Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme : FIM Junior Enduro World Championship

Aubert back to winning ways in Portugal

Sun, 13 May 2012 00:33:00 +0200

Rodrig THAIN, Johnny AUBERT and Christophe NAMBOTIN secure victory on day one at round four of the Maxxis Enduro World Championship in Torres Vedras, Portugal. Mathias BELLINO claims a winning result in Enduro Junior while defending champion Ludivine PUY tops the Women's Cup. Marking the halfway point in the 2012 season, day one at the GP Polisport of Portugal was full of surprises as the series saw new winners emerge and championship contenders retire. KTM's Johnny AUBERT (F) finally returned to his winning ways with a commanding victory in Enduro 2. HM Honda's Rodrig Thain (F) secured his first win of 2012 in Enduro 1 while Gas Gas' Ludivine PUY (F) beat her teammate Laia SANZ (S – Gas Gas) to top the Women's Cup. However, it was the retirement of Enduro 1 championship leader Antoine MEO (F - KTM) that became the biggest talking point of day one. Damaging his engine casings on the liaison section on lap one, the Frenchman was forced to stop. Italy's Simone ALBERGONI (HM Honda) was next to follow him when he crashed heavily on the second Cross Test, while in Enduro 2 Spain's Ivan CERVANTES ended his day early on lap one after a technical issue with his Gas Gas. Taking advantage of the early departures of MEO and ALBERGONI, Rodrig THAIN battled his way to the front of the field in Enduro 1 at the end of lap two. Setting some impressive times in the technically demanding Extreme Test, the HM Honda rider held off the late charge by Finland's Eero REMES (KTM) to win the day. "I have been waiting for this moment all year, " commented THAIN. "When MEO and ALBERGONI retired I knew that I needed to attack and take advantage of the situation. I'm so happy to have finally won a race - it's been a big relief to win." Charging hard towards the end of the race, KTM's REMES was also determined to capitalise on the day's early retirements. However, falling just five seconds short of victory, REMES had to be content with second. After a tough battle with France's Fabien PLANET (Sherco) for third place, Finland's Matti SEISTOLA (Husqvarna) put in his best performance of his season to claim the third step of the podium. Setting the fastest time in the KTM Super Test, PLANET finished fourth, just two seconds behind SEISTOLA, while France's Jeremy JOLY (Yamaha) secured fifth. First win for HM Honda official rider Rodrig THAIN (F - HM Honda) Johnny AUBERT firmly stamped his authority on day one in Enduro 2 in Portugal. Making a fast start to the morning, the KTM rider quickly opened up a ten-second lead at the end of lap two. Fastest on the Cross Test, AUBERT maintained his advantage to secure his first victory of 2012. "Everything went excellent today," confirmed AUBERT. "I felt very comfortable with my bike and was able to lead the race early on. It's nice to finally get my first victory of the season." After his double victory just one week earlier in Spain, France's Pierre-Alexandre RENET (Husaberg) finished 20 seconds behind Aubert. Unable to match the pace set by the KTM rider, RENET maintains his championship lead with the run ner up position. In only his second race in 2012, France's Jeremy TARROUX (KTM) has already recorded his first podium result by finishing in third place on day one in Portugal. Ending his day fourth, Finland's Juha SALMINEN (Husqvarna) finished a very slender one-second behind TARROUX. Spain's Cristobal GUERRERO (KTM) placed just two hundredths of a second behind SALMINEN to end his day in fifth. Pela RENET (F - Husaberg) solid leader of the E2 class In Enduro 3 it was France's Christophe NAMBOTIN (KTM) who once again lead the way. Winning all of day one's special tests bar the KTM Super Test, NAMBOTIN comfortably placed almost 90 seconds clear of Gas Gas's Sebastien GUILLAUME (F). "It's great to win again but it was a tough race for me," remarked NAMBOTIN. "I struggled to find a comfortable rhythm on the very dry and dusty Cross Test but in the Extreme Test I could set a fast pace. I must also thank my teammate David KNIGHT (GB – KTM) for his very generous help. I drowned my bike in the river crossing during the final liaison section and if it wasn't for his help it may not have been possible to finish." With NAMBOT IN the clear winner of Enduro 3, it was GUILLAUME that claimed second overall. Setting an incredibly fast time in the final Cross Test of the day, GUILLAUME secured his first podium result with Gas Gas. Returning to the top three for the first time since round one in Chile, Estonia's Aigar LEOK (TM) finished two tenths of a second behind GUILLAUME for third. Spain's Oriol MENA (Husaberg) put in a solid ride to finish fourth while Finland's Joakim LJUNGGREN (Husaberg) completed the top five. Proving to be a rider very much on top form, France's Mathias BELLINO (Husaberg) recorded another winning result in Enduro Junior. Making his way to the podium for the first time in 2012, Italy's Rudi MORONI (KTM) beat Spain's Mario ROMAN (KTM) to finish in second place. With ROMAN securing third, Britain's Danny MCCANNEY (Gas Gas) produced another strong result to finish fourth. Argentina's Kevin BENAVIDES (KTM) rounded out the top five. Claiming his sixth win of the season, Italy's Giacomo REDONDI (KTM) was the clear winner of the Enduro Youth Cup. Portugal's Luis OLIVERIA (Yamaha) ended day one at his home race on the podium with second place while Guido CONFORTI (Yamaha) completed the top five. Ludivine PUY returned to her winning ways by clinching victory in the Women's Cup. Beating her rival and teammate Spain's Laia SANZ by less than three seconds, day one was a perfect start to her GP of Portugal. With SANZ finishing second, France's Blandine DUFRENE (Husaberg) finished third with Juliette BERREZ (F - TM) and Audrey ROSSAT (F - KTM) completing the top five.

Planet soars at Super Test

Sat, 12 May 2012 09:42:00 +0200

Decidedly this year, the KTM Super Test success admirably well to the Frenchies. After Rodrig THAIN (F – HM Honda) in Chile, Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yam) in Basque Country it is Fabien PLANET (F – Sherco) who won it in Torres Vedras. From the first duels, the public felt that this really fast Super Test can gives them nice emotions. Everything was proceeding quietly in FIM Youth Cup 125cc with a Giacomo REDONDI (I – KTM) ahead Luis OLIVEIRA (P – Yam) and Guido CONFORTI (I – Yam). That's when Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) decided to turn up the heat a notch with a monstrous time of 1'34''78, relaying his pursuer Danny MCCANNEY (GB – Gas Gas) to 4 seconds. At this time, the official Husaberg appeared to be heading to a nice victory but, while Gonçalo REIS (P – Gas Gas), local of the stage, enthused the public, Fabien PLANET (F – Sherco), in grace, atomized the time of BELLINO with a stratospheric time of 1'32''44. The pure riding style and the risk-taking of the official Sherco have paid. Alex SALVINI (I – HVA) tried to steal him the victory but with a time of 1'33''92 it was not enough while David KNIGHT (GB – KTM), 1'34''71 won the Enduro 3 class. To note that in Women class Ludivine PUY (F – Gas Gas) won, relaying her rival Laïa SANZ (E – Gas Gas) to 8 seconds.

I can achieve great things in Enduro!

Fri, 11 May 2012 12:15:00 +0200

Newcomer from the Motocross to the Enduro, Luis CORREIA (P – Yam), multiple Portugal Champion and accustomed to the podium in MX3 World Championship, take few minutes of his time for this interview.

Luis CORREIA, first of all… present you!
Luis CORREIA: "I come from Motocross where I made the National Championship last year. Now I'm a rider of the team Yamaha O. Pons and it is my first season in Enduro. I think I can make nice things in this sport that I really like."

Your first apparition in Enduro was in 2009 for the ISDE in Portugal, why don't you go directly to Enduro after that?
L.C: "At this moment, I had a lot of projects in my life. I've just finished them last year. So it was possible for me to race in Enduro this season and to do what I have to do there!"

Why you have decided to join the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship this year?
L.C: "Last year during the ISDE in Finland I really understood what the real Enduro was. It was really tough Six Days and I quickly felt good with the bike. Then, people from Yamaha whose Oriol (PONS) contacted me. I had a same project and I finally decided to join them!"

Why did you choose the E2 class?
L.C: "Good question… For me, I prefer the 450, they fit me really good. But I began to train this season, I started on a 250cc 2T and I directly loved the bike. That's why I have chosen the E2 class."

How was your first Grand Prix?
L.C: "First of all, I'm really happy to finish the both days! It was a very difficult Grand Prix, it was raining each evening and the track was muddy. But for a first Grand Prix, with a new team, a new bike and a new riding style I think that I was not so bad even if I hope to be better next time. This year my goal is to be in the Top 10 and I think that it is really possible!"

Don't you regret MX?
L.C: "No I really don't regret it. I begin to really like the Enduro and I want to have a long career in this discipline."

Your second Grand Prix is taking place in Portugal, at home, how do feel it?
L.C: "It's my country, my home, the weather will be excellent but the track is not really what I like the most. I prefer the sand but I'll give my best. I know very good the special tests so I hope I will not do any mistakes and I'll be very fast."

What are your long term goals in the EWC?
L.C: "My main goal in the future is to win the World Title. I think that each rider in the paddock is thinking about this title but for me, it seems to be possible. With a lot of training and a good team behind me I can do it. I really can do excellent things in Enduro!"

Finally, what will be your advices to a MX rider who want to go to Enduro?
L.C: "If you like challenges, something really different and a new riding style, the Enduro is made for you. The most important is to stay on his two wheels during two days. In any case, if you need new challenges in your life… try the Enduro adventure."

Prize list of Luis CORREIA:
- 2008: MX1 Vice-champion of Portugal;
- 2009: MX1 Champion of Portugal, MX2 Vice-champion of Portugal; 2nd in the E2 class during the ISDE in Portugal; Part of the Portuguese team in the MX of nations;
- 2010: MX1 and MX2 Champion of Portugal; Enduro European Champion by team; Part of the Portuguese team in the MX of nations;
- 2011: Motocross Elite and MX1 Champion of Portugal; 2nd in the E2 class and 5th in the scratch during the ISDE in Finland.

Nambotin and Sanz unbeatable

Mon, 07 May 2012 01:31:00 +0200

The French continue to deliver winning results in the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship as Antoine MEO, Pierre-Alexandre RENET and Christophe NAMBOTIN secure victory on Day Two at the GP of Euskadi in Munitibar, Spain. With heavy overnight rain ensuring a physical and demanding day of racing, it was once again the French that claimed victory in the Senior classes. However the day was also one to remember for exceptional results and costly retirements. Making his EWC debut, Britain's Jordan ROSE claimed an incredible result in Enduro 2 by finishing fifth. In Enduro 1 the day ended prematurely for championship contenders Marc BOURGEOIS (F - Yamaha) and Finland's Eero REMES (KTM). With both riders pushing for a podium result, BOURGEOIS crashed heavily on the second Enduro Test while REMES was forced to retire due to a technical fault with his bike. France's Christophe NAMBOTIN (KTM) continues to remain unbeatable in Enduro 3. Making short work of the slippery early morning special tests, the KTM rider quickly edged out a sizeable advantage over his nearest rivals. Again producing some of the fastest times of the day on the all-important Enduro Test, NAMBOTIN secured his sixth victory of the season. "It's been yet another fantastic day for me," confirmed NAMBOTIN. "I was able to set a fast pace in the morning and open up a nice lead. From there I tried to build on it throughout the day to win." With NAMBOTIN setting a blistering pace out front, it was the duel behind him for second that stole most of the focus. Starting the morning in a determined fashion, Sweden's Joakim LJUNGGREN (Husaberg) was able to hold off a challenge from Britain's David KNIGHT (KTM) to finish as runner up. Struggling to match the pace of his rivals in the muddy conditions, KNIGHT dropped back to finish in third place. Germany's Marcus KEHR (KTM) produced his best ride of the season so far to secure fourth while Spain's Oriol MENA (Husaberg) finished less than 20 seconds behind KEHR to complete the top five. Working hard to overcome a difficult start to the day, France's Antoine MEO (KTM) once again topped the Enduro 1 standings. Crashing twice in the opening Cross Test, MEO set about working his way back to the front. Securing the fastest times on both the technical Enduro Test and the rutted Extreme Test, he took control of proceedings to claim his sixth win of the season. "I'm so happy with my result today," remarked MEO. "This morning I crashed in the Cross Test and it set me back. I had to work hard to overcome that and thankfully was able to win again." Recording his best result of the season so far, Italy's Thomas OLDRATI (KTM) was second in Enduro 1. Taking advantage of the retirement by both REMES and BOURGEOIS, the KTM rider fended off a challenge by Italy's Simone ALBERGONI (HM Honda) to finish as runner up. ALBERGONI improved on his previous day's result of fourth to secure his fourth podium result in 2012 with third. Sherco's Fabien PLANET (F) put in a strong ride to place fourth while France's Nicolas DEPARROIS (Kawasaki) benefitted from his early morning pace to finish in fifth. France's Pierre-Alexandre RENET (Husaberg) rejoiced in the muddy Spanish conditions to claim his second victory of the weekend in Enduro 2. Engaged in a fierce battle with Spain's Cristobal GUERRERO (KTM), RENET was able to hold off the advances of the KTM rider to capture his third victory of the season and with it the championship lead in Enduro 2. "The conditions suited me perfectly this weekend," commented RENET. "I felt very comfortable on the bike in the muddy ruts and could maintain a strong pace. It was a good battle with GUERRERO for victory and I'm happy to have won." Keen to impress at his home Grand Prix, GUERRERO held a slender lead after the second Extreme Test. Making a costly crash on the final Enduro Test, he eventually had to settle for second place. Finland's Juha SALMINEN (Husqvarna) delivered a better result on day two to finish in third. France's Johnny AUBERT (KTM) recovered from a poor start to his morning to finish fourth. Recording one of the standout performances of the day, Britain's Jordan ROSE (TM) placed fifth in his debut race in the EWC. In Enduro Junior France's Mathias BELLINO (Husaberg) claimed a double victory at the GP of Euskadi. Facing a stiffer challenge from his class competitors, his winning margin was much tighter on Day Two. Battling back from a crash on the second Extreme Test, Italy's Jonathan MANZI (KTM) pipped Britain's Danny MCCANNEY (GAS GAS) by one-second to secure the runner up position. MCCANNEY returned to the podium for the third time this season to finish in third. Hampered by his 10-second morning penalty, Britain's Alex ROCKWELL (Husaberg) ended his day fourth while Argentina's Kevin BENAVIDES (KTM) completed the top five. Italy's Giacomo REDONDI (KTM) recorded a comfortable win in the Enduro Youth Cup with Matteo BRESOLIN (I - Husaberg) finishing second with Guido CONFORTI (I - Yamaha) in third. In the Womens Cup Spain's Laia SANZ (Gas Gas) produced yet another winning performance. Taking a clear victory on day two, the multiple trials world champion has made the perfect start to the season in her bid to win this year's world title. Again France's Ludivine PUY (Gas Gas) finished in second while Blandine DUFRENE (F – Husaberg) completed the top three. The Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship continues next weekend with the GP Polisport of Portugal in Torres Vedras on May 12/13.

French delight in Spain

Sat, 05 May 2012 22:16:00 +0200

It was another strong day for the French in the 2012 Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship as Antoine MEO, Pierre-Alexandre RENET, Christophe NAMBOTIN and Mathias BELLINO all claimed victory in their respective classes at the GP of Euskadi. In the Womens Cup it was Laia SANZ that grabbed the first win of the season. With 112 competitors taking to the start of the EWC in Munitibar in northern Spain, the forecasted rain held off to provide an exciting and thrilling start to the EWC's arrival in Europe. With MEO (F - KTM) and NAMBOTIN (F – KTM) continuing to remain unbeaten in Enduro 1 and Enduro 3, it was the performance by RENET (F – Husaberg) in Enduro 2 that confirmed his intention to be a real championship threat this season as he delivered his second victory of the season. It was yet another victorious day in the EWC for France's Christophe NAMBOTIN as he claimed his fifth win of the year in Enduro 3. Edging out an early lead on the Friday evening KTM Super Test, the Frenchman continued to stretch his advantage throughout the day. Proving unbeatable on the challenging Enduro Test, the KTM rider posted his first time of the day almost 30 seconds faster than his competitors. Opening up a comfortable lead at the end of lap one, NAMBOTIN went on to claim victory on Day One by over 95 seconds."It was another perfect day for me," commented NAMBOTIN. "I felt really comfortable on the Enduro Test and was able to set some fast times on it. Once I opened up a safe lead I concentrated on controlling it to the finish."Aft er a daylong battle with the Husaberg pairing of Joakim LJUNGGREN (S) and Spain's Oriol MENA, Britain's David KNIGHT (KTM) eventually claimed the runner up position to NAMBOTIN. Fending off a last lap charge by LJUNGGREN, KNIGHT finished 13 seconds clear of the Husaberg rider to finish in second place. Following a slow start to the morning, LJUNGGREN upped his pace during the final lap to place third.Unable to capitalise on his strong start to the morning, MENA eventually slipped back to fourth while Estonia's Aigar LEOK (TM), whose progress was hampered by numerous crashes, finished fifth. Making it five wins from five starts, France's Antoine MEO was again the clear winner of Enduro 1. After a cautious start to the morning, the KTM rider soon overhauled the fast starting Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yamaha) as conditions dried out. Setting the fastest time in the final six special tests of the day, MEO eventually placed 52 seconds ahead of BOURGEOIS."I found it difficult this morning," confirmed MEO. "It was quite muddy early on and I struggled to find grip in some of the grassy corners but once the conditions dried I was able to up my pace and secure my fifth victory of the season." BOURGEOIS once again proved to be the revelation of Enduro 1. Posting the fastest time in the Friday evening KTM Super Test, the Frenchman etched out an early lead on Day One over MEO. However, unable to match the pace of his fellow Frenchman during the afternoon, BOURGEOIS eventually settled for second. Finding the conditions to his liking, Finland's Eero REMES (KTM) recorded his third rostrum finish of the season with third place.With Italy's Simone ALBERGONI (HM Honda) ending his day in fourth, Rodrig THAIN (HM Honda) completed the top five. In the highly competitive Enduro 2 class, France's Pierre Alexandre RENET secured victory on Day One. Settling into an early lead after the first Extreme Test of the morning, RENET gradually grew his lead as the day progressed to claim a well-earned win."I'm so happy to have won today," remarked RENET. "The conditions were perfect and it reminded me of my home tracks. Once I got into the lead I just tried to build on it throughout the day and end the day strongly. "For France's Johnny AUBERT (KTM) second place on Day One was a satisfactory result. Putting his disappointing results in South America behind him, the Frenchman put in a strong ride to finish 20 seconds behind RENET. Continuing to deliver solid results in the EWC, Spain's Cristobal GUERRERO (KTM) ended his day in third place j ust 10 seconds adrift of teammate AUBERT.Although only his first race in the 2012 EWC season, KTM's Jeremy TARROUX wasted little time in making his presence felt by finishing fourth overall. Finland's Juha SALMINEN (Husqvarna) completed the top five. In Enduro Junior Mathias BELLINO (Husaberg) set the fastest time in all but two of the ten special tests to record a commanding victory. Powerless to match the pace of the Husaberg rider, Italy's Jonathan MANZI (KTM) beat Spain's Victor GUERRERO (KTM) by five seconds to finish in second. With GUERRERO in third, Argentina's Kevin BENAVIDES (KTM) placed fourth while Italy's Mario ROMAN (KTM), now fully recovered from a knee injury, completed the top five.Italy's Giacomo REDONDI (KTM) recorded another commanding win in the Enduro Youth Cup. Husaberg's Matteo BRESOLIN (I) was second with Portugal's Luis OLIVERIA (Yamaha) third. With the GP of Euskadi marking the first outing in the Womens Cup, it was Spain's Laia SANZ (Gas Gas) that claimed the opening victory of the season. Withstanding a fierce battle from defending champion Ludivine PUY (F - Gas Gas), SANZ narrowly placed just nine seconds in front of her teammate. KTM's Audrey ROSSAT (F) finished third while the French duo of Juliette BERREZ (TM) and Blandine DUFRENE (HUSABERG) rounded out the top five.

Bourgeois steals the show

Fri, 04 May 2012 22:07:00 +0200

Despite the weather was threatening during the evening, the public was once again numerous to applause and encourage the 112 entries that stormed the KTM Super Test of this Grand Prix AMV Seguros of Euskadi… This third Super Test, organized just in front of the paddock, didn't have difficulties but the wet soil has putted some troubles to the riders. The spectacle was here, to the delight of the aficionados present. At the end of this special test, it is the revelation of the beginning of the year, Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yam), who imposed himself with authority (1'13'71). The EEAT rider has delighted the public with his jumps more and more spectacular and his aggressiveness ride. He is closely followed by the two "ogres" Antoine MEO (F – KTM) second in 1'13''78 and Christophe NAMBOTIN (F – KTM), 1'13''97, who grabbed the third position. We have to note that this KTM Super Test was a real raid 100% French with Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) and Ludivine PUY (F – Gas Gas) who clinched the Junior and Women classes and Jeremy T ARROUX (F – KTM) who, for his beginning in the series, took the Enduro 2 class.

Interview PUY – SANZ, a same goal: the title!

Fri, 04 May 2012 16:04:00 +0200

Only few hours from the KTM Super Test of the Grand Prix AMV Seguros of Euskadi, here is an interview of the two teammates and rivals of the Enduro Women class: Ludivine PUY (F) and Laïa SANZ (E). Good way to make growing the pressure between these two opponents…

How was your offseason?
Ludivine PUY: "I had a quiet offseason. I get my bike really late, so I made a lot of bike and then, I had a lot of great time when I rode again my bike."
Laïa SANZ: "I didn't have any offseason because I went to the Dakar and when I came back I had to start to train and compete in trials. In the first race, my knee was injured and I had to stop for one month and a half so I couldn't work a lot before these two first races."

What are your goals for this new season?
L.P: "It will be the last season for me, but my main goal remains to win the title. I'm not here to finish second; that is sure. I made a lot of trial and I did what I had to do so now we'll see how it is going to be!"
L.S: "My goal is to win some races; for sure it's going to be really difficult. I couldn't grab a victory for the moment, but why not dream to win the championship."

What is your opinion on the riding style of your direct opponent?
L.P: "She is a great competitor. On the sport side, to be in competition with her is great because there is no place for stupid chatting and it's a healthy competition. She is a great competitor as I will never have during my career."
L.S: "I think she is really fast, I was impressed during my first year in the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship. She has a really tough level, so fast in the cross test, and really easy on wet conditions."

And on the off bike side, what do you think of her?
L.P: "Unfortunately, we don't really know each other because of the language difference. She looks to be very sympathetic and cool and I think we are the same. We like to be with the guys and no useless talk with the girls. It's a pity that I'm not speaking Spanish because I think that we can be good friends."
L.S: "I don t know her very well because I'm coming from trials and I just see her 3 or 4 times a year. But for sure it could be nice to know her better."

This season, you are teammates; does it give you an additional motivation this year?
L.P: "Of course, I have an additional motivation as it didn't worked as I dreamed of. To simplify, we'll say that she has the access to the "bedroom" and they put me on the "garage"… so of course it's giving me more motivation."
L.S: "For sure, and I will learn a lot of all my teammates. Last year I was alone and not in a factory team, but this season I'm in Gas Gas Factory Team. It will be easier, with better assistance, better bike, and also nice people, good mechanics and riders, like Ivan (CERVANTES) or FIGUERAS, REIS, and others. They are nice and are always trying to help me."

With a 4th Grand Prix this season, the Enduro Women class is more and more important. Are you satisfied of it?
L.P: "Of course I'm really satisfied of it. Now we have a real championship with 4 stages, 8 rounds, so now we'll have a lot of fight. Moreover we have really nice Grand Prix: Spain, Portugal, Italy and France. Those are the nicest and best with great organizers. I'm really satisfied relative to what we had before. Alain (BLANCHARD) did a really great job to put the women on the foreground. We are 11 during this Grand Prix and next we'll be more because there are a lot of girls injured. It's really a nice championship."
L.S: "I'm really happy. It is also the case in trials, and it's important to make grow up woman motorsports, to make the Factories believe in us, and get more help, press communication…"

What this World title means to you?
L.P: "This third title will be like my career: never give up. Despite of all the pitfalls I had, I always found the motivation to come back. So it would be a consecration and I can retire serenely because I made my best until the end."
L.S: "A dream. I'm many times trial World Champion but the EWC is a new goal and it's a dream to win also in Enduro."

No doubt, a nice and exciting season is waiting for the entries of the Women class with in main point this duel already intense between "Lulu" and Laïa. Beginning of the hostilities tonight!

Can Laïa dethrone “Lulu”?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:06:00 +0200

Three years have now passed since the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship welcomed a women's class. This season, the world's elite female enduro riders will get the opportunity to race four of the series' eight Grand Prix – one more than during the past few seasons. Starting in Spain, then heading to Portugal, Italy and finishing in France at the championship's final event, the women enduro riders, who have shown themselves to be every bit as courageous as the men, will participate in an intense and furious season.

The Enduro Women championship kicks off on May 5th and 6th in Munitibar (Spain). So, with only one week to go before the Grand Prix, it is time for us to take a closer look at the class…

Double Word Champion and winner of 11 days out of a possible 12 since the creation of the class, Ludivine PUY (F – Gas Gas) is the undisputed champion of the Enduro Women class. "Lulu" has already announced that this season will be her last and as such she will have only one goal – a third World title. Moreover, the French rider still remains faithful to the Gas Gas team that she knows so well and that has helped her win two World titles.

But with the meteoric improvement of Laïa SANZ (E – Gas Gas) over the last two years, the championship seems to be more undecided than ever before. Third in her first participation in the championship, and then second last year, the Catalan rider who is an 11-time Trial World Champion, must surely be planning on giving her new team-mate a hard time! The two official Gas Gas riders will not make life easy for one another with Laïa really wanting to become Lulu's successor.

Blandine DUFRENE, 3rd last season, is the only rider to claim a day win from the double World Champion in the Enduro Women class, at the GP of Italy in 2010. The 2011 French Champion really wants to play the spoiler between the two Gas Gas riders. On a Husaberg this season, she will really want to give her new bike a victory and to show to the two favourites that she is much more than a championship outsider.

Fourth last year, Heike PETRICK (D – KTM), the dean of the class, will look for the podium and to show that she still has the potential of her ambitions.

Jessica JONSSON (S – Gas Gas), the blond Scandinavian, must confirm her nice results during the past season and maybe also play a spoiler role in the championship.

The French riders Geraldine FOURNEL (Husaberg), Juliette BERREZ (TM), Audrey ROSSAT (KTM) and the Spaniard Rosa ROMERO (KTM) will target some nice performances… and are ready to benefit from any possible mistakes from the title favourites.

This season, the Enduro Women class is welcoming five newcomers. Among them, Samantha TICHET (F – HVA) – the young French racer from Mende who placed third during the 2011 French championship. With the speed to compete with the best in the class Samantha might deliver a few surprises.

Australian Jemma WILSON (Yam) and South African Toni JARDINE (KTM) will also add colour to the women class.

Finally, the British riders Fionn GRIFFITHS and Emily DAVEY will fight with the Enduro World Championship's best as they taste EWC competition for the very first time.

The Enduro Women class continues to take more and more importance and promises an exciting spectacle. Even if Ludivine PUY is the favourite for success, Laïa SANZ and Blandine DUFRENE are better armed than ever to stop the French rider from achieving a third World championship title.
The Enduro Women championship kicks off on May 5th and 6th in Munitibar (Spain).

Mika Ahola “Brave One” Trophy

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:53:00 +0200

Marika AHOLA, the widow of five-time Enduro World Champion Mika Ahola, travelled to South America for the opening rounds of the 2012 EWC series – the GP of Chile and GP of Argentina – and saw first hand the intense duel for supremacy in the Mika Ahola "Brave One" Trophy.

As a reminder to those unfamiliar with the new Trophy, the Mika Ahola "Brave One" Trophy is dedicated to the Finnish champion who tragically left us at the beginning of the year. It is contested by EWC riders in all classes, but only on the enduro test.

On the very technical and challenging enduro special test in Talca, Chile the stars of the EWC established a first hierarchy.

The official Gas Gas rider Ivan CERVANTES (E) is the first leader of this trophy, thanks to his speed, consistency and winning ways in Argentina. But Antoine MEO (winner on day one in Chile), Christophe NAMBOTIN (F) winner in Talca on Sunday, David KNIGHT (GB), Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F), Simone ALBERGONI (I), Juha SALMINEN (SF) are also in the race…

Oscar BALLETTI (I) ex-teammate of Mika AHOLA, the Junior Victor GUERRERO (E) and also Lorenzo SANTOLINO (E) have also shone in the enduro special test – a place where Mika AHOLA, thanks to his courage and talent, knew how to grab the tenths of seconds often needed to secure victory.

All those riders will meet again on the 5th and 6th of May in Munitibar (Spain) and the 12th and 13th of May in Torres Vedras (Portugal) for the Mika Ahola "Brave One" Trophy, where they will again battle it out in memory of the great champion.

Standing: 1. Ivan CERVANTES (E) 62pts ; 2. Antoine MEO (F) 53pts ; 3. Christophe NAMBOTIN (F) 47pts ; 4. David KNIGHT (GB) 41pts ; 5. Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F) 33pts ; 6. Simone ALBERGONI (I) 33pts ; 7. Juha SALMINEN (SF) 31pts ; 8. Oscar BALLETTI (I) 28pts ; 9. Victor GUERRERO (E) 25pts ; 10. Lorenzo SANTOLINO (E) 24pts.

South American Grand Slam For Meo and Nambotin

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:17:00 +0200

In what was the hardest day of racing so far in the 2012 Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship, day two of the GP of Argentina brings the EWC's South American tour to a close.

Battling searing heat and an unrelenting course, Antoine MEO, Juha SALMINEN and Christophe NAMBOTIN were victorious in the three Senior classes on day two. Jonathan MANZI claimed his second win in the Enduro Junior class while Giacomo REDONDI topped the Enduro Youth Cup standings.

With exceptional hot weather and against a stunning Argentina backdrop, the EWC continued to deliver close racing in all classes as riders fought for final honours before returning back to Europe. In total approximately 15,000 spectators watched the world's best enduro riders in action.

With competitors pushed to their maximum in the dusty terrain day two took its toll on machinery. KTM's Johnny AUBERT (F) was first to retire when a technical issue ruled him out. Enduro 1 rider Nicolas DEPARROIS (Kawasaki) also failed to finish.

After his disappointment on day one, Finland's Juha SALMINEN (Husqvarna) bounced back in style to claim the Enduro 2 win on day two. Fighting a tough battle with Spain's Cristobal GUERRERO (KTM) and Ivan CERVANTES (E- Gas Gas), SALMINEN once again return to the top of the podium in South America.
"This is a perfect way to end this GP," confirmed SALMINEN. "Of course it was disappointing not to finish yesterday but sometimes these problems happen in racing and it can't be helped. It's great to win today after a tough fight with Ivan."

Finishing second to SALMINEN, GUERRERO won the final special test of the weekend overhaul his fellow countryman and beat CERVANTES by three tenths of a second. With his third place result on day two, CERVANTES now returns to Europe as the early points leader in Enduro 2.

Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F - Husaberg) matched his previous day's result to finish in fourth place. Italy's Alex SALVINI (Husqvarna) improved on his eight place of day one to finish fifth while KTM's Fabio MOSSINI (I) finished in a very strong sixth place.

In Enduro 1, Frenchman Antoine MEO (KTM) continued to lead the way. Recording his second victory of the weekend, and his fourth in South America, MEO comfortably placed 58 seconds clear of Italy's Simone ALBERGONI (HM Honda).

"Returning to Europe with four wins is the best start to the championship that I could have hoped for," remarked MEO. "This was a very tough enduro so to come away with the win is another incredible result for me."

With MEO out front, ALBERGONI, Finland's Eero REMES (KTM) and Spain's Lorenzo SANTOLINO (Husqvarna) battled intensely for a podium result. REMES held the advantage fin second during the morning but ALBERGONI determinedly closed the gap on the Finnish rider. Pushing through the scorching heat he beat REMES to end the day as runner up. Behind the Italian, REMES managed to fend off the challenge from SANTOLINO to finish in third place.

SANTOLINO put in his best performance of the year so far to finish fourth - six seconds behind the Finn. France's Rodrig THAIN (HM Honda), unable to join the battle in front of him, ended day two in fifth beating sixth placed rider Italy's Thomas OLDRATI (KTM).

France's Christophe NAMBOTIN (KTM) completed a perfect scorecard for his South American trip by remaining unbeaten in Enduro 3. Third at the end of the first lap, NAMBOTIN quickly found his way to the front of his class after the second Cross Test. Maintaining the lead for the rest of the day, the Frenchman recorded his fourth victory of 2012.

"I made a couple of mistakes this morning and had to push hard to recover from them," recalled NAMBOTIN. "Riding in the heat made it very physical and tiring but I'm very pleased to leave South America as the points leader in Enduro 3."
Britain's David KNIGHT (KTM) once again finished second behind his KTM teammate as he narrowly beat Sweden's Joakim LJUNGGREN (Husaberg). With the two riders locked in a daylong battle for the runner-up spot, KNIGHT just pipped LJUNGGREN by five tenths of a second at the end of the 12th and final special test.

Unable to maintain the pace set by the top three, Estonia's Aigar LEOK (TM Racing) finished a distant fourth. Finland's Marko TARKKALA (Beta) jumped two places from day one to end his day in fifth while Spain's Oriol MENA (Husaberg) completed the top six.

Leading the way in Enduro Junior, Jonathan MANZI (I - KTM) claimed his second victory of 2012 by winning day two in Argentina. Mathias BELLINO (F - Husaberg), powerless to match the pace of the hard charging Italian, finished in second place. Argentina's Kevin BENAVIDES (KTM) rewarded the support of his home crowd by finishing third.

Giacomo REDONDI (KTM) enjoyed a perfect weekend in Argentina to claim his second victory in Enduro Youth Cup. Benjamin HERRERA (TM) finished in second place with Stefano CAIMI (KTM) in third.

The Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship continues on May 5/6 with the GP of Euskadi in Muntibar, Spain.

Success for Meo, Cervantes and Nambotin

Sun, 01 Apr 2012 02:06:00 +0200

Antoine MEO and Christophe NAMBOTIN claimed their third consecutive victories in Enduro 1 and Enduro 3 classes of the 2012 Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship at the GP of Argentina. Spain's Ivan CERVANTES secured a sensational victory in Enduro 2 to mark his first win with Gas Gas this season while Jonathan MANZI topped the Enduro Junior class. With riders facing a long and demanding day of racing in the scorching heat of South America, day one at the GP of Argentina in San Juan proved to be a challenging one for all the 146 competitors. Ivan CERVANTES (E – Gas Gas) secured his first victory in over one and a half years by winning Enduro 2. Marc BOURGEOIS (F- Yamaha) continues to impress in Enduro 1 as he grabbed yet another podium finish. After establishing an early lead in Enduro 2, Finland's Juha SALMINEN (Husqvarna) became the biggest shock of day one when he retired following a stone getting caught between his front sprocket and chain, locking his rear wheel. Gas Gas' Ivan CERVANTES finally ended his one and a half year win drought as he took full advantage of SALMINEN'S misfortune to top Enduro 2. With SALMINEN setting the early pace, the Finnish rider caught a stone in his chain during the third Cross Test, which ended his chance of victory. With the Husqvarna rider out, CERVANTES suddenly found himself with a 30-second advantage. Controlling his lead the Spaniard took a well-earned victory. "I'm so happy to have finally won again," declared CERVANTES after the podium celebrations. "It's been a long time since I last won and I'm very grateful to be able to give Gas Gas this important victory." Behind CERVANTES a battle ensued between KTM riders Cristobal GUERRERO (E) and Johnny AUBERT (F) for runner up. AUBERT held the initial advantage until GUERRERO upped his pace on the final lap to overhaul the Frenchman and secure second. Finishing in third place, AUBERT put his disappointing results in Chile behind him. After his win on day two in the GP of Chile, Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F - Husaberg) was unable to repeat his winning result in Argentina and finished in fourth. Although winning the final Cross Test of the day, Italy's Alex SALVINI (Husqvarna) finished one-second behind in fifth. Fabio MOSSINI (I - KTM) completed the top six. France's Christophe NAMBOTIN (KTM) continues to set the pace in Enduro 3. After his double victory in Chile, the KTM rider claimed the win on day one in Argentina. Winning the Friday night Super Test, NAMBOTIN set a relentless pace throughout the day. Topping all but one of the day's special tests, he claimed a commanding 70-second winning margin over his KTM teammate David KNIGHT (GB). "It was difficult in the hot conditions but I was able to find a strong pace early on which helped me to open up a healthy lead," said a pleased NAMBOTIN. "Aside from a small crash in the Extreme Test it's been another perfect race for me and to be fastest in the overall classification is an added bonus. Hopefully I can repeat these results again tomorrow." KTM's David KNIGHT was the closest challenger to the Frenchman. Finishing in second place, KNIGHT also set the fastest time in the final test to mark yet another solid result in South America. Missing out on the podium in Chile, Sweden's Joakim LJUNGGREN (Husaberg) finished in third place on a day one in Argentina. Finding conditions to his liking he placed 37 seconds behind KNIGHT. Estonia's Aigar LEOK (TM Racing) looked capable of recording a podium result until a crash in the very technical Extreme Test set him back. LEOK eventually recovered to finish fourth. Germany's Marcus KEHR (KTM) put in a strong ride to finish fifth while Oriol MENA (E - Husaberg) was sixth. KTM's Antoine MEO (F) was unstoppable in Enduro 1 as he took another commanding victory. Setting a blistering pace on the opening lap, MEO quickly established an early lead. Fastest in all but the final Enduro Test of the day, the Frenchman earned his third victory of 2012. "This has been another incredible day for me," confirmed the KTM rider. "I pushed as hard as I could during the morning to try an open up an advantage as I knew it would be difficult once the special tests became rougher. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to push for the overall win as NAMBOTIN was too fast today but I'm so happy to win again." Frenchman Marc BOURGEOIS enjoyed a successful day as he finished runner up to MEO. Posting some very consistent times throughout the day, BOURGEOIS secured a very impressive second place in Enduro 1. Following on from his second position on day two at the GP of Chile, Italy's Simone ALBERGONI (HM Honda) finished in third place. For Finland's Eero REMES (KTM) finishing in fourth place was a frustrating end to his day. Battling hard with both BOURGEOIS and ALBERGONI, REMES narrowly lost out on a podium result by less than two seconds. Italy's Thomas OLDRATI (KTM) finished in fifth beating sixth placed Rodrig THAIN (F – HM Honda) by four-seconds. In Enduro Junior, Italy's Jonathon MANZI (KTM) put a stop to Mathias BELLINO's winning ways as he took victory on day one. With BELLINO (F – Husaberg) finishing five second's behind the Italian, Argentina's Kevin BENAVIDES (KTM) rode a terrific race to finish third in front of his home crowd. Italy's Giacomo REDONDI (KTM) claimed his second victory of the year in the Enduro Youth Cup. Benjamin HERRERA (CHI - TM) finished in second place while Stefano CAIMI (ARG - KTM) was third.

Guerrero carried by the crowd!

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:07:00 +0200

During this hot March night and with a crowd that has only eyes for the EWC, the 146 entries of this Grand Prix Maxxis of Argentina got into the arena of the KTM Super Test… Gigantic and Enchanting!! This Super Test, with not so many difficulties, organized in the Predio Ferial in the center of San Juan, was very fast and really spectacular. The spectacle, in live during 2 hours on the national TV, was on the rendezvous the forums full of spectators has vibrated on each passage of the World Enduro stars… At the end of this show "muy caliente", it is finally Cristobal GUERRERO (E – KTM) who has won the KTM Super test with an impressive time of 1'14''47. The Andalou has delighted the Argentinian public with his speed and his spectacle sense. Just behind the official KTM, it is, like in Chile, Christophe NAMBOTIN who takes the 2nd place with 1'49''79 and finally, Rodrig THAIN (F – HM Honda), 1'15''19 snatched the third place after a shivering duel with Antoine MEO (F – KTM). This second KTM Super test of the season was a true communion between the 10 000 aficionados "on fire" and the riders that did not hesitate to warm this crowd already gained to their cause. Now, see you tomorrow morning at 9.00 for the first day of this Grand Prix Maxxis of Argentina that has already welcomed the EWC just like only the Latin America can do it!!

Bienvenidos en San Juan!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:27:00 +0200

A few days after the GP Maxxis in Chile, the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship is now on Argentinian soil, in San Juan, after crossing the Cordillera of the Andes at an altitude of 4000 metres.

For the first time in EWC history, a Grand Prix will be taking place in Argentina. For this season, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) entrusted MasEventos, as organizers, and the Confederación Argentina de Motociclismo Deportivo (CAMOD) with the responsibility for staging a GP event. The organizers, chaired by David ELI, are not new to sports event organization. MasEventos has regularly organised World Rally Championship (WRC) stages and also many Dakars for a good many years now.

The EWC at the foot of the Andes!

For this Grand Prix Maxxis of Argentina, MasEventos has set up a 50-kilometre track to cover 4 times a day, with two time checks. The paddock will be situated at Predio Ferial, in the heart of San Juan. The Enduro Test will take place at Rivadavia, the Cross Test at Ullum and the Xtreme Test next to the Autodromo El Zonda, where one of the time checks will be held. Friday night's KTM Super Test will be run next to the paddock in Predio Ferial. As in Chile, the tracks, trails and special tests are expected to be very dusty, dry, rocky and challenging.

San Juan is situated in the province of the same name and in the Capital department, in the Tulum Valley, to the west of the San Juan river. This charming city at the foot of the Cordillera of the Andes has over 110 000 inhabitants and boasts a lot of tourist attractions such as the Santo Domingo convent, the Juan Victoria Auditorium (one of the most imposing concert venues in the world), its baths, and also a very nice lake in Ullum and the Ischigualasto natural park that is a UNESCO world heritage site. San Juan is only 175 kilometres South of Mendoza and 1111 kilometres from the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires. Just like Talca in Chile, San Juan is a wine-growing region.

With 145 entries, the Grand Prix Maxxis of Argentina will start at the foot of the Cordillera of the Andes on Friday, 30 March with the KTM Super Test that will take place in Predio Ferial at 19.00 hours.

Lots of action for the local crowds!

After his great debuts in Chile with his KTM 250 EXC-F, Antoine MEO (F – KTM) will be keen to confirm his two good places while trying to dominate the E1 class more and more. His compatriot Rodrig THAIN (F – HM Honda), in good form on the Chilean course, will do his utmost to stay close to the official KTM. "Surprises" Simone ALBERGONI (I – HM Honda), Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yam) and Jeremy JOLY (F – Yam) will be trying to confirm their brilliant results of last weekend, but we are expecting more from Matti SEISTOLA (SF – HVA) and Eero REMES (SF – KTM), who were clearly distanced in Talca.

In Enduro 2, there should be a thrilling race for first place. Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F – Husaberg) and Juha SALMINEN (SF – HVA), both winners in Chile, will be trying to repeat their good performances, while Ivan CERVANTES (E – Gas Gas), first in the rankings, hopes to finally offer Gas Gas his first personal victory. The other Spaniard Cristobal GUERRERO (E – KTM) still remains one of the favourites for the title on a track that should be good for him. Alex SALVINI (I – HVA) and the astonishing Oscar BALLETTI (I – Beta) will be aiming to give the Italian colours back their lustre while Johnny AUBERT (F – KTM) must absolutely win if he is not to fall way behind in the race for the title.

In the E3 class, we can expect a tough duel between NAMBOTIN and KNIGHT. The British rider, in difficulties last weekend, now has a nice chance to get his revenge on his KTM team mates. But Christophe NAMBOTIN impressed all the observers in Talca and the triple World Champion will have to be in top form to block the man from France. Aigar LEOK (EST – TM), a surprising 2nd in the rankings, has shown that he is a force to be reckoned with. He will certainly be trying to confirm this form. Disappointing in Chile, Joakim LJUNGGREN (S – Husaberg) must absolutely react if he doesn't want to lose his title hopes. Oriol MENA (E – Husaberg), back in good fettle (and spirits?) is a solid outsider in the big-cylinder class. At his side, the new official Beta, Marko T ARKKALA (SF) will be looking to give the Tuscany-based firm a result that will sustain its hopes.

In unbeatable form last weekend, Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) is expected to confirm in the Junior class. But prospects Danny MCCANNEY (GB – Gas Gas), Victor GUERRERO (E – KTM), Alexandre QUEYREYRE (F – Yam) and also Jonathan MANZI (I –KTM) are showing more and more ambition after a promising first Grand Prix. Local lad Kevin BENAVIDES (ARG – KTM) will be one of the favourites in front of his home crowd while in the FIM Youth Cup 125cc, the duel that began last weekend between Giacomo REDONDI (I – KTM) and Benjamin HERRERA (CL – TM) should be awesome…

This Grand Prix Maxxis in Argentina is a long-awaited "first" in South America. Without a doubt, the thousands of spectators expected to turn out for the occasion will be vocal in their encouragement for the World Enduro elite in San Juan. And we can be sure that the organizers MasEventos have put all the right ingredients into the mix to offer the Enduro World a truly international stage…

French Riders Dominate on Day Two In Chile

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 08:38:00 +0200

After an exciting weekend of racing, Day Two brings the opening round of the 2012 Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship to a close in Chile. In what turned out to be an unpredictable race, the series witnessed some closely fought racing as riders battled for victory under the hot Chilean sun in Talca.

With another hard day of enduro to contend with, KTM's Antoine MEO (F) secured his second victory in Enduro 1. Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F – Husaberg) was the winner of Enduro 2 while Christophe NAMBOTIN (F – KTM) won in Enduro 3. Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) also claimed victory in the Enduro Junior class, marking a French clean sweep of the top step of the podium in each of the four premier classes.

Husaberg's Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F) put the disappointment of Day One behind him to claim an incredible victory in Enduro 2. Finishing the first Cross Test of the morning only two seconds behind the previous day's winner Juha SALMINEN (FI – Husqvarna), RENET was clearly focused on putting in a winning performance. Winning all but the final Enduro Test, the Frenchman secured a well-deserved victory.

"Today was a much improved result over yesterday," remarked RENET. "Yesterday I made too many mistakes but today I was able to ride strong and fast to get the win. It's been a great end to a tough weekend's racing."

Chasing RENET home for second, Spain's Ivan CERVANTES (Gas Gas) finished as runner up in the GP of Chile. Recording consistently fast special test times throughout the day, the Spaniard then set the fastest time on the final Enduro Test to finish as runner-up, 25 seconds behind Renet. A victim of numerous crashes during Day One in Chile, Italy's Alex SALVINI (Husqvarna) recovered strongly to claim his first podium result of the year. Competing in only his second season of enduro, the 2011 Rookie of the Year ends his GP of Chile in high spirits.

Cristobal GUERRERO (E – KTM) once again rode well with another fourth place result. Looking to add another win to his tally, Day One winner, Juha SALMINEN was unable to repeat his victory and settled for fifth on the day. Completing the top six was Italy's Oscar BALLETTI (Beta).

Yet again it was the two-time world champion Antoine MEO that led the way in Enduro 1 in Chile. Starting the morning's opening Cross Test in top form, the Frenchman quickly set about establishing himself at the front of the field by posting the fastest special test time. Losing out on the slow and technical Enduro Test, MEO once again found his stride by the middle of the day and upped his pace to set the fastest times in the five remaining special tests. Claiming a 30-second victory over Simone ALBERGONI (I – HM Honda) in second, MEO leaves Chile with a maximum points haul.

"This has been a dream set to the championship," confirmed a delighted MEO. "My times were good all day and I was able to push hard for the win. Hopefully I can continue these results next weekend in Argentina."

After a disappointing tenth on Day One, HM Honda's Albergoni delivered a flawless performance on Day Two to place second behind MEO. Performing at his best on the Enduro Test, the Italian finished 21 seconds in front of his teammate Rodrig THAIN (F – HM Honda). Following his second place result on Day One, France's THAIN capped off an impressive weekend in Chile by earning another podium result for the HM Honda team with third on Day Two.

Behind THAIN the current Enduro Junior world champion Jeremy JOLY (F – Yamaha) made an excellent start to his season with a fourth place result. Improving on his previous day's result, Finland's Matti SEISTOLA (Husqvarna) finished fifth. Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yamaha) was unable to repeat his podium result from Day One and he ended his day in sixth.

Christophe NAMBOTIN (F –KTM) continued his winning ways in Chile to record another dominant victory in Enduro 3. Fastest in all but two of the day's eight timed special tests NAMBOTIN'S only mistakes of the day came when he crashed in the final two Cross Tests. However having built up a comfortable advantage over second place rider David KNIGHT (GB – KTM), the Frenchman still claimed a 38-second victory.

"I knew coming into Chile that if I wanted to fight for the title then I needed to win here," said a pleased NAMBOTIN. "I've never won the opening round of the championship before so to come away with two victories is the best start that I could have hoped for. Hopefully I can continue to be this strong next weekend in Argentina."

Improving on his Day One result of fourth, British rider David KNIGHT (KTM) fought back in style to finish as runner up to NAMBOTIN. Finding conditions more to his liking the KTM rider was able to maintain second position throughout the day to finish in front of TM Racing's Aigar LEOK (EST). Continuing on from his second place finish on Day One, the former GP motocross rider is proving to be a strong contender in Enduro 3. Finishing third on Day Two, LEOK was the surprise performer in the GP of Chile.

Husaberg's Joakim LJUNGGREN (S) just missed out on a podium result to finish in fourth, less than three seconds behind LEOK. Unable to match his podium finish on Day One, Spain's Oriol MENA (Husaberg) ended his GP of Chile in fifth. Marko TARKKALA (FI – Beta) rounded out the top six.

Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) was once again the top performer in Enduro Junior. Winning all but two of the day's special test he finished over one-minute clear of second placed Victor GUERRERO (E – KTM). As runner-up to BELLINO on Day Two, GUERRERO ended his weekend in Chile on a high note. Behind the leading two, British rider Danny MCCANNEY (Gas Gas) continued to impress in the dry and dusty conditions of Chile with third.

Italy's Giacomo REDONDI (KTM) claimed a convincing victory in the 125 Youth Cup. Chile's Benjamin HERRERA (TM) finished in second while Santiago ISAZA (Col – KTM) was third.

The Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship continues with the GP of Argentina in San Juan on March 31/April 1.

Meo, Salminen and Nambotin shine

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 09:56:00 +0200

After an exciting day's racing the opening round of the 2012 Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship delivered day-long excitement and more than a few surprise results. Getting their seasons off to the perfect start, ANTOINE MEO (F – KTM) won Enduro 1 while JUHA SALMINEN (FI – Husqvarna) topped Enduro 2 with Frenchman CHRISTOPHE NAMBOTIN (KTM) claiming victory in Enduro 3. In Enduro Juniors Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) won the day. While MEO, SALMINEN, NAMBOTIN and BELLINO recorded the best start possible to their championship season, there were many other surprise results throughout the action packed Grand Prix Maxxis of Chile. TM's Aigar LEOK (EST) and Husaberg's Oriol MENA (E) recorded their first Enduro 3 podiums of the new season. Oscar BALLETTI (I – Beta) and Marc BOURGEOIS (F – Yamaha) also had much to smile about by finishing third in Enduro 2 and Enduro 1 classes respectively. Getting his day off to a strong start MEO posted the third fastest time on the first Cross Test. After a small crash during the Extreme Test, the hard charging Frenchman quickly gained control of his class. Setting the fastest time on the technical Enduro Test, the two-time EWC champion then topped the remaining five special tests to claim an 81-second victory over HM Honda's RODRIG THAIN (F). "Winning this race is a dream result for me," confirmed MEO. "I was sick during the week and didn't expect this. I'm delighted to get a win so soon in this championship." Fastest during the early morning tests THAIN struggled to maintain that pace for the remainder of the day and after a late battle with MARC BOURGEOIS (F – YAMAHA) he narrowly held on to the runner up position. Finishing less than one tenth of a second behind THAIN, BOURGEOIS was one of the surprise results from Day One at the GP of Chile. Behind the top three, Lorenzo SANTOLINO (E) made a successful debut on his Husqvarna to finish in fourth while Eero REMES (F – KTM) completed the top five with Matti SEISTOLA (F – Husqvarna) in sixth. Juha SALMINEN got his 2012 season of to a perfect start in Chile by winning the highly competitive Enduro 2 class. After finishing sixth in the Friday Super Test, the Finnish rider quickly began to set some impressive times during the special tests. Maintaining a consistently fast pace throughout the day, SALMINEN ended Day One at the GP of Chile 18 seconds clear of Ivan CERVANTES (E – Gas Gas), who placed second. "This is the best start to the season that I could have hoped for," confirmed SALMINEN. "I just tried to ride smooth and consistent today without any major mistakes and thankfully I was able to win." With CERVANTES chasing SALMINEN home for second, Oscar BALLETTI (I – Beta) found the difficult conditions to his liking to finish in third. Sitting outside the top five after the first four tests, a fastest time during the tough Enduro Test helped to lift him onto the podium. Narrowly missing out on third place, Spain's Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) claimed fourth. Hampered by numerous mistakes throughout the day KTM's Johnny AUBERT (F) finished in fifth while Pierre-Alexandre RENET (F – Husaberg) was sixth. In Enduro 3, NAMBOTIN made a dominant start to his championship campaign by securing the victory on Day One. Setting the fastest times in the Enduro 3 class during the day's first five special tests, the Frenchman opened up a commanding lead to end the day almost 50 seconds in front. "I couldn't have asked for a better day," remarked NAMBOTIN. "My day started perfectly and I was able to open up a comfortable lead. Hopefully tomorrow will be just as good." Recording his first podium result in the EWC, Aigar LEOK (EST – TM) finished second. Switching to Enduro 3 for 2012, the former GP motocross rider is now a strong contender for top honours. Also delivering his first podium result in the Senior classes, Spain's Oriol MENA finished third. Finding it hard to get to grips with the dry and dusty terrain, Britain's David KNIGHT (KTM) made the best of a bad day to finish in fourth finishing less than four seconds adrift of LEOK. Husaberg's Joakim LJUNGGREN (S) was fifth with Benoit FORTUNATO (F – Gas Gas) having a strong ride to finish in sixth. Mathias BELLINO proved to be the clear winner of the Enduro Junior class with a commanding 76-second victory. Leading the way from the opening special test of the morning, the Frenchman easily secured his first win of the season. Behind him Gas Gas rider Danny MCCANNEY (GB) finished an impressive second in the dusty conditions not normally known to suit British riders. Completing the top three was Alexandre QUEYREYRE (F – Yamaha). In the 125 Youth Cup, home rider Benjamin HERRERA (CHI – TM) was first. KTM's Giacomo REDONI (I) finished second and Stefano CAIMI (ARG – YAMAHA) was third.

Talca is living the EWC!!

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 15:47:00 +0100

Finally, since Tuesday, the entire Enduro World has been arriving at the paddock in Talca's "Plaza Maule". Everybody has been working hard to get their boxes set up and prepare the bikes for this weekend. The riders will arrive just in time for the special tests. The pressure is growing, here in Talca, with a temperature of 37 degrees, as we await the opening of the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship.

The FIM president, Mr. Vito IPPOLITO, will be in Chile and Argentina for these two race weekends. The President, who hails from Venezuela, really wanted to come here for these South American rounds and to see how the Maxxis FIM Enduro World Championship fares outside Europe.

The EWC thanks DHL and their Sports & Events Manager Hansruedi NACHT. The FIM sponsor has enabled the people now in the paddock to ship their bikes, tools and all the materials necessary for these two Grand Prix events safely to the South American Continent. The Swiss firm has played an important role in opening up this Championship.

Hometown child
Benjamin HERRERA (CL – TM) got himself noticed at the EWC last year by vying with Jonathan MANZI (I – KTM) in Romania during the FIM 125 cc Youth Cup. Today, at only 17 years old, the prospect from Talca is at home and he really wants to grab the two race-day victories ahead of his opponents REDONDI, CAIMI, MCCANNEY et al. To realise his dream, the Chilean TM rider will be relying on the support of the spectators, who will look out for him every time!

The Mika AHOLA "Brave One" Trophy

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:26:00 +0100

The death of Mika AHOLA – one of the Enduro World Championship's most talented, courageous and much-loved champions – will cast a painful shadow over not only the Maxxis GP of Chile but also the entire 2012 EWC season. A rider that in part built his formidable reputation on the world's most demanding special tests, the five-time consecutive EWC champion was a true legend of enduro sport. Mika's mental toughness, determination, skill and fitness allowed him to collect an enviable amount of trophies and championships. Mika was a brilliant rider in all types of special tests. But nowhere were his skills more impressive than on enduro tests.

Enduro special tests are the purest form of special tests – and the hardest to master. Requiring courage, intelligence, speed, and often the need to improvise. To master enduro tests, no matter what the country, is the mark of a true enduro champion.

To watch Mika AHOLA riding fast between the trees in a frozen Swedish forest, or to see him bouncing over roots and ruts through muddy Polish or Slovakian undergrowth, was truly impressive. It was there, in the Enduro Test, that Mika built his biggest successes, often securing victory in the worst of conditions. Mika AHOLA had all of the qualities needed to excel on any enduro tests – he was courageous, intelligent, instinctive…brilliant.

With the full endorsement of his wife Marika and with the unfailing support of the FIM and EWC Promoter Alain BLANCHARD, the "Mika AHOLA "Brave One" Trophy" has been created. It will be decided over the eight rounds of the 2012 EWC season, in a similar way to the Xtreme Test Award. Only performances in the Enduro Test will count towards the award.

A special standing will be created by EWC timing company Infomega, with ABC Communication managing the award. A personalized trophy offered by ABC Communication will then be presented to the winner of the Mika AHOLA "Brave One" Trophy during the EWC's finale prize giving ceremony. This trophy will be unique and will be the property of the winner for one season.

The Mika AHOLA Award will be a vibrant and permanent tribute to the great man and great champion Mika AHOLA.

"A trophy dedicated to Mika in Enduro Test is an excellent idea," Mika's wife Marika has commented. "Mika would love that…"

The Mika AHOLA "Brave One" Trophy will start at the Grand Prix Maxxis of Chile in Talca on March 24th/25th.

The EWC in your pocket!!

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:52:00 +0100

Here it is!! Since today, initiated by ABC Communication and the FIM, the MAXXIS FIM Enduro World Championship has his own IPhone application.

As if you were there!

Developed by Serge BEAUFILS (Programmer), in association with Nikos ANDRITSAKIS (Infomega) and Bastien BLANCHARD (ABC Communication), this application named "Enduro Live" will permit you to follow each Grand Prix as if you were there because of the "Live Results". It is an excellent way for you to follow your favorite rider in every special test.

This application will also contain the last news of the EWC paddocks, but also the riders per classes, alphabetically, or also by motorbike brand.
Please, note that "Enduro Live" will be like the Enduro… completely FREE!

Here is an application that every unconditional Enduro fan must have on his IPhone to follow the EWC!

Available on the AppStore

Who will replace Jeremy JOLY as 2012 Enduro Junior champion?

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:35:00 +0100

The last class to take to the start of the Maxxis GP of Chile will be the Enduro Junior category. And with many of the class' top performers in recent seasons moving 'up' into the senior ranks the absence of the likes of 2011 EJ World Champion Jeremy JOLY (F – Yam), Antti HELLSTEN (SF – TM), Romain DUMONTIER (F – HVA) and Benoit FORTUNATO (F – Gas Gas) means that a new wave of young talent will battle it out throughout 2012.

By finishing second last year Mario ROMAN (E – KTM) certainly has momentum on his side. Improving both in terms of his speed and consistency on all terrains, having delivered numerous podium performances the Spaniard will be gunning for glory aboard his KTM. Now aged 21, the Spaniard will likely be unbeatable on the season's Xtreme Tests thanks to his trials riding background. Despite knee surgery during the autumn, if past performances are anything to go on ROMAN will be a tough rider to beat.

Another title favourite is the former motocross rider Mathias BELLINO (F – Husaberg) who was the revelation of the class during 2011. The official Husaberg competitor learned fast and showed that despite some wayward performances on certain extreme tests he's more than capable of pulling out all the stops on both motocross and enduro special tests.

The Italian Jonathan MANZI (I – KTM) is also one of the favourites. The 2011 FIM Youth Cup 125cc winner can't be afraid against his rivals but he will have to be more constant if he really wants to target the title this season. In any case, the KTM Support rider has the talent to win and will lead Italy's charge in the Enduro Junior class.

Repeater performers – experienced and determined

Of the riders in the Enduro Junior class that competed in the 2011 EJ championship Victor GUERRERO (E – KTM) is one competitor with a lot to prove.
Following two mixed seasons the Spaniard will be hoping to make a real impact on the class third time around. The new KTM Support rider, who's brother Cristobal GUERRERO (E – KTM) will be on hand to offer both advice and support, is surely a serious title threat.

With a home Grand Prix in Argentina Kevin BENAVIDES (ARG – KTM) will do his best to deliver good results in the Junior class. The Argentinean is targeting a top five result in the championship while also hopeful of challenging for podium positions.

Edoardo D'AMBROSIO (I – KTM), one of Italy's talented youngsters, will continue his international learning curve and will try to bring his Bordone Ferrari KTM to the podium. Edoardo will be thankful of the support of his mentor and former EWC racer Alex BELOMETTI.

Alexandre QUEYREYRE (F – Yam), Calle SJOO (S – HM Honda), Alex ROCKWELL (GB – Husaberg) and Kalle SVENSSON (S – HM Honda) are already the oldest riders in the class and will to do their best for their future.
Also Josep RALLO (E – Gas Gas), Milan ENGEL (CZ – KTM), Alejandro BOLADO (E – KTM) and Ian BLYTHE (USA – KTM) will be looking for results that will match their ambitions.

Challenging Newcomers

This class is truly a pool of talented young guns. Among them is Danny MCCANNEY (GB – Gas Gas). The rider from the Isle of Man, who's brother will step into the international enduro scene in the FIM Youth Cup 125cc class, showed impressive speed at the final round of the 2011 EWC series. With official Gas Gas factory support for 2012 Danny could be the rider that delivers the biggest surprise.

It is the same for the new recruit of the EEAT, Kevin ROHMER (F – Yam), Husaberg rider Johan EDLUND (S) and the official TM rider Nicolo MORI (I).

Finally, Arnau SOLA (E – Yam), Ot INGLES (E – Yam), Nicolas GARCIA (E – HVA) and Kimon KARAMPELAS (GR – Yam) will first look to improve their speed before challenging the best in the class.

REDONDI or OLIVEIRA for 2012 FIM Youth Cup 125cc title?

The FIM Youth Cup 125cc, which for 2012 welcomes riders aged 16 to 20 years old – is set to enjoy the support of both official teams and privateer riders with nearly 20 competitors entered for the opening rounds of the new Enduro World Championship series.

Giacomo REDONDI (I – HVA) is considered by many to be the rider most likely to succeed Jonathan MANZI for the title, but the young Italian will have a number of riders to beat if he is to secure a second consecutive FIM Youth Cup 125cc title for Italy. The fast Portuguese rider Luis OLIVEIRA (Yam), who placed second in the championship last year, has proved himself to be a tough competitor. Also Chilean Benjamin HERRERA (TM) showed during 2011 that he too has the speed to deliver impressive results. Finally, Jamie MCCANNEY (GB – Husaberg) will be a rider to watch out for, even despite his lack of international enduro experience. So too will Jesper BORJESSON (S – Husaberg), Stefano CAIMI (ARG – Yam) and Davide SORECA (I – Beta Boano), all of which possible title outsiders.

With an average of more than 50 entries per race, the Junior categories of the Enduro World Championship will unquestionable deliver some thrilling racing in 2012, while also delivering fresh talent onto the EWC scene.

While it's hard to say who the real favourite is to replace 2011 champion Jeremy JOLY the speed and experience that ROMAN, BELLINO, MANZI, GUERRERO, and MCCANNEY have suggest that they will be the riders most likely to battle for podium positions.

The Junior Champions since 2005

2011: JOLY (Honda - France)
2010: SANTOLINO (KTM - Spain)
2009: MENA (Husaberg - Spain)
2008: OLDRATI (KTM – Italy)
2007: LJUNGGREN (Husaberg - Sweden)
2006: LJUNGGREN (Husaberg - Sweden)
2005: GUERRERO (GAS GAS - Spain)

The FIM Youth Cup 125cc winner since 2009

2011: MANZI (KTM - Italy)
2010: ROMAN (KTM - Spain)
2009: DUMONTIER (Yamaha - France)

Photos:
1. Jérémy Joly
2. Jonathan Manzi
3. Mario Roman

“Motorsport needs to be known in South America!”

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0100

Less than a month and a half before the beginning of the season, we are talking about the first Dakar of Johnny AUBERT, about the coming season and about the evolution of the World Enduro since his arrival in the paddocks.

Johnny AUBERT, give us you impressions about your first Dakar?
Johnny AUBERT: "This first Dakar was a fabulous experience and the discovering a new discipline but also an unbelievable human adventure. A lot of emotions were mixed all along those 15 race days, with a goal for everybody, before the good results, to arrive in Lima. I could realize that to mix navigation and riding is difficult, that the experience is the success key and that you don't have only to know how to ride a bike. I wanted, all along the race, to learn. I rarely relied to the traces of the leading men, and I tried to follow my roadbook as precisely as possible. Sometimes it putted me in difficulty but at the end I know that it helps me a lot for the next times."

How do you feel now?
J.A: "I'm in good fit! When I came back, I went to the mountain to recharge my batteries. Ski, relaxation, family. It was perfect to gather strength and to start off again with the Enduro tests. The 2012 Dakar was not my priority. I trained for the Enduro and I raced the rally with my 2012 season in the crosshairs. I had the chance to not feel a real tiredness post-Dakar."

Do you think that you'll be ready for the South American tour, Chile – Argentina?
J.A: "I'll be without a doubt! Physically I'm already ready. We are now working on my 450 EXC-F. I made a race in England organized by Jonty EDMUNDS this weekend, which permitted me to confirm that I have a good feeling with my bike. The next preparation meeting will be certainly the opening of the Italian championship during the first weekend of March."

You had two difficult seasons, what are your goals for this new year?
J.A: "2010 and 2011 were difficult. Inner ear problem and then big crash. However, I didn't lose my confidence in my riding style. My 2012 goals will be of course to do the maximum to win another world title."

After difficult times on the 350 EXC-F, you're back on the 450 EXC-F with which you became World Champion. Give us your impressions?
J.A: "First of all, it is important to confirm that the 350 is an excellent bike. I loved to ride with even if my riding style is pushing me to ride with bigger one. I'm definitely easier on the 450 EXC-F. Between my 450cc and me it is a true love story: even if we left each other for a while, as soon as we meet again, we were very good together! Stop joking, I have an excellent feeling with the bike and I have a lot of pleasure to ride with."

What do you thinking about your main rivals in Enduro 2?
J.A: "They are coriaceous and the places for the podium will be thought. I will meet again Juha SALMINEN, and I know that he will not give any seconds just like Ivan (CERVANTES)! But don't forget Pela RENET and Cristobal GUERRERO who are the prospects of the Enduro. In my opinion, it will be a year rich in pressure and suspense!"

Next season you will not be the only French in KTM with the arrival of Antoine MEO and Christophe NAMBOTIN. What are your relationships with your two compatriots and new teammates?
J.A: "Our relationship is excellent like it was before their arrival in KTM. I always had good relations with Christophe. Even if there were rumors that Antoine and I had difficult relation, it's wrong. We were rivals during the races, but it has never influence on our human relation! I'm happy to have them next to me this season! The team Farioli will have to speak French now!"

About the new calendar, what do you think about the South American tour?
J.A: "I'm happy to come back to South America, people are motorbike and Enduro fans, they are really friendly and the motorsport needs to be known on the South American continent so if us, riders, can contribute to this development, it is great. The main problem is concerning the private team and the important cost to go there. It will be difficult for some of them to participate to the entire championship because of it and it's a pity. I hope that solution can be found to decrease the cost and to permit to everybody to make of this tour a real success."

You're on the EWC for 6 seasons now, what do you think about its evolution?
J.A: "There were a lot of changes! The World Enduro is now a creditable discipline that attracts riders from every horizon. Great things have been done even if sometimes I didn't believe in it. I have to say that I'm still not a fan of the Super Test. Moreover, I don't think that it's a good idea to erase pre-riders. It was a good way to analyze what was possible or not and to have the possibilities to make some changes when the track was infeasible or too dangerous."

For a long time now, you're saying that this season will be your last on the MAXXIS FIM Enduro World Championship, is it really "the last one"?
J.A: "I can't deny that I'm looking for a rally career. I don't know yet about what will 2013 be made. I don't want to thinking about it for instance. My priority is the 2012 EWC and to do my best to give the best results to KTM and to all my sponsors. Result in few months…"