DAY 2
Report: ABC

A ROUND FOR CHALLENGERS

Because the rain spared MAXXIS FIM WEC, the second act of the GRAND PRIX IRS OF SLOVAKIA powered by CASINO BONVER became easier than the epic round of the day before. However, the survivors met again a very fatty ground, where some portions of the tests looked like battlefields. Helped by Giovanni Sala, the FIM Course Inspector, the Enduro Club Puchov cleverly reacted by deviating during the night the critical sectors.

In ENDURO 1, with conditions turning from slippery the morning to drying the afternoon, Mika AHOLA (SF-HM) found better than him... Until midday. Thereafter the leader of the championship signed an impressive come back to point with 1 second in advance on Antoine MEO (FRA-HVA) before the last extreme test. As in Finland one week before the tension was palpable between the two men and and as in Finland Mika Ahola beats the French for 3 seconds. After having dominated first half of race, Simone ALBERGONI (ITA-KTM) could not resist to the speed of Ahola and Méo. The KTM factory rider is even beaten by his team mate Thomas OLDRATI (ITA-KTM) for only 14 hundredths in the last test. Albergoni is third, Oldrati fourth.

Whereas the ENDURO 2 could appear less tasty with resounding successes of Johnny AUBERT (FRA-KTM), this Grand Prix of Slovakia Saturday like Sunday proved that the French is not unbeatable. Like the day before, Bartosz OBLUCKI (POL-HVA) ran all the day after a victory. The ground drying noticeably at mid-day, the E2 leader could put forward the power of his 450 cc to win. But Oblucki second by 22 seconds can pride himself on being the only rider who stand up to Aubert this season. Third of the category, Juha SALMINEN (SF-BMW) offered a first podium in the mud to BMW.

Johnny AUBERT : “I did a prudent first lap, without taking too much risks. The track was drying and I could use the power of my bike in the big up-hills. I just made a mistake in the last cross test but it was a very good day. I knew that Oblucki would be fast, he has won the Six Days here so I paid attention to his results. Now, I don’t want to low my rhythm in the championship, I would like to win all the rounds. But for sure I will not take to muck risk for that.”

Category ENDURO 3 also gave us some surprises for this second Slovak day. By signing a second consecutive success, Christophe NAMBOTIN (FRA-GAS) comes back in the chase for title, and rain could become his best ally for the end of season. The other surprise of the day came from astonishing Marcus KEHR (GER-KTM). The German made good match with Samuli ARO (SF-KTM) a long moment and then became less fast on the dry to finish fourth. Aro as the day before was constant on this trapper terrain. Second, he precedes of 6.45 seconds Sebastien GUILLAUME (FRA-HVA), in renewal of form and feelings during the second round. On the other hand this Slovak test will be to forget for the leader of the championship Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM), handicapped in the mud by his big 4 strokes and only fifth.

After the domination of Joly the day before, Oriol MENA (ESP-HSB) decided to take again his destiny in hand by attacking frankly from the first tests, and by avoiding to fall, the key of success on the Slovak track. The Spaniard once more wins the JUNIOR category, with an important advance of 1 minute 13 seconds over Mirko GRITTI (ITA-BETA). To complete the prize list of the GRAND PRIX IRS OF SLOVAKIA powered by CASINO BONVER, note that the BMW MOTORRAD XTREM TEST AWARD has been won won by Mika AHOLA (SF-HM), while Jonathan MANZI (ITA-HVA) ends first of the YOUTH CUP 125 powered by HUSQVARNA.


DAY 1
Report: ABC

WHAT A SHOW!

The MAXXIS FIM WEC left the area of Puchov under pouring rain during 2006 ISDE, making the race epic. The same weather conditions welcomed the first day of the GRAND PRIX IRS OF SLOVAKIA powered by CASINO BONVER. To ride on the course already being an adventure, the finishers of the first round of this fifth event of the season did a true exploit. However all had started well for the stars of the WEC in the KTM Super Test. The Friday evening meeting joined together 4000 people on the bank of Vàh river to attend a festival of the enduro, where the 83 riders engaged clashed 1 with 1 in a parallel test. The winner of the KTM Super Test is Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM), in front of Thomas OLDRATI (ITA-KTM) and Antoine MEO (FRA-HVA).

In the starting area of this Saturday, under the downpours, riders took care to protect from the rain their goggles and the levers of their motorbikes. As a specialist of muddy races, Simone ALBERGONI (ITA-KTM) put forward his experience in these conditions and he was logically leading after first timed portions in ENDURO 1. But from a special test to another, the Dantean weather reserved many bounces. Albergoni loses seconds and retrogresses finally in the third place, beaten for 8 hundredths by impetuous Antoine MEO (FRA-HVA). The other French animator of the category, Fabien PLANET (FRA-KTM) went up and down in the standings to end fourth, in front of his compatriot Julien GAUTHIER (FRA-HM). While imposing himself with 25 seconds in advance, Mika AHOLA (SF-HM) proves that he is as fast on Finnish sand than in Slovak mud.

In ENDURO 2, first category to open the Slovak track, the race was played as much in connection than into special tests in the first hours. The leaders understood that while riding faster on the trail, they would be presented in first at the entrance of the tests and would benefit from a virgin ground offering more grip and traction. This strategy pays for Bartosz OBLUCKI (POL-HVA) in the slippery special tests of the morning, where he took the lead of the race. He left it to Johnny AUBERT (FRA-KTM) only in the ultimate extreme test, where he did a mistake while crossing a log. The victory is for the French, 10 seconds faster than Oblucki. The rest of the category is at one minute, with Joakim LJUNGGREN (SWE-HSB) third and Juha SALMINEN (SF-BMW) fourth.

In Puchov, with many withdrawals, spectators met as many riders in the paddock than into special tests. If the race was particularly hard for the convicts of the ENDURO 3, Christophe NAMBOTIN (FRA-GAS) took a lot of pleasure throughout the day. Someone would say that it is a weather for froggies, but Nambotin really mastered the class, with a 67 seconds advance.

Christophe NAMBOTIN : “From the start we knew that it would be a tough race. I am very satisfied I could be fast on the first moments hours. My wife stayed at home in France, because I will be a dad in a few days. I win here, so it’s extra. That’s for them that I fought today. It was hard to keep concentrated in all the tests. I nearly lost my day in the penultimate test, my handlebars were damaged but finally I’m happy.”

Samuli ARO (SF-KTM) takes the second place. The third step of the podium was the occasion of an unexpected duel between Stefan SVITKO (SVK-KTM) and Marcus KEHR (GER-KTM) to the advantage of the Slovak on his homeland. Note that Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM) must be satisfied with the fifth place, in front of Sebastien GUILLAUME (FRA-HVA) in the grip of some problems of concentration since his fall in Finland one week before.

In the JUNIOR class, the hero of the day is Jérémy JOLY (FRA-HM), who signs a second impressive success this year with 40 seconds over Oriol MENA (ESP-HSB). The stars of MAXXIS FIM WEC already pray for the rain to spare Sunday for the second round of the GRAND PRIX IRS OF SLOVAKIA powered by CASINO BONVER.


KTM RACING

Aubert sails to another double victory to preserve his perfect scorecard in E2
Johnny Aubert of the KTM Enduro Factory Team conquered difficult conditions in Rounds 9 & 10 of the E2 Enduro World Championships to take two victories and further extend his commanding lead in the season's standings.

Aubert has won every race so far this season and with a 62 point lead in the championships, looks untouchable for the title.
 
The race weekend at Puchov, Slovakia delivered a tough opening day on Saturday with the competitors' toughest opponent being the torrential rain that turned the 65 km track into a cold and slippery obstacle course for round nine of the current World Championship.
 
But conditions failed to foil this year's outstanding front runner in E2. Aubert was challenged by Bartosz Oblucki who led the race throughout the day on a terrain similar to his own country, neighbouring Poland, but Aubert slipped past him in final stages. "Johnny very fast today but Oblucki was leading right up until the last special when he caught him and went on to win the race. It was a day that suited the French riders," KTM's team boss Fabio Farioli said. "Today the extreme test was almost impossible and there were many crashes right throughout the day," he commented after Saturday's battle with the elements came to a conclusion.
 
The rain stopped before Sunday's race and organisers made modifications to the tests after conditions on Saturday made it practically impossible to ride. With an easier day ahead of his Aubert went out an put in another race that Farioli described as "perfect".
 
Italian Alessandro Belometti returned to the track after injuring his hand last weekend in Finland and finished in a good eighth place and was thirteenth on Sunday.

KTM's Aro twice on the E3 podium in Slovakia
Samuli Aro of the KTM Enduro Factory Team put in a good weekend in very tough conditions to twice finish second on the E3 podium in the ninth and tenth round of the current world Championship in Puchov, central Slovakia.

The event kicked off on Friday with the Super Test, run in front of 4000 people on the banks of the Vah river and the glory went to KTM Enduro Factory's E3 championship leader Cervantes. But when overnight and continual rain on Saturday turned the 65 km track into a mud bath. While Aro of Finland crossed the line in second his factory team-mate and championship leader Ivan Cervantes, with his 4-stroke KTM machine needed all the help he could in conditions that that according to team boss Fabio Farioli were near impossible to ride.
 
"Saturday was a very difficult day with the mud and the rain. The extreme test was nearly impossible. The track is very difficult and many of the riders are complaining so there will be some changes overnight," he said. "Ivan (Cervantes) was fifth but he was the top four-stroke rider today. The two-strokes are much lighter and easier to rider in the mud and rain."

The rain stopped in time for Sunday's race but much of the track was still mud soaked, although it did dry out during the course of the race. Organisers had modified several of the tests that proved almost impossible on Saturday, however while Aro again came home second, Cervantes was again the first 4-stroke bike in on another tough racing day repeating his result of the opening day.  The Spanish factory rider still has a 17-point lead going into the next rounds that take place in Mexico in July.

Albergoni and Oldrati on the podium in difficult E1 GP in Slovakia
KTM Enduro Factory Racing E1 rider Simone Albergoni and KTM-supported rider Thomas Oldrati, both if Italy overcame a difficult weekend's racing in Rounds 9 & 10 of the World Championship to be on the podium for the Austrian manufacturer.

Albergoni was third in Saturday's race and Oldrati was third in on Sunday in an eventful weekend where the weather played a major role in the outcome of the event.

The two races kicked off the second half of the Enduro World Championship season in Puchov, Slovakia, a hilly, forested area that has an established tradition of Enduro racing on a 65 km track to be covered 3.5 times on each of the race days. The teams knew in advance that it would be a difficult race weekend, especially if it rained and at least on Saturday that was the case. 
 
The weekend started with the Super Test on Friday evening, the extra test in front of a crowd that makes the sport more accessible to the public and gives rider the opportunity to show off their skills. Some 4000 motor sport fans gathered on the banks of the Vah River to watch the riders go through their paces with Ivan Cervantes of KTM's E3 team taking the glory and Oldrati in second place.  But Saturday proved very tough with continual rain that turned many hills on the course into extremely difficult slippery slopes.
 
At the end of a tough first day the E1 KTM Enduro Factory team was on the podium with Albergoni in third place but like most riders, Eero Remes, in his rookie year with the factory team and Oldrati, who is racing his first year in the senior division, both had their share of difficulties. Oldrati finished a creditable sixth and the young Finn in eighth place on a day that factory team boss Fabio Farioli summarised as follows: "Everybody made mistakes today so the winner was the one who made the least mistakes."

The rain held off for Sunday's race and the track dried out as the day progressed. Organisers also made some amendments to the tests, making both the Enduro and the Extreme test easier than it had been on Saturday. Albergoni had been leading for most of the way but eventually had to settle for fourth place, while Oldrati finished in third place.
 
The World Championship competition now reconvenes in July for the next round in Mexico.


CH Racing Husqvarna Factory Enduro Team 2009
Continued WEC success for Husqvarna at GP of Slovakia

Husqvarna’s Enduro 1 class rider Antoine Meo and Enduro 2 class competitor Bartosz Oblucki both had much to celebrate following the fifth round of the ’09 World Enduro Championship, the GP of Slovakia staged in Puchov, as both riders claimed runner-up results in their respective classes. With Meo again making life difficult for defending E1 world champion Mika Ahola, Oblucki came closer than any other rider this season to beating E2 class leader Johnny Aubert on day one. Also joining the pair with a podium result was Seb Guillaume who claimed third in E3 on day two.

Although pleased to have claimed his second consecutive double runner-up result in Slovakia it was a bittersweet weekend for Meo, who came agonisingly close to beating current E1 championship leader Mika Ahola on both days. Although finishing 25 seconds behind the Finn on day one, Meo lost close to two minutes on the second extreme test when he got stuck on one of the ridiculously slippery log sections. Fighting back and winning the three final special tests were it not for his mistake he would have claimed a sizeable winning margin. On day two Meo was determined to claim victory but at the end of another hard day placed second, just three seconds behind Ahola. Antoine currently sits second in the E1 championship standings behind Mika Ahola, and ahead of Italian Simone Albergoni.

The second CH Racing Husqvarna team rider to come close to winning in Slovakia was WR250 mounted Bartosz Oblucki. Knowing that he would be able to perform well in the slippery conditions, on day one Bartosz attacked from the start of the day and topped both the first timed motocross and enduro tests. Maintaining his speed throughout the day he arrived at the final extreme test with victory within his sights. Frustratingly, several mistakes on the final special test resulted in Oblucki finishing second, just 10 seconds behind Aubert. Although a great result in itself, Bart’ was disappointed he didn’t win. Showing that his day one result wasn’t a one-off Oblucki again pushed Aubert hard during day two and finished a close second to the E2 championship leader. Bartosz holds the runner-up position in the Enduro 2 world championship standings.

Still feeling the effects of his heavy crash during the final day’s competition at the GP of Finland, Seb Guillaume was unable to perform at his best during the opening day’s competition in Slovakia. In conditions where the Frenchman normally excels Seb could only manage a sixth place result. However on day two Seb bounced back and returned to the podium with a well-deserved third place finish. Seb is now fourth in the Enduro 3 world championship standings, just six points behind defending class champion Samuli Aro.

For Husqvarna’s Matti Seistola and Marc Bourgeois the GP of Slovakia proved to be a disappointing event. With Seistola forced to retire on day one the Finn placed 19th in E2 on day two. Bourgeois was forced to retire on day one with a broken bone in his left hand.

Antoine Meo – Enduro 1: “I lost almost two minutes on one of the extreme tests on day one. At the end of the day Mika finished 25 seconds ahead of me. That was really disappointing. I pushed really hard after I made the mistake and rode really well, but it wasn’t quite enough. I was pleased with the way I rode but not pleased that I didn’t win. I made a lot of mistakes on day two and lost by just three seconds. I really wanted to win, but it didn’t happen. My riding is good, my speed is good, all I need to do now is remove the small mistakes. The good thing is that I am second in the championship.”

Bartosz Oblucki – Enduro 2: “It’s been a great weekend, second on both days are results that I’m really pleased with. I am a little disappointed that I didn’t win on day one. I really felt that I could have won, and should have won. From the start of the day I believed that I could win, but I lost about 20 seconds on each extreme test. I made a lot of big mistakes and crashes. I lost the win by 10 seconds so I felt like I gave away the win. On day two second was where I feel I should have finished. Aubert was really fast in two of the tests and took quite a lot of time from me. But I won three or four tests so I’m pleased about that.”

Seb Guillaume – Enduro 3: “It’s been a really difficult event for me. On day one I wasn’t really in the race. My body was fine but my head was not. I think that the crash I had on day two in Finland took a little more out of me that I realised and I just wasn’t able to get myself going on day one. There seemed to be a delay between my mind and body. Day two was better. I started quite well but then made quite a lot of small mistakes, which cost me a lot of time. Third on day two is good, but I am disappointed about day one.”


HUSABERG Team
Podium for Ljunggren and Mena in good weekend for Husaberg Team

Joakim Ljunggren in E2 and Oriol Mena in EJ were the top Husaberg factory riders in a weather troubled weekend of Enduro World Championship racing in central Slovakia this weekend.

Saturday’s race at Puchov, in the central part of Slovakia, already proved to be a real “endurance” test for even the most experienced riders. After Friday’s successful Super Test, the opportunity for 4000 local motor racing fans to get up close and personal with the skills of the riders competing in the World Championships, the skies opened and rain continued to deluge the 65 km track right through Saturday’s race day.

Despite the challenging conditions, the Husaberg Factory Team still celebrated two podiums with Ljunggren in third place in E3 and young Spanish EJ championship leader Mena in second on a day that team boss Thomas Gustavsson described as a track that was “…..very difficult, wet, slippery and very hilly.”

Ljunggren, who celebrated his twenty fourth birthday at the races in Finland last weekend, agreed, saying after Saturday’s race: ”It was incredibly slippery. I don’t think I have ever ridden in such slippery conditions before. I had to push the bike uphill to some of the control points. The mud was just sliding away because the ground was disappearing under me. But I like it hard and I felt very strong today. I had a good result in the extreme but I didn’t go that well in the MX.”  Team-mate Valtteri Salonen had a lot of problems with the hills on Saturday and finished in seventeenth place.

Mena was also satisfied with his second place on Saturday after a very tough day’s riding that was very different from the terrain back in his home country of Spain. “I am very happy to be second in these conditions, which are very different to what we have in Spain. The specials were very hard but I will try my best tomorrow to get some good points because then there is a possibility that when we race in Mexico, I might be able to settle the championship after the first race there.

But the skies cleared on Sunday and with the modified track, conditions were much easier with Joakim finally having to concede the third podium place to his racing hero Juha Salminen. “Today was much easier. Most of the difficult parts were gone. It was more normal and it was good riding,” Ljunggren said after the race. “I had a crash in the first test and I was trailing by about 10 seconds but I made up some time in the extreme and in the end I finished only one second behind Salminen and had to settle for fourth place. It’s great to be doing battle for a podium place with him because he is my racing hero.” Salonen finished ninth on Sunday, which was a significant improvement on his Saturday’s result. 

The conditions on Sunday suited Mena much better and he went out and conquered the Slovak course for yet another race victory. “It was easy today,” the young Spaniard said. “There was no rain and although the first lap was still very slippery, I still had good times. I went well in the last lap and the special test was good because the organisers had made many changes,” he commented.

Husaberg did not have a representative in the E3 class for Rounds 9 and 10. Björne Carlsson, the team’s factory rider cracked ribs last weekend in Finland and although he was in Slovakia, he found it too painful to ride and was unable to start in the two races.


Electraction TM UK
McLaughlin lucks out at GP of Slovakia

Electraction TM UK rider Phillip McLaughlin endured mixed fortunes at the fifth round of the ’09 World Enduro Championship, the GP of Slovakia staged in Puchov. With bad luck curtailing his performances at the recent GP of Finland where a day one ninth place result was followed by a DNF on day two after he drained his motor of oil after smashing into a rock on day two, in Slovakia luck again wasn’t on his side.

A highly creditable fifth in the Enduro Junior class on day one Philip battled his way through the rain and mud to match his best result of the season so far. With just 13 EJ class riders managing to finish the day, McLaughlin got stronger as the day progressed, placing fourth in class on two of the final four tests. Although unable to keep pace with the class leader Jeremy Joly, Philip finished just 33 seconds behind fourth placed rider Adrien Metge.

Looking to improve on his day one result, and hoping to claim his first podium result of the season, Philip recorded the second fastest Enduro Junior class time on the opening motocross test, almost matching the winning time of championship leader Oriol Mena. Despite several mistakes on the extreme test Philip remained second in class at the end of the opening lap, but disappointingly soon found himself out of the event. Shortly after starting the enduro test on lap two a fractured carburettor slide put an end to his day.

Electraction TM supported factory TM rider Rodrig Thain rode well on both days, claiming seventh on day one and fifth on day two. Although a little further down the finishing order than he’d hoped on day one Rodrig, who’s not a fan of wet conditions, upped his game on day two and finished 50 seconds from the podium.

Electraction TM UK’s Enduro 3 class rider Gordon Clarke found himself in trouble midway through the opening lap when he strayed off the motocross track and into the nearby undergrowth. Needing six spectators to help him bring his bike back onto the motocross test, Gordon lost over 20 minutes and withdrew at the end of the lap. Despite starting on day two an injured left wrist proved too painful and he again withdrew from the event.

Phillip McLaughlin: “I can’t explain how disappointed I am about not finishing the second day. After battling my way through the first day and finishing fifth I really wanted to get my first podium finish of the season. Day one was horrible. It was just a case of surviving most of the time. It was almost impossible not to make mistakes. I did have some good test times but it was so hard trying to keep the pace of the guys at the top of the class. But day two started perfectly with second on the opening motocross test. I made a few mistakes on the extreme test, but I was still second. Just as I started the enduro test I realised that something wasn’t right with my bike. Then about 100 yards into the test the bike stopped. A piece of the carburettor slide broke away and went into the engine, which is really annoying. At least I know my speed is good, so hopefully the next few events in the UK will go well.”


BMW MOTORRAD MOTORSPORT TEAM
Podium success for Salminen at GP of Slovakia

Seven-time World Enduro Champion Juha Salminen has claimed the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team’s best result at the GP of Slovakia, placing a solid third in the Enduro 2 class on day two of the fifth round of the ’09 WEC series. Following on from his double runner-up E2 result at the GP of Finland, Salminen, like all riders, faced some of the most challenging conditions this season on day one as continuous heavy rain resulted in extremely slippery special tests and an exceptionally challenging course.

Winning the Friday night Super Test aboard his G 450 X Salminen’s event started in the best possible way. Carrying a slender advantage into the first full day of competition a promising opening lap saw the Finn battling at the very top of the Enduro 2 class. With the constant rain and increasingly slippery special tests ensuring that mistakes were easy to make survival was the name of the game for almost all riders. Making a few mistakes of his own Salminen dropped from the top three in the E2 class and come the end of the day missed the podium by just one position finishing fourth.

With conditions drier on day two and with extensive alterations having been made to certain sections of both the motocross and enduro tests Juha made an encouraging start, again running at the head of the E2 class. Keeping mistakes to a minimum while doing everything he could to repeat his runner-up result from his home round of the championship, Juha eventually placed third in class following a day of consistent special test performances.

Simo Kirssi enjoyed a successful weekend in Slovakia, placing just one position behind Salminen on day one in fifth. 15 seconds adrift of his countryman at the end of the demanding day, Kirssi put in one of his best ever WEC performances to claim a well-deserved E2 class result. On day two Kirssi again performed well but placed seventh, just seven seconds behind the eventual fifth placed rider. Juha and Simo now sit third and seventh respectively in the Enduro 2 world championship standings.

Joining the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team in Slovakia for what was one of two wildcard outings in the ’09 WEC series was former seven-time enduro world champion Anders Eriksson. Despite competing as the last rider in the Enduro 2 class Anders battled his way through the opening day and onto a 12th place finish. On day two Anders improved his result by one position to place 11th. Eriksson will again join the team at the final round of the series in France.

Finding conditions tough in Slovakia Marko Tarkkala came through the challenging event with two eight place results in the Enduro 3 class. Pushing as hard as he could the Finn made several mistakes during both day’s of competition, which prevented him from claiming better results. Tarkkala sits sixth in the Enduro 3 world championship standings.

Juha Salminen – Enduro 2 class: “The conditions were really difficult this weekend, and to be honest I struggled on day one because it was so slippery. I think most riders found it hard but I was disappointed that I didn’t finish third. I made some mistakes and that stopped me from finishing on the podium. Still, it wasn’t too bad. The second day was better and the special tests were a lot drier. It was hard to enjoy the event on day one because it was so slippery everywhere, but day two was OK. I enjoyed the fact that the enduro test on day two was almost completely different to the one on day one.”

Simo Kirssi – Enduro 2 class: “The weekend was very similar to last weekend’s race in Finland for me in terms of my results, but a lot harder because of the weather. I didn’t have any big problems on either day, which I was pleased about. The conditions were very hard for both riders and machinery. I think this will be one of those races that you look back on and enjoy, but during the event it was really tough.”

Anders Eriksson – Enduro 2 class: “It’s been hard but I enjoyed it. Starting right at the back of the E2 class didn’t make things any easier for me but I’ve enjoyed my return to the WEC. I knew that I wouldn’t be fighting for podium positions, I just wanted to show what could be done on a bike that’s basically standard. The first day was almost just a case of survival. I made plenty of mistakes but generally it all went OK. On day two I hoped to finish inside the top 10 but I just missed doing that. I’ll be back to compete in the final round in France, which I’m looking forward to. I think that will be my last world championship race.”

Marko Tarkkala – Enduro 3 class: “It’s been a hard race for me, but I got to the finish of both days so I guess I have to be pleased with that. The conditions were really bad on the first day. It was impossible not to make mistakes. I did my best but I’m not really pleased with eight on both days.”