daniel Milner
- Chris Hollis
- Daniel Sanders
- Matt Phillips
- Josh Green
Overall After Day 1
| 1 | Daniel Milner | 58:39.553 | – | |||||||||
| 2 | Matt Phillips | 58:42.657 | – | |||||||||
| 3 | Daniel Sanders | 59:15.656 | – | |||||||||
| 4 | Chris Hollis | 59:22.287 | – | |||||||||
| 5 | Josh Green | 59:44.234 | – | |||||||||
| 6 | Beau Ralston | 59:58.954 | – | |||||||||
| 7 | Toby Price | 1:00:13.984 | – | |||||||||
| 8 | Glenn Kearney | 1:00:27.226 | – | |||||||||
| 9 | Lachlan Stanford | 1:00:27.700 | – | |||||||||
| 10 | Wil Ruprecht | 1:00:59.514 | – | |||||||||
| 11 | Tye Simmonds | 1:01:08.136 | – | |||||||||
| 12 | Peter Boyle | 1:01:16.968 | – | |||||||||
| 13 | Tom Mason | 1:01:49.188 | – | |||||||||
| 14 | Christopher Davey | 1:01:49.798 | – | |||||||||
| 15 | Mitchell Bowen | 1:02:30.200 | – | |||||||||
| 16 | Riley Graham | 1:02:31.574 | – | |||||||||
| 17 | Tom Kite | 1:02:43.319 | – | |||||||||
| 18 | Lincoln Bird | 1:02:49.327 | – | |||||||||
| 19 | Geoff Braico | 1:03:00.374 | – | |||||||||
| 20 | Nathan Purton | 1:03:19.047 | – | ] |
