The 2025 FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Italy has reached the halfway mark, with Australia’s Junior World Trophy team involved in a thrilling three-nation battle for honours against Italy and France.
In a stoush that is set to go down to the wire, France took the honours on day three and is now just one minute and one second (1:01) behind the leader, Italy.
Australia (Kyron Bacon, Korey McMahon and Gus Riordan) remains in second, 44.34 behind Italy, and firmly in the hunt to win the Junior World Trophy for the first time since 2019.
Riordan (KTM) was the fastest of the Aussie Junior World Trophy riders on day three, which was held on a new loop with a fresh set of special tests.
All riders were eager to capitalise on the virgin terrain and sunny weather, with crafty veteran Daniel Milner (KTM) doing just that. He was 15th outright on day three as part of Australia’s World Trophy team alongside Jonte Reynders (KTM) and Beta duo Josh Strang and Jye Dickson.
The World Trophy team has now slipped back to sixth, as Italy continues to turn the screws – it now leads by over four minutes – ahead of defending champion France, Sweden, Spain and the United States. Australia is just over one minute behind Spain, although top three aspirations are now hanging by a thread.
In the Women’s World Trophy, 18-year-old Aussie Danielle McDonald (Yamaha) unleashed a blistering day three to claim individual honours ahead of her American rival Brandy Richards (KTM).
Meanwhile, both Jess Gardiner (Yamaha) and Madison Healey (KTM) had their challenges, which allowed second-placed France to increase its buffer over Australia to 1:09 – a gap the Aussie trio will be keen to arrest on day four as another new loop is introduced into the ISDE through the famed Val Seriana valley in Bergamo.
In the massive 156-team club battle, it was a mixed day for the three Australian outfits, with Dungog (Thomas Easton, Ben Vandenbroek and Mick Todorovic) holding station just outside the top 100, while withdrawals for Oyster Bay (Simon Cox) and Dandenong (Raymond Borg) were costly.
Oyster Bay (Ben Kearns and Dylan Macdonald) and Dandenong (Scott Noble and Con Privitera) will now continue with two-rider rosters, and will start day four in 123rd and 133rd, respectively.
The always intriguing battle for individual honours continues, with Bacon (Kawasaki) remaining the leading Australian in 11th overall, while Milner (16th), Reynders (17th) and Strang (18th) are also in the top 20. Riordan is 21st.
Irrepressible Spaniard Josep Garcia (KTM) remains the pacesetter after coming out on top in 13 of the 18 special tests so far. Andrea Verona (GASGAS, +39.09) and Samuele Bernardini (Honda, +2:12.07) are second and third. Bacon is 3:37.75 behind Garcia.
In the women’s individual standings, McDonald has now moved into second at the expense of American Korie Steede (Husqvarna), while Gardiner and Healey are sixth and 16th.
2025 ISDE RESULTS AFTER DAY THREE OF SIX:
World Trophy
1. Italy
2. France +1:47.33
3. Sweden +2:26.11
4. Australia +4:22.29
5. America + 4:33.91
Junior World Trophy
1. Italy
2. Australia +36.55
3. France +2:00.03
4. America +3:13.62
5. Spain +5:10.04
Women’s World Trophy
1. America
2. France +16:17.91
3. Australia +17:00.39
4. Italy +24:58.10
5. Great Britain +31:03.88
Australian individual standings
8. Kyron Bacon (2nd E2)
16. Jonte Reynders (8th E2)
17. Josh Strang (4th E3)
19. Daniel Milner (10th E2)
25. Gus Riordan (8th E1)
33. Jye Dickson (17th E2)
42. Korey McMahon (7th E3)
116. Danielle McDonald (3rd WWT)
119. Jess Gardiner (5th WWT)
149. Madison Healey (18th WWT)
Images: Pole Position Communications and Cristiano Morello
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