|
Salminen misses E1
in Slovakia |
|
|
|
|
|
01.09.2007 |
|
Salminen misses E1 in Slovakia; Bellometti
fourth on Saturday |
|
The penultimate round of the E1 Enduro World
Championship was missing the dominant rider of
the season, the KTM Enduro Factory Team's Juha
Salminen. |
|
|
The absence of the injured Finn may have allowed someone
else a place on to top podium but he still leads the
points.
Salminen has won every race this season up to this
weekend's event in the Slovakian ski resort of Krompachy
but he broke a collarbone competing in a race in Britain
three weeks ago and decided to sit out this weekend to
give his injury another two weeks to heal. He returns to
the circuit for the last event in France, which will
hopefully also wrap up the title in his favour.
"It might have been possible for Juha to race here but
he decided not to take any risk so that he would be 100
percent fit for the last races," said KTM team boss
Fabio Farioli. "I think that was the right decision."
Salminen may have let someone else enjoy the top spot
this weekend but he still has a commanding lead in the
championships. Meanwhile his KTM teammate Alessandro
Belometti came in fourth on Saturday behind Cristobal
Guerrero, Simone Albergoni and Marc Germain, leaving the
points order unchanged.
The 55km of trail, covered three and a half times each
day of this two day event making up the Grand Prix of
Slovakia, offered a good mix of surfaces and was very
competitive for the riders. They did have to contend
with a big downpour of rain in the last lap, which added
another edge to the competition.
Results
1. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
2. Simone Albergoni, Italy, Yamaha
3. Marc Germain, France, Yamaha
4. Alessandro Belometti, Italy, KTM
5. Bartosz Oblucki, Poland Husqvarna.
|
|
 |
|
belometti on his way to 4th place |
|
|
|
|
|
|
01.09.2007 |
|
Aro denied victory after crash in last E2
Test in Krompachy |
|
KTM Enduro Factory Team's Samuli Aro fought
strong and hard against arch rival and Finnish
countryman Mika Ahola in E2 action in Slovakia
on Saturday but was denied victory after losing
time in a crash in the last test.
|
|
|
"Samuli
was very fast today and he really fought hard against
Ahola," said team boss Fabio Farioli of the first day's
action at the Grand Prix of Slovakia being battled out
in the Tatra Mountains. "There was only one second
difference going into the final test and then Samuli
crashed and lost some seconds."
Aro, the reigning champion, also wrenched his knee in
the crash and Farioli said that although he expected him
to race again on Sunday, he may not be at 100% fitness.
Aro's teammate Fabien Planet put in a solid performance
for fifth place.
Saturday's race still leaves the four leading riders in
the same order in the season's standings with Ahola
holding a 21-point advantage over Aro and another 75
points still up for grabs in the three remaining races
of the season.
Results
1. Mika Ahola, Finland, Honda
2. Jonny Aubert, France, Yamaha
3. Samuli Aro, Finland, KTM
4. Stefan Merriman, Aprilia, Australia
5. Fabien Planet, France, KTM
|
|
 |
|
Samuli Aro third in Slovakia |
|
|
 |
|
Planet comes home fifth |
|
|
|
|
|
|
01.09.2007 |
|
Cervantes takes first E3 race at Krompachy |
|
KTM Enduro Factory Team's Ivan Cervantes
showed he was the boss of the big Enduros on
Saturday at the first of two E3 World
Championship races at this Slovak ski resort.
|
|
|
Cervantes reigned supreme over the 55 km trail on a
circuit covered three and a half times on Saturday for
the Grand Prix of Slovakia. A huge downpour in the last
hour also added another dimension to what was already a
competitive and fast track.
After the tests, the Spanish KTM rider came home almost
13 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Sebastien
Guillaume to be the undisputed winner and to add another
25 points onto his lead in the championship standings.
KTM Teammate Marko Tarkkala was not so fortunate. He
crashed about half way through the race and eventually
finished in fourth place. A bang on the head during the
crash gave him some discomfort but team boss Fabio
Farioli said he was confident that Tarkkala, hell bent
on closing the 35-point gap between himself and
Cervantes, would be back in the saddle for Sunday's
race. The two KTM riders are fighting out the title
between them but there is still another 75 points up for
grabs and their rivals are close.
Results
1. Ivan Cervantes, Spain, KTM
2. Sebastien Guillaume, France, Husqvarna
3. Bjorne Carlsson, Sweden, Husaberg
4. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, KTM
5. Marcus Kehr, Germany, KTM
|
|
 |
|
Cervantes savors moment of glory |
|
|
 |
|
Tarkkala fighting hard in Slovakia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
