Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1547331
Day 2 was the first full day of compe on. Star ng at 8:00 a.m., riders spent more than six hours in the saddle and completed two grueling 60-mile loops across the demanding terrain of Germany's Ore Mountains. By day's end, Team USA s ll held the lead. Fred was first overall, ahead of Italy's Tullio Pelligrinelli. Billy led the A2 class and stood 12 th overall, while Terry was second in B4 and 16 th overall. The margins were razor-thin: Team Austria, a somewhat unexpected challenger, was only 15 seconds behind, and Team Italia remained firmly in conten on. Day 3, rain arrived. A steady drizzle began early and lingered for most of the day, accompanied by fog— the perfect se ng for a vintage race in Germany. Fred stayed atop the leaderboard. Terry climbed to 13 th overall, while Billy moved to 17 th a er receiving a 20-second penalty. The compe on remained close, but Team USA stretched its advantage over second-place Austria to 1 minute, 15 seconds. It was not a decisive margin, but it gave us some wel- come breathing room. On Day 4—the Final Moto—Fred remained in com- mand. He posted the day's fastest final-moto me and secured the individual vintage overall. Terry surged to 5 th place against excep onally strong compe on, and Billy won the A2 class decisively. Team USA appeared to be in excellent shape. S ll, because of the handicap scoring—and be- cause we did not yet know the other teams' moto mes and final scores—we could not be certain that Team USA had won the Trophy. Then, about 30 minutes before the closing cere- mony began, the official results appeared on the FIM's Spor ty pla orm: Team USA had won! The team's ela on was immediate and over- whelming. There were hugs, tears, and a pro- found sense of accomplishment. So many people had worked to make this moment possible—from supporters back home in the United States to the bike builders, crew members, check workers, all of Team USA at the event, and everyone else who stood behind the effort. We had done it together! The individual podiums came first. Billy stood on the top step a er winning the A2 class. Fred took first in C2, and Terry finished 3 rd in B4. We could not have asked for a be er outcome for our riders. October 2026 17 Fred Hoess Fred Hoess