Aubert remains unbeaten
By TMX Archives on 25th Jun 09
MIKA Ahola and Johnny Aubert were again the riders to beat in the Enduro 1 and Enduro 2 classes respectively at the fifth round of the World Enduro Championship, but a new name featured at the top of the Enduro 3 class at the GP of Slovakia, Frenchman Christophe Nambotin who won both days. Heavy rain during the opening day's competition ensured the event was one of the toughest this year.Words and Pictures: JONTY EDMUNDS DESPITE Husqvarna factory rider Bartosz Oblucki coming closer on day one to beating defending E2 world champion Johnny Aubert than any other rider this season KTM star Aubert notched-up yet another perfect weekend in Slovakia. On the first day everything came down to the final extreme test, with Aubert putting in a winning performance while Oblucki made several critical mistakes.
Oblucki and Aubert battled throughout the day as they, like all riders, tried desperately not to make too many mistakes on the slippery Slovakian special test.
With heavy overnight rain turning what would have been a relatively straight forward event into an extremely challenging one casualties were high on day one as the thick, slippery mud made even the simplest of corners tremendously difficult.
Thankfully the rain stopped for day two and with numerous alterations made to each of the special tests the second day proved to be considerable easier than the first.
Again it was Aubert and Oblucki at the top of the E2 class, but on day two Oblucki wasn't quite able to pile the pressure on the championship leader like he was on day one. I was a little disappointed I didn't win the first day, commented Oblucki.
But for Aubert victory on the second day ensured that his 100 per cent win record remains.
Just missing the podium on day one was BMW rider Juha Salminen, but on day two the Finn pushed Ljunggren into fourth to claim the final podium position.
Once again the closest racing was reserved for the E1 class and the continued fight between championship leader Mika Ahola and Frenchman Antoine Meo. Although Ahola claimed victory on both days things certainly weren't easy for the Honda mounted Finn.
At the end of the demanding opening day Ahola claimed victory by 25-seconds, but Meo had been the fastest E1 class rider on most of the special test.
Moving into an early class lead, Meo's day went from good to bad when he got stuck on the penultimate extreme test, losing close to two-minutes. Though he charged hard on the final lap and topped the final special test, he wasn't able to win.
I lost almost two minutes on one of the extreme tests on day one, explained Antoine. 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.
Things were really close between myself and Antoine on day two, admitted Ahola. I'd make a mistake and he'd win a test. Then he'd make a mistake and I'd win a test. It came down to the final extreme test I just went for it and managed to win.
With the horrendously wet conditions handing a sizeable advantage to the two-stroke riders in the E3 class, four-stroke mounted E3 championship leader Ivan Cervantes struggled. Eventually placing fifth on both days he was bitterly disappointed but maintained a healthy championship advantage.
Gas Gas rider Christophe Nambotin was the man to beat as the wet weather specialist dominated the class on day one to finish over one-minute ahead of his nearest class rival.
Winning four of the day's special tests, the Frenchman simply made fewer mistakes than his class mates.
On day two there was again no stopping Nambotin who made few mistakes throughout the day. Topping the class by close to 40-seconds, Christophe's results lifted him to second in the E3 championship standings, just 17-points behind Cervantes.
Aro was again runner-up on day two while Husqvarna-mounted Frenchman Seb Guillaume filled the final podium position after finishing a disappointing sixth on the opening day.
world enduro championship
Rd 5 Puchov, Slovakia
Day ONE
Enduro ONE: 1 Mika Ahola (Honda), 2 Antoine Meo (Husqvarna), 3 Simone Albergoni (KTM), 4 Fabien Planet (KTM), 5 Jeremy Joly (Honda), 6 Thomas Oldrati (KTM), 7 Felipe Zanol (Yamaha), 8 Eero Remes (KTM), 9 Maurizio Gerini (KTM), 10 Jakub Horak (KTM).
Enduro TWO: 1 Johnny Aubert (KTM), 2 Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna), 3 Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg), 4 Juha Salminen (BMW), 5 Simo Kirssi (BMW), 6 Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha), 7 Rodrig Thain (TM), 8 Alessandro Belometti (KTM), 9 Luca Cherubini (TM), 10 Hans Vogels (Yamaha),... 16 Simon WAKELY (Husqvarna).
Enduro THREE: 1 Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas), 2 Samuli Aro (KTM), 3 Stefan Svitko (KTM), 4 Marcus Kehr (KTM), 5 Ivan Cervantes (KTM), 6 Sebastien Guillaume (Husqvarna), 7 Zlatko Novosad (Gas Gas), 8 Marko Tarkkala (BMW), 9 Rudy Cotton (Beta), 10 Michal Kadlecek (TM).
Enduro Junior: 1 Jeremy Joly (Honda), 2 Oriol Mena (Husaberg), 3 Benoit Fortunato (Yamaha), 4 Adrien Metge (Husqvarna), 5 Philip McLaughlin (TM).
Day TWO
Enduro ONE: 1 Ahola, 2 Meo, 3 Oldrati, 4 Albergoni (KTM), 5 Julien Gauthier (Honda), 6 Remes, 7 Zanol, 8 Jordan Curvalle (Sherco), 9 Gerini, 10 Horak.
Enduro TWO: 1 Aubert, 2 Oblucki, 3 Salminen (BMW), 4 Ljunggren, 5 Thain (TM), 6 Guerrero, 7 Kirssi, 8 Mike Hartmann (Husaberg), 9 Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg), 10 Fabrizio Dini (Beta).
Enduro THREE: 1 Nambotin, 2 Aro, 3 Guillaume, 4 Kehr, 5 Cervantes, 6 Alessandro Botturi, 7 Novosad, 8 Tarkkala, 9 Kadlecek, 10 Cotton.
Enduro Junior: 1 Mena, 2. Mirko Gritti (Beta), 3 Joly, 4 Fortunato, 5 Victor Guerrero (Yamaha).
NEXT ROUND: July 18/19 Valle del Bravo, MEXICO.
Runner-up on day one and day two was Samuli Aro in Enduro 3 class who couldn't live with overall winner Christophe Nambotin.