Husaberg
Despite wet weather and hard and slippery conditions, the Husaberg factory team completed a good weekend on the Enduro World Championship circuit in Rounds Three and Four at Spain’s Igualada, some 60 km west of Barcelona.
The team’s collective efforts were praised by team boss Thomas Gustavsson who was particularly pleased to see Joakim Ljunggren on the E2 podium on Sunday. The Swedish rider, who says he likes it when the going gets tough, made fourth place in Saturday’s third round then came out and vaulted to second on Sunday’s podium for a total of 40 more championship points and fifth on the standings after the first four rounds.
Joakim Ljunggren, a tough rider for tough conditions
Ljunggren was already optimistic on Saturday, saying after the race that he did not mind that the weather had closed in and conditions promised to be wet and slippery on Sunday. “I was quite laid back in the morning because there was not so much rain but it was a bit tougher in the afternoon,” he said of Round Three. “It was okay for me because I am used to riding in the rain in Sweden. I like it when it is very tough. I had one crash in the cross test but the extreme was very good for me. Many guys were struggling but I could make a good result.”
When it came to Sunday, Ljunggren got his wish. The rain continued to fall over Saturday night apparently creating the conditions just the way he likes it. “The special test was very hard today because it was raining all night,” he said at the close of Sunday’s competition. It was really wet and slippery today but I didn’t make any mistakes and the bike was perfect!”
With an injuried knee Bjorne Carlsson was slower than usual.
In other action E2 action from the Husaberg team, Finn Valtteri Salonen experienced some technical problems that prevented him from finishing on Saturday but bounced back on Sunday to finish tenth.
Meanwhile Husaberg’s E3 factory rider Björne Carlsson also had mixed luck at the weekend. Still nursing a knee injury from last weekend’s two rounds in Portugal, Björne took the cautious approach on Saturday and despite some problems in the extreme test in the rain, he still managed to finish ninth and salvage some championship points. But when the weather deteriorated on Sunday, Björne, still nervous about putting his foot down hard because of the knee injury, was unable to complete the day’s ride. He now heads home to Sweden and expects to be fully fit for the next round in Sardinia from April 17-19. Husaberg supported rider Tom Sagar of Britain was eleventh on Saturday in the E3 but also failed to finish on Sunday.
Oriol Mena shines for the Husaberg team in Enduro Junior.
The real bright spot for the Husaberg boys this weekend was the clean sweep by Enduro Junior Oriol Mena of Spain who now has 100 championship points for four victories in the four rounds of competition. Clearly elated with his perfect score in front of his home crowd, the young Spaniard, who finished with a clear margin from his nearest rival, admitted he was pleased with his season so far. “It’s a very good position for me. I am happy,” he said. With the way Mena is performing, it is clear that Husaberg is taking the long-term perspective and is already on top of the game with the next generation of winning Enduro riders. Mena plans to keep his hand in by competing in his national championship next weekend then plans to take a few days off before the next two rounds in Sardinia.
KTM
Ivan Cervantes scored a double victory in his homeland of Spain during the second round of World ENDURO 3.
KTM Enduro factory rider Ivan Cervantes rose to the occasion in Igualada, Spain this weekend to score a double victory in Rounds Three and Four of the E3 Word championships. Obviously at ease in front of his home crowd in Spain, Cervantes doubled his points score after a great opening last weekend in Portugal where he also won both of the opening rounds.
"Last weekend Ivan won his races with a small margin and he had four or five small crashes," said team boss Fabio Farioli. "But this weekend he seemed to go into a different gear. He fought hard and had two good victories even though the conditions were tough and slippery with all the rain and the mud.
Samuli Aro finished second behind Cervantes on Sunday.
Reigning E1 world champion Samuli Aro also lifted his game with another second place following the same result in Round One in Portugal last weekend. Aro was fifth on Saturday but rose to the occasion and tackled the tough conditions to be second behind Cervantes on Sunday. "Aro is very good when the conditions are hard and muddy," Farioli said. He is a very smooth rider.
The KTM factory riders now return to their home countries to train and to prepare for the next two rounds in on the island of Sardinia from April 17-19.
When it comes to good results, it doesn't get much better that four straight wins. Johnny Aubert, new to the KTM Enduro Factory Team, took two more victories in Spain this weekend for a very impressive start to the E2 season.
Already on Saturday Aubert was getting down to business even though he was the first rider into the extreme test when it started to rain and was very slippery. He still won from Cristobal Guerrero of Spain with an impressive gap.
Johnny Auburt is all business, taking his forth win by ease.
Overnight rain made conditions very tricky on Sunday for Round Four, the second race at Igualada, west of Barcelona. Aubert's straight wins here in Spain, following on from his double last weekend in Portugal has made a contribution to nine possible podiums out of 12 up for grabs so far this season, a result that makes team boss Fabio Farioli a happy man. "Johnny has just won everything," he said. "He is so much faster than anyone else and he rides in such a relaxed way.
KTM Factory teammate Alessandro Belometti was also on the ball, coming in eighth on Saturday and vaulting four places up the order to be just off the podium on Sunday. Aubert now goes to the next race in Sardinia (April 17-19) with a 27-point lead in the standings on second placed Frenchman Rodrig Thain and Cristobal Guerrero of Spain.
Italy's Simone Albergoni, riding in his first season for the KTM Enduro Factory Team tipped the scales in his own favour at Sunday's round four of the E1 World championship when he snatched victory from arch rival Mika Ahola of Finland.
Ahola won the first two races in Portugal last weekend and also took the top spot on Saturday when riders took to the terrain in Igualada, Spain, about 60 km west of Barcelona. Sunday, however, when the conditions were very tough after a lot rain on Saturday night and on Sunday morning, belonged to KTM's Italian rider. "It was a very big fight between them," reported KTM factory Team boss Fabio Farioli. They both made some mistakes and both had crashes on what turned out to be hard conditions for hard riders."
Albergoni who also made it a very close race to finish second behind the Finn on Saturday but his efforts on Sunday broke Ahola's run of victories and is certainly a psychological bonus for Albergoni, especially coming after a very tough day's ride when conditions were hard and slippery.
KTM aslo had good results from younger rider Remes.
Albergoni is also playing mentor to his younger E1 factory teammate Eero Remes of Finland this season, who is also performing consistently and constantly improving. Sixth on Saturday, the Finn rode into fourth place on Sunday and drew praise from Farioli for his efforts. "He was in front in two or three of the tests and he was first in the MX test, which was the hardest of all. He put in an incredible time. He was 20 seconds faster than anyone else and still had a crash," Farioli said. Thomas Oldrati, riding for KTM Italy also had an excellent weekend with two fourth places.
Riders now have just 20 days to both rest up but to keep their skills razor sharp before the next two rounds in Sardinia (April 18-19.)
