Mireia Badia Claims a Podium Finish
Mireia Badia Claims a Podium Finish in the Highly Contested Enduro World Championship, Marking an Unforgettable Showdown
The Rieju Factory Team competed in a demanding Enduro World Championship 2023. Mireia Badia Secures Impressive 4th and 2nd Positions, while Rosie Rowett Achieves Double 5th Place in the Women’s Category. In the E-3 Class, Léo Le Quéré Claims 10th and 11th Spots, and Adrià Sánchez Finishes 12th and 11th in Junior J1.
Arma di Taggia / San Remo (Italy) witnessed the thrilling kickoff of the highly anticipated 2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship over the weekend. The Rieju Factory Team made an impressive debut, showcasing a formidable lineup. Léo Le Quéré displayed exceptional skills in the E-3 class, while Adrià Sánchez dominated in Junior J1. Notably, Mireia Badia, a strong ambassador for the brand, joined forces with Rosie Rowett to represent the team in the fiercely competitive women’s category.
The picturesque beach of San Remo set the stage for an exhilarating Super Test on Friday afternoon, attracting a massive gathering of spectators along the seafront promenade who relished the thrilling parallel race unfolding before them.
Over the course of two gruelling days, riders faced a formidable challenge on a rugged terrain characterised by rocky, arid sections covered in dust. The competition featured three special stages, including one directly on the beach and two others—a stretched-out segment and a technically demanding extreme stage nestled amidst the San Remo mountains. Each test was repeated four times, putting participants to the ultimate test of skill and endurance.
This World Championship opener witnessed an exceptional level of talent and fierce competition across all categories, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the most enthralling and contested seasons in recent years.
Despite struggling to find his rhythm, French rider Léo Le Quéré displayed remarkable resilience, securing 10th place in the E-3 category on Saturday and 11th on Sunday.
Adrià Sánchez faced challenges adapting to the unique characteristics of the race, resulting in a 23rd-place finish in the Junior class on both days and a 12th-place finish in the J1 class on Saturday. On Sunday, he made strides, improving to an 11th-place finish.
Mireia Badia experienced a challenging start to the competition. In the initial Super Test on Friday, she endured a spectacular fall, ending up in ninth place. On Saturday, another crash early in the race coupled with some mistakes slowed her down, ultimately landing her in fourth position. However, she bounced back on Sunday, refining her riding skills and engaging in a fierce battle with the frontrunner, ultimately securing a well-deserved second-place finish on the podium.
British rider Rosie Rowett showcased consistent performance, avoiding major incidents and expressing satisfaction with her performance on both days, securing two fifth-place finishes among the women. These results place Mireia Badia in the third position in the provisional women’s World Championship standings, with Rosie Rowett in fifth.
Mireia Badia:
“I didn’t start the weekend too well, on Friday in the Super Test I crashed, although without physical consequences. On Saturday I didn’t have a good day either, I made a lot of mistakes, in the first special stage I crashed again, a fact that penalised me for the whole day, finishing fourth. Sunday was much better, the time trial on the beach and in the section I felt good, while in the extreme test, I lost some time, despite this I was happy to get on the podium in second place, in a category that this year is very difficult, we are four or five that we are all there with options”.
Rosie Rowett:
“It’s a positive start to this first round of the World Championship, with a group of drivers who are very strong this year. I’m happy with the fifth position, showing that I can be there with my times in the special tests. We have encountered a mix of special stages, from sand to rocky mountains, it has been a very good weekend racing the bike”.
Adrià Sánchez:
“The truth is that this first test didn’t go well for me, the specials were very fast, with a very rocky terrain, we are used to more technical and less fast specials, even though I had a good feeling I lacked speed, because I didn’t get the times, nothing, we will have to keep training hard to get better for the next test”.
Léo Le Quéré:
“It was a difficult weekend for me and for the Rieju team. We didn’t get the results we were hoping for, which is hard to accept, but that’s the way it is, we’ll work hard to get it right”.
RIEJU FIGURES
- Spain’s oldest active manufacturer. A family business with 100%-owned capital.
- It produces 20,000 vehicles/year in 38 different models.
- It exports 90% of its production to more than 35 countries. Direct distribution in Spain, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.
- A consolidated track record and experience in the sector, with more than 500,000 units manufactured.
- Since 2006 it’s been the market leader in Spain and Europe with a 32% market share (in 50 cc).
- Europe’s leading brand in low-capacity motorbikes with a gearbox.
- A pioneer in the production of custom motorbikes since 2006.
- Concerned about sustainability, it started producing electric motorbikes in 2010.
- Gross income 2021: €48M.
