Australian Freestyle MX rider Josh Sheehan has continued his consistent run of podiums in 2011, with another 3rd place at the Red Bull X-Fighters in Madrid, Spain which has moved him up to 6th place overall after only riding two events of the four so far this season.
After a very impressive first appearance at X-Fighters for 2011 in Rome three weeks earlier, Josh arrived to the Spanish competition with more experience and more confidence to take on the world’s best in the X-Fighters 10-year anniversary in the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas in Madrid.
“I felt much better coming to Madrid. I had a good week of Freestyle practice at Travis Pastrana’s house before I came, and after the first practice here, I felt pretty comfortable in the tunnels and on all the ramps” Sheehan said.
In the head to head rounds, Josh rode against Adam Jones in the first round which wouldn’t be an easy task. With a flawless run from Josh in the 75 second run, Josh looked sure to move on. Jones overcame a foot injury to put in a great performance, but in the end, it was a 5-helmet win to Josh, who would move on into the Semi-Finals with Dany Torres.
Torres, who would become the eventual round winner, used the home-town crowd to his advantage and sent the Spaniards into a frenzy with his blistering freestyle run. Sheehan’s run was solid with 360 Heelclickers and Lazyboy Flips, but it just wasn’t enough to reach the final.
“Dany was on fire, and I’m not surprised being his home country and having the crowd behind him that he would advance to the final. It must have been a real buzz for him! I was happy with 3rd place because everyone was riding so well.” Sheehan said.
Sheehan is preparing for the next round of X-Fighters in Poland, August 6th, and he knows what it will take to move up the ladder. “Coming into Poland, I am more comfortable with riding the courses faster and I know more about what the judges are looking for”
Josh Sheehan is supported by Carlton Dry Honda racing team, Red Bull, Valyside Apparel, Dragon and DEFT gloves.
For more information on Red Bull X-Fighters, visit: www.redbull.com
For more information regarding Josh Sheehan, email info@invertmanagement.com
Tags: Deft, Josh Sheehan, Red Bull Fighters, Redbull, Travis Pastrana