Securing his fourth win at the legendary beach race in France, Mousse was eventually crowned the 2013 winner after organisers were forced to stop the event following a rapidly encroaching high tide left lower parts of the 17km long course submerged in water.

Kawasaki’s Damien Prevot secured the €1000 holeshot award as he beat the 1000-strong line up of competitors to the first corner. However, his lead was briefly short lived as Yamaha mounted Milko Potisek took over.

Leading at the end of the opening lap Potisek then made a costly error that would ultimately affect the outcome of the race. Colliding with a pair of backmarkers, the Frenchman crashed heavily. Losing over one-minute in the crash it allowed Prevot, Mousse and Adrien Van Bevern (Yamaha) to slip through into the lead.

At the end of the first hour Mousse took over control of the race and began to extend his lead. Maintaining his advantage, the Frenchman looked certain of victory as he began his seventh lap. But with high winds causing the tide to flood lower parts of the course the race took a dramatic turn. Making countless mistakes and even stopping to ask for goggles, Mousse’s lead suddenly evaporated as Potisek closed in.

Adrien Van Beveren claimed a lonely third... © Monster Energy

Entering the final corner, Potisek worked his way past the fallen Mousse and into the lead. But with organisers stopping the race due to weather conditions after Potisek had crossed the finish line and before Mousse, Mousse was unable to continue on. Though Potisek completed eight laps to Mousse’s seven, the race result was eventually declared at the end of lap seven giving Mousse the win.

Behind the controversy Van Beveren claimed the final step of the podium with Prevot finishing fourth.

Securing fifth overall, KTM’s Antoine Meo delivered an impressive debut ride at Le Touquet. Although starting the race inside the top ten, Meo’s progress was hampered due to a costly crash during lap one. Working his way from outside the top ten, the Enduro 1 World Champion had reached as high as third overall but was later pushed back to fifth overall on the corrected results.

Finishing 46th overall Kawasaki’s Livia Lancelot was the best placed woman rider.

Teenager Nathan Watson (KTM) was best of the British riders in 29th.

Mousse claimed his fourth Enduropale du Touquet victory...

2013 Enduropale du Touquet

Results

1. Jean Claude Mousse (Yamaha) 7 laps 1:47:30; 2. Milko Potisek (Yamaha) 7 laps 1:48:31; 3. AdrienVan Beveren (Yamaha) 7 laps 1:48:56; 4. Damien Prevot (Kawasaki) 7 laps 1:50:04; 5. Antoine Meo 7 laps 1:50:33…

Detailed Results

http://www.chronelec.com/letouquet2013/enduropale_live.html