Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

(Left) Peter Bergvall rode his Yamaha to easy wins both days In the 250 Four-5troke class. (RIght) Fou....time World Champion and fonner ANA Hare Scrambles champion Paul Edmondson finished second In the 250 FourStoke class despite starting at the back of the order In hie return to the series. M;kko Plhlajavesi (21); 6. Ivan Boano (19); 7. (Toe) Alesio Peoli/Petrl Pohjemho (16); 9. Olivier Rebufie (13); 10. (Toe) Zdenek Gottvald/Edward Jones (11); 12. Paplo Pell (10); 13. Paolo Carrara (7); 14. Guiseppe Gallno (4); 15. Vito Kukllk (3). 250 2-STRK; 1. David Knight (50); 2. Samuli Aro (40); 3. Janl Laeksonen (29); 4. Simon Wilk none of his enduro skills. Third in the want to risk crashing so I rode well (27); 5. Cyril Esquirol (22); 6. (Tie) Helder class on day one was factory KTM within my abilities." Rodrigez/Xacob Agra (20); 8. (Tie) Sebastien Guillaume/Jllmo BolIno (15); 10. Giovanni Grirti (9); pilot Niklas Gustafsson from Sweden, while Edmondson's Husqvarna teammate Bartosz Oblucki from Po·land Day two was a different story. Ahola, struggling with a shoulder brace, which hampered his performance on day one, posted the fastest class time on the day's last special placed third on day two. Gustafsson retired early on day two with engine problems. Expected by many to be the closest battle of the event, the 400cc Four-Stroke class saw three-time World Champion Juha Salminen dominate from early on on day one as reigning World Champion Australian Stefan Merriman struggled with the muddy conditions. Winning all but two special tests on Saturday and all but one on day two, Salminen was more than a little surprised with the ease of his victory. "I was expecting things to be a lot closer between myself and Stefan, but I guess the bad weather and long tests suited me better," said Salminen. "This is the first time I've ridden a four-stroke in the mud, so I'm really happy with my result." Not so happy with his result was Stefan Merriman. "I crashed too many times to challenge Juha for the win," Merriman said. "It's very difficult to train in these conditions in Italy, but I tried my best, but it wasn't good enough. I'm very disappointed with my performance." test and with it topped the class. "After day one, I was thinking that I would be happy with third on Sunday," Ahola said. "My shoulder was a problem in many of the corners, but somehow I managed to win. I'm very happy." Another injured rider happy with his weekend's work was seven-time World Champion Finn Kari Tiainen. Having crashed heavily in this year's Arras-Madrid-Dakar rally, the factory KTM rider posted third on both days despite suffering with a lack of strength in his left arm. "I wasn't expecting to finish this high in the points," said Tiainen, showing the scars from his recent shoulder surgery. "I'm more than happy with my performance and, as my shoulder improves, I hope to challenge both Mika and Anders for the class win." CN Spein Velverde del Cemino, SpIIln Results: March 1&-17, ZOOZ {Round 1 of 7J 125: 1. Petteri Silvan (Hsq); 2. Richard Larsson (TM); 3. Simone Albergonl (KTM); 4. Morc Germain (Yelm); 5. Mlkko Pihllljavesi (KTM); 6. Ivan Boano (Hon); 7. Aleslo Paoli (KTM); 8. Petri Pohjemho (GG); 9. Olivier Rebufie (KTM); 10. Zdenek Gottvald Third on day one was Spaniard (Hus); II. Edward Jones (KTM); 12. Paplo Pell Miki Arpa on his factory Vor. Not usu- Galino (Hon); 15. Vito Kuklik (KTM). 250 2·STRK; 1. Devld Knight (Vam); 2. Samuli ally a contender in the mud, Arpa fin- (YlIm); 13. Ptlolo ClIrrlHlI (YllIm); 14. Guiseppe Aro (Hus); 3. Jani ulIksonen (Gas); 4. Simon Wilk ished the day six seconds ahead of (TM); 5. Cyril Esquirol (KTM); 6. Helder Rodrige. (Hon); 7. Xacob Agra (KTM); 8. Sebastien Gumeume Frenchman Eric Bernard with a per- (Hus); 9. JlIrno Boano (Hon); 10. Giovanni Gritti formance which would help him claim third overall. Third on day two was 400cc newcomer Finn Marko Tarkkala on a Husaberg. In the 500cc Four-Stroke class, the reigning champion, Husqvarnamounted Swede Anders Eriksson claimed a comfortable win on day one when he finished over half a minute ahead of Vor-mounted Finn Mika Ahola. Having battled until the very last special test of the '01 Championship, Anders' winning margin came as a surprise to many. "I had a great day on Saturday," said Anders. "Everything went well apart from the cross-country test, which is a little dangerous. I didn't (KTM); 11. Bjorn Johanson (Hon); 12. David Fretigne (Vern): 13. DlIniel Johansson (GG); 14. Swen Enderle!" (Hsq); 15. Uean McConnell (Hus). 250 4-STRK; I. Peter Bergvell (Vam); 2. Paul Edmondson (Hus); 3. Oblucki Bertosz (Hus); 4. Daniel Eld (Vam); 5. Gerrard Farres (KTM); 6. Riccero Fermi (Vem); 7. NikJes Gustefsson (KTM); 8 Rowen Jones (Vern); 9 GJermund Frostad (Vern); 10. Merc Joriot (KTM); 11. Xavier Colomer (TM); 12. Oriol Tort (KTM); 13. Pzatrick Heb (Vom); 14. Antonio Villeges (TM); 15. Jens Oestreich (TM). 400 4 STRK: 1. Juhza Selminen (KTM); 2. Stefen Merrimen (Hus); 3. Miki ArpIl (Vor); 4. Marko 11. Bjorn Johanson (7); 12. (TIE) David Fretigne/Dnniel Johnnsson (6); 14. Swen Enderlein (5); 15. Uean McConnell (4). 250 4-STRK; I. Peter Bergvall (50); 2. Paul Edmondson (40); 3. Oblucki Bartosz (29); 4. Doniel Eld (24); 5. Gerrerd Ferres (21); 6. Riccero Fermi Merriman (40); 3. Miki Arpo (29); 4. Morko Tarkkala (26); 5. (Tie) Eric Bemard/Alessandro Botturl (21); 7. Xavier Puigdernont (20); 8. Matts Andreasson (17); 9. (TIE) Lorry Gustofsson/Guillaume Porte (10); 11. Olivier SllImofal (9); 12. Andreas Cabas/Marc Puigdemont (7); 14. Jordi Casals (5); 15. Daniel Persson (3). 500 4-STRK I. (TIE) Anders Eriksson/Mika Aholll (45); 3. Ken Tieinen (32); 4. Bjome Ce:rlsson (26); 5. Glovllnnl &tla (21); 6. Andreas Toresson (20); 7. (Toe) Fabio Farioli/Jordi Duron (17); 9. M;lan Baros (12); 10. Lllurent Bouffioux (10); 11. Mario Rinaldi (8); 12. Jose Pelilcer (7); 13. More Coma (6); 14. (TIE) Jose Moreno/Richard Hay (5). (18); 7. Niklas Gustolsson (16); 8 Rowan Jones (14); 9 Gjermund Frostad (14); 10. (Tie) Marc Jorlot/Xzavier Colomer (11); 12. Oriol Tort (10); 13. Patrick Heb (7); 14. Antonio Villegas (6); 15. Jens Oestreich (5). 400 4·STRK: 1. JUhll Slliminen (50); 2. Stefan Upcoming Rounds: Round 2: Oliveira, Portugal, March, 23-24 Round 3: Kalavrita, Germany, April, 20-21 BRIEFLY••• The Austrian KTM factory launched their 12-man World Championship Enduro team in Valverde del Camino, less than 24 hours prior to the opening round of this year's championship. With at least two riders in each class, and managed. once again, by Italian Amaldo Farioli and his son Fabio, the Austrian marquee has high expectations for '02. 'With our strong team of riders and with what we believe to be technically the best bikes, we have a great base onto which we hope to build our World Championship season," said Mr. Farioli. "We could become World Champions in each of the classes and expect to win at least three." he added. Four-time World Enduro Champion Paul Edmondson made his retum to the - Campeonato del Mundo" with two solid second-place finishes in the 250cc Four-Stroke class. The former AMA Hare Scrambles Champion and now factory Husqvama rider found himself haVing to ride nearly half an hour behind eventual class winner Peter Bergvall, due to not having scored any World Championship points in '01. "I really happy with the way things went this weekend despite having to ride the special tests half an hour after the guys I'm trying to beat. - Edmondson said. -Now that I've scored World Championship points, I can start on the same minute as the class leader Bergvall, which will level the playing field and enable me to compete on level terms. " Czech rider Roman Michelik rode the Italian Vor factory's 250cc four-stroke for the first time in Intemational competition with little success in Valverde del Garnino_ The machine, which features a Cannondale-style reversed cylinder head, failed to make the finish on day one and didn't start the second day's competition. Despite the relative toughness of the event. the Spanish season opener saw few riders fail to finish due to injury. Among those who didn't go the distance were 250cc Yamaha-mounted Frenchman David Fretigne with a suspected broken navicular, 500cc four-stroke-mounted Italian Mario Rinaldi with a forearm injury that needed 20 stitches. and 500cc Four-Stroke-c1ass rider Swede Martin Lind with a twisted knee. The most notable non-starter on day one was the '00 250cc Four-Stroke World Champion, Italian Matteo Rubin, who broke his leg during a photo shoot two-and-a-half weeks before the race. The '02 season looks like being another great year for the Scandinavian riders in the World Enduro Championship, as the riders from Europe's frozen North claimed victory in four of the five classes at round one. With Swede Anders Eriksson topping the 500cc Four-Stroke class. Finn Juha Salminen the 400cc Four-Stroke class. Swede Peter Bergvall the 250cc Four-Stroke class, and Finn Petteri Silvan the 125cc division, the only rider to claim a class win from outside of either Finland or Sweden was David Knight. who hails from the Isle of Man. With the World's toughest one-day off-road motorcycle race, the Giles lallay Classic in France, no longer a part of the European off-road calendar, Italian motorcycle club Moto Club Lumezzane will run an event called Xtreme Lumezzane in Northern Italy on August 10-11. Hoping to attract the World's best riders by offering a large purse, the event will see Saturday's 300 entrants reduced to 150 for the race on Sunday, with the top 50 riders going into the event's final special test. The event will also include a night stage. For more information check out Wo/VW.xtreme-lume.it M Tarkkala (Hbg); 5. Eric Bernard (KTM); 6. Alesszandro Botturl (KTM); 7. Xli vier Puigdemont (GG); 8. Matts Andreasson (Yem); 9. Lerry Gustefsson (Hbg); 10. OulJleume Porte (GG); 11. Olivier Semofel (Hbg); 12. Andrees Cebes (TM); 13. Marc Puigdemont (GQ); 14. Jordi Casels (GG); 15. Daniel Persson (Vam). 500 4-STRK; 1. Anders Eriksson (Hus); 2. M;ka Ahola (Vor); 3. Kari Tillinen (KTM); 4. Bjorne Cerlsson (Hbg); 5. Giovenni Sela (KTM); 6. Andrees Toresson (Hbg); 7. Febio Ferioli (KTM); 8. Jordi Duron (KTM); 9. Milan Boros (KTM); 10. Laurent Bouffioux (KTM); 11. Morio Rinoldi (Vam); 12. Jose Pellicer (KTM); 13. Marc Como (Hbg); 14. Jose Moreno (KTM); 15. Richerd Hoy (Hus). FIM WORLD ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 1 017 rounds); 125: I. (llE) Petteri SUvan/Richard Lllrsson (38); 3. Simone Albergoni (36); 4. Merc Germein (31); 5. European manufacturers came out on top at the end of the first round of the World Enduro Championship with victories in four of the five classes. The CH Racing Husqvarna team claimed two class victories, topping the 125 and 500cc Four-Stroke classes, as did the Italian-based UFO Corse Yamaha team, who won both the 250cc Two-Stroke and 250cc Four-Stroke classes. KTM topped the 400cc Four-Stroke class. TM claimed a day victory in the 125cc class. thanks to Swede Richard Larsson, while Vor claimed a day win in the 500cc Four-Stroke class on Sunday, thanks to Finn Mika Ahola. The end of the first day's competition proved to be a nail-biting time for the top two riders in the 125cc class, as both Husqvarna-mounted Finn Petteri Silvan and Yamaha-mounted Frenchman Marc Germain were excluded from the day's competition after arriving at the day's pre-finish from the wrong direction. Despite having broken the rules, the pair was reinstated as the class winners after the International jury decided that their actions were not intentional. Turns out they were the first two riders to leave the day's finai special test and, due to the traffic congestion around the town, the pair missed a directional arrow en-route to the paddock. cue I • n _ _ os • APRIL 3, 2002 59

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