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CLEMENT DESALLE
450 MXGP / 7TH
IMAGE / LANNAN WORDS / MATTINGLY DESIGN / TILLS
>> This race, of all races on the tour, can be considered a precursor to the ceremonial MXGP of nations. A true Olympic style event for the motocross community, many citizens of their respective nations want to throw their best riders into the hat, to see who can be crowned on top of the world. Unfortu- nately, it doesn’t always work out that way; however, this race can tend to provide a solid notion, and Clement Desalle wanted to see how he stacked up against the world’s best. You would never tell he was under any sort of pres- sure by the way he was attacking the track during the practice and qualifying sessions, always seeking just a partial millisecond of acceleration. It translated into the moto’s as well, rocketing off the long start straight, looking over at his competitors before cutting. He was found dicing it up with “Russian Bob.” The two, bar banging and giving off an aggressive vibe when making eye contact, ramped up the heat as the laps went on. He would push, letting the suspension work its magic through the plushest of strokes. He would go on to finish ninth. Here we go, moto number two, let the festivities begin. A bombardment of fero- cious 450’s blistered off the line, and he was feeling the heat from the rest of the world’s finest. An echo of bark’s bouncing off of his ear drum’s, his focus remained forward, always seeking a further edge on the competition. He would remain solid for the rest of the moto, his routine style of a “Sunday Stroll” being as routine as could be. He then took a subtle shrug upon the landing of the fin- ish line, claiming eighth place, and seventh overall.
26 GRITMOTO • SEPTEMBER 4, 2017