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Taddy Blasuziak |
  
Blazusiak rules supreme at home FIM SuperEnduro World Championship 2012 Rnd 2, Lodz, Poland, 10.12.2011 In front of 7,800 enthusiastic Polish indoor enduro fans KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak has maintained his 100 per cent win record in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship securing three main event victories at round two of the series in Lodz, Poland. The first ever international indoor enduro event to be held in Poland, the second and penultimate round of the SuperEnduro series saw Blazusiak once again dominate the proceedings to claim another maximum 60--point haul. With one round of the series remaining, in Barcelona, Spain on February 5th, Taddy holds a 39--point advantage in the championship standings. Despite a sizeable fall during the night’s pre--qualifying races Taddy made his intentions of wanting to continue his championship dominance clear in the opening final by leading from start to finish. Keeping the partisan crowd entertained throughout all finals Taddy quickly worked his way to the front in the second main event, having started last as a result of the reversed start order. The night’s third and last final again saw Blazusiak dominate as he rounded the first turn in the lead before going on to claim the chequered flag as the deserved winner. Round three of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship takes place in Barcelona, Spain, on February 5th 2012.
The track was a little easier than in Genoa, but it made for some great racing. Just like in Genoa getting good starts was important and I managed to do that. In the first race I made a small mistake and Jonny Walker got close to me for a few laps but by the end of the race I had a pretty decent lead so I was happy with the way that race went. The second race was the reversed start order, which I knew would make things tricky. But I went for a few ballsy passes on the first lap, which paid off, and I hit the front on lap two. Once I was in the lead I settled down a bit and the second half of the race went really well. The third final was perfect. I got the holeshot and lead from start to finish to make it a perfect night. It really has been an amazing event, and the perfect way for me to bring the year to an end.’ Results – 2012 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 2 SuperEnduro Final 1 1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 08:24.733; 2. Jonny Walker (KTM); 3. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas); 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg); 5. Alex Salvini (Husqvarna); 6. Xavier Galindo (Husaberg); 7. Cristobal Guerrero (KTM); 8. Alfredo Gomez (Husaberg); 9. Dougie Lampkin (Gas Gas); 10. Mike Hartman (Husaberg)… SuperEnduro Final 2 1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 8:23.782; 2. Jonny Walker (KTM); 3. Xavier Galindo (Husaberg); 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg); 5. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas); 6. Mike Hartman (Husaberg); 7. Cristobal Guerrero (KTM); 8. Alex Salvini (Husqvarna); 9. Dougie Lampkin (Gas Gas); 10. Alfredo Gomez (Husaberg)… SuperEnduro Final 3 1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 08:18.218; 2. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg); 3. Jonny Walker (KTM); 4. Alex Salvini (Husqvarna); 5. Xavier Galindo (Husaberg); 6. Cristobal Guerrero (KTM); 7. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas); 8. Mike Hartman (Husaberg); 9. Alfredo Gomez (Husaberg); 10. Dougie Lampkin (Gas Gas)…
KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak made the perfect start to his 2012 FIM Super Enduro campaign as the recently crowned AMA Endurocross champion dominated round one of the former Indoor Enduro World Championship series held inside the Genoa Palasport Fiera stadium in Italy. With Blazusiak claiming victory in all three finals he now comfortably leads the championship with 60--points to his credit. Having wrapped up the AMA Endurocross series just one week earlier in Las Vegas, Taddy arrived in Genoa as the pre--race favourite and immediately made his intentions known by recording the fastest lap in timed practice. With the top 11 riders in the series already guaranteed a place in the finals, the qualifying heats simply determined start positions for the main events. Crashing in the first corner of his heat race Taddy remounted in last position but quickly set about slicing his way through the field to take a hard fought victory. Knowing a good start would be crucial in securing winning results, Blazusiak was first out of the starting gates in each of the three Super Enduro finals. With a clear track ahead of him Blazusiak charged hard to lay down his fastest laps of the night in the early stages of all three finals, while opening up commanding leads. Controlling the races from the front, Taddy ended his night as the clear and deserved winner of the opening round of the FIM Super Enduro World Championship, taking with it the maximum possible 60 points. With the series now heading to his home country of Poland in two weeks time all eyes will again be focused on the KTM rider to see if he can keep his winning streak alive. Round two of the FIM Super Enduro World Championship takes place in Lodz, Poland, on December 10th. Taddy: ‘It's been an amazing start to my championship -- winning each of the Super Enduro finals has been the best possible way that I could start the series. Tonight my starts were perfect and I think that helped make my results possible. Getting out front straight away I was able to control my own race, avoid any trouble, and just ride comfortably. By winning all three races I couldn't have asked for any more and now with my home race in Poland in a couple of weeks time it gives me a lot of motivation to continue working hard for another good result.’
Headed into the last round of the series, and the only event to feature two point-scroing main events, Taddy held a commanding championship advantage and needed little time to show exactly why he’s been the year’s stand-out performer. Although not posting the fastest time during the qualifying Hot Lap session, Blazusiak once again comfortably won his heat race to transfer into the main events. Knowing that just a handful of points woud be enough from the first of the night’s two finals to see him crowned champion for a third year running, Taddy took an instant lead and quickly asserted himself at the front of the race. With 10 punishing laps to complete Taddy remained mistake free and in reaching the chequered flag first brought his 2011 Endurocross campaign to a deservedly successful close. With the championship his Taddy was then able to race the second main event safe in the knowledge that no matter what happened the championship was his. Making light work of the course and his rivals Blazusiak was soon out front in the second main event going on to make it eight main event wins from eight starts in 2011, cementing his position as the world’s fastest indoor enduro racer. Taddy now turns his attentions to the opening round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, which starts next weekend, November 26, in Genoa Italy. Taddy: ‘Winning the final two main events of the championship is the perfect way to end the series. It’s been an amazing championship and to get my third Endurocross #1 plate is just great – I have to say a massive thank you to everyone that’s been involved in my championship success. I kept working hard coming into this race so I felt pretty confident, but the track was tight and I knew the racing was going to be close. Thankfully, everything went pretty much perfectly. I got two great starts, didn’t make any mistakes, and managed to complete a perfect season of eight main event wins. I’m so pleased that I’ve been able to win the championship, it’s been one hell of a year and to get another AMA title is just fantastic. I head straight back to Europe now for the opening race of the SuperEnduro World Championship this coming weekend, which I’m really looking forward to.’
Spending little time on a bike following his participation in the penultimate round of the Enduro World Championship held in Andorra, Taddy arrived at the fourth round of the Endurocross tour with high hopes of maintaining his winning ways. The fastest rider on track from the first practice session, Blazusiak remained as the night's fastest competitor topping the Hot Laps session, comfortably winning his heat race, before firing out of the start gate and into what would soon become a comfortable lead in the main event. Making one mistake mid-way through the final, Taddy needed less than two laps to rebuild his lead, claiming the chequered flag some 10 seconds ahead of his nearest rival. Taddy now holds a 39-point advantage at the top of the 2011 Endurocross points standings. Round five of the 2011 Endurocross series takes place at the National Western Complex in Denver, CO, on October 1. Taddy: "Just about everything was great this weekend, I really couldn't have asked for anything more. From the start of the first practice session I felt great and the more time I spent on the track the more I was sure I could win. I'd not spent too much time on a bike after the Enduro World Championship race I competed in two weeks ago but it didn't make any difference to my riding. The first and second practice sessions both went really well and then I got a time two seconds faster than anyone in the Hot Laps session, which was great. I knew that as long as I didn't make any mistakes I'd be able to claim another main event win. Things went well in my qualifying race - my bike was awesome and I felt really strong. Getting the holeshot in the main event really made things much easier for me. I made one silly mistake, which meant I lost the advantage I'd opened up, but it wasn't long before I was clear out front again. It was a great night. I have a pretty good points lead now so I'll just keep pushing at the next round and see what happens." Results - Endurocross 2011, Rnd 4
Landing back in Europe the Tuesday before the event following his third successive 2011 Endurocross victory, Blazusiak made a great start to the opening day’s competition but frustratingly ended up sixth having found it hard to readjust to EWC competition. With fierce competition in the Enduro 2 class, on day two Taddy found his rhythm and produced a much-improved performance, earning fifth behind EWC regulars Cristobal Guerrero, Ivan Cervantes, Antoine Meo and Pela Renet. Taddy’s next event is the fourth round of the US Endurocross series, in Ontario, CA, on September 17. Taddy Blazusiak: ‘Overall I’m pretty pleased, especially when
you consider that I came here straight from the US just for a one-off race. It
took me a while to find my rhythm because Enduro World Championship events are
very different to Endurocross, which is what I’ve been focusing on recently.
I struggled a little on day one and I finished sixth, which I was a little bit
disappointed with. Day two went much better and I finished fifth, but I was
fourth just before the start of the fifth lap. I backed off a little bit
during the last two laps because I felt like I was riding a little too close
to my limit. With things going really well in Endurocross I didn’t want to
take any risks. I only backed off a little bit but my times dropped off quite
a lot. Normally, I look forward to the extreme test, that’s where I’m able
to make up some time, but we only had two timed runs on the extreme test
during the whole weekend. Enduro World Championship 2011 Grand Prix of Andorra – Day one Enduro 2 1. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 32.21:71; 2. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas) 32.24:43; 3. Pela Renet (Husaberg) 32.32:73; 4. Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) 32.34:82; 5. Seb Bozzo (Kawasaki) 33.16:28; 6. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 33.41:91 Enduro World Championship 2011 Grand Prix of Andorra – Day two Enduro 2 1. Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) 42.00:36; 2. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas) 42.03:81; 3. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 42.18:46; 4. Pela Renet (Husaberg) 42.46:14; 5. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 43.32.31
KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak has further extended his lead in the 2011 US Endurocross championship claiming his third straight main event win at round three of the series held in Indianapolis, IN. Once again taking charge of the 10-lap main event Blazusiak claimed a comfortable win to extend his championship advantage to 22 points. With the opening three rounds of the ’11 Endurocross championship taking place within a five week period, Taddy now heads back to Europe where he will race a 350 EXC-F machine in the Enduro 2 class at the penultimate round of the Enduro World Championship in Andorra. We caught up with the Polish indoor enduro star shortly before he jetted off back to Europe to find out more about his hugely successful start to the US Endurocross campaign and his return to the EWC… Q: Congratulations on a third consecutive Endurocross win, how was the event in Indy? TB: ‘The event went really well, I got a third straight win and I extended my championship lead so it was pretty much perfect. The track was much easier than the first two rounds, so I knew good starts would be important. Unfortunately, I made a small problem during the hot laps session and lost four seconds when I got stuck on the tyres. I finished seventh, which wasn’t ideal, but still managed to have a good heat race. By winning that and having the fastest heat race time I got the first gate pick for the final. I started in second but kept out of trouble during the first lap and dropped to third for a while. But I was soon battling with Mike Brown and after a few laps moved into the lead. It was 10 laps of 100 per cent effort with no mistakes and a winning result, which I was really pleased with.’ Q: With three wins from three events you must be pleased with the way your championship campaign’s started? TB: ‘Definitely, it couldn’t have gone any better. Like every rider I wanted to start the series by winning, which I’ve been able to do at the first three races now. I feel really good on the 350, and feel like my fitness is better than ever. And I’m really enjoying the races. Everything’s come together perfectly and I hope I can continue winning.’ Q: Switching to KTM’s 350 four-stroke seems to be working well, what is it that you like about the bike so much? TB: ‘I switched because I was looking for a new challenge after a lot of years on a two-stroke. When I first tested the bike I liked it. The bike’s great off the start, which is really important for Endurocross. It’s also incredibly fast out of the corners. And it’s light enough that it doesn’t feel too different to my old two strokes. I was sure I’d be faster on the 350 and so far things are working out really well.’ Q: You’ve had some mixed fortunes during the Hot Laps sessions at Endurocross, how important are they to you? TB: The Hot Lap sessions are really important. That determines you gate pick for the heat race and that result determines your gate pick for the final. It’s hard getting one lap perfect, especially for me. You have to push hard but not too hard. Maybe sometimes I try a little too hard, or other riders have a little more luck than me. But so far this year I’ve finished with the first, second and seventh fastest times. I’m happy with that.’ Q: With three events in five weeks it’s certainly been a busy start to the ’11 Endurocross series, have you enjoyed the week-on, weekoff schedule? TB: ‘I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s been cool having a race every second weekend. I knew I was ready for the first round of the series, so having three in a row hasn’t been a problem for me. I like it because you stay in race mode. You stay focused on the next race and don’t feel like you have to wait weeks before you’re back racing again.’ Q: You head back to Europe now but going straight back into competition at the penultimate EWC event of the year. What are your expectations for that race? TB: ‘I’m just looking forward to racing the 350 outdoors for the first time. I’ve done plenty of outdoor training on the bike but not raced it yet. The Enduro World Championship events are very different to indoor races, but I’ll be giving it everything. It’ll be the first time I’ve raced in the Enduro 2 class but with all my training being focused towards Endurocross I’m not expecting too much of myself. I just want to have fun and enjoy the event.’ Q: You’ve managed to open up a good lead in the Endurocross championship, are you thinking about the title yet? TB: ‘I’m always thinking about the title because that’s the thing I work so hard to try and win each year. I have a 22-point lead now so I can’t just keep going all out for race wins now, I have to think about the championship. My goal for the next four races is to get on the podium each time. If I feel I can win then I’ll push to win but maintaining my championship lead is the most important thing now.’ Round four of the 2011 Endurocross series takes place at the Citizens bank Arena, Ontario, CA, on September 17. Taddy wins AMA Endurocross round two KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak has extended his lead at the top of the 2011 AMA Endurocross series by winning the second round of the championship held in Everett, WA. Making it two wins from two starts, Blazusiak, who powered his way to victory at the opening round of the series following a trip to the Last Chance Qualifier race, enjoyed a much less frantic night and again proved his dominance in Endurocross racing. Riding KTM's 350cc four-stroke Blazusiak immediately got to grips with the Everett track setting the fastest time during the Hot Laps qualifying session. Placing ahead of Geoff Aaron and Graham Jarvis, Taddy then made light work of his qualifying race claiming a comfortable win to breeze into the final without problems. Forced to cautiously make his way through the opening few laps at the first round of the series due to being one of the last riders to line up for the start, second time around Taddy blasted out of the gate and into an early lead. Managing to avoid the hustle and bustle of the early laps, Taddy was followed by the likes of Mike Brown, Cody Webb and Geoff Aaron. But while his rivals battled one another the two-time Endurocross champion was able to break away at the front of the race. Steadily extending his lead Taddy was able to complete a trouble free race, eventually lapping up to the third placed rider. Claiming the chequered flag for the second time in two races, the Polish rider secured another maximum 30 point score. Round three of the 2011 Endurocross series takes place at the Pepsi Coliseum, Indianapolis, IN, on August 26, a part of the Moto GP weekend. Taddy: 'Everything went to plan this time, not like at X Games where I had to go to the LCQ. The first round of the series was amazing, and to win the first Endurocross event at X Games was unbelievable, but it's good that things are kind of back to normal now. There's always a lot of pressure at the first race of any championship and X Games was pretty crazy. I made a few mistakes there so I wanted to get back to how things were last year this weekend - getting a good Hot Laps time in before winning my qualifying race to get a good gate pick for the main event. That's what I was able to do, and it made things much, much easier for me. I got a great start in the final and just focused on getting a few good laps completed without mistakes. The riders behind me were at each other, which I guess helped me a bit, and I was able to pull away. I just made sure I didn't make any mistakes and tried to ride smart. Everything worked out great, I hope I can keep it that way at the next round in two weeks.' Results - 1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 2. Geoff Aaron (Honda/Christini) 3. Cody Webb (Beta) 4. Mike Brown (KTM) 5. Graham Jarvis (Husaberg) Taddy’s the man at Endurocross Rnd 1 Starting the defence of his Endurocross championship in the best possible way Taddy Blazusiak has won the opening round of the 2011 series staged at the Staple Centre in Los Angeles, CA, on Saturday night. Claiming gold at the first ever X Games Endurocross event, Blazusiak was made to work hard for his winning result as he failed to qualify for the main event from his heat race, forced instead to qualify through the LCQ race. The second fastest rider during the pre-qualifying ‘hot laps’ session, Blazusiak was struck from behind soon after the start of his qualifying race, which dropped him to the back of the field. Battling his way back up to third, Taddy was forced to race the LCQ – a race he had to win in order to make it through into the main event. Thankfully a strong ride saw him pass into the main. Cautiously making his way through the opening lap Taddy quickly set about working his way into the lead. Feeling the best he had all night he moved into the #1 position after only a handful of laps before opening up a 10 second advantage at the head of the race, claiming a well-deserved and hard fought victory. Round two of the 2011 Endurocross series takes place at the Comcast Arena, Everett, WA, on August 13. Taddy: ‘Winning is exactly the result I wanted but it was a seriously tough night. The main event went really well, and the night started well, but my qualifying race was a disaster and having to ride the LCQ wasn’t something I was planning on doing either. I got the second fastest time during the hot laps session, which I was happy with. I made a few mistakes but it went well. I got a great start in my qualifying session then got hit from behind on the first log section, which put me right at the back of the pack. I had a wild couple of laps after that but then got things together and started to put some good lap times together. But I got third and had to go to the LCQ because the qualifying procedure was a little different to normal. That race went well but I got a really bad pick of the gate in the main event. I saw a gap in the first turn of the main and went for it off the start, which moved me up to about fourth or fifth. At the end of the first lap I was third. I felt like I was riding well then and pushed hard. I worked my way into the lead and really enjoyed the second half of the race. The event was awesome, but hard work. Riding the 350cc four-stoke worked out great, I loved it. I have to head back to Poland now, just for a few days, but will soon be back in the States for the second round of Endurocross.’ Results – Enduro cross 2011, Rnd 1 1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 2. Mike Brown (KTM) 3. Justin Soule (Kawasaki) 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 5. Geoff Aaron (Honda-Christini) 6. Destry Abbott (Kawasaki) 7. Kurt Caselli (KTM) 8. Cody Webb (Beta) 9. Taylor Robert (Kawasaki) 10. Kevin Rookstool (KTM) ‘11 Enduro World Championship 2011, Preview CATCHING UP WITH TADDY Recently crowned as the .11 Indoor Enduro World Champion Taddy Blazusiak is about to switch disciplines and turn his attentions to the Enduro World Championship and this weekend's GP of Spain. Here's what the Polish KTM factory rider had to say about his upcoming return to the EWC… Firstly Taddy, the premature end to the '11 Indoor Enduro World Championship must be something you're disappointed about, but on the flip side you must be thrilled to have won the title? Taddy: .It's always sad when a championship gets cancelled early. My job is to compete in the races and do as best I can, which I did. What happened with the last two races getting cancelled was out of my hands, but I'm happy that I won the title. I had to ride with broken ribs at the first round after I crashed, and I'm so pleased I did now. If I hadn't I wouldn't have been able to win the title. I'd have loved more races, and hopefully things will get sorted out for next year. But I got the title and I'm thrilled about that.' Did the early cancelation of the IEWC series change your plans in any way? Taddy: .Not so much. Obviously, I was planning on sticking to my indoor enduro training until the series was over, when it finished early it gave me three or four weeks to have a little fun and mix my training up a little. I've been able to get some great training done with no pressure at all.' The '11 Enduro World Championship kicks off this weekend, which you're competing in. Was that always your plan? Taddy: .Yes, I was always planning on doing some EWC races, like I did last year. The only thing that's different is that I've been brought into the KTM Enduro Factory Team this year, I'm not an additional rider. Other than that not a lot's changed. I'm still the indoor and extreme enduro rider, I'm just doing some EWC races as well. The events I raced last year went well, so I'm hoping for some more good results this year. I'll race Spain, Portugal and Italy and see how things are going.” So far you've enjoyed good results in the opening rounds of the Italian and Spanish Enduro championships, were you surprised by your results? Taddy: .I wasn't really surprised because I've been working hard to improve my speed over the last three years, but I think some people were surprised. The first Italian race was great. I used the event to test the bike for the world championship as I'm riding a 300 and not a 250, like at the indoor races. There was no extreme test, which made the result of fourth overall even better for me. It was a very positive race for me.' Last weekend saw the first Spanish Enduro Championship event. Did you expect a result as good as second overall there? Taddy: .I didn't really go into the event expecting or wanting to finish with any definite result, but I'm pleased it went so well. I was the fastest E3 class rider and was leading until the mid-way stage of the event. I made some mistakes because I was trying too hard, that's when I dropped from first to third. I got back to second, which I'm really pleased with.' So what are you expecting from this weekend's GP of Spain? Taddy: .It's going to be tough but my approach will be the same as for all events – I'm just going to do my best. I have my title, the IEWC title, so there's no pressure on me really. I'll give it my all and see how it goes. I know my speed is good, my bike is great, and my fitness is good, too. I'm not too worried about my result but I'll give 100 per cent and see how it goes, I'm really looking forward to it.'
KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak endured a challenging first round of the 2011 FIM Indoor Enduro World Championships staged in Genoa, Italy, as two crashes in the night's first final left the Polish rider severely beaten up and with a mild concussion. With a simple fall dropping him into the mid-pack, Taddy then came up short on the track's triple jump, which fired him and his bike into the ground. Thankfully able to continue, but with handlebars bent so badly that his bike was almost unrideable, Taddy salvaged a ninth place result. Aggravating a shoulder injury picked up at the start of the year Taddy fell in the second final while leading. Unable to raise his left elbow due to pain from his shoulder, Taddy simply lost his front end but quickly remounted to claim second behind Finland's Mika Ahola. Somehow managing to save his best until the third final Taddy lead from start to finish to claim an impressive win. Despite his disappointing ninth place result in the first final Blazusiak sits third in the IEWC series standings, just eight points behind leader Ahola. Taddy Blazusiak: 'I'm sure a lot of people would have been expecting me to win, and of course that's what I wanted, but my style is always to push as hard as I can, to give 100 per cent, and tonight it didn't quite work out. I had two crashes in the first final - the first was a simply indoor enduro fall where I lost my front wheel after hitting a log. But the second was much bigger. I was riding with a good pace and was sure I could get back to the front but I lost some traction on the take off of the triple jump and came up short. I knew that doing the triple had its risks and when I came up a little short it fired me and my bike into the ground. After that I just tried to score as many points as possible on a really bent and twisted bike. My shoulder was really sore after that crash so I was struggling a bit on the second race. I didn't have a loft of power in the shoulder and I just ended up on the ground again when I was leading. I got back to second, which was ok. The last race was the perfect way to end the night. I pulled the holeshot and then stayed out front and upright all race. I felt like my speed was good enough to win all three races but after my first final crash to still be third in the championship is really good. There's still a long way to go in the series and retaining my IEWC title is still my number one goal.' Results - 2011 Indoor Enduro World Championship, Rnd 1 Championship standings - 2011 Indoor Enduro World Championship
US
Endurocross, Rnd 6, Las Vegas, NV, 20.11.2010 Taddy Blazusiak has won the '10 AMA Endurocross champion, successfully defending his '09 title following a near perfect night in Las Vegas. Carrying a 21-point lead into the sixth and final round of the series Blazusiak was focused on ending the championship in style and dominated the event to rightfully take his place at the top of championship standings. Unable to maximise his chances of wrapping up the championship at the
penultimate round of the series, Taddy made sure he arrived at the Vegas final
100 per cent ready to clinch the title. And in posting the fastest time during
the qualifying Hot Lap session, he showed he was ready to do exactly that.
Then going on to comfortably win his heat race Taddy moved into the main event
confident of championship success. Taddy now heads to Genoa, Italy this coming weekend (November 27) where he will start the defence of his Indoor Enduro World Championship title. Taddy Blazusiak: 'I couldn't be happier with the way the Las Vegas final went. I was a little disappointed not to have won the championship at the penultimate race, but in some ways wrapping up another Endurocross championship in Vegas is the best place to do it. I felt strong right from the start of the event. I knew I couldn't afford any mistakes, but being cautious isn't my style. I really wanted to win the championship with another victory and that was what I managed to do. I enjoyed the whole night. Getting the fastest time in the Hot Laps session was a great start and then when I won my heat race I was really looking forward to the main event. There's not too much to say about the main event. I gated well, quickly got into the lead and then just started putting good laps together. I just didn't want to make any mistakes and slowly started to move ahead at the front. Winning the Endurocross title again feels great. I have to say a big thanks to everyone who's supported me, to all my sponsors, my mechanic, and the fans that cheered me on at each round of the series. I head straight into the first round of the Indoor Enduro World Championship now, so I'll have to wait a while before I start celebrating winning the Endurocross title.' Results Rnd 6 - '10 AMA Endurocross championship Final championship standings - '10 AMA Endurocross championship
‘10
US Endurocross, Rnd 5 Taddy Blazusiak's hopes of wrapping up the '10 US Endurocross championship at the penultimate round of the series in Denver were dealt a cruel blow as the KTM Enduro Factory Team racer was unable to place higher than fifth in the event's final due to a damaged front brake. Hopeful of continuing his winning ways and securing the title prior to the championship's final event in Las Vegas at the end of November, Taddy posted a qualifying lap time nearly two seconds faster than any other rider before going on to top his heat race ahead of the main event. With the main event starting in the best possible way as the Polish ace as he claimed the holeshot Taddy soon ran into troubles as a damaged front brake system slowed his pace. Doing his best to remain in contention with the front-runners, Taddy dropped back to fifth - an impressive result considering he'd ridden the majority of the race with no front brake. The sixth and final round of the US Endurocross series takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 20. Taddy Blazusiak: 'Of course I'm disappointed that things didn't go the way I hoped they would, but that's racing. What happened to my front brake is just one of those things. Everything else went really well and my bike and riding was good. With Endurocross racing so many things can happen and having won the first four rounds of the series I guess it was my turn to have a small problem. It's not really a big deal, after all it's not like I got injured. It just means that I have to wait until the final round of the series in Las Vegas to try and win the title. Before I got my front brake problem I'd got the fastest lap time in qualifying and then won my heat race, I even got another holeshot in the main event. It could easily have been another perfect night, it just didn't quite work out that way.' Results - Endurocross '10, Rnd 5
Claiming his fourth consecutive win in the '10 US Endurocross championship KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak has further extended his lead at the top of the prestigious indoor enduro series. Picking up win #4 inside the Comcast Arena in Everett, WA, Blazusiak maintained his so far perfect season despite a mistake early in the night's final, which forced him to work his way from mid-pack to battle past early race leader Geoff Aaron and into the lead. Third fastest in the Hot Laps qualifying session Taddy claimed yet another heat race win to move into the final as favourite to top the main event podium. Claiming the all-important holeshot before launching himself off the track Taddy was forced to fight his way back towards the race leaders. Needing just one lap to pick-up the second place position, Blazusiak moved ahead of Geoff Aaron on lap seven and then steadily pulled away. Claiming the chequered flag for the fourth time in four finals so far this year Taddy once again proved to be simply too strong for his rivals. Round five of the US Endurocross series, where Blazusiak can win the '10 US Endurocross title, takes place in Denver, CO on October 30. Taddy Blazusiak: 'This was a much more eventful final that at the
earlier rounds of the championship, but I got the win again so I'm happy. It
was fun having to work my way to the front. The last few races I've had good
starts and lead from the front - having to think about passing riders made it
interesting. It didn't take me long to get up behind Geoff Aaron and although
it took a wh Results - Endurocross '10, Rnd 4
Taddy
Blazusiak withdraws from The Tough One Suffering with a bad dose of Flu, and having been put on antibiotics and
advised to do nothing else other than rest for the next seven days by his
doctor, Blazusiak will remain at his home in Poland. With The Tough One being
the final extreme event of the ‘09/'10 winter season Taddy is obviously
disappointed not to be racing but will be back in '11. Taddy Blazusiak: "It goes without saying that I'm really disappointed that I can't compete this weekend. But if I'm not 100 per cent then there is no point in me racing. The Though One is a great race and like all extreme races you have to be fully fit and healthy to perform at your best. I had a great time at the event last year, and I'm sure that Steve and his team will put on another great event this year. It wouldn't be right to start the event knowing that there's little chance of me being able to ride at 100 per cent for the full race."
Finishing 31 seconds ahead of his nearest rival during his qualifying race Taddy made the demanding Genoa course look easy. Claiming the holeshot in the opening final Taddy was never headed and claimed a commanding win. In the second final Poland's number one enduro racer was made to work hard for his winning result as a less than perfect start was followed by a fall on the opening lap. Quickly chasing down race leader Cervantes, Taddy went on to win the race following his best performance of the night. In the third final Taddy enjoyed a relatively trouble free race and in winning remains unbeaten so far in the '10 IEWC series. Taddy now heads to Australia for some well-earned rest and relaxation. 'I didn't feel that good during the first practice session but I soon got into things and, well, everything worked out perfectly. I was really struggling with all of the right hand corners because I didn't want to put my foot down. One thing that helped me again was my starts. I had a great start in the first race and got the holeshot, but I accelerated too hard out of the gate in the second race, lost traction, and paid the price. 'Then I fell and about three riders all landed on my bad knee. But I knew that if I didn't make any other mistakes I'd be able to get to the front, which I did. Then the third final went well again so I won all three races like I did in Sheffield. I'm heading to Australia now to first take a few weeks off and relax before starting riding again ready for the third IEWC event in Spain.' Results - '10 IEWC series standings after two rounds
US Endurocross Rnd 6, Las Vegas, NV, 21.11.2009 KTM Enduro Factory Team / Red Bull rider Taddy Blazusiak brought his participation in the '09 US Endurocross series to a close this past weekend when he placed fifth in the final round staged within the Orleans Arena, Las Vegas. The already crowned Endurocross champion topped his qualifying heat after falling in the first turn but was unable to claim victory in the main event. Third exiting the first corner Taddy pushed hard to move into the lead but his hopes of winning were soon ended. Opting to take the inside line around a corner he was struck by one of his rivals injuring his knee. Forced to ride the nearly the whole event in pain Taddy placed fifth, a disappointing result for the '09 US Endurocross champion. Taddy's next event will be the second round of the Indoor Enduro World Cup, which takes place in Genoa on December 5. Taddy Blazusiak: "Considering how well the rest of the championship went it's disappointing that things ended with a fifth place result, but I guess that's how it goes sometimes. The important thing for me is that I managed to win the championship. That was my goal, and it's great knowing that I achieved that. The evening started pretty well with getting the second fastest time during the hot lap session. I made one small mistake so I was happy with that. My heat race was a good workout. I went down in the first corner and had to push really hard after that. I managed to come back from last to win so I knew I was riding well. "I felt good ahead of the final. A lot of people were talking about the money that I could win, but I really just wanted a good result to end the championship well. I got a good start and was third coming out of the first corner, but then things didn't go so well. I took an inside line around one of the corners about half may through the first lap and Ricky Dietrich slammed into me. I had my leg out as I was riding over a log, and my knee folded. I was in a lot of pain and couldn't push hard after that. It's not how I wanted to end the series but there's not much I can do about it now. I head back to Europe soon so I'll be busy in the coming weeks getting ready for the IEWC race in Italy." Results - US Endurocross Rnd 6 '09
US Endurocross Rnd 5, Denver, Co, 24.10.2009 KTM Enduro Factory Team / Red Bull rider Taddy Blazusiak is the 2009 US Endurocross champion. Dominating the series since it's start back in late June, Taddy secured his first AMA Endurocross title with yet another winning result. Posting the fastest time in the event's Hot Lap qualifying session, before going on to win his heat race having lead from start to finish, Blazusiak then won the penultimate round of the series to put his name to the prestigious title. Starting well in the main event Taddy spent the opening lap battling with Geoff Aaron before making a pass over the tyre section. Then pursued by Colton Haaker, Taddy stuck to his game plan and maintained a pace he was comfortable with. Edging ahead of Haaker as the race progressed Taddy kept himself out of trouble and claimed his fourth win of the season. In doing so he became the '09 AMA Endurocross champion. Taddy now heads back to Europe for this weekend's opening round of the Indoor Enduro World Cup, which takes pace in Sheffield, England. Taddy Blazusiak: "I think this was the best race of my life. It went better than I even hoped it would. From setting the fastest Hot Lap to winning my heat to getting the win in the main, just about everything went perfectly. It's a massive relief to have secured the title before the final in Vegas and I'm so pleased the championship's mine. Getting the holeshot in the main was exactly what I wanted to do. The track was pretty fast so it was important to be up front early on. I must have changed places with Geoff Aaron about three times during the first lap. I'd been jumping the tyre section all night, which Aaron hadn't, so I knew it was my chance to pass him. Unfortunately we came together and he went down. "Colton Haaker was riding really well and was with me for a few laps after that. I could see exactly where he was and just kept my own pace. The track was great fun, not too technical and quite fast. I'm so pleased that the championship's mine. The pressure is off now, which is great because I can really focus on the Indoor Enduro World Cup race this coming weekend now, as well as going to final round of the Endurocross championship in Vegas and just going for it. If I win there I'll get $50'000, which would be a great end to the series. The important thing is that I have the championship. I have to say a big thank you to all of my sponsors and my mechanic." Results - US Endurocross Rnd 5 '09 Taddy runner-up at US Endurocross Rnd 4 2009 US Endurocross series points leader Taddy Blazusiak has claimed his fourth consecutive podium result, this time finishing second in Columbus, Ohio. Winner of the opening three rounds of the series the KTM Enduro Factory Team/Red Bull rider once again dominated the Hot Lap qualifying session where he placed comfortably ahead of his closest rival. Passing through his heat race after falling at the first turn, Blazusiak was the fastest rider in the main event, but was unfortunate not to win. Getting caught up in the first corner Taddy then tangled with another rider mid-way around the opening lap while Geoff Aaron took the lead. Quickly into his rhythm Taddy worked his way up to and past Aaron before a mistake in the 'fire wood' section dropped him back to second. With only a few laps remaining Taddy caught back up to Aaron but was unable to claim a fourth straight victory. Taddy nevertheless still holds a healthy advantage in the series points standings. Taddy Blazusiak: "Although I would have loved to have won again, I'm more than happy with my performances and result from Ohio. It was bad luck rather than bad riding that cost me the win. My goal at the start of the series was to be on the podium at every race, and so far I've done that. "I really felt great on my bike all night. I got the fastest time in the Hot Lap qualifying session and then won my heat race. I went down in the first corner and was leading by the end of the first lap, which I was really pleased about. In the main event I got a reasonable start but then got hung up in the first corner. I got caught up with someone on the first lap and was in about fourth or firth. I managed to work my way into the lead but caught a log in the fire wood section, which brought me down. I was able to catch back up to Geoff but I just ran out of time to pass him. Like I said I'm more than pleased with finishing as runner-up. I can't wait until the next round of the championship now." Results - US Endurocross Rnd 4 '09 US Endurocross - mid-season interview, 21.9.2009 Looking forward with confidence… There’s little denying that Taddy Blazusiak has taken the ’09 US Endurocross championship by storm. At the half way stage of the six-round series the KTM factory rider is almost 30 points ahead of his nearest rival. Coming back from the horrific facial injury he sustained at the second round of the ’08 series, Taddy is now performing at his best and looking forward to the second half of the US Endurocross championship... Last year was particularly difficult following your serious facial injury, do you feel that’s 100 per cent behind you now? Taddy: ‘At the start of ’08 I was looking to have a great season. I thought I was 100 per cent ready, and hungry to win. But my injury took a lot out of me. I really suffered a lot. I kept telling myself that I was ok, that I was getting stronger and that I was fit enough to race, but I was a long way from being where I needed to be. Now things are really good. I can feel that I am stronger and fitter than I’ve ever been. It’s taken me one-year to get over my injury and it’s only now that I feel really good on a bike again. I think that’s showing in my results. The big difference is that because my fitness is good now I’m fresh all the way through my races. You make mistakes when you get tired, so being able to stay relaxed in the last laps of a race makes a big difference. I put in a lot of work before the season started, which is really paying off now.’ So far things have gone perfectly for you as far as the US Endurocross series is concerned, you must be thrilled with winning each of the opening three races? Taddy: ‘It’s been great. My goal at the start of the season was to win the championship. To do that I need podiums at every event. Winning the first three races is a real bonus. The level of racing is extremely high so I never expected to be as successful as I’ve been. The first race was great. It was my mistake that made that final as close as it was at the finish. The second round went perfectly, and the third round was exactly what I hoped for as well. Things have really come together – my fitness, my bike, my confidence, everything.’ A lot of people were expecting yourself and Ricky Dietrich to battle it out for the ’09 title. Are you disappointed your expected number one rival has been out injured? Taddy: ‘Injuries are a part of our sport, I guess I know that better than most. To win a championship you have to be fast, fit and healthy, which means trying to avoid injuries. I’d love to have been racing with Ricky at the second and third rounds of the series. He’ll be back for the next round, so I’m looking forward to that. My focus is winning the championship so I’m not going to take any crazy risks to win races. I have a solid championship lead, which I want to look after.’ Late October sees the start of the Indoor Enduro World Cup, have you started preparing for that yet? Taddy: ‘Yes, I’ve been getting my bike set up in Europe for a while now. I’m really looking forward to the start of that championship. Last year I was coming back from injury and finished second. I’m looking forward to racing against the best riders in Europe, hopefully fully fit. The tracks and racing is different to in the States. I’m really looking forward to the first race in the UK.’ Finally, you have three rounds of the US Endurocross series remaining, and the chance to win $50’000 if you top the Triple Crown, what is your plan for the second half of the series? Taddy: ‘$50’000 is a lot of money, a great bonus if I’m able to win it, but the championship is what’s really important to me. My goal is to secure the number one plate. Now I have such a good championship lead winning races gets harder because I have to think about the title. I’m going to be pushing hard at the final races, I want to win for KTM, Red Bull, and all my sponsors and fans, but the championship is the biggest prize. That’s what I’m really after.’ Round four of the US Endurocross series takes place in Columbus, Ohio on October 4. US Endurocross Rnd 3, Florence, South Carolina, 12.9.2009 Taddy wins again…tops US Endurocross Rnd 3 KTM Enduro Factory Team Red Bull rider Taddy Blazusiak remains unbeaten in the '09 US Endurocross series after claiming his third consecutive victory in Florence, South Carolina. Earning himself a hard fought win at the opening round of the championship in Las Vegas before then going on to dominate the second round of the series in Oklahoma, Blazusiak enjoyed a relatively straight forward night in South Carolina, despite failing to claim the holeshot in the main event. Setting the fastest time during the qualifying hot lap session, Blazusiak moved through into the final with little trouble. Confident of a winning result the KTM factory rider quickly worked his way to the front of the race, where he remained until he claimed the chequered flag. Canadian Cory Graffunder put most pressure on Taddy but once past the mid-way stage of the race Blazusiak opened up a comfortable lead and remained unchallenged as he picked up win number three of the '09 US Endurocross season. Taddy Blazusiak: "Winning the first three
rounds of the US Endurocross championship is great, things just keep going
well for me. I went home for a few weeks after the second round of the
series to rest a little and I'm feeling really good now. I put in a lot of
work before the championship started and it's starting to pay off now. I
was confident that I could win again but you never know with Endurocross
racing, anything can happen. I'm pretty pleased with the way I rode to be
honest. Again, not making too many mistakes was important to me. I made a
pretty good start and then just tried to stay as smooth as I could during
the first half of the race. Once I past halfway I knew I was safe. Well,
pretty safe. I have to say a big thanks to all my team." Results - US Endurocross Rnd 3 '09
With just a few days to go before the 15th running of the world's toughest one-day extreme enduro - the mighty Erzberg Rodeo - two-time event winner Taddy Blazusiak is ready and waiting for his chance to claim a third consecutive Erzberg Hare Scramble victory. Triumphant first time out as an enduro newcomer in '07, in '08 Taddy switched borrowed machinery for a place in the KTM Enduro Factory Team and again claimed victory. This year, having spent much of the last two months preparing himself for toughest extreme enduro in the world, the talented Pole is hopeful he can make it three wins from three starts. Erzberg also marks the start of Taddy's extreme enduro and indoor enduro season. Almost five months to the day since the final round of the '08/'09 Indoor Enduro World Cup in Madrid, from Erzberg Taddy will head to the States where he will live for the next five months while competing in the '09 US Endurocross series. Following that it will be back to Europe and the start of the '09/'10 Indoor Enduro World Cup. The '09 US Endurocross series starts in Las Vegas on July 25 before heading to Oklahoma, South Carolina, Ohio, Colorado, and finishing back in Las Vegas on November 21. Taddy Blazusiak: "I feel confident about my
chances of winning at Erzberg for the third consecutive year. I've been
working hard recently, riding in lots of different types of events, so I
know I'm in good shape. It would be great to win again and get three
victories in a row, but Erzberg is an event that's hard to win and easy
not to finish. As always there's going to be lots of strong competition
from experienced Erzberg riders and some new competitors, I'm just going
to do my best and try and use my experience to good effect. I'll take one week off after Erzberg and then I head to the US and the start of the Endurocross series. I'm going to base myself in the States for the whole series this year - I'll be living with Mike Metzger in California. I'll be close to the KTM team and have lots of great places to go practicing. The injury I sustained to my face last year took a lot to get over, but I feel I'm in the best shape I can be right now, considering everything I went through. Competition in the Endurocross championship is always fierce, but I'm focused on podium results. Obviously my goal is to win the championship - to do that I'll need to be consistent throughout the championship. I'm really looking forward to it. But first I'm focusing on Erzberg, and trying to get around the Iron Mountain faster than anyone else."
Taddy
wins Hell’s Gate ‘09 Just
one week after claiming a solid runner-up position in the Indoor Enduro
World Cup Polish extreme enduro star Taddy Blazusiak has won the gruelling
Hell’s Gate event in Italy. Victor for the second consecutive year the
KTM Factory Enduro Team rider finished the two-stage event as winner of
both the morning qualifying enduro before going on to top the main
Hell’s Gate race. Finishing alongside Taddy on the podium were Italian
Alessandro Botturi and Britain’s Dougie Lampkin. Conditions
at the ’09 running of Hell’s Gate were bitterly cold, with
temperatures barely rising above freezing during much of the near nine
hours of competition. Making the ’09 event especially challenging was
the fact that the ground was frozen solid, making not only the slow-speed,
technical sections of the course difficult, but also the higher speed
tracks and trails. Despite
a ‘big crash’ during the morning enduro when Taddy hit a large patch
of ice, two winning special test performances and one runner-up result
ensured that Taddy started the main Hell’s Gate event on pole position.
Faced with four laps of a lengthened Hell’s Gate course Taddy made the
most of his advantage and opened up an early lead as the rest of the 30
competitors jostled for position. Ahead
at the end of the first lap Taddy dropped back to the runner-up position
on lap two when he found himself stuck while riding up one of the many
riverbeds. Struggling to push his bike free due to his painful wrist,
Taddy dropped between two and three minutes behind Botturi before catching
and passing the KTM mounted Italian. Once again out front Taddy made no
further mistakes and started to pull away from the riders behind him. Knowing
that even the smallest of falls could be costly Taddy maintained a steady
pace as darkness started to fall and reached the event’s finish line -
Hell’s Peak – having successfully negotiated the fourth and final lap.
Claiming his second consecutive Hell’s Gate victory Taddy finished
around eight minutes ahead of Botturi with Dougie Lampkin a few minutes
behind. Results
– Hell’s Gate ‘09 1.Taddy
Blazusiak (KTM Enduro Factory Team); 2. Alessandro Botturi (KTM); 3.
Dougie Lampkin (Beta); 4. Graham Jarvis (Sherco); 5. Tom Sagar (Husaberg);
6. Andreas Lettenbichler (BMW); 7. Piero Sembenini (Gas Gas) Taddy
Blazusiak: “This
year’s event was really, really tough. The course was frozen slid
everywhere and incredibly slippery in places. I had a big crash, like lots
of riders in the morning qualifying event, and hurt my right wrist and
fingers. That made it really hard for me. But of course it’s great to
win again. The morning event went well. I felt good and despite my big
crash I won two of the timed special tests and finished second on the last
one. You couldn’t relax anywhere because when you did the frozen ground
would catch you out. Finishing in front of some of the World Enduro
Championship riders was good, but the main thing was that I qualified on
the first row for the main race, which I did. “I
got a good start and opened up a bit of a lead off the start in the main
race, but with the conditions it was easy to make mistakes. My wrist was
giving me a lot of pain but I was riding as hard as I could. I made a
mistake on the second lap, which allowed Alessandro Botturi to pass me. He
was riding really well so I had to push hard to catch him. Once I did I
moved past quickly and again tried to push as hard as I could. I guess I
managed to open up a pretty good lead and on the third lap I was just
trying not to make too many mistakes. The last lap was tricky because the
track became even more slippery in places once the sun went down. I
managed to stay upright and got to the finish on one piece. It’s great
to have won Hell’s Gate again.”
Runner-up
finish for Taddy at Madrid Indoor and IEWC KTM
Factory Enduro Team rider Taddy Blazusiak has finished second in the
Indoor Enduro World Cup following two race wins at the third and final
round of the series staged in Madrid, Spain. Trailing KTM team-mate Ivan
Cervantes coming into the last round of the three-event championship,
Taddy was hopeful of claiming the IEWC crown but knew that to do so he
would need luck on his side. As
it turned out things didn’t start well for Taddy, despite being close to
four seconds faster than any other rider in timed practice, as an early
lead in the first final was short lived. Blasting into the lead following
a convincing holeshot, Blazusiak was unable to turn his lap one advantage
into a race winning performance as he suffered a clutch problem, which saw
him gradually slip down the finishing order. Ending the race in seventh
Taddy’s disappointment was clear as it meant that his hopes of claiming
the IEWC title had all but ended. Race
two saw another strong start from Taddy and ended with the Pole finishing
close to six seconds ahead of Cervantes. Untroubled during the race, Taddy
claimed the result he should have secured in the first race. With Ivan
finishing second the Spaniard secured the IEWC title. The
last final of the night was without question the best, and one in which
Taddy battled Cervantes for two complete laps before coming out on top and
claiming his second win of the night. With little to separate the two
riders as they exited the first turn, for two complete laps there was
little more than one bike length between them. With both riders enjoying
time at the front of the race it was eventually Taddy that edged ahead to
win the race and bring his participation in the Indoor Enduro World Cup to
a victories end. With
his indoor enduro duties over for a while Taddy will now turn his
attention to a number of extreme enduro events, starting with Hell’s
Gate next weekend. Winner of the event in ’08, Taddy will be looking to
retain his number one position at the Italian event. Results
– Madrid Indoor Enduro, overall 1.
Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 39 points; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM Factory Enduro
Team) 34 points; 3. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 22 points… Results
– Indoor Enduro World Cup, overall 1.
Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 117 points; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM Factory Enduro
team) 99 points; 3. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 57 points… Taddy
Blazusiak: “First of
all I would like to congratulate Ivan. He has ridden well at all rounds of
the championship and although I am disappointed not to have won the IEWC
championship I’m happy for him. When your goal is to win a championship
it doesn’t matter how well you ride, if you don’t win it you are
disappointed – and I’m disappointed. I’ve had some not so good
races, especially at the first round in Barcelona, but in Madrid I felt I
rode well. I was much faster than any other rider in qualifying, and I
felt like I should have won all three races, not just two. I had a problem
with my clutch in the first race, which put me out of contention for a
good result. That was the championship gone then really. I started well
but wasn’t able to get the acceleration I needed to get over some of the
obstacles, and finished a long way behind. The second race went well. I
started well, stayed at the front and won. The third race was great. I had
a really good battle with Ivan and claimed the win, which was a nice way
to end the championship. Yes, I am disappointed not to have won the IEWC
series, but my performances were much stronger at the end of the series.
I’ll be back next year to try and win.”
Barcelona Indoor Enduro, Rnd 1 FIM Indoor Enduro World Cup, Barcelona, Spain Enduro Factory Team racer Taddy Blazusiak got his Indoor Enduro World Cup campaign off to a solid start ending the opening round of the series, the Barcelona Indoor Enduro, as runner-up to Spaniard Ivan Cervantes. Performing consistently throughout the opening round of the IEWC series, Taddy set the third fastest lap time during the event’s qualifying session before comfortably moving through his heat races and into the finals. With the clear goal of winning the championship Blazusiak rode hard and fast, but importantly with improved control and consistency. Faced with a fast but technical track Taddy made a great start to his title hopes by finishing a close second to Ivan Cervantes in the first of three finals. Leading for much of the race, Taddy made his only mistake of the night when his front wheel washed out from under him in one of the slowest corners on the track. Dropping from first to third, Taddy quickly moved back into the runner-up spot and crossed the finish line less than two seconds behind Cervantes. The second final saw Taddy claim the exact same result as he had in the first race. Italian Thomas Oldrati made a quick break away from the rest of the field early on the opening lap, which meant that no rider was able to catch him. Importantly for Blazusiak only a handful of seconds separated the two riders at the finish as Taddy had closed down Oldrati’s advantage at the front of the race. In the third final Taddy got caught up in the first corner, which saw him end the first lap near the rear of the field. Steadily working his way forward he moved up to fourth at the finish, which gave him a second place result for the night 2008 FIM Indoor Enduro World Cup, Series Standings after Rnd 1 1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 40 points; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM Enduro Factory Team) 32; 3. Mika Ahola (Honda) 25; 4. Xavi Galindo (KTM) 22; 5. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 19; 6. Alessandro Botturi (Honda) 15; 7. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 12; 8. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 9; 9. Fabio Mossini (Honda) 9; 10. Greg Evans (KTM) 7; 11. Andreas Lettenbichler (BMW) 3; 12. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 2; 13. Marc Sola (Yamaha) 2; 14. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 1 Taddy Blazusiak: “I’m really happy with the way I performed. Last year I was really fast but I was also riding way over my head and making a lot of mistakes. This year I was pushing hard again but I knew where my limit was, and I was making sure that I didn’t make too many mistakes. I wanted to start the championship with a top three result and I finished second overall, which puts me in the perfect place to attack at the next round. Anything can happen with this type of racing, you can get stuck with other riders like I did in the last race, but I really am happy with the way I performed. I just made one mistake during the three finals. It was a silly fall in the first final, which cost me the win, but that was my only mistake. The thing I’m happiest about is the improvement in my riding from last year. Since the crash I had earlier this year in the US I’ve been working hard to be fit and ready for this race, but also a better racer. I think I showed that, and I’m really happy with the way things went.”
KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak has claimed a third place result at round four of the US Endurocross series - the event that marked his return to competition after undergoing facial surgery following a practice crash in early August. Although far from being fully fit due to his enforced lay-off, Taddy recorded the fastest lap time during the event’s ‘hot lap’ session before going on to win his heat race with relative ease. Knowing that he would find the main event tough due to having not raced in over two months, Blazusiak overcame a mediocre start to round the first turn close behind race leader Damon Huffman. Quickly up to third Taddy was battling with Ricky Dietrich before the Kawasaki rider fell, which allowed Blazusiak to inherit the runner-up position. With the Denver track not overly technical it didn’t allow Taddy many opportunities to put his trials riding skills to use. Nevertheless Taddy held second until two laps from the end of the race when he made a mistake and crashed over the bars. Although quickly to his feet and on his way Taddy dropped to third behind Geoff Aaron. Opting not to try and re-pass the Christini KTM rider Taddy settled for third – a result that considering all that he’s been through in recent weeks he was pleased with. Round 5 of the AMA Endurocross series takes place on October 4, in Columbus, Ohio. Results – AMA Endurocross Rnd 4, Denver, OH 1. Damon Huffman (Kawasaki) 2. Geoff Aaron (Christini/KTM) 3. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM Enduro Factory Team) Taddy Blazusiak: “After everything that I’ve been through since my accident I’m pleased with my result. It’s just great to be able to put my injury behind me, I can now focus on improving my fitness and improving my results. Everything went well for me in Denver, but I suffered with my lack of fitness, which I was expecting. I got the fastest lap during the hot lap session, I was more than one second ahead of Damon Huffman and Ricky Dietrich. “I knew from the moment I won my heat race that I was going to find the final tough. In the main event I made an ok start, I was mid-pack going into the first turn, but I managed to work my way to third in the first few corners. I was having a good battle with Ricky Dietrich until he made a mistake and I moved into second. I didn’t try to catch Huffman who was leading because I knew if I pushed too hard I would suffer in the last laps. “With two laps to go I crashed and went over the bars. I was up quickly but I dropped to third behind Geoff Aaron. I was really tired by that point so I didn’t try and pass him. I’m just pleased to be back on the podium.” www.taddy.pl
KTM Enduro Factory Team rider and ’08 Erzberg Rodeo winner Taddy Blazusiak is recovering well after undergoing a four-hour operation at the Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle, WA during which time numerous metal plates were attached to both of his cheek bones and left eye socket. Hitting his face on the handlebars of his bike when he crashed on a double jump while practicing for the WORCS X event – a race he was competing in as preparation ahead of the second round of the Endurocross series in Oklahoma City, OK, Taddy was initially taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being taken to the Harborview Medical Centre in Seattle, WA. Diagnosed as having numerous broken bones in his face but no problems with either his vision or with concussion Taddy underwent a four-hour operation during which metal plates were attached to his left eye socket and both of his cheekbones. “What happened to Taddy sounds very nasty, but we’re hoping that it’s not that bad,” commented Taddy’s brother Wojtek on Tuesday morning, August 12. “Obviously communicating with Taddy is difficult at the moment but he is able to whisper and use his hands, and he has told the doctors that he’s not in too much pain. Taddy broke his nose, both cheek bones and fractured his left eye socket when his face hit his handlebars. The good news is that his vision is fine, he has no concussion and the rest of his body is ok. When he crashed he cut his left eyebrow so the surgeon went in through that cut to fix his eye socket rather than making any new cuts. Taddy also cut his tongue, but that’s fine now he has a few stitches. The plates for his cheekbones went in through his mouth so there wont be any obvious scars. We’re expecting Taddy to stay in hospital for 24 to 48 hours after the operation and then he will probably remain in the States for a week while the swelling goes down. Taddy wants to get back on a bike as soon as he can, but the doctors have told him that it wouldn’t be a good idea to race next week. Taddy’s in pretty good spirits and we’re hoping that he will be back racing as soon as the swelling in his face has settled down.” www.taddy.pl AMA Endurocross Rnd 1, Las Vegas, Nevada, 5.7.2008 Blazusiak wins ’08 Endurocross opener in Las Vegas KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Taddy Blazusiak got his participation in the ’08 AMA Endurocross series off to a winning start by claiming victory at the opening round of the six-event championship held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Starting as the rider most expected to win aboard his 200cc factory KTM, Blazusiak had to endure one of the toughest nights of racing he’s ever experienced. Needing to compete in a heat race, a semi and then the LCQ before moving into the final, Taddy clocked up more laps around the technical Las Vegas course than any other. Thankfully, Blazusiak earned himself the winning result he hoped he’d secure, but certainly didn’t make things easy for himself inside the Orleans Arena. Confident that he would quickly move into the final having set the fastest lap time during timed practice, Taddy’s troubles started during the closing stages of practice where he suffered a blown rear shock. Then in his heat race the two-time Erzberg Rodeo winner suffered with yet more suspension troubles, which resulted in a very heavy, and painful, landing over the log jump. Finishing third Taddy was forced to compete in one of the semi races. Forced to switch to a replacement set of suspension Taddy’s troubles continued as he was hit from behind early in his semi race and sent crashing to the arena floor. Working his way back up towards the front of the race as he went to move into the lead he tangled with the race leader, which resulted in Taddy being stranded with another rider’s handlebars stuck in his rear wheel. With just one-and-a-half laps remaining Taddy had no time to move himself into a qualifying position and was forced to compete in the LCQ race. Knowing that a winning result and only a winning result would do Taddy, despite being in considerable discomfort following his heat race, managed to do enough to finish first and secure himself a place in the final. Forced to start on the extreme outside, fatigued, and struggling to compete at his best due to using a spare set of suspension Taddy opted to ‘let the rest go’ as the gate dropped for the final. Cutting back to the inside of turn one the Pole soon found himself in third and my mid-race had moved into the runner-up position. Battling with Geoff Aaron Taddy managed to move into the lead and despite getting stuck in the rocks during the closing stages of the race he held on to claim a hard fought and deserved win to take an early lead in the ’08 AMA Endurocross championship. Round 2 of the AMA Endurocross series takes place on August 16, in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Taddy Blazusiak: “It’s great to have won, but man that was a tough night of racing. I can’t believe how many laps I had to ride – it feels like I didn’t stop riding all night. And I can’t remember the last time I had such an eventful race. “I got the result I wanted eventually but at one stage I honestly didn’t think I was even going to get into the main event, let alone win it. It started with some suspension problems in practice and my heat race. That, added to the fact that I smashed my balls so hard I couldn’t breath properly all night, meant that I ended up in one of the semis, which didn’t go well. I got hit by someone in one of the corners and was last, then had to overtake everyone, only to then get tangled up with the leader and have his bars get stuck in my rear wheel. “I was really starting to feel the pressure in the LCQ – I honestly thought that I might not make the final. My balls were hurting so much, I was tired, and I couldn’t ride properly. But I made it into the final, which was a huge relief. “With the final taking place just two minutes after the LCQ, and with the LCQ having taken place just a few minutes after my semi, I was finished. I was so tired and had the last pick of the start so I just decided to let the other riders go and see what happened. I somehow got into third quite quickly, then into second, and then I was really struggling for energy. I got into the lead but had to slow down. Then I got stuck in the rocks, which I couldn’t believe. I managed to get back into the lead and win the race quite comfortably but I don’t think I could have done one lap more. “I’m hoping I’ve had all my bad luck for the championship in one race. If the rest of the races are going to be a tough as this first event then it’s going to be one hell of a difficult championship.” Results – AMA Endurocross Rnd 1, Las Vegas 1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM Enduro Factory Team) 2. Geoff Aaron (Christini KTM) 3. Ricky Dietrich (Kawasaki) Blazusiak finishes 15th at ’08 Trefle Lozerien Poland’s Taddy Blazusiak headed to France last weekend to compete in the Trefle Lozerien – France’s most prestigious ‘classic’ enduro. Only the second time in which the two-time Erzberg winner had ever taken to the start of a traditional enduro, Taddy placed a creditable 15th overall at the end of the three-day competition, just one place behind former World Enduro Championship winner and current Dakar star Stephane Peterhansel. Competing at the request of sponsor Red Bull Blazusiak had little time to fully prepare for the event due to heading to France almost directly from Austria where he claimed his second Erzberg Rodeo victory, but nevertheless enjoyed his time competing against the cream of France’s enduro riders. Disappointingly the weather in France wasn’t anything like as good as it was at Erzberg with each of the three days of the Trefle Lozerien event being wet. Knowing that he was competing ‘just for fun’ Taddy decided to take things steady on the opening two days but still put in some impressive special test times to claim 15th on day one and 13th on day two. On the final day of the event Taddy’s result took a slight turn for the worse as his decision not to take the advice of a spectator resulted in him getting stuck. Losing valuable seconds Taddy learned that sometimes it’s good to use the lines spectators recommend. Taddy will now continue his preparations for the opening round of the AMA Endurocross championship, which takes place in Las Vegas on July 5. Taddy Blazusiak: “Competing in the Trefle Lozerien was a really interesting experience for me. I was competing at the request of Red Bull, along with Cyril Despres, and despite the weather being extremely wet I really enjoyed myself. I’m certainly not looking to start racing in enduros regularly, but it’s been good to compare my speed against some of the world’s fastest enduro riders. “During the event I had some good test times, and got my ass kicked on some others. I managed to beat Ivan Cervantes on a couple of tests on the first two days, which I was really pleased with. I just can’t remember the last time I spent so many hours on a bike completely wet to the skin. “The French riders are so, so fast in the grass and mud. During the first two days I just took things steady – traditional enduro races aren’t my thing so I didn’t want to do anything stupid. I didn’t have any crashes on the first two days so I decided to push it a bit more on the last day, but I soon wished I hadn’t. “On one section of a special test a spectator was showing me a line through some mud, but I thought that I would try my own line. It didn’t work. I got completely stuck, and couldn’t stop laughing at myself. “Considering that it was my second true enduro I’m pretty pleased with 15th. I’m now going to spend the next weeks getting myself ready for the first round of the AMA Endurocross championship.” Results – Trefle Lozerien ’08 (overall)
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Taddy: ‘This has been one of the best events ever for me. Getting
to race in front of my home crowd is something I’ve been looking forward to
all year and to be able to win all three finals and extend my lead in the
championship is just amazing. I knew that I would get a lot of support here,
but I wasn’t ready for the reaction of the crowd when I first rode into the
arena –I have to say I was a little bit emotional. The event has been
amazing. The organising team really did a fantastic job, and the event was
more than worthy of being a round of the SuperEnduro World Championship.
Results
– 2012 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 1
Taddy
completes perfect Endurocross season
KTM's
Taddy Blazusiak has put the finishing touches to what has been a truly
remarkable 2011 Endurocross campaign by dominating the final two rounds of the
series in Las Vegas, NV, to win a third successive Endurocross championship.
Taddy
secures AMA Endurocross win #4
Successful
EWC return for Taddy at GP of Andorra
That
makes me even happier with my result, because I did it without the benefit of
an extreme test. I really enjoyed racing the 350 – the bike’s amazing. I
was using my Endurocross motor, just to see how it worked in Europe. I race an
SX, with the linkage, in the states, and here I was riding a PDS EXC model.
That’s what I’ll be race during the European indoor enduro events and we
found some great settings, which is what the weekend was all about really.’ 
Taddy
continues Endurocross domination
US
Endurocross, Rnd 4, Washington, 11/9/2010
ile
to get in front of him once I did everything went well. Apart from my mistake
after getting the holeshot the whole night went well. Third fastest in the Hot
Laps qualifying session was ok, and then winning my heat race gave me a good
pick of the start. Four wins from the first four races is great. There's a
pretty big break now before the fifth round of the championship so I'll be
training hard so I can hopefully win the championship with one race to go.'
Taddy blitzes IEWC event in Genoa
Blazusiak
ready for Erzberg & looking forward to US Endurocross
Madrid
Indoor Enduro, Madrid, Spain, 7.2.2009 
Impressive start to ’08 IEWC for Blazusiak
Blazusiak
third on US Endurocross return AMA
Endurocross Rnd 4, Denver,
Taddy
on the mend following four-hour operation