Described by many as one of the most eventful opening rounds the Enduro World Championship has ever seen the ’11 GP of Spain ended in spectacularly different circumstances for a number of the series’ biggest teams. DNF results for four KTM factory team riders, including Britain’s David Knight, resulted in a hugely disappointing weekend for the EWC’s most successful team in recent years while Husqvarna grabbed double Enduro 1 and Enduro 2 class wins thanks to Juha Salminen and Antoine Meo. Mika Ahola topped the Enduro 3 class on both days.
With double DNF results for both Enduro 2 class rider Johnny Aubert and defending Enduro 3 world champion David Knight KTM endured their worst ever start to an Enduro World Championship season as a freak set of events saw just two of their six factory team riders finish the second day’s competition at the GP of Spain.
With all eyes on Aubert as he made his first EWC outing on the new 350cc machine, the Frenchman completed just two special tests before being sidelined with an electrical problem. The fastest rider in the E2 class through the opening two tests, Aubert looked a hard rider to beat but could do nothing but watch as Antoine Meo and Ivan Cervantes battled for the eventual top two positions.
Day two saw things go from bad to worse for Aubert as a winning result on the opening test was followed by another electrical retirement, effectively ending the former world champions chances of claiming E2 class glory this season.
Worse still for the KTM team was the day one retirement of David Knight. The last rider to complete the Friday night Super Test, which resulted in Knight not finishing until close to 11 o’clock, having just found his winning form on day one and topped the first timed extreme test he caught his foot on the enduro test, violently rotating his hip. Unable to continue Knight’s weekend was over.
At the head of the Enduro 1 class Juha Salminen returned to his winning ways, putting several disappointing seasons behind him to show that he’s still a class act and a rider that’s going to be hard to beat this season. Topping both days ahead of Matti Seistola to give Husqvarna a pair of one-two result, it was actually Seistola who lead for much of the opening day before a crash on the last enduro test dropped him to second. Rounding out the podium was KTM’s Eero Remes.
Day two saw Salminen’s consistency rewarded with a deserved and hard fought second victory. Chased hard by Seistola, who placed just nine seconds behind his countryman, Salminen didn’t win one test but secured 25 championship points for his efforts. Third on day two went to Sherco mounted Frenchman Fabien Planet with Honda’s Rodrig Thain fourth and Remes sixth.
“It’s a great start to the championship, but I’m not getting carried away with anything yet,” commented a clearly pleased Salminen. “The best thing for me is that I was able to ride like I wanted during both days and didn’t make any mistakes. With Matti second on both days it’s a real boost for the team.”
With Aubert out of the fight for the top spot in the E2 class on day one Meo, Cervantes and Aubert’s team-mate Cristobal Guerrero all stepped up to try and secure the win. But it was last year’s Enduro 1 world champ Meo who claimed the prized top step of the podium. Cervantes showed that both he and Gas Gas are ready to challenge for the title following a strong showing on his 250cc two-stroke. The final podium spot went to Guerrero.
Few could believe that Aubert was again out early on day two, leaving two of the same three riders to battle for the podium spots as on day one. Amazingly, joining Aubert in heading back to the pits early was Guerrero, seemingly having suffered with the same electrical gremlins as his team-mate.
Close to half-a-minute up on Cervantes, Meo’s win was a convincing one. The fastest rider in the event, Antoine topped five of the day’s test in the E2 class and never finished lower than second. With Cervantes matching his day one result of second, third went to Husaberg rider Pela Renet.
“It couldn’t be a better start for me,” commented Meo. “I’m disappointed about what happened to Aubert because no one likes it when a rider has bad luck like that, but to be leading the Enduro 2 world championship is just great. It was a tough race and I made some mistakes, but my bike worked perfectly and I just kept pushing as hard as I could on both days.”
Looking to claim the only senior EWC title he hasn’t so far secured – the Enduro 3 championship – Mika Ahola made the best start possible by placing his Honda at the top of the results on both days. With Knight out of the equation it was Frenchman Christophe Nambotin on his Gas Gas who made life the hardest for Ahola, as he ended the day just 14 seconds behind. With Husqvarna’s Seb Guillaume also keeping up the pressure throughout most of the day, just over 30 seconds separated the three riders.
Upping his pace on the second day Mika was all but unstoppable. Fast, consistent, and keeping his mistakes to a minimum the experienced Finn ended the day relieved, pleased and close to 30 seconds ahead of Nambotin. Third on day two went to Husaberg mounted Marko Tarkkala, who claimed his first podium result in two years.
“Of course I’m pleased to have started the season like this, explained Ahola. I felt more relaxed and more confident before the start of this race than I did last year, but I’m pleased that my speed was good. It’s been a great race and a great start to the championship.”
Grand Prix of Spain – Day one
Enduro 1
1. Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) 53.10:25; 2. Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) 53.20:23; 3. Eero Remes (KTM) 53.34:12; 4. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 53.37:99; 5. Rodrig Thain (Honda) 53.42:22; 6. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 53.56:98; 7. Julien Gauthier (TM) 54.23:39; 8. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 54.34:68; 9. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 55.11:16; 10. Adrien Metge (Honda) 55.52:69; 11. Arnaud Devisy (Suzuki) 56.16:16; 12. John-Christian Seljord (Honda) 56.28:36; 13. Edward Huebner (KTM) 56.58:31; 14. Amel Advokaat (KTM) 57.03:00; 15. Gordon Clarke (TM) 59.44:01
Enduro 2
1. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 52.44L70; 2. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas) 53:04.16; 3. Cristobal Guerrero (KTM) 53.04:59; 4. Pierre-Alexandre Renet (Husaberg) 53.19:97; 5. Simone Albergoni (Husqvarna) 54.37:45; 6. Oscar Balletti (Beta) 54.47:69; 7. Antoine Basset (Yamaha) 55.16:11; 8. Aaron Bernardez (Husaberg) 55.28:80; 9. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 55.33:39; 10. Armand Monleon (KTM) 55.34:21; 11. Goncalo Reis (Honda) 55.35:00; 12. Joan Jou (Husaberg) 55.55:82; 13. Jeff Goblet (Yamaha) 56.10:92; 14. Niklas Gustafsson (Honda) 56.53:96; 15. Jonathan Rosse (Yamaha) 57.20:03; 16. Romain Cadillac (Beta) 58.10:41; 17. Massimo Mangini (Beta) 59.05:54
Enduro 3
1. Mika Ahola (Honda) 53.21:87; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 53.35:52; 3. Seb Guillaume (Husqvarna) 53.53:92; 4. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 54.12:26; 5. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 54.33:77; 6. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 54.40:71; 7. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 54.43:36; 8. Marko Tarkkala (Husaberg) 54.54:04; 9. Alessandro Botturi (Gas Gas) 54.57:19; 10. Juan Perez (KTM) 55.09:97; 11. Maurizio Micheluz (Fantic) 55.12:16; 12. Jordi Figueras (Gas Gas) 55.45:36; 13. Maurizio Facchin (Honda) 56.29:57; 14. Jordi Viladoms (Yamaha) 56.41:15; 15. Rudy Cotton (Gas Gas) 56.49:15; 16. Jakob Morhed (Husaberg) 57.11:86; 17. Jonas Karlsson (KTM) 57.35:45; 18. Christian Espana (TM) 1.07:55.77
Day 2
Enduro 1
1. Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) 55.09:48; 2. Matti Seistola (Husqvarna) 55.18:41; 3. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 55.38:21; 4. Rodrig Thain (Honda) 55.39:73; 5. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 55.44:12; 6. Eero Remes (KTM) 55.46:06; 7. Julien Guathier (TM) 56.17:49; 8. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 56.35:98; 9. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 56.44:52; 10. John-Christian Seljord (Honda) 57.19:19; 11. Adrian Metge (Honda) 57.27:08; 12. Arnaud Devisy (Suzuki) 58.33:17; 13. Edward Huebner (KTM) 58:47.61; 14. Amel Advokaat (KTM) 59.55:38; 15. Christophe Robert (KTM) 1.00:10.52; 16. Gordon Clarke (TM) 1.03:17.27
Enduro 2
1. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 54.39:52; 2. Ivan Cervantes (Gas Gas) 55.05:86; 3. Pierre-Alexandre Renet (Husaberg) 55.33:78; 4. Simone Albergoni (Husqvarna) 56.03:93; 5. Hans Vogels (Husaberg) 57.06:57; 6. Jeff Goblet (Yamaha) 57.13:22; 7. Antoine Basset (Yamaha) 57.31:25; 8. Goncalo Reis (Honda) 57.49:59; 9. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 57.58:58; 10. Armman Monleon (KTM) 58.08:53; 11. Joan Jou (Husaberg) 58.48:05; 12. Massimo Mangini (Beta) 58.54:22; 13. Romain Cadillac (Beta) 58.57:87; 14. Aigor Leok (TM) 59.00:18; 15. Jonathan Rosse (Yamaha) 1.00:51.20; 16. Sebastien Bozzo (Kawasaki) 1.09:12.43
Enduro 3
1. Mika Ahola (Honda) 54.52:30; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 55.20:21; 3. Marko Tarkkala (Husaberg) 55.55:59; 4. Seb Guillaume (Husqvarna) 56.02:04; 5. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 56.03:75; 6. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 56.36:47; 7. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 56.41:38; 8. Alessandro Botturi (Gas Gas) 57.09:23; 9. Maurizio Micheluz (Fantic) 57.21:01; 10. Juan Perez (KTM) 57.21:76; 11. Jordi Figueras (Gas Gas) 57.36:65; 12. Jonas Karlsson (KTM) 59.14:76; 13. Jakob Morhed (Husaberg) 59.16:82; 14. Rudy Cotton (Gas Gas) 59.40:50; 15. Jordi Viladoms (Yamha) 1.00:50.04
