Midwest Racing would like to congratulate Tyson Maytom-Jones for Winning the 2009 SCEC Expert Class

Expert Class final Standings

1. Tyson Maytom-Jones
2. Jerry Box
3. Steve Harding
4. Karl Langford
5. Toni Burrows

The Midwest Husaberg Team has won its first Championship in its first year of operation. Hopfully we can improve on this years performance and win some more events. Photograph courtesy of Foto-X

Another Husaberg rider making his indoor enduro debut was British competitor Ollie Moyce. Competing in the event 'as a bit of fun' Ollie was unable to qualify into the finals but opted to try his luck in the night race. With the stadium lights turned off, and using only the headlight of his FE 390, Ollie started well, moved from second into first and claimed the win, much to his delight.

I'm not the greatest trials rider and this was my first indoor, so I wasn't expecting too much. I got a good start in the night race and rode much, much better than I did in any of my other races. Maybe it was because it was just a fun race but I felt great. I moved from second into first and everything really came together for me then. I learned a lot during the event and really enjoyed it. - Ollie Moyce

I travelled to the 2009 ISDE in Portugal with Kurt (my mechanic) in the van, meeting various other riders on the boat from Plymouth to Santander. After many games of bingo and watching magic shows we arrived in Spain at 11am the next day. Travelling through bright sunshine we made the 7-8 hour journey through Spain and into Portugal. Arriving a little later than expected we booked the caravan into the campsite and I went to meet the others at the team hotel where everyone looked fresh faced and ready for action. After a meal and a shower we had a good nights sleep ready to explore the area which would be our new home for the next 14 days.

Unfortunately the weather the following day was not on our side and we had very hard thunderstorms, delaying our test walking for a short period. After a few days of unpredictable showers it settled down and the sun shone.

After walking various sandy tests we decided we should get out on the test track which was a very deep sandy track of around 40 seconds long. It was a good indication of how the bikes would run and also how hard the week would be if the rider struggled in the sand.

Back to the pits with no problems and time to get the bike prepared for technical inspection the next day. We showed our documents and signed the papers at 5.30pm on the Thursday and our technical inspection was 9am on Friday morning. All bikes went through without problems although some needed to make small adjustments to their silencers.

The rest of Friday was spent walking tests and sorting bits out for the coming week.

Their was an opening ceremony held on Saturday night with a parade of all the countries teams, some speeches, the purple helmets did a performance and then some fireworks at the end.

Sunday is normally the day of rest but it is usual for most people to just go to the park ferme and check they have everything sorted and ready for the next 6 days. Then come back and chill out for a while.

It was nice to get off the start line and get going on the first day. The first check we rode out of town, over the bridge and to the first check in an industrial estate. This was then effectively the start of the lap. After leaving this check we rode around the corner, off the road and into the very deep, powdery sand test. It was great fun to ride but on the first day your start position is mixed up so there are many slower riders in front. I caught a German rider and whilst trying to pass him I crashed but I wasn't going to let this get me down. Out of the test and into a long dry, hardpack and dusty check to the fuel.

Then another check but this was an Enduro test which was tight and rocky. Whilst coming off a drop off the bike stalled and in my rush to get going again I was twisting the throttle therefore it did not start for about 15 to 20 seconds. After the test we rode round the corner to the check. Then another check with a nice flowing sandy test at the end. My first test of the day was pretty good and a lot of fun to ride. Then it was back to the check in the industrial area for another lap. My tests on this lap varied with some being better and others not so good.

After the lap we rode back to the town but had to ride what was known as the KTM super test which consisted of a test laid out on the beach front with long straights and dunes of about 3 minutes long. Again this was great fun to ride but was so deep and powdery it was very easy to crash.

In my 15 minute work period I decided to change both the front and rear tyre because I was not happy with my choice of front tyre so opted to put an extreme hard tyre on. All went well but my front spindle would not go in as hard as I tried. This was due to the quick release bolt inside the shaft heating up and expanding. I had to bodge the wheel in and fix it in the morning which I did with no problems.

Day 2 was the same course and tests as the first day and I knew that I had to step it up if I were to do well and get a gold medal so I did and had a much better day pulling myself up a lot of places. Finishing after 2 days, 7 seconds behind Si Wakely.

Unfortunately on this day Lee Edmondson's clutch went and he had to retire, David Knight crashed and hurt himself and Jamie Paget had to change a barrel and piston to make sure he kept going.

Day 3 & 4

A new course and 3 new tests but this time it would be the going that was the hardest part of the day. For the last 10 minutes of the first check and the whole 30 minutes of the second check we had to ride over powdery sand about 10 metres wide which was great fun for the first lap but as you could imagine was horrendous by the end of day 4.
The first test was through some fields which had a rock hard floor like concrete making it tricky in the corners.
The second a test next to the beach but a harder type of sand and physically challenging, and the third a very rocky test with steep hills but ironically the most enjoyable of the lot.
I had some good steady days with no major incidents on any of the tests but crashed both days on the KTM super test back in the town.

Day 5

A totally separate day from all only using one of the previous 6 tests and this was the one with the concrete slippery corners. The other was next to a river which we rode to just after leaving the first check. It was nearly 9 minutes long and very tiring to ride especially so late in the week. The last check had 2 tests in, one being the previous days and the other a very deep sandy test.

I think I was more focused on making it through the day so stayed steady. I didn't crash on the KTM super test so was pleased to end with a good one.

Day 6

The last day is renowned for being fairly easy and slack but due to the final motocross being more than an hours drive away we had 2 one hour checks to do in the morning which were not the simplest of rides.

Once we arrived at the amazing GP motocross track of Agueda we put our bikes in the parc ferme and waited for our race. I was in the second E2 race. We had a warm up lap and then got into the race which was a lot of fun for the first 3 laps until my arms pumped up and so I decided to back off but still enjoyed it. I was glad to finish the day and the week.

I finished in 77th place overall and got a gold medal.

Thanks to all the support crews and helpers at the ISDE!

Fresh from a European Championship round in Italy Ollie was keen to get back on the bike he was getting more and more to grips with. The Natterjack, run by the Reme team is always a fantastic event with a long Enduro test in the woods, an MX test in a deep sand bowl and long whooped out checks which take their toll on the entry. This year they had included some new sections including a vertical wall with an option of going up it or around.

Day 1,

At 10am the riders started, making their way to a check just before the MX test. This was a timed test but it had been un-ridden so there were no berms or lines. Ollie crashed twice in the test but stayed positive because he knew the course would only get better. Then it was out on a check which looped back around to the start of the Enduro test. This first test was untimed so it was a good chance to check out all the lines available. Ollie decided he would not even try the wall as his trials skills as yet are not sufficient enough. After the test it was time for the dreaded check over the other side of the road and then back to start another lap.

Upon arrival to the second MX test Ollie was ready to prove something and was having a great test until he caught his arm on the final tree before the finish causing him to crash and lose valuable seconds. Back round to the first timed Enduro test and Ollie made a mistake in the bog and fell off. His day was going from bad to worse with everything seeming to go wrong. He took 5 minutes in the check to assess what was happening and try to start again. This seemed to help as the rest of the tests in the day were much better and more consistent.

He finished the first day in 13th overall.

Day 2,

A 9am start for Sunday and a reversed course saw the riders making their way to the other side of the road first. The Enduro test was the same direction with a small alteration and the wall coming out. Ollie was keen to prove that he was better than the previous day and pushed hard in his tests. He enjoyed the day and had no major issues in any of the tests. He put in his fastest time of the weekend in the sand bowl on the last test of the day.

He finished the day in 8th position overall.

Kurt and I set off in the van and made the 15 hour journey to Castiglion Fiorentino in Italy for the final round of the European Enduro Championship. The start was situated in the middle of the town on top of a hill with amazing views all around. Upon arrival the weather was unsettled but by the look of the ground it had not rained seriously for quite a while.

The British contingency was all parked together and there was a great atmosphere with so many riders making the journey. By Thursday morning we had all been to the test track and the bikes were prepared.

There were 2 tests a lap, an Enduro test which consisted of a very rocky, technical riverbed and long fast straights and an MX test which weaved in and out of the final motocross track with soft powdery berms.

DAY 1,

We woke up to sunshine to everyone's delight and it just got hotter all day. The Enduro test was untimed on the first lap but seemed to ride easier than first anticipated. Then there was a long check out to the first fuel stop. The next check made its way back through the mountains to the MX test at the end of the lap. This was meant to be timed but unfortunately for me the timing did not stop causing me to have the slowest time in class. Then it was back to see my old friend Kurt at the check who could also not understand having watched the test how I seemed to be 30 seconds slower than anyone!

After starting the next lap we came to the Enduro test again which was timed. I made a small mistake in the test and still felt like I was learning about my new FE390. The rest of the day was steady but I was slowly getting my confidence back. By that night my first MX test had been rectified but it seemed as if they had almost guessed a time for me.

I finished the day in 9th position, 16 seconds down on 8th.

Day 2,

I knew I was capable of going faster so I decided to leave my brain at the van in the morning. After the start of day 2 we went straight to the Enduro test again. My fastest day 1 Enduro time was 7 min 41 seconds so my aim was to get to the mid thirties. After coming through the end of the test, I looked at my time which said 7 min 24 seconds. From then on my times were considerably faster and my confidence grew all day.
I finished the day 6th in class (5 seconds from being 4th in class) and 7th overall after 2 days of racing.

Day 3, (motocross)

The motocross track was on the same dry, dusty field as the MX test had been. The women and vets were the first to race and it worked backwards to the juniors who were last. By the time I had my sighting lap there were areas of the course that were difficult to see past the front wheel. Woodsy (Ash Wood) and I lined up on the start gate together and waited for it to drop. I had a good jump out of the gate but didn't quite get to the corner where I needed to be. After a lot of argy bargy the 8 lap race pretty much finished in the order you made it around the first corner due to the severity of the dust.
I finished in 8th position.

Thanks to all the support crews who helped out especially Deb Harvey who kept me, James Jackman and Julian Crimp in order.

Prior to leaving for the last round of the European Championship in Italy Ollie competed in a South Eastern Centre Enduro at Canada Heights.

With nearly the whole of the motocross track being used and a mixture of grassy fields and tight woodland it was a good way of getting used to the new FE 390. Confident with the new bike Ollie proved it was the right move and set both the fastest special test times of the day.

Throughout the day there were checks tight enough to make the riders lose a small amount of time but due to traffic it was difficult to judge who would get a clear run.

Most of the championship riders came in, dropping the same amount of time on the first tight check. This left one more tight check to go and Ollie was positive that if he only had a clearer run that he could put a minute or 2 on the rest.

During the last tight check came and Ollie came in dropping 2 minutes whereas everyone else dropped 3. He finished in 1st Position

I really love riding here and the new FE 390 was incredible on every type of terrain. There was nothing I could fault about it. I'm looking forward to trying the new bike on the rocks in Italy. Big thanks to the Sidcup club for a great event and the clerk of the course for not being my mechanic for the day -Ollie Moyce

Ollie Moyce at GBXC Round 7

I picked up my new Husaberg FE 390 the day before the event and went testing on a local motocross track and an Enduro loop. After the first lap of riding it I knew that this is what I had been looking for. The power was so nice and smooth, much more like a 250F. It was like it was on rails around the corners and however much I tried I could not fault it.

After this we headed off to the final round of the GBXC championship. Barry was kind enough to let me and Kurt sleep in his motor home and we were joined by Stuart and his wife Kelly.

The weather in the morning was overcast but dry and the morning race came and went with no real problems. I was all set for the start of the race and looking forward to seeing what the new bike could do. Unfortunately after half a lap I realised that my security bolt was spinning in the tyre so had to stop and put another one in. This was due to the fact that these were my old wheels which had been polished due to an earlier incident in the year.

I returned to the course some 15 minutes later and thought I would get some practice on the new bike. It performed superbly and I was really enjoying riding it. I stopped a few times to change the ignition curves to see how they were.

Apart from the small problem at the start of the race I had no further issues and am very happy with the bike.

Thanks to everyone at Midwest Racing for all of their help.

Report by Ollie Moyce

The seventh and final round saw the GBXC series head to north Wales near Llangollen. After bad weather during the week it looked like the race would be a wet one. After walking the course on Saturday, conditions would be perfect. The track was very flowing and had alot of mixed going from muddy woods to dry flowing fields.

The pro class line up was still full of the regulars and with championship still undecided the race was going to be exciting. With Tom knowing that his starts haven't been great, he knew that he would have to work hard to keep with leaders and to secure the championship.

The flag dropped and Tom found himself in the middle of the pack behind Aston Bird (MPS Husqavana) . After the second lap Tom was in fifth behind Daryl Bolter (KTM), Greg Evans (KTM), Aston Bird and Si Wakely (MPS Husqavana). Tom knew this wasn't good enough to win the championship. Then on the fourth lap Bird stopped on a corner on the mountain which put Tom 4th but 3rd in Pro's as Bolter is in the Pro Lites class.

A lap later saw Birds team mate Wakely have a massive crash which would see him pull out. Tom knew that if he stayed where he was, he would win the series, but Ash Wood was closing in. After an hour and fifteen Tom came into fuel, it was a good fuel stop and had pit board signs that he was catching Evans. Tom got within 20 seconds of Evans, but with two laps to go Evans had slowed with a blown shock so had to pit. Tom was now leading the pro class but still second to Bolter. On the last lap Tom took his time and made sure of getting to the finish safely.

Tom reached the finish and took the pro class win. Tom was greeted by Steve Ireland and Paul Edmondson who sprayed the victory champagne. Tom had taken the 2009 GBXC Championship.

I am so pleased to have taken the championship. The race has been the most physical this year. After 2 laps had gone I didn't think I would catch the leaders but I had to dig deep and after I fuelled everything clicked. I would like thank all my supporters at the race cheering me on, all of my friends and family for their help and to all my sponsors for their continued support.

Photo courtesy of Lee Leightwood.

Results

1. Daryl Bolter
2. Tom Sagar
3. Ashley Wood

It took 21 hours driving in convoy with the car and van to get to Slovakia. On the way we stopped over night in Germany. The last leg of the route took us through the Slovakian A roads which have ruts in like a welsh forest. With an hour to go the phone rang and the car had a puncture. Somehow it wasn't the person who was sitting over it who felt it because he had slept the entire journey (Mr Paget). After fitting the space saver we decided to look out for a tyre fitter on the way to the event. Luckily we asked a car parts shop and ended up in the back of someone's garden with the wheel out and haggling the price. We ended up paying 30 euros for a used tyre, fitted and balanced but he wouldn't let us leave without taking another tyre for free so we let him win and chucked it in the van for good measure.

Once at the event we spent the whole of Thursday walking the tests and scoping the area. Then Friday was the day of testing and getting signed in. Unfortunately this was also the time when Brad crashed whilst testing and injured himself. Everyone eventually got through the technical and we walked the extreme test once more.

Day 1.

1st extreme test was un-timed. It was just over 2 minutes long through a gulley with a few logs and steep climbs. Then onto a fast and dry motocross test with some nice jumps. After a fuel check there was a long Enduro test through the woods. Dust was a big issue so check times were reasonably slack although some people thought they would follow the squirrel trail on the first check. On the first timed extreme test I managed to fall and get the bike to fall on top of me costing me to lose around 40 seconds. I pushed hard on the motocross tests and had pretty good times. My Enduro tests were not as fast as I had hoped but this will be addressed.
I finished in 11th position

Day 2,

By now all the tests were extremely dusty, technical and deep. My extreme tests were steady without drama and I again enjoyed the motocross tests with my times showing it. The Enduro test still had the better of me but a better day all round.
I finished in 7th position

Thanks to all the sponsors and wish Brad a speedy recovery.

Pictures Martin Harding
Report by Ollie Moyce

August 9th saw a last minute change of venue from Ashby De La Zouch to return to Baden Hall in Shropshire for the penultimate round of the GBXC championship. A win for Tom Sagar would give him the title for 2009 with one race remaining so spirits were high in anticipation of a possible championship winning ride. Fellow team rider Ollie Moyce decided not to participate this weekend in favour of preparing himself and the bikes for the long journey the next day to Slovakia for the European Enduro championship.

The race started under sunny warm skies which made a pleasant change as the summer so far has been very wet, Tom completed lap one in 6th place and steadily made forward progress until after an hour made it to the front closely pursued by Greg Evans, Daryl Bolter and Aston Bird with Si Wakely retiring with clutch problems on his Husqvarna. The racing was very close up front between KTM riders Greg and Daryl when Tom entered a wooded section closely followed by Greg only Daryl and Aston appeared with Greg and Tom behind after colliding on a rutted corner, Greg remounted quickly but Tom was stuck underneath his bike and took a while to remove himself and remount. Shortly after the incident Tom re-fuelled in the pits and tried to straighten the handlebars so he could try and catch the leaders, but by this time the hard packed surface was producing clouds of dust making visibility poor on this high speed circuit. Tom couldn't regain any time lost during his crash so at the finish was 4th behind winner Daryl Bolter with Greg Evans 2nd and Aston Bird 3rd. So the final round in September will decide the championship between Tom, Greg and Aston.

Pictures by Martin Harding.

Get a FREE poster of Tom Sagar and of Ollie Moyce. Just e-mail us your Name and Postal Address and we will send one out ASAP.

After Tom's disappointing weekend at round 2 of the BEC, Tom's mind was set on a good result in round three, hoping to continue his fight for the E2 title.

After a week of rain the Dyfi enduro was set to be a wet one, that it was, due to heavy rain on the Friday, day one was cut short and reduced to three laps.

Tom set out on his mission, beating Suzuki's Paul Edmondson on the first lap by 1 second. Tom knew he needed to extend his lead over Paul, to gain valuable points for the class title. Tom pulled a further 3 seconds over Paul on the second lap and another two on the third lap. This was enough for Tom to finish 2nd overall to David Knight (Kawasaki) on the first day.

I am happy with my first day's results, I just need to do the same again tomorrow and hopefully have the same result if not better

On the second day the course had dried out and the sun was shining.

Tom managed to place himself 6 seconds ahead of Paul on his first test but had dropped down into 4th overall with Daryl Bolter (KTM) and Greg Evans (KTM) just in front by 3 seconds.

On the second test Tom managed to move himself back into 3rd overall behind Daryl. Tom knew that he needed to pull and good time out of the bag on the last test and that's what he did, he pulled himself ahead and finished second overall and first in class.

Im really pleased with my results this weekend, I had worked really hard to recover after my injury in Knighton, and luckily my hard work had paid off, the course has been really tough this weekend, the weather really didn't help. A brilliant test which had everything in it, trails which suits me, a little bit of motocross and plenty of woods. Thanks again to all of my sponsors and Midwest for all of their hard work.

Results overall

1. David Knight (Kawasaki) - 3275.01
2. Tom Sagar (Midwest Husaberg) - 3399.42
3. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) - 3420.85
4. Daryl Bolter (KTM) - 3452.35
5. Ashley Wood (Gas Gas) - 3502.08

The weekend started at 6am Friday morning when the Team left for the 4 hour drive to the Dyfi forest in Wales for rounds 4 & 5 of the BEC. On arrival at the paddock the team vehicle managed to make it into the gateway before getting stuck, the farmer was quickly on hand and towed us into the parking area. The weather forecast was to rain heavily during the night and not to disappoint the tradition of always raining in Wales the heavens opened and we awoke Saturday morning to wet mud everywhere. A-team riders Tom Sagar & Ollie Moyce were not at all phased by the conditions knowing this extra rain would sort out the men from the boys & B-team rider, Tyson Maytom-Jones, was also looking forward to more difficult conditions as his very long legs would be ideal for the hard work ahead.

First team rider away was Ollie who was on the same minute as Husqvarna mounted Si Wakely but when Ollie arrived at the end of the first of three 50 km laps he was on his own as Wakely had retired complaining of blurred vision & feeling un-well following a reaction to anti-flu & anti-histamine medication. The special test was awesome combining grassy fields, off cambered corners, stream crossings and wooded sections resulting in a 10 minute circuit. Knowing the long lap was going to be tough Ollie concentrated on cleaning the checks and setting steady test times, this plan resulted in finishing 8th overall and 5th in class on day one and was only one of 6 riders to not loose any penalty points on the time checks. A minute behind Ollie was team mate Tom who set off with multi-World & British enduro champion David Knight. Tom was looking to put behind him a run of injuries and bad luck, to get back to his winning ways, he completed the going all day without loosing any time, Tom's plan was to go all out in the special tests and try his best to regain his British Enduro Championship title. His valiant efforts proved to pay off as he set the second fastest times overall with only Knight beating him at the end of a gruelling day 1. With moral high, joint team owner Simon Molter & Kurt Pringle (Ollie's mechanic) went back to nearby Newtown with Tom and washed the bikes off. Following a stop at the local chippy for nourishment other joint team owner Graham Ward set about preparing the bikes for Sunday's event.

A dry day dawned Sunday morning and with a forecast of no rain everybody looked forward to another good event. Championship contender Tom was in a determined mood looking to continue his previous days good result and with the course drying out pushed hard eventually finishing 3rd overall and again 2nd in class. A little disappointed he fell in the second test which allowed E1 rider Daryl Bolter to claim 2nd overall, Tom was still pleased that his championship hopes were still alive, he remains positive with his results and is looking forward to the final round in September. Ollie found that his efforts from Saturday took there toll on him and felt a little off the pace but he persevered and finished 12th overall and 6th in class, but the team put this down to the fact that he lost his favourite pink fluorescent goggles the previous day and spent too much time looking for them whilst riding during day 2!

The teams next event is the GBXC on August 9th where Tom hopes to wrap up the championship with one round to go. Thank you to all team members and sponsors for there help. Photographs by Martin Harding

The ACU Trials and Enduro Committee are pleased to announce the ACU British Trophy and Junior Teams for the 84th ISDE to be held in Figueira da Foz Portugal during the second week of October this year.

The Junior Team remains the same as last year and made up from a group of rising enduro stars, Lee Edmondson, Ollie Moyce, Ashley Wood and Jamie Paget.Ollie Moyce continues to perform well, and should be the junior team member to beat after finishing top junior last year.

The event was held in Norridge Wood in the shadow of Clay Hill part of the Longleat estate near Warminster. The Midwest team had laid out a superb course mostly in the woods where the many drainage ditches kept riders concentrated along with the tree stumps and roots and not using the fire roads there was no rest for riders.

Late entry Tom Sager along with his father Paul both winning there class which added a lot of interest for the many spectators Tom spending time signing posters and having his photo taken with his supporters. With the temperature souring the race started at 11.00 o'clock with the 200 riders facing a tough 3 hour race with the course changing as the race progressed it became very unpredictable with most experts having one or more falls. First class away the Experts saw Steve Grimshaw and Rich Warner arrived at the first corner together, 1st Tom Sager 16laps, 2nd Darren Wheeler,3rd Rich Warner, 4th Derick Bawn 15 laps, 5th Anthony Dean.

Next away the Vets EXP. Alistair Bramwell got the hole shot followed by James Browning and Dave Potts, 1st Gary Baker 15laps, 2nd Alistair Bramwell, 3rd David Grimshaw, 4th Dave Potts 14 laps, 5th Lewie Davie.

Clubman 2t Fredie Davies got to the corner first with Bebjamin Wyles right on his back wheel followed by Trevor Jones, 1st Nathen Etheridge15 laps, 2nd Trev Jones 14 laps. 3rd Peter Kyte, 4th Benjamin Wyles, 5th Neil Pettit.

Clubman 4t Simon Evens and Stuart Davy Fought side by side from the line right into the corner with Andy Chub close behind. 1st Grant Churchwood 14 laps, 2nd Jason Webb, 3rd Mathew Lefever, 4th Asa Hurly, 5th Simon Evens.

The Veteran class saw the most closely fought start with three riders together in line at the first corner Ian Griffiths Tony Hobbs and Paul Sager, 1st Paul Sagar 14 laps, 2nd Tony Hobbs 13 laps, 3rd Trev Child, 4th Glen Woodland, 5th Garry Clark.

The sportsman 2 Stroke, Dan Price was the clear leader off the line, 1st Dan Price 14laps, 2nd Robert Dixon 13 laps, 3rd Robert Lees, 4th Scott Thompson 12laps, 5th Thomas Janikowsi.

The sportsman 4 stroke, A spectacular arrival at the corner by Nicholas Keen with back wheel off the ground with feet up at seat height standing on his arms nearly gaining control before colliding with James Tucker then falling off, 1st Scot King 13 laps, 2nd James Tucker, 3rd Kevin Parker 12 laps, 4th Steve Chesterton, 5th Tom Aston.

Expert class winner Tom Sager said he enjoyed the event and the woods were good but the ground became very unpredictable as the roots became exposed.

Full results
Photographs

Report by Martin Harding

The 4th round of the GBXC was held in Devon and was a brilliant venue for racing with the weather holding off all day.

Ollie had a poor start and was nearly last around the first corner. After the first few laps he was running in 12th position and seemed like he couldn't go any faster or catch the guys in front but this was due to excessive arm pump and slowly faded leaving Ollie with full strength to start his attack on the field. He pushed hard in the latter stages and ended up finishing the race in 6th overall and 5th in class.

The race started badly for me as I was nearly last off the line due to such a quiet engine it is hard to know when it has started with all the other bikes around. I then had to get through severe arm pump and pushed hard towards the end of the race. I really enjoyed it though and am working hard in preparation for the next one.

Thanks to Midwest and all the sponsors who support the team.

Photo courtesy of Lee Leightwood

Round 4 of the GBXC series was set in Kingsbridge, Devon. This was to be the best race to date giving all the riders different types of terrain to tackle during the 7 mile course.

After 2 weeks off the bike after having a massive crash training, Tom was not quite sure how the race was going to pan out.

After the heavy rain on the Saturday the track was slippery but the weather held off for both races, with an hour gap between races gave the track time to dry up even more which made track conditions perfect.

The pro riders lined up with Paul Eddy joining the party. As the flagged dropped, Mark Roberts (Kawasaki) got the hole shot with Eddy (Suzuki) close behind. Tom got his best start of the year getting off the line in 5th. At the end of the first lap, Eddy led with Si Wakely (MPS Husqvarna) 2nd, Tom was 4th and was pushing hard to try and get to the front. After an hour had pasted Wakely and Tom had passed Eddy and were having their own little battle but Daryl Bolter was pushing hard and passed Tom. Wakely and Tom came into fuel at the same time which left Bolter out front on his own but yet to fuel. Tom's pit stop put him ahead of Wakley and set about chasing Bolter. 2 laps later Bolter fuelled and Tom took over the lead but not by much and the final hour was going to be any ones race. 2 laps from the end and Bolter was putting the pressure on. Tom made a mistake which allowed Bolter to close in. Tom then made a big mistake, hitting a rock forcing his hand to come off the handlebar allowing Bolter to take the lead. Tom regained his composure and chased after Daryl. The two riders came over the start line together to start their final lap. As the two riders entered the first wood Bolter took a wide line and Tom went up the inside into the lead. Tom pushed really hard to try and pull a gap on Bolter knowing that he was ready to pounce.

As they rode down one of the tricky rutted climbs, Tom passed a backmarker and Bolter got stuck behind him. This gave Tom some breathing space and allowed him to take his third win in the series. Bolter finished close behind and Wakely third.

I've had an awesome race with Daryl today and didn't think i was going to beat him because he was riding so well. I was very impressed with my fitness after my big crash which hasn't allowed me to train. The course was excellent and one of the best tracks I have ridden. Tom also would like to thank all the team and sponsors for their continued support and to Chris Hockey at Dr Shox for all his help.

Results

1. Tom Sagar (Midwest Husaberg)
2. Daryl Bolter (KTM)
3. Si Wakely (MPS Husqvarna)
4. Paul Edmoundson (Suzuki)
5. Greg Evans (KTM)

Having not ridden an event for 6 weeks or more due to an A/C separation (shoulder separation) Ollie Moyce was itching to compete again and decided to do so in the 4th round of the South Eastern Centre Enduro Championship at West Harting Down.

Upon arrival there was a downpour lasting for a good hour which would make the already slick course more like a Welsh Enduro.

It was a roughly 10 mile lap and every lap was a check, completing 1 test on each of the first 2 laps. Ollie decided it was a good idea to turn his mapping switch down to smooth and he set the fastest time on the first test by 4 seconds. On lap 2 he continued to be fast and took another 3 seconds off his previous test leaving him in the lead with the rest of the checks to go.

It is normal for the SEEC to try and take at least 1 minute from the entry at each event so with the conditions it was going to be tight. Ollie was slightly sceptical in the first tight check worrying about his newly healed shoulder and probably didn't push as hard as he could have. He dropped 5 minutes and was still in the lead. After another slack check there was one other tight check and Ollie was feeling better about the course and himself. He narrowly missed out on cleaning the check but was happy with the day.

I had a fun day racing and I am really glad to be back on my bike again. I knew it was going to be slippery so I just adjusted the power to suit. It was a great event and am looking forward to my next commented Ollie.

Report by Bob Mullins
enduronews.com

Photography by Lee Leightwood

After a disastrous second round of the 2009 GBXC series Tom was hoping for a much better race and was determined to win. After weeks of testing and getting a setup he was comfortable with, Tom's confidence was back. Conditions were perfect for the third round situated on the mountains above Mold, north Wales.

The start was delayed and this made Tom nervous and more anxious to get of the line quick and as close to the front as possible. When the flag dropped it was Matt Ridgeway on his Suzuki that would lead the pack onto the first lap.

Tom Sagar was left on the line with Daryl Bolter (KTM), Si Wakely (MPS Husqarvana), Aston Bird (MPS Husqarvana) and Lee Edmondson (PAR Honda). Tom rode like a man possessed on the opening lap, determined to catch the head of the pack, Ridgeway and Greg Evans (KTM). It wasn't long before he hit the front and opened up a lead of over 1 minute. Another rider also charging was Bolter and he got into second place and chased Tom. Both riders raced lap after lap keeping the distance of 30 to 40 seconds between them. 2 laps from the end Bolter couldn't catch Tom and backed off slightly, which was a relief to Tom as Bolter had pushed Tom for over an hour. Tom commented This is a massive confidence boost for me and I'm much happier with the set up of the bike. I really enjoyed the race with Daryl and kept looking for him and thinking he's going to catch me.

Photograph by Foto-X

This was Tom's second win in the series and he currently leads the pro class with Aston bird 3 points behind.

After the race Tom made the 380 mile trip to Fort William in Scotland to contest the Scottish Six Day Trial which started on the Monday. Tom rode well on the first day finishing 11th before falling down the leader board to 17th where he would stay until the final day. The final day was a tough day and with the trial being one of the wettest riders just wanted to finish. Tom had a good ride on the final day which saw him climb to 15th overall. I've had a wet week and a trouble free one. I rode really well and I'm happy with my result. It was nice to see the guys from Putoline there who sponsored the event

I'd like to say a big thank you to the sponsors and everyone at Midwest who have stuck behind and also friends and family. Last thank you to John Lampkin and the team at the Scottish for their support

Results

1. Tom Sagar (Midwest Husaberg)
2. Si Wakely (MPS Husqarvana)
3. Aston Bird (MPS Husqarvana)
4. Philip McLaughlin (TM)
5. Matt Ridgeway (Suzuki)

Photo courtesy of Jonty Edmunds

Round three of the World Enduro Championship was set on the Italian island of Sardinia. Tom left the UK with mixed feelings about the race but was quietly confident he could do well. After his bad luck in rounds one and two and again at round two of the GBXC, Tom had been practising hard and playing with the suspension settings on the bike.

After walking the tests on the Thursday and Friday, Tom felt happy that the weekend could be a good one, the Enduro test was challenging but would suit the Husaberg 570. Tom had set himself up with a good start on the Friday night by finishing the KTM Super Special 7th in his class. Saturday the real adventure started, the cross test was fast, and suited the French riders, but Tom held his own and moved between positions 8th and 9th. Going into the last test Tom was sitting in 8th position with Marko Tarkkala (BMW) in 7th just ahead by 13 seconds, Tom unfortunately wasn't able to catch Tarkkala, so finished the day one a comfortable 8th just ahead of factory team mate Bjorne Carlsson in 9th.

Tom was determined to improve on his result of the previous day, but didn't turn out that way. Tom entered into the first test of the day, the Cross test, soon Tom discovered that all wasn't well, the rear tyre had separated from the rim, lucky he was able to get the tyre back on, but had cost him 5 minutes. Tom continued, hoping to gain a good result even with the set back. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, with the tyre parting from the rim, it had caused the rim lock to break therefore the tyre just spun on the rim, Tom finished the lap but then retired.

Tom commented the weekend was positive for me, I now feel I have the right settings on my suspension and think that this is a good move forward, I'm pleased with my day one results but a little disheartened with day two's results. Hopefully this is the end of the bad luck, thanks again to all my sponsors for the continued support.

• Results day one
  1. Sebastien Gillaume (Husqvarna) 57.07.01
  2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas-Gas) 57.13.00
  3. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 57.17.77
  4. Samuli Aro (KTM) 57.54.20
  5. Fabio Mossini (HM-Honda) 58.05.95
  6. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 59.41.58
• Results day two
  1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 1.05.11.29
  2. Sebastien Guillaume (Husqvarna) 1.05.27.70
  3. Samuli Aro (KTM) 1.06.12.40
  4. Christophe Nambotin (Gas-Gas) 1.06.37.86
  5. Fabio Mossini (HM Honda) 1.06.53.25

On the original staging date for the opening round of the 2009 National Hewitt XC series back in February, eight inches of snow covered Chavenage, a venue that has endless potential and which sits in a gorgeous Cotswold valley with Gatcombe Park, the royal residence of HRH Princess Anne in the distance. For the re-staging of this Midwest MCC promoted event on Sunday though,there could have been no greater contrast in conditions as warm, Spring like sunshine greeted the truly fantastic 307 strong entry, again proving the immense popularity of not only the Hewitt series but also XC racing in general. At most venues, an entry of this size would create congestion, but such is the fast, flowing nature of the vast Chavenage expanses with its combination of motocross style blasts and open wooded sections that a majority of riders managed to comfortably complete the three hour blast with little difficulty. Once again Midwest MCC produced a quality event for their entry and so it was therefore rather fitting that the eventual top Expert honours in this Hewitt opener should be claimed by one of their main team riders, Ollie Moyce. However the Husaberg rider certainly had to work overtime for his win, snatching victory on the final lap of the event following a thrilling tussle with Matt Ridgway.

Right from the start, Matt Ridgway had been the early pace-setter, forging an advantage ahead of Ollie Moyce before the latter eventually hit the front. Then, came the first moment of drama as Ollie Moyce stopped to refuel in the parc-ferme. Whilst filling up, Ollie Moyce lost his balance and was trapped under his machine with the fuel spilling onto his race clothing.

Once upright again, Ollie regained his composure before racing off in hot pursuit of Ridgway, lap by lap reeling him into his sights. With just one lap remaining, Moyce had finally caught the Suzuki rider, locking him into his sights, and the battle of the young guns was well and truly on. On that final lap though came the race deciding moment in the only wet, muddy area of the entire circuit. On the exit from a rutted stream crossing, Matt Ridgway spun off and so close was the charging Moyce that he was unable to avoid collision, falling on top of his stranded rival. In the battle to remount, Moyce was quickest to climb aboard his machine and regain traction before blasting off to take the win.

Results for Hewitt National XC Championship Round 1 at Chavenage Farm

1. Ollie Moyce
2. Matt Ridgway
3. Darren Wheeler
4. Rich Warner
5. Bradley King
6. Keith Jenkins

This weekend saw the start of the Maxxis World Enduro Championship, first round GP Polisport of Portugal. With the sun beaming down Tom was in high spirits, ready to start the new season on the Husaberg FE 570.

The WEC took a new format this weekend, with a KTM super special test on the Friday evening around a stadium, Tom managed to finish a very well placed 4th overall in E3, giving him a handful of confidence ready to compete on Saturday.

Saturday brought mixed fortunes for Tom, with the Enduro test and the Cross test being so dusty and taking a motor cross style test, Tom managed to keep consistent times. Tom excelled in the Extreme test finishing 2nd and 3rd in his class throughout the day, with a 4th overall in test 11. With all three test times, Tom finished 9th overall in a highly contented E3 class.

Day two, Tom suffered technical problems and was unable to finish, up until this Tom was lying in 8th position.

Tom commented It was a hard event physically, the race didn't suit me 100% as it was a little too much motor cross, motor cross isn't my strong point, it suited a lot of other riders over me. The Extreme test really suited me and I was gaining time on that test. The bike works well, obviously I am disappointed that I was unable to finish on Sunday, but that has been resolved now and I am looking forward to Spain next weekend

The GBXC (cross country series), started with a well turned out event on Sunday at Stourport on Severn. The GBXC, is a series of 7 rounds hosted by WOR's Steve Ireland and Paul Edmondson.

The format of the day consisted of two races, race one hosted the classes Over 40's, Sportsman, Novice, Youth and Ladies. Tom's dad Paul (299) rode in the over 40's to a well placed 21st overall.

The main race, race 2 hosted classes Pro, Pro Lite, Expert, Clubman 2 stroke and Clubman 4 stroke.

The Pro class was a highly contended class with riders such as Tom, Greg Evans, Daryl Bolter, Si Wakely and Aston Bird all competing in the British Enduro Championship.

Tom finished 3rd overall in the GBXC series last year and was looking to improve on his performance this year.

Tom didn't get the best of starts off the line, he was placed about 17th overall, Tom was pushing hard to climb up the order, by lap 4 Tom had placed himself in 2nd place behind Greg Evans on a KTM. Tom was closing the gap on Greg, with Philip McLaughlin on TM close behind Tom. Tom knew that no mistakes could be made.

Unfortunately the event was cut short due to the amount rain fall, and was cut to 2 hours. Tom had been pushing hard, he had increased the gap between him and Philip to 4 minutes, but was unable to pass Greg.

With the chequer flag dropped, Tom was given the news that Greg had been excluded, due to refuelling with his bike running, so Tom moved up a position to claim victory.

Tom commented Obviously I am pleased to win the event but its in unfortunate circumstances, the track was brilliant, a fast flowing event. Again the bike ran like a dream, unfortunately I got a stick stuck in my back brake, which I had to stop and get out, but overall I'm happy with my bike and my performance. Obviously this event is really good training for me as I have the World Enduro Championship starting now in two weeks.

Overall Race Results

1. Tom Sagar - 02:00.28
2. Philip McLaughlin - 02:04.05
3. Aston Bird - 02:04.58
4. Matt Ridgway - 02:05.22
5. Ashley Woods - 02:05.33

The warm spring weather & a new 3.5 mile lap in perfect condition attracted a field of 160 riders to the Garden of England this weekend for a Putoline Fast Eddy non championship event at Lodge Hill camp, Chattenden. In the Youth race "little Ed" Jack Edmondson took the overall win on a 65cc & Jake Deacon was the runner up.

In the Adult race Ollie Moyce on a Midwest Husaberg bike, took the lead from the second corner & held it to win by a clear margin of 5 minutes. The battle for 2nd place between Richard Ely & Nick Ames came down to a dash for the final corner with Richard snatching the runner up award, Veteran Peter Clark kept pace with the Experts to complete 18 laps & finish was 4th. Fellow vet Graham Farquer was 5th. After the race Ollie said The event was very good due to the course layout and how good the weather has been. It was really enjoyable.

Overall Race Results

1. Ollie Moyce - Expert
2. Richard Ely - Expert
3. Nick Ames - Expert
4. Peter Clark - Vetran
5. Graham Farquer - Vetran
6. Chris Thorpe - Expert

Ollie Moyce got a 5th in the E2 class and 8th overall.

Round one of the ACU British Enduro Championship, kicked off with the Muntjac Enduro held by Diss MCC, in Thetford Forest. With the return of BMW's David Knight, 2009 looked set to be a interesting year. The Muntjac is a unpredictable event and you never know who the winner is until the last test is finished, this year was to be no different. Tom set out on the Midwest Racing Husaberg FE450 to defend his Enduro Champion

Edward Jones on a ET James KTM was first into the test and set the fastest test time which took him straight to a comfortable lead. Close behind were Si Wakely on MPS Husqvarna, David Knight, Daryl Bolter on KTM, Lee Edmondson on Honda and Tom. Tom knew what he had to do on the next test as the first test had been slippy. Test two saw Tom beating David Knight, and closing the gap on Si Wakely who was now leading the event.

Three tight checks, would sort some of the results out, as only 10 Championship class riders cleaned the checks.

It was all down to the last test, Tom was currently lying in 4th position overall, but was desperate to gave a place to be on the podium. Daryl was first out of the test, he had set a very good time, next came Si with again a good time, then Tom came through with a quick time despite visiting the trees. All eyes were on David Knight depending on the time he set would decide the podium positions. David set his fastest time on the day on the last test, which resulted in David taking the lead, Si a close second and Tom a hard fought Third.

Tom commented Muntjac is a strange event, all riders are so close throughout the day, the last two years of this event its been down to the last test. At one point in the top five there were five different manufactures. The three tight checks really took there toll, the course by the last laps was really biting back. Overall I'm pleased with the day, the bike ran fault free, it's a good starting block for the rest of the season.

Final results

1. David Knight (BMW) 874.86
2. Si Wakley (Husqvarna) 878.06
3. Tom Sagar (Husaberg) 885.79
4. Daryl Bolter (KTM) 885.97
5. Paul Edmondson (Suzuki) 887.39

Photos courtesy of Lee Leightwood

Tom had a tough ride at this years Hell's Gate Enduro in Italy, after battling it out with some of the world's best riders. Tom Sagar managed a 5th place finish.

Overall Results:

1. Blazusiak Taddy (POL) KTM
2. Botturi Alessandro (ITA) KTM + 8min
3. Lampkin Dougie (GBR) Beta + 12min
4. Jarvis Graham (GBR) Sherco + 18min
5. Sagar Tom (GBR) Husaberg + 20min
6. Lettenbichler (GER) BMW Motorrad +a 23min
7. Sembenini Piero (ITA) Gas Gas + 29min

The scenic Italian mountings, -3.5 degrees and 7am sets the scene for the most physically challenging enduro, Hells Gate. Based at the four star hotel Il Ciocco, the mountain in the garden became a 10 hour playing ground. The event took the format of a five hour enduro in the morning as a qualifying race then the main race in the afternoon as a four hour hare and hounds extreme style, in order for riders to finish Hells Gate they must be within 30 minutes of the leader or you are pulled out of the event at check points.

2008 was Toms first time at Hells Gate and he fought hard for 4th position, 2009 Tom was aiming for a podium position. Tom was third rider off the start behind KTM's Taddy Blazusiak and Sherco's Graham Jarvis. After the first test Tom was lying 4th, test 2 Tom set a quick test time which set him in strong position of 2nd, test 3 Tom stalled the bike which dropped him down to 4th overall equal with Jarvis, as Jarvis had set the first fastest time Tom finished in 5th.

15.30pm saw the start of the main event, the journey to Hells Peak, starting 5th on the Supermoto starting grid gave Tom a strong position for a podium finish. Taddy gained the holeshot, and held a strong lead by the end of the first lap. Lap two didn't bring much luck for Tom as a crash down a difficult stream bed brought the Husaberg FE450 landing on top of him. Tom started lap three on a mission for the podium, but time was slipping away and Taddy was pushing hard. Tom fought hard clawing his way back up the positions to see fifth position just ahead of him, Tom managed to pass BMW's Andres Lettenbecer on a steep climb at the beginning of the fourth lap. Tom managed to pass the last check point with ten minutes to spare. The final challenge was coming near Hells Peak, the sides were lined with keen spectators ready to pull up the final 7 riders. Tom finally finished 5th overall just behind Jarvis who reached the top of Hells Peak just as Tom started his ascent.

It was a seriously hard event, much harder than last year. The bike performed brilliantly, and I feel comfortable riding it. I was disappointed with the start I had, i really feel I could have made the podium this year, but I guess I need to return next year for podium position, hopefully my legs will have grown a little by then. I would like to thank all for sponsors for their continued support - Tom Sagar.

On a cold, damp and dull winter's morning at their Melksham based headquarters, Midwest Racing launched their bright, young and very exciting enduro team for the upcoming season. Ready to explode into the 2009 campaign aboard their tasty new Husaberg projectiles are 23 year-old Tom Sagar and 21 year-old Ollie Moyce. During 2009, team leader Tom will be contesting the E3 World Enduro championship, E2 British Enduro championship, the GBXC series and other selected events. Meanwhile, Ollie will be chasing glory in the European Enduro championship, selected World Enduro championship rounds, British Enduro championship, GBXC and also other home events.

Support for the team during 2009 will also be provided by Redlynch Agricultural Engineering, IS02 Nutrition, Rygor Commercials, Regina, TwinAir, Airoh, Evoke Concepts, Carbone Lorraine, TCX Boots, Renthal, Metzeler, Putoline, Scott and Acerbis.

Watch out for this dynamic new Enduro team coming to a podium near you !!!

Keep up to date with the Midwest Husaberg UK team via their website at http://www.midwesthusaberg.co.uk

Copyright 2008 Mike Wood. All Rights Reserved.

Today Ollie Moyce took part in Round 1 Woodbridge MCC - Tunstall Enduro and got a second place finish only losing first place to Si Wakely by one second.

After wintry conditions over the last week, the WOR Tough One 2009 was looking to be just that a tough event, fortunately the weather held off and it turned out to be an event not to be forgotten. Tom Sagar made his debut ride out on his Midwest Racing Huseberg FE450, a local event for Sagar. I'm hoping to do well not only for my new team but for Husaberg, I want to prove that the Husaberg is a very competitive bike. I also want a good result as this is one of the biggest extreme events of the year.

The event started with a short sprint up a hill to the line up of bikes, Sagar didn't have the best of starts, on the return into the quarry Sagar had pushed himself up into 5th position ahead of Taddy Balzusiak. David Knight pulled out of the event with clutch problems and Paul Edmondson with a injury, which left a gap for Sagar to leap into the lead, with Taddy close behind. Sagar held Taddy of for as long as possible but with riders scattering the course, Sagar got stuck behind which opened a gap for Taddy to pass. Sagar was not for giving up and fought with Taddy till the chequered flag. Sagar finished 2nd overall on his first outing on the Husaberg 450. I'm over the moon for its my first podium finish at the Tough One, I was a little concerned with riding a bigger bike around here but it proved not to be a problem, the power delivery of the bike was brilliant and suited my style of riding. I'm so pleased with the start to 2009, and hope this will continue. Thanks to Steve Ireland and staff of WOR Events who put on another great Tough One. A great big thank you to all of the supporters that cheered and helped me throughout the event, finally a massive thanks to my sponsors, and family who made this year possible.

Just uploaded some photographs of Ollie Moyce from Sunday's REME 5hr Enduro at Weavers Down (Longmoor Army Camp).

Today I created the new Midwest Husaberg UK Team website and tomorrow I will start to add some more data. Such as rider profiles and information regarding the Husaberg 2009 line up of bikes.

At the Dirtbike show in Stoneleigh Husaberg UK presented Tom Sagar as Husaberg's top british rider.

Tom Sagar, reigning British Enduro Champion and 9th overall in the E1 class in the World Enduro Championship, will take on the coming 2009 season on a new Husaberg FE. At the moment he is testing both bikes, the FE 450 and FE 570, to find out which one suits him better. Anyway Tom is glad to be able to get on a big bore 4-stroke bike after riding a 250 4-stroke in 2008.

Tom will compete in the British Enduro Championship and the WEC in 2009, and in addition do some extreme Enduro events. In the UK Tom will be supported by Midwest Racing, who will be running the official UK Husaberg Enduro Team, in the WEC he will get support from the Husaberg Factory Racing Team.

Alongside Tom Midwest Racing signed Ollie Moyce, 3rd in British Enduro Championship and 3rd in the E1 class in the European Enduro Championship, to ride the new Husaberg FE in the British Enduro Championship, European Championship and selcted WEC races.