Meo, Knight Top GP of Portugal

Cycle News Staff | April 19, 2010

KTM riders once again stood strong at the second round of the 2010 World Enduro Championship. The GP of Portugal took place only a week after the WEC opener in Spain, and although riders anticipated similar conditions, the two rounds were quite diverse. The dry and dusty Spanish terrain was followed by a very wet GP of Portugal thanks to heavy downpours on Friday and Saturday nights. Added to the rock-littered and technical course, the WEC riders were in for a demanding two days on the Iberian Peninsular in Fafe, Portugal.

In the E3 division, David Knight continues to reign surpreme. The Manxman topped Friday night’s Super Test and went into the weekend with the upper hand. Gas Gas rider Christophe Nambotin was able to edge him out for top honors on Saturday by a mere two seconds, but Knight returned fire the following day and topped Sunday’s E3 competition by nearly 30 seconds.

“I really had to work hard on the enduro and motocross tests here on day one,” Knighter said. “My biggest problem with the tests being so tight and twisty was that I was between gears at times. That was enough to allow Christophe [Nambotin] to get the upper hand. On day two the times came a little easier, which is what was so encouraging. I’m really pleased with the way Spain and Portugal have gone. I’m looking forward to the rest of the championship now.”

Antoine MeoIn the E1 class, CH Racing Husqvarna team rider Antoine Meo claimed a double win in Portugal. Meo was kept honest all weekend by factory KTM rider Johnny Aubert. The two were locked in competition all day Saturday, and after Meo made a costly mistake on the penultimate test losing 10 seconds, it looked as though the nod would go to the KTM rider. But Meo finished strong and bested Aubert in the final test of the day to take the overall win.

“I made a big mistake in the final extreme test on the first day,” Meo said. “I had to give the final test absolutely everythign to win the day and I was able to beo six seconds faster, which was enough for victory.”

Meo backed up his win with another one on Sunday after he and Aubert battled it out again. But several mistakes by Aubert let Meo get away with a dominant win, 51 seconds over the factory KTM rider.

In the premier E2 division, KTM rider Ivan Cervantes and Honda-mounted Mika Ahola split wins once again. The pair are now locked in a battle royale for the 2010 E2 title with equal points and equal podiums thus far in the Championship.

Ivan CervantesThe Flying Finn Juha Salminen got things started in the E2 class with a win in Friday night’s Super Test, but the BMW Husqvarna Motorsport rider would yield to Cervantes and Ahola the next day. Ahola bested Cervantes on Day one by 12 seconds, but Cervantes took the control back on Sunday, topping the competition by 22 seconds over Ahola. Salminen went on to finish third on Day one, but missed the podium on day two after a crash in one of the tests, letting another KTM rider, Thomas Oldrati, get on the podium in third.

“Finishing third and fourth at both the GP of Spain and the GP of Portugal isn’t the best start to the championship because of course I want to be winning or finishing on the podium on both days,” ten-time World Enduro Champion Salminen commented. “But it’s not too bad; it’s a start we can build on.”

2010 Enduro World Championship

Grand Prix of Portugal – Day 1

Enduro 1

1. Antoine Meo (CH Racing Husqvarna) 46:22.77; 2. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 46:26.62; 3. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 47:03.81; 4. Eero Remes (KTM) 47:05.51; 5. Julien Gauthier (Honda) 47:50.00; 6. Goncalo Reis (KTM) 48:58.04; 7. Matti Seistola (CH Racing Husqvarna) 49:06.48; 8. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 49:23.09; 9. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 49:25.37; 10. Chris Hollis (CH Racing Husqvarna) 49:46.14.

Enduro 2

1. Mika Ahola (Honda) 46:19.71; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 46:32.15; 3. Juha Salminen (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 46:42.56; 4. Pierre Alexandre Renet (KTM) 47:10.48; 5. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 47:14.47; 6. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 47:45.98; 7. Nicolas Paganon (Kawasaki) 47:55.90; 8. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 48:08.20; 9. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 48:11.19; 10. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 48:38.53… 15. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 50.17:17

Enduro 3

1. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 46:42.96; 2. David Knight (KTM) 46:45.49; 3. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 46:57.06; 4. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 47:04.35; 5. Bartosz Oblucki (CH Racing Husqvarna) 47:06.18; 6. Seb Guillaume (CH Racing Husqvarna) 48:17.28; 7. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 48:44.19; 8. Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) 48:49.61; 9. Michal Kadlecek (TM) 48:56.07; 10. Paulo Felicia (Yamaha) 49:00.47.

Grand Prix of Portugal – Day 2

Enduro 1

1. Antoine Meo (CH Racing Husqvarna) 47:23.54; 2. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 48:15.32; 3. Eero Remes (KTM) 48:20.17; 4. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 48:47.20; 5. Julien Gauthier (Honda) 49:37.77; 6. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 50:02.42; 7. Matti Seistola (CH Racing Husqvarna) 50:03.29; 8. Jari Mattila (Suzuki) 50:26.93; 9. Maurizio Micheluz (TM) 50:49.31; 10. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 50:55.40.

Enduro 2

1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 47:40.10; 2. Mika Ahola (Honda) 48:02.52; 3. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 48:18.15; 4. Juha Salminen (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 48:18.30; 5. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 49:02.25; 6. Pierre Alexandre Renet (KTM) 49:07.57; 7. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 49:45.76; 8. Nicolas Paganon (Kawasaki) 49:47.49; 9. Jeff Goblet (Yamaha) 49:48.82; 10. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 49:50.43.

Enduro 3

1. David Knight (KTM) 47:34.57; 2. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 48:01.97; 3. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 48:19.23; 4. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 49:31.00; 5. Seb Guillaume (CH Racing Husqvarna) 49:48.51; 6. Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) 49:55.34; 7. Michal Kadlecek (TM) 50:12.55; 8. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 50:15.53; 9. Aaron Bernardez (KTM) 50:39.66; 10. Paulo Felicia (Yamaha) 51:21.01.