Enduring the worst to bring you the very best
By TMX Archives on 22nd Dec 06
THE 2006 season was a year of discovery for the Maxxis FIM World Enduro Championship. A European-based series since its inception in 1990, the WEC became a truly international championship in 2006 when the eight-round series took in events in Canada and the US.
Dominated once again by KTM and Britain's David Knight, the WEC series also saw the emergence of several new stars of tomorrow...
Rider of the Year: David Knight
IT would be hard to select anyone other than Knighter as Rider of the Year. The stand-out performer of the 2005 World Enduro Championship, Knight started the 2006 season simply wanting to better his performances from the previous season.
While that doesn't sound an unreasonable task, having won all but one day in the 2005 Enduro 3 class it meant winning each and every day in 2006 – all 16 days to be precise.
The fact that David managed to go a complete season without being beaten in class is a hugely impressive feat in itself. But when you consider that the first round was held in sub-zero temperatures in Sweden – conditions DK had never before ridden in, let alone raced in, it becomes an even more impressive achievement.
Winning in Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Canada, USA, Slovakia and France, Knight showed that no matter what country, what the conditions, he was the best.
Winning the unofficial overall classification at more events than not, David's 100 per cent win record is one that many believe will stand for many, many years.
However, it was also the way in which Knight won which is arguably more impressive than the fact that he remained unbeaten. Expected to retain his E3 world title, on occasions David made his rivals look like they shouldn't even be racing in the world series, winning by minutes, never by just handfuls of seconds. Be it one minute, two minutes, three minutes or close to four minutes, once DK got himself settled he would win test after test until each day came to a close.
For full story see T+MX NEWS, Friday, December 22, 2006