Sherwood Triumphs Over Hometown Hero

Sherwood Triumphs Over Hometown Hero

SPAIN (Madrid) - New Zealand’s Levi Sherwood won an epic battle against both Dany Torres and a pulsating crowd of 20,000 frenzied Spaniards at the Madrid stop of the Red Bull X-Fighters $1 million World Tour today. 

The world famous Las Ventas bullring proved a spectacular setting for the world’s most exciting freestyle motocross event, with another Spaniard, Maikel Melero, getting the first podium of his career with third place. 

“It was pretty intense,” said Sherwood, who also won the season opener in Dubai and moved ahead of American Todd Potter into first place overall after four of six events in 2012.

“It was really tough going against Dany and his home crowd.” 

Sherwood also beat home Melero, who was wearing a Spanish national soccer team jersey and bought the ecstatic crowd to their feet with the ride of his life. 

Thomas Pages' of France finished fourth after dazzling the crowd with sets of body varials and special flips, a courageous performance duly honoured with standing ovations by the world's most knowledgeable FMX crowd. 

Defending champion Torres, who had struggled earlier this season due in part to a series of injuries, delivered an inspired performance before falling just one helmet, or one of five categories, short in the final. 

Sherwood now leads the championship with 230 points with Chile’s Javier Villegas sitting second on 150 points. Todd Potter, who had to pull out of Madrid with injuries suffered in a heavy crash in training on Friday, is third with 145 points. 

The world’s best FMX series moves on to Munich's Olympic Stadium  for the next stop on Aug. 11 ahead of the seasoned finale at Sydney's Cockatoo Island on October 6. 

Results:

1. Levi Sherwood (NZL),
2. Dany Torres (ESP),
3. Maikel Melero (ESP),
4. Thomas Pages (FRA),
5. Takayuki Higashino (JPN),
6. Eigo Sato (JPN),
7. Javier Villegas (CHL),
8. Blake Williams (AUS),
9. Mat Rebeaud (SUI),
10. Wes Agee (USA);

Overall standings:

1. Levi Sherwood 230 points,
2. Javier Villegas 150,
3. Todd Potter (USA) 145,
4. Thomas Pages (135),
5. Rob Adelberg (AUS) 115. 

ENDS

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