FIM World Enduro Championship Rnd 7
By TMX Archives on 2nd Sep 06
2006 FIM World Enduro Championship Rnd 7 Grand Prix of Slovakia (Krompachy) - day 1 (02.09.2006)
KTM Enduro Factory Team Farioli riders David Knight, Samuli Aro and Ivan Cervantes all moved closer towards retaining their respective Enduro 1, Enduro 2 and Enduro 3 world championship titles after performing well on day one of the seventh round of the FIM World Enduro Championship - the GP of Slovakia held in the small town of Krompachy. With Cervantes topping the E1 class and Aro placing just four seconds away from the runner-up spot in the E2 category David Knight's 13th day win of the season in the E3 class ensured that as long as the Manxman places on or close to the podium on day two he will claim his second consecutive World Enduro Championship title with one round of the series still remaining in France.
Dominating the proceedings in the Enduro 1 class on day one in Slovakia Spaniard Ivan Cervantes topped six of the day's nine special tests to finish a sizeable 42 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, his KTM team-mate Alessandro Belometti. With conditions dry during the opening day Ivan rode without mistakes while Belometti had to fight hard to claim the runner-up spot. Claiming two special test wins Belometti was locked in a day long battle with countryman Simone Albergoni but finished just over two seconds ahead to make it a KTM one-two at the head of the Enduro 1 class
KTM's reigning Enduro 2 world champion Samuli Aro placed in third position in the E2 class on day one after performing consistently during the nine timed special tests. With a comfortable championship lead in the E2 series to protect Aro opted not to push harder than he needed to and placed just under five seconds away from the second place position. Topping the Enduro 2 class on day one was Australian Stefan Merriman with his Yamaha team-mate Johnny Aubert finishing second. KTM's second official rider in the E2 class, Frenchman Fabien Planet, performed well ending the day in fifth position having competed aboard a 250cc two-stroke for the first time this season.
Wanting to wrap-up his second consecutive Enduro 3 world championship before the final round of the '06 WEC series in France David Knight continued his unbeaten run of world championship race victories collecting win number 13 on day one in Slovakia. Continuing his perfect season Knight won all nine special tests in the E3 class and needs just a handful of points on day two to lift the '06 Enduro 3 world championship title. With Knight claiming the biggest class winning margin of the day French Gas Gas rider Seb Guillaume finished second with Knight's KTM mounted team-mate Marko Tarkkala placing third.
2006 World Enduro Championship Rnd 7
Grand Prix of Slovakia — Krompachy, Slovakia — Day 1
Enduro 1
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 41:57.65; 2. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 42:39.81; 3. Simone Albergoni (Honda) 42:42.17; 4. Bartosz Oblucki (Husqvarna) 42:48.59; 5. Petri Pohjamo (TM) 43:09.92; 6. Maurizio Micheluz (Yamaha) 43:13.70; 7. Mike Hartman (KTM) 44:17.65; 8. Tomi Peltola (Suzuki) 44:57.38; 9. Nicolas Deparrois (Husqvarna) 45:02.62; 10. Helder Rodrigues (Yamaha) 45:06.46; 11. Peter Podhorsky (Yamaha) 49:27.16; 12. Peter Katai (KTM) 50:37.20; 13. Rostislav Ondracka (Husqvarna) 57:26.20
Enduro 2
1. Stefan Merriman (Yamaha) 41:19.05; 2. Johnny Aubert (Yamaha) 41:52.4; 3. Samuli Aro (KTM) 41:56.83; 4. Mika Ahola (Honda) 41:57.82; 5. Fabien Planet (KTM) 42:33.48; 6. Cristobal Guerrero (Gas Gas) 42:46.17; 7. Jari Mattila (Honda) 43:13.36; 8. Xavier Galindo (KTM) 43:31.84; 9. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 43:47.15; 10. Thierry Klutz (Sherco) 43:47.35; 11. Stefan Svitco (KTM) 44:14.34; 12. Alessandro Botturi (Aprilia) 44:23.61; 13. Cristophe Nambotin (Husqvarna) 44:24.49; 14. Nicolas Paganon (Husqvarna) 43:25.78; 15. Andrea Beconi (Beta) 44:29.57; 16. Jaroslav Katrinak (KTM) 44:48.22; 17. Fabrizio Dini (Yamaha) 43:55.45; 18. Juraj Dozsa (KTM) 45:50.16; 19. Juri Simoncini (Suzuki) 46:50.12; 20. Zlatko Novosad (Gas Gas) 46:10.19
Enduro 3
1. David Knight (KTM) 41:25.42; 2. Seb Guillaume (Gas Gas) 42:32.14; 3. Marko Tarkkala (KTM) 42:39.09; 4. Bjorne Carlsson (Husaberg) 43:09.78; 5. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 44:23.37; 6. Alessio Paoli (TM) 44:29.15; 7. Alessandro Zanni (Aprilia) 44:56.59; 8. Vita Kuklik (KTM) 44:58.61; 9. Daniel Persson (Husaberg) 45:18.24; 10. Michal Rudolf (KTM) 45:30.64; 11. Laurent Bouffioux (Aprilia) 46:16.81; 12. Tobias Auerswald (Husqvarna) 49:15.35; 13. Radek Macura (Beta) 51:16.62; 14. Paolo Bernardi (Honda) 1.14:13.95
Enduro Junior
1. Marc Bourgeois (Husqvarna) 43:10.07; 2. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 43:19.66; 3. Jacob Stapleton (TM) 43:35.56; 4. Michal Szuster (Yamaha) 43:41.26; 5. Oriol Mena (Gas Gas) 44:03.11; 6. Yannick Bossi (Husqvarna) 44:59.94; 7. Bert Meyer (KTM) 45:12.06; 8. Jeremy Joly (Sherco) 45:13.64; 9. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 45:21.38; 10. Carlos Andreu (KTM) 45:36.08; 11. Armand Monleon (KTM) 46:05.83; 12. Ricard Wressel (Husaberg) 46:31.29; 13. Marek Giertl (KTM) 46:37.94; 14. Lucas Puerto (KTM) 46:46.74; 15. Olli Turma (KTM) 47:07.29; 16. Filip Kvacka (KTM) 47:25.51; 17. Jacob Horak (KTM) 47:44.00; 18. Gustavo Gaudenico 47:47.81; 19. Sylvain Lebrun 47:55.92; 20. Sebastian Adielsson (Honda) 48:03.79