KTM scooped all podium places at Erzberg on Sunday in what is considered to be one of the most extreme tests for man and machine, the Red Bull Hare Scramble for single cylinder machines held on Austria's Iron Mountain.
Polish rider Tadeuz Blazusiak set himself up for a good race when the Austrian manufacturer offered him a KTM 250 EXC to ride in Saturday night's Enduro Cross show race. His good result in that event gave him a wild card for a front row start in Sunday's Hare Scramble and the 24-year-old professional Enduro rider capitalized on the opportunity in the best possible way. He won the race with style and finesse, with a comfortable lead of around six minutes.
Tom Sager of Britain was second on his KTM 250 EXC and runaway championship leader in the 2007 Enduro E1 class world championship Finland's Juha Salminen was third. Salminen was onboard the brand new 2008 KTM 300 EXC-E machine, the first time it has been ridden.
"This is unbelievable for me," Blazusiak said after the race, which he completed in one hour 29 minutes and 48 seconds. "This is my first time at Erzberg and right from the first very rocky section it all went without any problems."
The character of the race and the enormously difficult terrain, cut out of the former open cut iron ore mine on the side of this Austrian mountain makes it very rare for a rider to have such a smooth run. The result is therefore a particular tribute to the skills of the Polish rider who dominated the race once he had secured the lead.
KTM rally factory rider Cyril Despres was less fortunate. He was in third place when a damaged tyre forced his retirement.
Young 18-year-old American rider Kyle Redmond finished in ninth place on his KTM 250 EXC in his first ever Erzberg competition, coming in just behind KTM Enduro E3 factory rider, Marko Tarkkala of Finland. German privateer Ralf Scheidhauer also put in a good race in the big field of starters and finished in tenth place on his KTM 250 EXC.
Riders had to contend with hot, dusty and very tough conditions for the race, with the skies opening in a major thunder storm after the leading riders were safely home.
All in all, KTM riders took six of the top 10 places in this gruelling race to wrap up a near perfect weekend. On Thursday KTM riders took four of the top five places in the 2-cylinder event on the Iron Mountain.
Results Hare Scramble:1. Tadeuz Blazusiak, Poland, KTM, 1 hour 29 minutes 48 seconds
2. Tom Sager, Britain, KTM, 1:35.36
3. Juha Salminen, Finland, KTM, 1:42.45
4. Wayne Braybrook, Britain, GasGas, 1:47.10
5. Paul Edmondson, Britain, Suzuki, 1:47.54
6. Gerhard Forster, Germany, Beta, 1:48.47
7. Paul Bolton, Britain, Honda,1:57.05
8. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, KTM 2:03.50
9. Kyle Redmond, USA, KTM, 2:09.49
10. Ralf Scheidhauer, Germany, KTM, 2:11.20
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