DeJong wins first trophy at Erzberg

From Erzbergrodeo XV

EISENERZ, AUSTRIA -- The Erzbergrodeo kicked off with a surprising result on the very first day of the unique event on Thursday. Belgian KTM fmx4ever Factory Freestyle-Motocrosser Gilles DeJong won the Rocket Ride Superfinals in front of an enthusiastic crowd of thousands of motorsports fans.

Three hundred riders challenged the mighty, three-story uphill-section and offered supreme off road action to the spectators alongside the track and in the Erzberg-Arena, where thousands of people could witness the racing efforts of riders from 33 different nations thanks to the Erzbergrodeo-TV service on two huge videowalls.

DeJong proved that even FMX riders know exactly how to go wide open and went straight through the Qualifiers into the main event on Thursday evening. His toughest competitors could not be found among his factory-rider colleagues like Cyril Despres, Chris Birch, Andreas Lettenbichler or Darryl Curtis - it was a young Austrian Motocrosser Seppi Fally who actually dominated the 500 meter long uphill section. The Kawasaki mounted rider let his bike fly over the track like no one else and reached the Superfinals without a doubt.

The line-up of the final race also featured KTM factory rider Birch (NZL), BMW's Lettenbichler (GER), KTM Freestyle-MXer Nick Franklin (NZL) and Austrian rider Herbert Lindner.

Right after the start Fally took the lead and hammered his KX450F towards the peak of the track, closely followed by DeJong, Lettenbichler and Birch. After Fally made a slight mistake in the last third of the race, the road to victory was open for DeJong, followed by Lettenbichler and Birch.

Off road superstars Dougie Lampkin (UK), Paul Bolton (UK), Jade Gutzeit (RSA) and Curtis (RSA) couldn't match the speed of the finalists, while KTM's Taddy Blazusiak had to withdraw from the new Erzbergrodeo side event because he would not risk his possible hat trick at the Red Bull Hare Scramble on Sunday.

Results ROCKET RIDE Superfinals:
1. Gilles DeJong (BEL), KTM 250 SX
2. Andreas Lettenbichler (GER), BMW G450X
3. Chris Birch (NZL), KTM 300 EXC
4. Seppi Fally (AUT), Kawasaki KX450F
5. Nick Franklin (NZL), KTM 250 SX
6. Herbert Lindner (AUT), Sherco 450