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FIM World Enduro Championship |
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Round 7 of the World Enduro Championship returned to Krompachy in Slovakia and the course was virtually identical to last years, unfortunately Tom did not have the benefit of that experience but never the less quickly felt at home in conditions, not to dissimilar to Wales. Each 55km lap consisted of a short extreme test which really was more like a very tight cross-country test in a small wood with no real challenges, a typical hillside motocross track of around 5 minutes with a mixture of hard pack and open grass fields and a very long cross-country test of over 9 minutes. The battle in the juniors as usual was among 5 main rivals, Ljunggren, Nambontin, Saga, Oldrati and Bourgouis and the first few laps were very close, Tom's first cross-country test was a little off the pace and dropped him to 4th but as the day progressed he moved to 3rd. His final lap was very encouraging as some rain came and his tests were some of the quickest. At the end of Day 1 Tom took 3rd position but we were confident that for Day 2 we had the speed to fight for the win. Sunday started great with sunshine and drying tests, Tom took command of the first lap from Nambontin and Ljunggren a further 12 seconds back, but as the tests dried Nambontin's MX skills took him into the lead by a few seconds with Tom holding a strong 2nd. The final cross-country test would decide the result, Tom closed in on Nambontin and caught him on the test, maybe Christophe had crashed or had a small problem but Tom admitted afterwards the distraction of seeing his rival took his concentration and he crashed also, loosing time and the first position, he lost over 15 seconds in the crash and this put him back to 3rd. Nambontin was still safe for the win despite his slow test and Ljunggren inherited 2nd. Despite the bad luck Tom remained optimistic because more importantly he shows he has the speed to match and better his rivals, we now look forward to France and the final WEC in two weeks. First we have 4th round of BEC this weekend at Rhyader and it is hoped that David Knight will replace Juha Salminen for this round and add some excitement to the event; David will also be riding a 450 KTM like Tom. Result Day 1: 1. Joakim Ljunggren, Husaberg 450 2. Christophe Nambontin GAS GAS 250 3. Tom Sagar D3-Racing/Farioli KTM 450 Result Day 2: 1. Christophe Nambontin, GAS GAS 250 2. Joakim Ljunggren, Husaberg 45o 3. Tom Sagar D3-Racing/Farioli KTM 450 Next Event: Rhyader BEC, September 8/9th Rd 4 D3-Racing Team Sponsors: Van Bodies Lancaster Ltd, Insight Consultants, KTM UK , Triple-D Motopsport, Metzeler, Motorex, Acerbis, Scott, Sidi, Airoh, KTM Powerwear, Renthal, Regina Chains, WP Suspension, PG Graphics. Mixed weekend for MPS Racing Husqvarna team at WEC GP of Slovakia MPS Racing Husqvarna team riders Daryl Bolter and Si Wakely recorded very mixed fortunes at the seventh round of the ’07 World Enduro Championship, the GP of Slovakia staged in Krompachy, where Bolter claimed a well deserved sixth in the Enduro Junior class on day one before crashing out of the event on day two while Wakely, current leader in the Junior Enduro 2/3 class of the European Enduro Championship, scored two top 10 finishes aboard his WR250. With three rounds of the ’07 WEC series having passed since either Wakely or Bolter competed in the championship both riders were confident of good results following their impressive performances in recent EEC events. But in finishing 15th and 14th on the opening two special tests on day one Bolter made life unnecessarily hard for himself aboard his WR125 but nevertheless steadily improved his pace going on to finish fifth in class on the enduro and motocross tests on lap three. Come the end of the day the former European Enduro Champion placed sixth, just under two minutes behind class leader and defending EJ world champion Joakim Ljunggren. Day two ended before it had a change to begin for Bolter as a slow-speed mistake on the opening enduro test forced him to retire and take a visit to the local hospital. Thinking that he’d broken his right collarbone x-rays revealed ligament damage, which couldn’t have come at a worse time for Bolter ahead of important British and European championship events in the coming weeks. Thankfully the seventh round of the ’07 WEC series ended without injury or accidents for Si Wakely. Determined to improve the results he secured in the Enduro Junior class at the second and third rounds of the series held earlier in the year Si finished ninth on both days. On day one Si rode without mistakes to place three positions behind Bolter having performed best on the event’s extreme test. On day two it was s similar story as Si placed as high as sixth in class on the extreme test, as well as improving his speed on the enduro test. Disappointingly though a below par final motocross test prevented Si finishing higher having been well placed to claim seventh. Daryl Bolter: “Day one went pretty well and I was pleased with sixth. I was enjoying the tests and riding well. The second day was a disaster though. I crashed on the enduro test and tore ligaments in my right shoulder. It was a stupid crash, not that fast, but there was no way I could continue. It couldn’t have come at a worse time with important British and European championship races just around the corner.” Si Wakely: “It’s been a pretty good weekend all in all. Both days went well and I’m fairly happy with ninth on both days. I felt that I rode much better than I did in the world rounds earlier in the season. The extreme test wasn’t as extreme as some of them have been this year and I really enjoyed it, it was a lot like what I practice on at home. The competition was just as fierce as I expected. I need to find two or three seconds a test and that’ll push me up three or four places in the results. But I’m pleased with the way I rode and the event was great preparation for the next round of the British championship.” 2007 World Enduro Championship Rnd 7 Grand Prix of Slovakia – Day 1 Enduro Junior 1. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 51:13.50; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 51:24.62; 3. Tom Sagar (KTM) 51;42.21; 4. Marc Bourgeois (Husqvarna) 52:03.20; 5. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 52:37.88; 6. Daryl Bolter (MPS Racing Husqvarna) 53:06.41; 7. Mirko Gritti (Beta) 53:21.37; 8. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 53:39.44; 9. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 53:43.24; 10. Jeremy Joly (Sherco) 53:53.64… Grand Prix of Slovakia – Day 2 Enduro Junior class 1. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 58:47.11; 2. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 58:52.80; 3. Tom Sagar (KTM) 59:07.40; 4. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 59:07.40; 5. Marc Bourgeois (Husqvarna) 59:46.55; 6. Mirko Gritti (Beta) 1.00:03.07; 7. Carlos Andreu (KTM) 1.01:23.11; 8. Robert Kapajcik (KTM) 1.01:24.98; 9. Si Wakely (Husqvarna) 1.01.27.14; 10. Sylvain Lebrun (Husqvarna) 1.01:33.77… 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. 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, 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 Aubert wins day two at Slovakian WEC UFO Corse Yamaha rider Johnny Aubert moved one step closer to claiming the runner-up position in this years Enduro 2 world championship series by finishing in second position on day one of the GP of Slovakia, before going on to claim his fifth win of the season by dominating the E2 class on day two. In finishing on the podium on both days the Frenchman closed the gap between himself and reigning E2 world champion Samuli Aro, who currently holds the runner-up spot in the E2 series standings. Now, with just one round of the '07 WEC series remaining Aubert is 18 points adrift of second in the E2 class standings with only the final round of the series in France remaining. On day one Aubert came home in an eventual second position, just over 20 seconds behind Finn Mika Ahola after nine demanding special tests. But having won the day's first timed test, before going on to take an early class lead, Aubert looked like the rider to beat. Frustratingly for Aubert the heavens opened shortly before the half way point of the day and with the event's dry special tests became increasingly slippery E2 world championship class leader Ahola move to the front of the class. Continuing to push hard, and going on to win one more test before the end of the day, Aubert claimed a deserved runner-up result and importantly placed ahead of Samuli Aro. Dini. On day two Aubert more than made up for his opening day disappointment. Despite missing out on winning the opening test he went on to win each of the remaining nine timed special tests to place 48 seconds ahead of day one winner Mika Ahola. Collecting wins on the enduro, extreme and motocross tests Johnny again placed ahead of reigning E2 world champion Samuli Aro who, having injured his knee on day one, dropped to fourth. Finishing in seventh and fifth in the E2 class, the GP of Slovakia was also a good event for UFO Corse Yamaha rider Fabrizio Johnny Aubert (UFO Corse Yamaha) Enduro 2 class - Day 1 Second, Day 2 First: "Things started well on day one, but when it started to rain I really struggled. I am not sure if it was because of the front tyre I was using, or if it was just my riding, but I struggled to push as hard as I wanted. I basically made lots of mistakes when it was raining. But second is not so bad so I was pleased with the result. "Day two was a really nice day for me, but it was pretty tough. I think I won about eight special tests, which I am really pleased with. I made only one small mistake in the enduro test on the first lap. It was just a small crash so I didn't lose too much time. I felt good all day and got the result I could have had on day one."
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