National Motos awarded Anthony Delhalle EWC Spirit Trophy

In 26th spot on the grid after qualifying, Emeric Jonchière and Stéphane Egéa never gave up. Right from his first stint, Stéphane Egéa took Honda National Motos into the Top 20.

It was a hard slog for Stéphane, Emeric and the entire crew of this team run by a Paris region Honda dealership, but it paid off in the end. National Motos had climbed into the Top 10 by the end of the night. That was an exploit in itself.

On the Sunday morning the riders were holding up, but the machine had begun to show signs of fatigue. National Motos had no choice but to slow the pace. Even so, they managed to cross the finish line in 27th place.

Stéphane Egéa and Emeric Jonchière received the Anthony Delhalle EWC Spirit Trophy from François Ribeiro, promoter of the FIM EWC: a tribute to the determination of the entire team.

Created by Pipo Baldit, National Motos – an Endurance competitor since 1971 – is a stalwart of the 24-hour races. When Pipo passed away in late 2012, his son Stéphane and the National Motos took up the challenge the team’s creator had set: entering the fray and battling the factory-backed teams for the win.

Private team National Motos has an impressive track record. The squad picked up its first podium spots in 1992, finishing 3rd at both the 24 Heures and the Bol d’Or that year with riders Guy Bertin, Adrien Morillas and Arnaud de Puniet (Randy’s father). Honda National Motos was crowned with glory at the 2006 edition of the 24 Heures Motos, when Frédéric Protat, Olivier Four and Dani Ribalta won the race.

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