Juha Salminen on Saturday signaled his intention to dominate the E1 Class of the World Enduro Championship with a top top podium place on the first day of the Spanish Grand Prix. The Finn was joined on the podium by KTM Enduro Factory Team team-mate Alessandro Belometti of Italy for a perfect start in the E1 class at Puerto Lumbreras in the south east corner of Spain.
“Today was a very hard fight for me, Salminen said after the race. ”I was in front for most of the race but the others were very close to me and it was only in the last lap that I was able to get ahead by a few seconds.”
Enduro hero Salminen, who has returned to Europe after several years of competition in the GNCC Series in the USA has now clean-sweeped all three races so far held this season for a comfortable 75 points in the standings. He finished the grueling day’s ride with a time for the tests of 50:03.52.
It was also an excellent day for Belometti, more at home on the Mediterranean terrain after the winter event in Ostersund, Sweden offered ice and snow conditions more suited to the Scandinavian competitors.
Extremely heavy rain on Friday night and Saturday morning did clear in time for the race, but left the course heavy with mud in some places. Despite the conditions, riders from southern Europe were clearly more comfortable being back on Spanish ground and sealed the other four top places.
Salminen now has to set himself the mental task of being able to defend his lead going into Sunday’s second race of rounds three and four.
Results, Day 1; Race 11. Juha Salminen, Finland, KTM, Tests - 50:03.52
2. Alessandro Belometti, Italy, KTM, 50:14.07
3. Simone Albergoni, Italy, Honda, 50:44.69
4. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha, 50:45.14
5. Marc Germain, France, Yamaha, 51:08.52
That makes it three wins from three races for Juha Salminen and a solid Second For Belometti In Spain.
Enduro 2: Mud Spoils Aro’s Podium Chances On Day One In SpainMud spoiled KTM Enduro Factory Team rider Samuli Aro’s chances of a top podium spot in the final stages of the E2 Class on day one at the Spanish Grand Prix in Puerto Lumbraras, Spain.
The torrential rain that deluged the south east Spanish town on Friday night and early Saturday morning thankfully eased off for the races but they left, for Aro, an unpleasant reminder. Having been up front for most of the grueling Enduro race and well in the running with eventual winner Jonny Aubert of France, the Finn then got stuck in a mud hole in the last stages of the race. The mud cost him a whole minute and spoiled his chances of a podium.
KTM Teammate Fabien Planet came in at a credible fourth place with the unfortunate Aro behind him in fifth.
Aro, who had a 1-2 podium result in the first two races in Östersund, Sweden will be out for revenge on Sunday.
Results, Day One, Race One:1. Jonny Aubert, France, Yamaha, 49:10.52
2. Mika Ahola, Finland, Honda, 50:08.54
3. Stefan Merriman, Australian, Aprilia, 50:33.87
4. Fabien Planet, France, KTM, 50:56.41
5. Samuli Aro, Finland, KTM, 51:07.07
Enduro3: Cervantes Lives His Spanish Dream For Top SpotIvan Cervantes, secure on his home territory and pumped by the support of thousands of his enthusiastic fans rode to glory in the first of two races in the Spanish Grand Prix.
Cervantes was unchallenged on the typical Mediterranean soil, completing the tests just 1:03.14 ahead of fellow KTM Enduro Factory Team teammate Finland’s Marko Tarkkala to round off an excellent first day in Spain for the third round of the World Enduro Championship.
Reveling in the support of the huge crowd of his enthusiastic follows, Cervantes said: “it was just great to win here and the support of the crown really helped me. I dedicate my victory to them!”
Tarkkala’s second place came on the heels of his double victory in Ostersund in round one in March, wrapping up an excellent day for the KTM Factory Team. The result provided just the right boost in morale going into the second race on Sunday for round four of the World Enduro Championships.
Results, Race One, Day One:1. Ivan Cervantes, Spain, KTM, 49:53.98
2. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, KTM, 50:57.12
3. Fred Bolly, France, Gas-Gas, 51:29.34
4. Sebastian Guillaume, France, Husqvarna, 51:46.94
5. Markus Kehr, Germany, KTM, 52:19.97
Images by Edmunds J.
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