Vote now for your off-road heroes of the year…
Vote now for your off-road heroes of the year…
It’s been a stellar season in the dirt and to celebrate another year of off-road heroics it’s time for you to vote for the riders who’ve floated your boat during 2011.
One man has stood head and shoulders above all other riders in Britain this year – PAR Honda’s Tow Law powerhouse Brad Anderson. The 30-year-old’s already sewn up the Maxxis British championship and is odds-on favourite to retain his Red Bull Pro Nationals crown. Add to this his fighting fifth overall at Matterley Basin and it’s safe to say he’s been in the form of his life in 2011.
But competition is tight this year and Ando’s achievements have to be measured against a whole raft of Brits who’ve being doing the business week-in, week-out.
In the GPs CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki star Tommy Searle has been banging out the podiums, took the overall in France and finished the British GP on the second step of the box. And then there’s his teenage team-mate Max Anstie who in his rookie season has missed a debut podium finish by one place five times going into the German GP. And what about Jake Nicholls who despite missing the start of the season through injury has been getting faster – and hairier – every week? Or speedy Scot Dean Wilson who’s looking good to claim the AMA 250cc title? Or Red Bull Pro Nationals MX2 series leader Elliott Banks-Browne?
The point I’m trying to make here is that we’ve got true talent in depth – more so than for years – and Brad despite all his victories is no shoo-in for a DBR award.
On the international stage two men have dominated the GPs – defending MX1 world champ Antonio Cairoli and German sensation Ken Roczen. But even they face some stiff opposition. In the USA Ryan Villopoto is sitting pretty to add the 450cc Nationals title to his SX crown but for many Chad Reed has been the hero Stateside, a status he’s earned through his indoor performances not to mention the way he kept going after that infamous Millville crash.
And closer to home we’ve been lucky to have Swiss missile Arnaud Tonus gracing and racing the Maxxis series where he’s picked up the MX2 title in his debut season.
In the hardcore world of enduro and its many spin-offs the great David Knight’s picked up an MBE for his services to the sport but in a season marked by injury to the Manxman it’s allowed others to shine through – most notably Tom Sagar. And let’s not forget veteran Paul Edmondson who picked up an amazing 17th ISDE gold medal or trials rider turned extreme star Graham Jarvis who’s won just about every event he’s entered in 2011.
On this link there’s a short-list of riders who we think should be considered for a DBR gong. But it’s by no means set in stone and there’s an option to add your own favourite rider in each category. So get voting – the polls close on October 28 with the winners announced on the main stage on the Saturday (November 5) at the International Dirt Bike Show at Stoneleigh Park.
