One of the questions we asked ahead of the second half of the season was whether Takamoto Katsuta can remain in the championship picture.
Since winning back-to-back events in Kenya and Croatia and therefore leading the championship, the quality of his performances have slipped (although he remained Elfyn Evans’ closest rival at 20 points behind).
The Acropolis acts as evidence that Katsuta really is in this fight for the long haul – and not just because he reduced Evans’ advantage to 11 points after the rally.
His mental attitude – a clear weakness last time out in Japan – was impeccable in Greece. Before even arriving in Loutraki, he worked hard to mentally prepare himself: “We know it’s going to be disappointing when I see the time for sure,” he told DirtFish on Thursday. “But there is no chance anyway, so I just try to accept.”
It showed. As low as ninth after the first gravel stage, hamstrung by running second on the road, Katsuta eventually grabbed his fourth podium of the season in third. In short, it was the kind of assured performance we’ve come to expect from Evans (who it must be said drove as well as Katsuta, but was beset by his Saturday puncture).
Championship contender? How can’t Katsuta be when he remains this close to the front?
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