DAY 1

DAY 2

FIRST DAY OF THE GRAND PRIX IRS OF SLOVAKIA POWERED BY CASINO BONVER
GUERRERO, FOR HONOUR
courtesy of ABC

It seems that Slovakia is synonymous with rain. Whenever the MAXXIS FIM ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP takes place in Eastern  Europe, the race is complicated by the weather. During the first day of the Slovakian IRS GRAND CASINO powered by CASINO BONVER, the expert riders had to put their heart and soul into it. Despite dry conditions in the end, positions evolved throughout the competition, and there were misfortunes and successes in the Enduro Test and the Extreme Test.

Guilty of cheating in last weeks Polish Grand Prix, Cristobal GUERRERO (ESP-YAM) redeemed himself - winning the first day in  Slovakia and achieving his first international success in Enduro 2010. Given the wet conditions, the Andalusian was not favourite on paper, but he is one of the few riders that did not waste any time in the muddy pools of the Enduro Test. After leading for some time, Eero REMES (SF-KTM) finally took 3rd place, 23 seconds behind the winner, continuing his good form in the wake of his Polish victory. However, at the end of the day the Finn could not hold out with the return of Johnny AUBERT (FRA-KTM). The form of team KTM is improving with every race and so are his performances. He may have missed the chance to compete for French victory, he was in second place 7.60 behind the Spanish leader. For his part, the championship leader, Antoine MEO (FRA-HVA), suffered a new setback. He fell in the Enduro Test, damaging his clutch and lost more than a minute. MEO took a disappointing fourth place.

In ENDURO 2, the riding style of Mika AHOLA (SF-HM) was an indication of the slippery conditions.

"We must simply try to roll very, very smoothly placing as much body weight on the bike as possible to find the best grip," said the Finn.

Unsurprisingly, the Enduro 2 leader won the first day in Slovakia, staying ahead of Rodrig THAIN (FRA-TM) from the start of the course. More comfortable in the Slovakian mud than in the Polish sand, TM finally took second place in the category, just 8.4 seconds behind Mika AHOLA. This result also left Rodrig Thain happy, who had a difficult start to the season. In opposition for the title, Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM) lost his footing, taking fourth. Victim of an error in the Enduro Test, where he struck a tree, he watched his team mate Thomas OLDRATI (ITA-KTM) as he slipped into third place in E2. Note that the group welcomed the Enduro champion of Japan to  Slovakia. Riding for KTM, Koikeda TAKESHI (JPN-KTM) rode bravely, finishing mid-table.

The Enduro 3 competition has rarely been so thrilling. Given the mud, on paper their were four potential winners at the start of the race. But after the first two stages, Christophe  NAMBOTIN (FRA-GAS) was ahead by a large margin. Winner on the same course last year, the GAS rider has no other choice than to win the next few races in order to retake the lead. He impressed with an advantage of 42.55 seconds. The gap between NAMBOTIN and David KNIGHT (GB-UK) widened as KNIGHT conceded 3 points to the Frenchman, taking second place. The four-stroke bikes were not advantageous on the heavy ground, the mechanical loading faster than 15 pounds of mud. The Brit underwent the law of the French in the Enduro Test, but he remained defiant in the Extreme Test he has flown throughout the day. Finally Sebastien GUILLAUME (FRA-HVA) took third place in the category, confirming that his hand problems are definitely a thing of the past.

Like many French riders, Jérémy JOLY (FRA-HM) was very comfortable in the viscous race conditions. He moved ahead of his rival Lorenzo SANTOLINO (ESP-KTM) by 30 seconds and took his second victory this season. The Spaniard will no doubt want revenge on Sunday in the second round of Slovakian IRS GRAND PRIX powered by CASINO BONVER. The conditions are set to be dry, and the riders will have to dig in. It is bound to be the start of yet another thrilling race.

SECOND DAY OF THE GRAND PRIX IRS OF SLOVAKIA POWERED BY CASINO BONVER
FIRST WIN FOR OLDRATI

As the park at Puchov closed this Sunday evening, the riders were exhausted and seemed lost. The bikes bore the marks of a race that will undoubtedly be the biggest mechanical challenge of the season. For two days, participants in the MAXXIS FIM ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP have taken part in a test of strength, including an Enduro Test where the only word on the riders lips was survival. Cooled by the rainy morning, the second round of the SLOVAKIA IRS GRAND PRIX, powered by CASINO BONVER, was led once again by the experts, providing an unprecedented ranking.

Without headaches and loss of balance to hamper him, Johnny AUBERT (FRA-KTM) was back at his best. Very good in these technical conditions, the Frenchman re-found the powerful, well-timed riding that brought him success in previous seasons. Testimony to this, he held a 36 second margin over his closest rival and was the winner in all categories.

Yesterday’s hero, Cristobal GUERRERO (ESP-YAM) had to throw in the towel in the Enduro Test, where he dislocated his shoulder. Second place was played out between the trio-Seistola-Remes-Meo. Antoine MEO (FRA-HVA) showed that there was still room for further development. The championship leader had a number of falls and motor problems, but he managed to take the podium ahead of his team mate Matti SEISTOLA (SF-HVA). Faster in each section, the Finn had to finish the race on the rim of his tyre. Gleaned from the first timed laps of the morning, it was this advantage which enabled Eero REMES (SF-KTM) to take second place in the Enduro 1.

The sensation of the weekend in ENDURO 2 was Thomas OLDRATI (ITA-KTM) - who won his first victory in the big league. The 2008 Junior World Champion gave a dazzling performance in front of the heavyweights and offered the Italian Enduro the success it has been waiting a long time for. Thomas OLDRATI said: « It is a magnificent day for me. I tried to attack from the start in order to get the result I got. I simply wish to thank my team, which is always behind me, Alessandro Belometti who helps me a lot. My bike was certainly an advantage in these conditions, but I rode strongly. »

Oldrati left  Mika AHOLA (SF-HM) behind him by 17.90 seconds and Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM) in third frustrated by the mud. The Spaniard conceded two extra points to the Finnish leader who now has a 21 point advantage. The most amusing story of the day involved Pierre-Alexandre RENET (FRA-KTM). A spectator at the Enduro test who had arrived on a motorcycle dropped his helmet, which plummeted onto the track and hit the front brake of the Frenchman’s KTM. With a buckled disc, Renet was handicapped throughout the second lap and ended fourth.

In ENDURO 3, David KNIGHT (GB-KTM) took revenge for his misgivings the previous day. The Briton visibly found an accord with his bike that seemed to have evolved throughout the week. His success was obvious as he took a 52.11 second lead. Sebastien GUILLAUME (FRA-HVA) took second place, after a brawl with his opponent Simone ALBERGONI (ITA-KTM), who was stuck in the dirt, and Christophe NAMBOTIN (FRA -GAS). Yesterday’s winner was delayed in the early morning test and also damaged his motorcycle as he collided with a tree on the enduro test but remained on the podium in the big bike category. Bartosz OBLUCKI (POL-HVA) had to abandon as he fell victim to the same issues as team-mate SEISTOLA in E1.

As per the previous day, and as a result of his success in Poland, Jeremy JOLY(FRA-HM) took the JUNIOR championship once again, achieving the first double of his career, whilst his rival Lorenzo SANTOLINO (ESP-KTM) abandoned the race.


DAVID KNIGHT
Knight wins in Slovakia, extends E3 points lead

KTM Farioli Enduro Factory Support Team rider David Knight is now 30 points clear at the top of the Enduro 3 world championship standings after claiming a runner-up result on day one of the fifth round of the Enduro World Championship and a commanding win on day two. Unable to match the pace of his closest championship rival Christophe Nambotin on day one, Knight opted to settle for the runner-up position before going all out on day two. With conditions improving throughout the day following an extremely slippery opening day, David started steadily before ending the day 52 seconds ahead of Frenchman Seb Guillaume who claimed second. With just three rounds of the 2010 EWC series remaining Knight sits 30 points ahead of Nambotin and 34 points ahead of Simone Albergoni.

Knighter’s next event will be the fourth round of the British Enduro Championship, which takes place in Mid Wales on July 10/11.

David Knight: “Considering how frustrated I was after the GP of Poland last weekend, I couldn’t be happier with things now. This has been a really tough race, one I expected to struggle at a bit if I’m honest, so to have had two really good days is great. I expected this to be one of the most important races of the championship so to come away from it with second on day one and the class win on day two, as well as a 30-point championship lead, is brilliant.

“We made some changes to my bike after Poland and they worked great, so I have to thank my mechanic and the guys at WP for that. I just had so much more confidence, I felt comfortable pushing hard. I was pleased to finish second on day one. Nambotin was riding a level above the rest of us in the E3 class and with conditions really slippery I struggled a bit on the big four-stroke. I just rode as well as I could. We made a few small changes at the end of the first day, which also worked well. When it started to rain again on day two I thought that was it again, that I’d be battling to finish on the podium. But I put in a good opening lap and things went well.

“I had a big crash on the enduro test on lap two. It was the biggest crash I’ve had for a while so I was lucky not to damage my bike. I just kept plugging away after that. Nambotin made a few mistakes, so the pressure was off a bit, and from a 15-second lead at the start of the third lap I rode better and better. I didn’t push too hard on the final lap but I set some of my fastest times of the event. I think this has been one of the most important wins of my career, it takes the pressure off a little bit as I don’t need to win the remaining races to win the championship. I’m going to take a bit of a break now and then it’ll be full gas again for the final three rounds of the championship.”


KTM RACING

KTM's Johnny Aubert back on top in E1 in Slovakia
KTM Enduro Factory Rider Johnny Aubert, who ahs been suffering from an inner ear problem in recent races, signalled he is back on top and back in form at the E1 GP of Slovakia this weekend.
The French rider, well at home on the wet grassy conditions, was second on Saturday and right back in form to win on Sunday, drawing praise from factory team boss Fabio Farioli.

"Johnny was really impressive this weekend. The conditions suited him a lot but it was clear that he was back in form," Farioli said.
 
Johnny was also well supported by team-mate Eero Remes who was also twice on the podium - third on Saturday and second on Sunday to round off a great weekend that saw all six of the factory team riders on the podium by the end of competition. On Saturday the riders had to tackle a very wet course that demanded a lot of concentration and strength. The saturated course did dry out somewhat as the day went on but conditions were still challenging and the extreme test that Farioli described last year as "almost impossible" had been simplified.
 
It was a good weekend for Remes, the team's Finnish rider who led for some of Saturday's race and finished only 23 seconds behind the leader following his first career victory last weekend in Poland. Eero went out and bettered his position on Saturday to underline his upward curve in performance, which has also not gone unnoticed by the team boss.
 
In the EJ Class the young KTM Spanish rider Lorenzo Santolino had some problems this weekend and was forced to retire after his chain came off and got jammed in the frame. He did however manage to finish second on Sunday for some more points and is still second in the overall standings. 

First career win for KTM's E2 factory rider Thomas Oldrati
While last weekend in Poland, the KTM Enduro Factory Racing Team was able to celebrate the first career win by E1's Eero Remes, this weekend in Slovakia it was the turn of the young Italian, Thomas Oldrati to top the podium in the E2 class.

"Our young rider Thomas Oldrati was very good this weekend," said team boss Fabio Farioli. He didn't seem to feel the pressure and he was very competent. Oldrati was on the podium for both days of the competition. He was third on Saturday and then was the best rider in the class on Sunday, out riding even the dominant Finn Mika Ahola. Oldrati's more experienced team-mate Ivan Cervantes of Spain was not so at home on the wet and muddy surfaces in Slovakia and finished fourth on Saturday and third on Sunday. Cervantes made a mistake in the Enduro test on Saturday, which challenged riders with plenty of ascents and descents. Cervantes now trails Ahola in the standings by 21 points.
 
The Farioli team also hosted a guest rider from KTM Japan, Koikeda Takeshi who put in a strong performance to finish in the tricky conditions both days. He was accompanied by officials from KTM Japan who came to support his efforts this weekend. Farioli said he was also satisfied with the Japanese rider's performance
 
Puchov, the location for the weekend's racing is near the Polish border. Riders had to complete three laps of 65 km each which, after significant rainfall included slippery grassy areas as well as rocks and woodland.
 
David Knight scores a 2-1 E3 victory in Slovakia
KTM-supported rider David Knight of Britain followed up his second place on Saturday in the E3 GP of Slovakia with a victorious first place on Sunday when KTM factory team-mate Simone Albergoni joined him on the podium in third place.

The two riders completed the set for KTM who won all three classes on Sunday and had all six riders on the podium.

"It's been a very strong weekend for us in Slovakia," said KTM Enduro Factory Team boss Fabio Farioli. All our riders were on the podium on Sunday. We did have some luck, but that is part of the game. David (Knight) was very strong on Sunday, much better than he was on Saturday and although Simone Albergoni seemed to lack a little confidence this weekend, he was still third to complete the E3 podium today," Farioli told KTM Racing News.
 
While David Knight conceded some points to his arch rival Christoph Nambotin on Saturday he had his revenge on Sunday, when Nambotin finished fourth to the British rider. David has six race wins, two second and two thirds to his credit and is 30 points ahead of the Frenchman in the standings.   
 
Riders battled rain and muddy conditions for much of the two races and the 65 km laps that made up the race included a very long MX section with a lot of slippery grass.


HONDA RACING
Ahola victorious again in sodden Slovakia

The Honda- HM-Zanardo Team had more cause for celebration last weekend as Mika Ahola picked up his seventh E2 victory of the 2010 Enduro World Championship at a wet, slippery and very technical Puchov for the Grand Prix of Slovakia. The fifth round of eight in the series witnessed the powerful Finn use the full agility and delicacy of his modified CRF450R to win the first day and then place second on Sunday. Through finishing ahead of main E2 title rival Ivan Cervantes’ KTM the former triple world champion has now opened a breathable 21 point gap in the standings (with 25 being awarded for a first place.)

Ahola’s results this year since returning to the E2 category that he clinched in 2007 have been mightily impressive. From the scorched terrain of Spain, the sand of Poland and the perilous rocks and terrain in Puchov – due to rain on both days of the Slovakian GP – the 35 year old has taken seven wins from ten (five in a row) and has not dropped out of the top two in all days of competition.

In Slovakia the team negotiated their second Grand Prix in a week and Ahola carefully guided his machine to the top of the classification by eight seconds over Rodrig Thain with Cervantes struggling and back in fourth on the first day. It seemed that Honda’s star would be pushing for a repeat of the 2009 Slovakian double that he posted on the CRF250R in E1 but two costly errors in two different specials slapped around thirty extra seconds to his race time and allowed the surprising figure of Tomas Oldrati to reach first place on day two. Ahola played a percentage game after his mistakes and rode cautiously to ensure second spot and yet more ground over Cervantes (3rd at the second time of asking) in the points table.

“I pushed early to make an advantage over Ivan on Saturday and the tactics worked but it was so slippery and tricky out there,” he said. “I made two big mistakes on Sunday and it lost me around 30 seconds in total. The two-strokes had the advantage today. I knew Ivan was behind me so I played it safe and did not want to mess it up any more. One day was good the other OK but the lead in the championship is good at this stage of the season.”

“A very difficult and different grand prix from what we found in Poland,” assessed Team Manager Franco Mayr. “It rained on both days so the ground was always slippery and not easy. The two-strokes probably had an easier time but we are pleased with how Mika rode, especially when he assessed the situation after the errors in the specials. To have 21 points over a rider like Cervantes into the second half of the championship is very good.”

Also in E2 Oscar Balletti was 11th and 10th. “This perhaps was not Balletti’s strongest terrain but it is strange that he can ride so well and fight with Mika in the national championship but cannot do that in the grand prix,” commented Mayr. “Still, it was a hard race and it was important to finish.”


HUSABERG
As expected the fifth round of the ’10 Enduro World Championship, the GP of Slovakia held in the small town of Puchov, proved to be a challenging event as wet conditions made for two days of extremely slippery racing.

Husaberg’s enduro team leader Joakim Ljunggren was one of many riders to find conditions tricky on day one, especially around the fast, grass covered motocross test. With the test prepared in readiness for rain, it’s fast, flowing corners made it one of the fastest tests of the world championship so far this year. And because of the rain also one of the most slippery.

“It was incredibly fast, very wide, and amazingly slippery. I’ve never raced on a special test like it and found it quite tough, but towards the end of the event I was getting to understand it better.” explained Ljunggren. “The first day was really difficult because the conditions were so slippery. I was third fastest in E2 at the Super test on Friday night but then a little slow to get going on Saturday. The extreme test turned out to be where I performed the best but I have to say it wasn’t the best of days for me, eighth certainly wasn’t where I wanted to finish.”

With no rain during Saturday night a light shower just before the first riders left the start ensured that day two started in exactly the same way as day one had ended – wet and slippery. “I didn’t make a great start to the second day as I made a mistake on the first motocross test. I don’t know exactly what I was doing wrong, but I just wasn’t fast enough. I was good on the enduro and extreme tests so it was frustrating that I wasn’t able to be as competitive as I wanted to be on the motocross test. With the exception of the first motocross test the rest of the day went pretty well. I felt that I was generally riding well. I’m off to the Red Bull Romaniacs event next week, which I’m looking forward to, so maybe two days of mud racing will have been good preparation.”

Thankfully, despite conditions being tough they could have been worse as they were at last year’s GP of Slovakia. “It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, but it was still a pretty tough race,” admitted Valtteri Salonen. “I think last year’s Slovakian race was tougher, but this wasn’t easy. The rain and mud didn’t make it the most enjoyable of races but, yeah, it was OK. I made several small mistakes on both days and also a couple of crashes. Things are so close in E2 that if you do that you lose positions and it’s hard to make them back.” Salonen finished in ninth and seventh position in the E2 class with Ljunggren improving from a day one eighth place result to place fifth on day two.

In the Enduro 3 class Oriol Mena continued his return from injury showing some impressive speed around the Slovakian special tests. In conditions very much different to what the Spaniard is used to Oriol spent much of day one battling just behind the podium positions.

“It’s been a much better weekend for me than in Poland, so I’m pleased about that,” admitted Oriol. “I was fighting with Simone Albergoni and Bartosz Oblucki throughout the day for the fourth place position, which was really good. I have to hold my hand up and admit that I made a mistake that cost me a lot of time and resulted in my finishing sixth. But to have been fighting near the top of the class was good. I was making some great times on the motocross test, which I was pleased with.

“Unfortunately, day two didn’t start so well as I made a big mistake on the enduro test. When you crash on the first special test it’s hard to regain your confidence straight away and then I arrived at the motocross test where it was raining and really slippery. So I was in fifth position at the end of the first lap. I then made a mistake in the extreme test, which dropped me into sixth position. Although I made some mistakes I’ve been pleased with my speed. I’m still coming back from my shoulder injury and I feel that with some time now to prepare for Greece and Turkey I can be stronger and faster where conditions will be more like I’m used to.”

Enduro Junior class rider Calle Sjoo showed in Slovakia that he is now 100 per cent over the broken leg that spoiled the beginning of his EWC season as the Swede placed in ninth and seventh positions.

“It was a tough race but I finished top 10 on both days and importantly for me the leg I broke earlier in the season was absolutely fine. I found the slippery conditions really tough and it wasn’t until the last lap on each day that I was able to really push like I wanted to. The motocross test was incredibly slippery. I finished ninth on day one, which wasn’t great, but considering how bad the conditions were I’m pretty happy with it.

“I made a big mistake on the enduro test on the first day, which cost me over one-minute so that wasn’t great. It was hard coming back after that. The extreme test was good for me all weekend and on my last run through it I was 10th overall fastest, which I was pleased with. I’m pretty happy with my seventh place result but I want to be top five or on the podium, so I hope I can improve my results after the summer break.”


BMW HUSQVARNA MOTORSPORT
Double sixth place Enduro 2 class result for Tarkkala at GP of Slovakia

BMW Husqvarna Motorsport rider Marko Tarkkala has claimed his and the new BMW powered Husqvarna 450cc enduro bike’s highest placing results so far this season having placed sixth in the competitive Enduro 2 class at the GP of Slovakia, round five of the ’10 EWC series. An event that many riders considered to be the toughest of the championship so far due to a challenging enduro special test and rain soaked motocross and extreme tests, Tarkkala ended both days having performed well and having kept mistakes to a minimum.
Extremely wet and muddy at the start of day one conditions were thankfully drier on day two, but nevertheless still very tough.

The first time the new BMW powered Husqvarna Enduro 2 class bike has been raced in such wet and demanding conditions, Tarkkala performed well on both days remaining largely mistake free. Like all riders Marko had no option but to be extremely cautious during the first half of the opening day as the wet, grass motocross special test and the slippery tree covered enduro test proved extremely challenging. Improving his speed during the second half of the day Marko claimed a deserved sixth place result, 26 seconds behind fifth placed rider Fabien Planet from France and less than two minutes behind class winner Mika Ahola from Finland.
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Day two started with Marko recording the fourth fastest Enduro 2 class time on the opening enduro special test, which set him up well for a another sixth place result. Remaining mistake free and going on to again finish fourth in class on one other enduro test later in the day, Marko continued to ride well on all tests and in matching his day one result of sixth in class further proved the competitiveness and reliability of the new BMW powered 450cc Husqvarna machine.
The BMW Husqvarna Motorsport team will next be in action in the Enduro World Championship at the GP of Greece, which takes place on August 28/29, where Juha Salminen will make his return to competition following the ankle injury that forced him to miss the third, fourth and fifth rounds of the series.

Marko Tarkkala – Enduro 2 class: ‘Sixth on both days is an extremely positive result for both myself and the team. The conditions have been really slippery and tougher than at any other round of the championship this year, so to finish both days without any problems at all and in sixth position is great. Day one was really slippery during the morning, so it was hard to push hard. You had to survive really and just try and not make mistakes. Things improved during the afternoon and I was able to ride harder. I finished fourth on the enduro test on the third lap, so I was pleased with that. The second day also went well. I was fourth again on the opening enduro test, which started the day well, and I then stayed consistent. These have been my best results so far and I’m seventh in the championship so it’s been a really good weekend.’


CH Racing Husqvarna Factory Enduro Team
Mixed fortunes for Husqvarna riders at Enduro World Championship GP of Slovakia

The good news as far as the CH Racing Husqvarna team are concerned following the fifth round of the ’10 Enduro World Championship, the GP of Slovakia held in Puchov, is that TE 250 mounted Frenchman Antoine Meo still holds a commanding lead in the Enduro 1 World Championship. The not so good news is that the fifth round of the EWC series proved to be a frustrating event for several of the team’s riders. With extremely wet and slippery conditions ensuring plenty of accidents and incidents, only one of the team’s riders – Enduro 3 class star Seb Guillaume – finished both days without troubles.

But despite the fact that Antoine Meo, Matti Seistola and Bartosz Oblucki all endured a tough two days in Slovakia, all four team riders performed well. Meo, despite claiming just one podium result with a third place finish on day two, still holds more than a 40-point lead at the head of the E1 championship with three rounds remaining and rode well on both days. With mistakes coming from all riders due to the demanding conditions Meo crashed midway through the opening day, falling more than one-minute behind his rivals as a result. Fighting hard in order to regain lost positions by the end of the day, having topped no fewer than five special tests, he placed fourth. Just 12 seconds from the podium Antoine was disappointed at having crashed but pleased that he’d lost very few championship points as Spain’s Cristobal Guerrero secured the win.

On day two Meo was locked in a battle with Finland’s Eero Remes for the runner-up position when a broken rear mudguard and subsequent damaged wiring caused his bike to cough and splutter its way around the final extreme test. Thankfully managing to get to the finish, but having dropped some 30 seconds, Antoine finished the day third and relieved to see the end of the Slovakian event.

The fifth round of the EWC series saw another strong performance from Meo’s E1 team-mate Matti Seistola on his TE 250. Sixth on day one yet little more than one-minute behind day winner Guerrero, on day two Seistola was on fire and looking a strong bet for a podium position. The dominant rider on the extreme test in the E1 class, with just one test remaining Matti’s luck ran out. A problem with his rear mouse resulted in a time one-minute slower than on previous laps, dropping the former motocross racer into fourth position.

Antoine Meo – Enduro 1: ‘I made a really big mistake in the enduro test around the middle of the first day, which cost me one-minute, maybe a little more. As I fell I hit my clutch lever, which moved around, so I had to finish the test without the use of the clutch. That was really difficult and it meant that I had to push really hard during the last lap. I managed to win three of the final five tests but I could only manage fourth. It wasn’t good but considering the time I lost it wasn’t too bad. On day two Johnny Aubert was really fast, so I was fighting for second. Everything was going OK until the final extreme test. I broke my rear mudguard, which damaged some wires, and my bike started running really bad. I was lucky because I managed to get to the finish but I lost about 30 seconds so I ended up third. Considering all that happened this weekend fourth and third is pretty good. Obviously, it’s not what I wanted but it was some good points. I still have a very good lead in the championship, so I am pleased about that.’

Matti Seistola – Enduro 1: ‘I wanted to finish better than sixth on day one but it was a very difficult day. It was my first wet race on the 250f and although I made some mistakes things went quite OK all day. I wanted to do better on the second day and I did, although I had a problem on the final extreme test that cost me about 30 seconds. I had been winning the extreme test on the first and second laps, which I was really pleased with, and I was close to the podium. Fourth is good but I felt like I could have been on the podium again.’

In finishing on the podium on both days Seb Guillaume not only finished the GP of Slovakia with much better results than those he secured at the GP of Poland one week earlier but also as the team’s best performing rider. Although a little disappointed that he finished third on day one Seb put in a solid performance throughout the day in extremely slippery conditions. Although not winning a test consistent riding more than made up for the few small mistakes he made. On day two Seb moved one place higher up the results to claim a well-deserved runner-up result. Although unable to match the pace of class winner David Knight, Seb ended the day having not made any mistakes and pleased with his performance.

After some mixed results during the first half of the season the GP of Slovakia appeared to be a turning point for Guillaume’s Enduro 3 class team-mate Bartosz Oblucki. Opting for a very different bike set-up to what he’d used previously, Bartosz was instantly more competitive and placed behind Seb in fourth on day one. Performing well at the end of the first day, Bartosz started day two confident of a podium result and in winning the opening motocross test looked to be capable of doing exactly that. Frustratingly Oblucki was forced to retire from the event having completed 10 tests due to a problem with his rear mousse.

Seb Guillaume Enduro 3: ‘I’m pleased because the race was much better for me than in Slovakia. But I wasn’t pleased that I finished third on the first day because I made a lot of small crashes. The conditions were good for me but I wasn’t able to do as well as I should because of the mistakes. On day two I rode better and without the mistakes, which I’m pleased with. I have to say a big thanks to the team because they really pushed me during the race. It was a hard race but they kept motivating me to keep pushing. It was really slippery again at the start of day two, but then the traction improved and it was a nice race. I finished on the podium on both days so I am pleased with everything.’

Bartosz Oblucki Enduro 3: ‘Although it’s been a disappointing weekend with me not finishing the second day it’s been a positive weekend because I really felt comfortable on my bike – I was able to ride hard like I wanted. We made some changes to the bike after Poland, which were great. I was really able to attack like I wanted, even though the tests were really slippery. I didn’t finish on the podium but I was really happy with my riding on day one – I was third on three tests, which is a big improvement. The frustrating thing about day two was that I was riding really well, especially during the first lap. I won the first motocross test and felt really strong. I don’t know why but I had a problem with my rear mousse, and that put me out of the event. It’s disappointing but I’m pleased that my riding was much better.’