ANTHONY BOURDON - GRIT 237 250SX

ANTHONY BOURDON | GRIT-237 | 250 SX

The newfound Supercross competitor returned to action for event(s) on January, 20th. Believing that he could rekindle the speed and top-ten aspirations that were shown at Anaheim One, and San Francisco. The talent of France's Anthony Bourdon was evident as he scoped the canvas for efficient lines in practice, mastering sections of technicality with relative ease while escalating up the roster of names which included countless race winners. He'd gained a ton of knowledge over the last few weeks, and had shown no signs of slowing down...and as he eventually secured a solid portfolio of notable lap-times in practice, it was time for the French athlete to advance to heat race sequencing. His focus was on shifting as quickly as possible into third and fourth gear upon crossing the gate, and as he executed that maneuver, he couldn't help but oblige to the command of his opponents. Following the completion of the first lap though, Bourdon appeared to find his rhythm, which all in the crowd knew he possessed. His smooth style eventually gelled with the muddied canvas, which then translated to ninth in the running order while trailing riders like Carson Mumford and Robbie Wagemen. The native Californians provided pathways for Bourdon to follow, and knowing that advancement to the main event was of the utmost importance, the number 100 appeared to stay locked-in to the task while searching for the smoothest lines. Spinning through the slop within the corner before the "SX" triple, he proceeded to coast atop the crest of the takeoff in order to perfectly time the double of the three-portion sequence; understanding that being overzealous, could lead to an unfortunate crash. Nevertheless, the Suzuki rider ultimately tackled every obstacle in front of him; which translated to ninth overall in the record book, propelling him forward to the main event. It was then time to accumulate as many points as possible, for the final race in the 250SX category within the San Diego venue. Believing that he could compete with the best in the field, Bourdon was seeking to reman paralleled to the red plate holder and other factory riders...which was presented, via a ninth-place start on the opening lap of action. He was alongside Factory Honda's Jo Shimoda, who would make the move around, but wouldn't necessarily "pull away" from the Frenchman. Bourdon was doing his best to keep a tight line of sorts in the corner before the camelback triple, along with the proceeding first turn area where inside grooves were crucial; as he safeguarded the area from opponents who were attempting to move forward. Proceeding to double his way through the furthest outside line in the whoops, the moguls had now become jagged and extremely cupped; creating rapid and erratic movement for the chassis of most, though somehow Bourdon was able to tame the rapid side to side swapping of the frame and keep his Suzuki powering forward. He seemed to be on a pace that was right alongside Ryder DiFrancesco, and would chase the GasGas rider...even as the Bakersfield native worked his way around Hunter Yoder. Now with the number eighty-five machine ahead, Yoder would lunge for a further position (i.e. ninth) in the closing stages. Though it was to no avail, Bourdon was eventually categorized in tenth; showcasing yet another tremendous performance, for his tenure in the United States.

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