The fight for the 2016 WILSport European Junior Cup, powered by Honda, came down to the very last race of the season, which was contested today at the Circuito de Jerez.
Race 2 of the Gaerne Spanish Round was won by Turkey’s Harun Cabuk (KNN54-TMF), who edged out Italy’s Alfonso Coppola (SK-Racing Team) at the line by only 0.068s to claim his third race win of the season, in a spectacular last lap showdown.
 
With Coppola’s team mate Giuseppe De Gruttola completing today’s podium, Mika Perez (Granshagen Racing Team) clinched a well deserved EJC title after crossing the line in fourth place. The Spaniard placed himself at the front in the early stages of the race, but after a near collision with Cabuk on lap 3, he tactfully decided to stay behind the battle at the front consisting of seven riders fighting for victory.
 
On lap nine, Perez’s only rival for the title, Paolo Grassia (Chiodo Moto Racing) started to experience a problem on his bike #84, which put an end to his already slim title hopes. But the Race 1 winner still managed to finish eighth, after losing 12 seconds in the last three laps.
 
South Africa’s Troy Bezuidenhout (Into The Blue Diving-Costa del Sol), France’s Dorian Laville (Team Laville Mi&Do) and Germany’s Gabriel Noderer (Noderer Racing) completed the top 7. Avalon completed her successful FIM Europe Women’s Cup season with another first position in the class, courtesy of a 15th place finish.