Gomez wins SuperEnduro World Cup

Husqvarna-supported rider, Sandra Gomez, wrapped up the 2016 FIM Women’s SuperEnduro World Cup on Saturday night in Prague. With victory coming just months after she secured the 2015 AMA Women’s EnduroCross Championship, Sandra becomes the first woman to have won titles in both North America and Europe. Switching to a TE250 for 2016, despite injury struck preparations, Gomez performed well on the demanding track in the Czech Republic. Husqvarna’s Paolo Carrubba spoke to Gomez about her outstanding achievement.

Carrubba: Sandra, congratulations on winning the 2016 FIM Women’s SuperEnduro World Cup. How does it feel?
Sandra: I’m super happy I managed to win the Women’s SuperEnduro title. This last year has been tough for me with a lot of injuries and hard work. To get this championship right after my 2015 AMA EnduroCross title is hugely rewarding.

How hard was it knowing that just two races would decide the 2016 Women’s SuperEnduro title?
It was strange. It’s been extremely difficult for me to train during the winter as I was still recovering from the foot injury I got during the AMA EnduroCross season, so I just wanted to do my best. The track in the Czech Republic was tight but not a lot harder than the ones we raced last year in the US. I had a comfortable lead in the first final but I felt exhausted, mainly due to my limited amount of training. I made a mistake and let Emma Bristow get the win. Heading to the second final I knew the key would be to ride safe and avoid mistakes. Unfortunately, I got tangled up with some other riders and fell in the first corner. From then on it was just a matter of riding a clean race to the finish. A few corners before the end I saw Emma had crashed – I passed her and got the win.

You’ve switched to a Husqvarna TE250 for this season. How did that help you in Prague?
I raced the whole 2015 season on a Husqvarna TE125. It’s a great bike and I love it but the TE250 has a significant power advantage, which really helps on the jumps and the tight stuff. It’s also a super light-handling bike and that helps a lot. In Prague I raced a completely stock TE250, which I had previously ridden and tested for just one day.

What was the key to securing the victory during such a crazy night of racing?
As I proved with my second moto win, the key wasn’t simply to go fast but to get a good flow over the obstacles and keep on two wheels. I gave it all to stay focused on my lines, regardless of what other riders were doing. When I picked up my bike after crashing in the first corner I just tried to stay calm.

What were you feeling when you crossed the line as champion?
It was an unbelievable moment, really amazing. When I took the decision to focus on SuperEnduro two years ago, I couldn’t imagine I’d be back-to-back US and World Champion in less than 12 months. I’m the first woman to win an EnduroCross and a SuperEnduro title as well so it feels great. I just want to enjoy it now and focus on the future. I’m going to do Erzberg this year and maybe a few more extreme races on my TE250.

2016 FIM Women’s SuperEnduro World Cup Standings

1. Sandra Gomez (Husqvarna) 37 points
2. Emma Bristow (Sherco) 37 points
3. Maria Franke (Yamaha) 28 points
4. Kirsten Landman (KTM) 28 points
5. Rita Vieira (Beta) 22 points

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And while Sandra has been working hard and winning titles, her brother, Alfredo, has been cruising through snowy rivers and abandoned mental hospitals in Spain with Amanda and Ken West from FourOhFour Films, filming his RIDE: UNITED segment. Click here for a behind-the-scenes insight into that.