14 seconds ahead of KTM ’ s Taylor Robert in second and 19 seconds ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna ’ s Colton Haaker in third . LeBlond had a small mishap and ended up going over the bars , setting the tone for the rest of his day . FMF KTM ’ s Trystan Hart suffered a few unfortunate events , first finding himself stuck between two boulders , followed by a derailed chain , causing him to finish in ninth position with a second-row start for the first moto .
As a last-minute decision , the format for the first race was adjusted due to the fear of bottlenecks causing issues for Pro riders on subsequent laps . Originally set for two laps with a two-hour time limit , promoters reduced the race to a single lap , keeping the time limit .
Although additional technical sections were added to the course , Pro riders found the course to be a fast , harescramble-style track , allowing them to finish the lap in as little as 30 minutes . Hart battled back from the second row to finish first over KTM ’ s Taylor Robert in second . Haaker got off to a good start , quickly putting himself into the lead , but wasn ’ t able to hold the position ; unfortunately , some offcourse riding near the last section cost him a position and dropped him to third . FactoryONE Sherco USA ’ s Cody Webb would finish in fourth place , with KTM ’ s Will Riordan rounding out the top five .
The final race of the day took only the top 32 riders . More technical sections were added , with a threelap format . The time limit for the final race was 30 minutes after the leader finished . Riders faced an additional challenge , with 87 degrees and wind causing a hot dusty race . This led to visibility issues for many of the top competitors . FactoryONE Sherco USA ’ s Cody Webb had a good start off the line but found himself soon battling with podium-contender Trystan Hart . After opening a slight lead , Webb had mechanical issues with a stuck throttle , costing him precious time as he made repairs on the trail .
The fast , flowing nature of the track meant that Webb was able to close the gap on Hart , and the two competitors found themselves full-out racing to the finish line . Although Trystan would pass Cody with about five minutes left in the race , Cody was able to make a lastsecond return , crossing the finish only six seconds ahead . Haaker also experienced a few minor setbacks , first stalling the bike attempting one of the hill climbs , then experiencing a crash on the second lap ; he charged hard to work back to a third-place finish .
The scores from the two motos were added for final positions ; Trystan
VOL . 6 ISSUE 6 - JUNE 2021 // PAGE 109