Zachary Pichon World Champion !

In a strong position before this Hungarian Grand Prix, which he started as leader of the Junior class, with a 37 points lead over his closest rival, Zach had a way to clinch the title even before the final scheduled for mid October in Germany. And as he had already done it three times this season, it is by signing a superb double in Zalaegerszeg that the rider from Sarthen did the trick without having to wait ten long weeks until the final. "I'm really happy to have won the title in Hungary, because in ten weeks a lot can happen... We have the ISDE at the end of August, the final of the French championship, three races in Spain before this last Grand Prix, who knows what can happen," analysed Zachary who started this final well recovered from the hard GP of Slovakia which took place one week earlier. "The Hungarian event was less typical than the previous one, and quite different in terms of the layout of the stages which I liked straight away. That said, the event was still demanding, as we had four laps to complete compared to three on the other GPs. Even if I still walked a lot in Hungary to recognize the stages I managed my days well to be able to recover and tackle this final in good conditions, because physically I had never competed in an enduro as hard as Slovakia. 

Zach: "I don't really realise".

Forty-eight hours after his victory, Zachary still doesn't realise what is happening to him. "It may sound strange but I don't really realise, it's incredible. I'm not going to say I'm surprised, because since I arrived in Enduro I had won several events, but still.... I am crowned twenty years after my father won his second world title, and like him it is on a 250 two-stroke that I am winning. As soon as I crossed the finish line on Sunday I thought of him, before the Sherco team celebrated the title," he continued before looking back on the day that allowed him to win the title. "I can't say I slept well on Saturday night, but on Sunday morning I was much less stressed than Alex, my mechanic. There was so much dust that we found it all over the bike on Saturday night and Alex was worried about a technical problem. I have to say that in the last stage I listened to all the noises of the bike."

An unprecedented performance

If we have already seen a father and then a son win a World title in Motocross (Harry and Stefan Everts), never before have we seen a father and son win a World title in two different disciplines. Zachary's title is that of a whole family that has given so much to motorcycling, starting with his parents Michael and Stefanie of course, but also grandpa Alain and Annie who took over from Zach when Mika couldn't accompany him. But the season is not over, far from it, and Zach can win more laurels this season. In ten days time he will walk the stages of the ISDE (Six Days of Enduro, where he will wear the colours of the French team), before going on to the French championship final, the World final and three rounds of the Spanish championship. And next year Zachary will still ride for the Sherco factory in the World Championship, but this time in the Pro category, after a brilliant performance in the Junior category.

Photo credit: Mastorgne Photography