Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128377
"The doctor gave me some really strong painkillers for day two," Merriman said, "but I was finding it really difficult to ride, and I thought that there was no way I was going to be able to continue. Thankfully, the painkillers started to work and I was able to ride okay." Joining his Farioli KTM teammate Cervantes as a double class winner, David Knight further extended his Enduro 3 championship lead thanks to teammate Marko Tarkkala's misfortune. Winning day one by just over half a minute, Knight's closest championship challenger dropped from second at the end of the day's second lap to eighth at the finish after ending upside down in a bush on the extreme test. AllOWing "Knighter" to ease off and secure the win on day one, the Farioli KTM rider again topped the E3 class on day two. "Marko certainly did me a favor by finishing in eighth on day one," Knight said. "I'm really happy with the way I've ridden this weekend on all the special tests, espeCially the extreme test. I knew I wouldn't win as easily as I did in Spain, but to have won the first four days of the championship is exactly what "It's been an incredible weekend for me, Cervantes said. "To have scored 100 points out of the 100 points available is the best possible start. I worked really hard to ensure that I was ready for the start of the season, and it seems to be working for me." Finishing as runner-up to Cervantes on both days was Italian Simone Albergoni. After a disastrous opening round in Spain, the Honda rider put up the strongest challenge to the Spaniard in Portugal but had to settle for the runner-up spot on both days. Placing third on both days, and placing as the only two-stroke rider to make it onto the podium in the EI class, was Italian Alex Belometti. Less than three seconds behind Albergoni on day one, Belometti finished just as close on day two after a slow opening special test time hampered his per- formance. The big surprise in the Enduro 2 class was the day one DNF of Stefan Merriman. Leading the E2 championship after the opening round of the series, the Australian twisted his knee on the enduro special test and was forced to retire. With Merriman out, Finn Samuli Aro had to battle against Frenchman Fabien Planet, with the KTM riders separated by less than 12 seconds, in Aro's favor, at the end of the day. Italian Alessandro Botturi claimed third. On day two, Merriman surprised everyone by not only taking to the start of the race but winning the E2 class as well. Battling every step of the way with Aro, the Australian finished less than two seconds ahead at the end of the day. With Aro placing as the runner-up, it was the Frenchman Planet who claimed the final podium position after another strong ride. Knight celebrates another victory. I wanted to do." Behind Knight on day one, Italian Alex Zanni finished in second, with Finn Mika Ahola third. On day two, Ahola improved one position to the runner-up spot, while Tarkkala claimed the final rostrum spot, having managed to avoid the undergrowth on the extreme test. With just two rounds of the championship gone, Knight already holds a 2S-point advantage at the head of the E3 c1ass.eN PORTUGUESE WEe FATIMA, PORTUGAL RESULTS: APRIL 9-10, 2005 (ROUND 2 OF 9) Saturday ENDURO I: I. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 29: 15.69; 2. Simone A1bergoni (Hon) 29:35.26: J. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 29:37.72: 4. Paul Edmondson (Hon) 29:56.0$; 5. Marc Germain (Yam) 29:57.65; 6. Petteri Silvan (KTM) 30:04.01; 7. Bartosz Oblucki (Yam) 30:04.56; 8. Richard Larsson (TM) 30:04.98; 9. Simone Tonelli (Yam) 30:27.05; 10. Roman Michalik (TM) 30:34.94. ENDURO 2: I. Samuli Arc (Yam) 29:39.04: 2. Fabien Planet (KTM) 29:50.48: 3. Alessandro Bottun (KTM) 30:02.2-4; 4. Anders Eriksson (Hus) 30:07.57; S. Bjome Carlsson (Hbg) 30:23.05: 6. Jari Manila (Beta) 30:25.89; 7. Helder Rodrigues (GG) 30:28.15; 8. Miska Aaltonen (GG) 30:28.85; 9. Paulo Goncalves (Hon) 30:41.13. ENDURO 3: I. David Knight (KTM) 29: 17.55; 2. Alessandro Zanni (Hon) 29:49.10: 3. Mika Ahola (Hus) 29:51.048; 4. Sebastien Guillaume (GG) 29:56.048; 5. Alessio Paoli (TM) 30:07.25; 6. Xavier Galindo (KTM) 30:08.35; 7. Klutz (GG) 30:15.08; 8. M....o T....kal. (KTM) 30:32.61; 9. Gerard Farres (Hus) 30:41.32: 10. Daniel Persson (Hbg) 30:49.88. me"" Sunday ENDURO I: I. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 36:26.66; 2. Simone Albergoni (Hon) 36:47.94: 3. Alessandro Belomeni (KTM) 36:50.38; 4. Petteri S.tvan (KTM) 36:58....... ; 5. Paul Edmondson (Hon) 37: 13.06; 6. Marc Germain (Yam) 37: 17.52; 7. Barton Obluek.i (Yam) 37:26.12; 8. Richard Larsson (TM) 37:54.14; 9. Simone Tonelli (Yam) 37:54.73; 10. Maurizio Micheluz (Yam) 37:57.00. ENDURO 1: I. Stefan Merriman (Yam) 36: 11.52; 2. Samuli Aro (KTM) 36:12.93; 3. Fabien Planet (KTM) 36:42.16; 4. Alessandro Batturi (KTM) 36:58.03; 5. And.,. Eriksson (Hu,) 37:01.59; 6. 8jome Carlsson (Hbg) 37:06.41; 7. Heide' Rodrigues (GG) 37:23.17; 8. Paulo GoncaJves (Hon) 37:41.15; 9. Jan Mattila (Beta) 37:43.86; 10. Andrea Beconi (Hus) 37:46.79. ENDURO 3: I. DavKI Knight (KTM) 36: 15.88; 2. Mika Ahola (Hus) 36:41.07; 3. Marko Tarkkala (KTM) 36:41.91; 4. Xavier Galindo (KTM) 37:03.11: 5. Thierry KJutz (GG) 37:10.97; 6. Alessandro Zanni (Hon) 37:12.10; 7. Seb Guillaume (GG) 37:49.75; 8. Daniel Persson (Hbg) 37:54.30; 9. Mario Rinaldi (Hbg) 37:56.05; 10. Alessio Paoli (TM) 37:57.41. CYCLE NEWS. MAY 11,2005 57