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Mercuria Trading GYT-R Team Yamaha raced to a well deserved and hard-fought second place in the famous Pont de Vaux 12 hour international event in France in August 2006.

The young, multi-national team of Joe Maessen (23) from Holland, Maximillian Freund (21) from Germany and David Yankilevitach (17) from Poland took the specially prepared and equipped Yamaha YFZ450 to the runner up spot ahead of far more experienced and established teams from around the world.

One hundred and twenty teams from twenty two countries competed in this, the 20th anniversary year of the Pont de Vaux 12 hour event, and the Mercuria Trading GYT-R Team Yamaha riders, guided by team manager and former event winner Richard Cole, remained in contention throughout the three gruelling races.

In the first three hour race on Saturday they took a fine second place and followed it up with a eighth place in the demanding five hour Saturday night race. In the final four race on Sunday, the team kept a steady pace as others crashed and broke, to take third place and second overall behind the experienced Belgian Team Piron, which was also Yamaha YFZ450 mounted.

MORE PICTURES TO FOLLOW SOON

PDV is one tough event - believe me.. As a former event winner I'm well aware of how physically and mentally demanding the race is so the achievement of the young lads in Team Yamaha at the 2006 PDV is a tremendous achievement.

It was an excellent result for the whole team and our sponsors. The team is less than ten months old, and to come here and beat some of the best teams in the world proves that we are on the pace and moving in the right direction.

As long as our riders remain focussed on honing their already more than competant skills the future for Team Yamaha looks very bright.