The independent French team swept the deck at the Bol d’Or. Third past the finish line and the Superstock winner, BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers lifted the FIM Endurance World Cup reserved for the Superstock class.
At the press conference on Sunday afternoon at the Paul Ricard circuit, Romain Mangé, the team manager of BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers, looked as if he couldn’t quite believe it was true. His Superstock team had climbed onto the 3rd step of the Bol d’Or podium, claimed the win in their category and lifted the 2021 FIM Endurance World Cup even before the final race at Most in the Czech Republic on 9 October.
Unbelievable
It hasn’t sunk in yet, says Romain Mangé. We’ve been going after a win in a 24-hour race for quite a while. We would never have imagined we’d be on the overall podium, not even in our wildest dreams. The World Cup was the objective, but it’s all too much to take in. Our objective at the Bol was to win the race. Winning the Cup at this race was unhoped-for. The overall podium was unbelievable!
BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers owe their comprehensive win to a closely-knit and experienced team and the performance and tenacity of their trio of riders Anthony Loiseau, Jonathan Hardt and Julien Pilot. In the saddle of the Kawasaki #24, they led the Superstock class for practically the entire 24 hours of a race that proved tough and tricky at night. The only warning signs for BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers were a minor crash during the night and the replacement of an exhaust pipe towards the end of the race. But the team were able to wrest back the lead from another two very fast Superstock teams, RAC41 ChromeBurner and No Limits Motor Team.
The result of a tie-up in the 2010s between BMRT, a new team launched by Romain Mangé, and 3D Endurance, a team that had been performing well in Superstock since 1999, BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers earned their stripes in the French Endurance races, the 24 Heures Motos and the Bol d‘Or, before joining the full FIM Endurance World Championship in 2018. The team featured regularly on the Superstock podium at the Bol d’Or, the 24 Heures Motos and the 8 Hours of Slovakia Ring. The first step of the podium was within reach.
Experience and stability
BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers claimed their first Superstock win in July at the 12 Hours of Estoril. With this new and brilliant victory at the Bol d’Or, BMRT 3D Maxxess Nevers won the FIM Endurance World Cup for the first time.
Our current strengths are the experience and stability of our team and our rider line-up,” says Romain Mangé. “Jonathan, Anthony and Julien have been with us for several seasons. They’re solid, good performers in all conditions, I know who to send out when. They’re not just riders as far as I’m concerned, they’re my friends – we’re all the same age.
At the 2021 season finale at Most, the other podium places are still wide open. National Motos, who were forced to withdraw at the Bol d’Or, and No Limits Motor Team, 5th overall and 3rd Superstock at the Bol d’Or, are the best placed to take 2nd place. Statistically speaking, 6 other teams are capable of winning the 2nd place at the final round in the Czech Republic on 9 October.
2021 FIM World Cup rankings after 3 rounds
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
