TOM VIALLE - GRIT 251 250SX

GRIT-251 | 250 SX

June 4th, 2024 11:00 am

After establishing a significant lead over Yamaha's Haiden Deegan, the composure of KTM's Tom Vialle was admirable. He was within reach, per se, of claiming the championship if he could maintain the margin that he had built over the California native...and as he garnered knowledge of the racetrack in Utah, the momentum certainly appeared to be in his favor. The number sixteen was ready for whatever was thrown his way, and as he stormed into the initial rhythm section alongside the other top-tier combatants on his coast, he appeared to obtain a standing of single-digit territory while striving to move forward. However, the French rider was ascending as the industry expected. He seemed to hover around the ninth and tenth-place residencies for quite sometime...even going off track (briefly) following the corner before the mechanics area, where he drifted a bit too far wide. Though somehow able to retain his pace and move forward despite the mistake, Vialle was able to finish ninth. However, to be noted, his greatest championship rival (i.e. Deegan) took a dominating win - which set the stage for an eventful main event to take place. The battles on the racetrack were hard to describe, in the opening moments of the final race - with so many scenarios taking place in regard to athletes striving for an eventual championship. The former MXGP title holder though, was familiar with this narrative, and proceeded to race forward to a position just inside the top-ten in the initial stages of the fifteen-minute (plus) contest. Vialle was flourishing while landing from the finish line and into the sections thereafter, pivoting his KTM chassis with commanding technique while alongside Kawasaki's Levi Kitchen. Haiden Deegan had made his way into the lead, but the French rider was methodical when making passes on the course. He wasn't moving forward with quite the urgency as other riders, but what Tom was lacking in intensity, he made up for with mistake free riding. From various ruts, to rhythm sections, and every obstacle in between, Vialle was flawless. He let the race come to him, and took advantage of miscues via his opponents, while monitoring the points situation that he was immersed in. Five minutes to go, four minutes to go, and so on, would Vialle reside inside the top-ten...with an ample cushion over his largest rival in the division. With Haiden Deegan crossing the finish line on the last lap, it was then up to the French rider to stay upright and leap over the final double to be declared champion...and with the eventual eighth-place finish, the title was his for the taking!

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