Daniel Blanc-Gonnet (born July 27, 1994, in Portland, Oregon), is an American International motorcycle trials rider. Blanc-Gonnet was NATC National Trials Expert 125cc champion in 2011 and runner-up in the NATC Pro Championship in 2018.
Biography In 2011 Blanc-Gonnet became the 125cc NATC National Champion after taking 5 wins out of the seven rounds.
A move up to the Expert class was on the cards for 2012, and he made the most of it taking podiums in California, Ohio and both days at the end of season Rhode Island event. This was enough for 4th overall in the championship.
Making a good start to the 2013 season, Blanc-Gonnet placed 2nd and 3rd in New York. When the series moved to Vermont a 3rd on day one was followed by a disappointing 8th on day two. But the season came around and good placings in Arizona, New Mexico and Minnesota brought him up to 2nd place in the series. Blanc-Gonnet moved up to the NATC Pro class for the final event of the season, placing 8th.
2014 was his first full season in the Pro class and he rode well, finishing 4th overall.
Work commitments limited Blanc-Gonnet's 2015 season to only four rounds, but he got on the podium in both of the last rounds in Wyoming for a creditable 7th place series finish.
In 2016 he signed for the factory Montesa team and was again 7th in the national series after facing some stiff competition all year. He joined fellow riders Andrew Putt and Brian Roper in the American Trial des Nations team in France where they placed 4th in the International Trophy class.
One step higher in 2017 with 6th in the NATC Pro championship.
Gas Gas US announced that Blanc-Gonnet had been signed for their US factory team to compete in the NATC series. 2018 saw Blanc-Gonnet put in his best rides so far. He took runner-up positions in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and California, ending the season in 2nd place behind Sherco rider Patrick Smage. Blanc-Gonnet also won the prestigious Colorado Ute Cup event for 2018 which has been held every year since 1970 by the Rocky Mountain Trials Association.
National Trials Championship Career
Year Class Machine Rd1 Rd2 Rd3 Rd4 Rd5 Rd6 Rd7 Rd8 Rd9 Rd10 Points Pos Notes 2009 NATC Highschool Sherco NE3 NE2 TN2 TN1 VT- VT- NY- NY- 101 3rd 2010 NATC Expert 125 Sherco OK3 OK3 RI2 RI3 NY3 NY2 CO3 CO3 CA3 CA3 134 3rd 2011 NATC Expert 125 Sherco TX1 TX2 PN1 PN1 TN1 TN2 TN1 150 1st NATC US Expert 125 Champion 2012 NATC Expert Sherco CA3 CA4 CO4 CO4 OH3 OH4 RI3 RI3 102 4th 2013 NATC Expert Sherco NY2 NY3 VT3 VT8 AZ5 AZ4 NM6 NM3 MN2 MN- 131 2nd 2013 NATC Pro Sherco NY- NY- VT- VT- AZ- AZ- NM- NM- MN- MN8 13 9th 2014 NATC Pro Sherco CO4 CO8 KS4 KS4 PA5 PA5 TN6 TN6 117 4th 2015 NATC Pro Sherco TX- TX- AZ- AZ- NE5 NE5 OH- OH- WY2 WY3 78 7th 2016 NATC Pro Montesa FL7 FL6 TN8 TN8 OR5 OR8 CO6 CO6 101 7th 2017 NATC Pro Montesa TX5 TX6 KS7 KS6 OH6 OH5 RI6 RI6 121 6th 2018 NATC Pro Gas Gas NM2 NM3 CO2 CO3 TN4 TN4 AR2 AR3 CA3 CA2 220 2nd RMTA Ute Cup Winner 2019 NATC Pro Gas Gas NE8 NE9 MN4 MN2 CO2 CO4 OR4 OR4 147 4th 2021 NATC Pro Gas Gas PA5 PA6 OH4 OH4 AZ4 AZ4 NM6 NM3 139 4th
Honors US National NATC Expert 125 Trials Champion 2011 Ute Cup winner 2018
See also NATC Trials Championship FIM Trial European Championship FIM Trial World Championship
References