Maxxls World Enduro Championship Se ries
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JONTY EDMONDS
M Racing team leader Juha Salminen got back to
his winning ways at the second round of the World
Enduro Championship in Guimaraes, Po rt ugal, by
topping both the Endu ro 2 class as well as the
cratch overa ll classification on both days.
With th e Finn fini shing a country mile ahead of his nearest
co mpetito r in the E2 class, Australian UFO Corse Yamaha rider
Stefan Merr iman claimed a doubl e Enduro I class win to extend
his lead at the top of the WEe's smallest capacity class. While
both the EI and E2 classes saw th e same ride r win on both days,
in the Enduro 3 class, victory was shared by round one overall
winner Ivan Cervantes and Finland's Samuli Aro.
Making it four wins from four starts so far in '04, Salminen
dominated th e E2 class once again in Portugal, fi nishing ahea d of Italian Alessandro
Botturi on day one and Britain's Paul Edmo ndson on day two. Not slowing his blistering pace on either day, Salminen's speed at the front of the field meant that he also
placed ahead of the E3 class' fastest riders to finish as the event's fastest overall rider
on both days.
"It' s been a really good weekend for me," Salminen said, "much better than last
weekend . I've enjoyed this weekend much more because somehow last weekend
certain parts of my riding seemed to be missing. Everything seemed to come together for me again this weekend . My thumb could be a little bit better, but with the
strong medication it' s been okay."
Sharing the second place spot in Portugal were Italian Botturi and forme r World
K
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APRIL 7,2004 • CYC LE N EWS
Champ ion Paul Edmondson. With Botturi making it two top-three finishes in Portugal
by placing third on day two, Edmondson made his first visit to a WEC podium this season after placing a disappointed fifth on day one.
Claiming the third-place spot on day one was Spaniard Arnau Vi/anova. Proving that
his impressive performance at the season opener was no fl uke, Arnau confirmed that
he will now co mpete in all rounds of the '04 WEC series , having originally only
entered the first two events.
Dominating day one and then finishing just seven seconds ahead 12Scc KTM rider
Petteri Silvan on day two, Yamaha rider Merriman again proved to be the rider to beat
in t he EI class in Portugal. Placing 39 seconds ahead of his closest and most cons istent
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