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 EWC PART II

The Grand Prix of Poland has just finished that MAXXIS FIM ENDURO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP is already organized its next event.  The Grand Prix of SLOVAKIA powered by CASINO BONVER, on June 19/20, will symbolically mark the middle season of the championship. This fifth of the eight event of the season returns the EWC in the rainiest event of the 2009 season. One year ago, riders had undergone during two days an important flood, making tests in extreme cases of practicable for the greatest pleasure of a Slovak public very enthusiast of Enduro.

Puchov, place of this next event, is located 700 kilometers and almost ten hours far from Kwidzyn. On the road, with his big motor home, Antoine MEO (FRA-HVA) will have surely the occasion to reconsider his weekend because he was not so peaceful as a leader of championship. With some stress during the Polish event, he proved that in spite of 46 points ahead relaxing could have many bad consequences. For all that, the announced rival of the beginning of season, ex E2 World Champion Johnny AUBERT (FRA-KTM) is still not at his best level. With his groggy expression during the mechanics times on Saturday evening, one understands that he will need times to recover his vicious ear problems. In 2009, Aubert had a really exciting fight with Bartosz OBLUCKI for the winning in Slovakia. His next event in Puchov will be more delicate. “My headaches are increasing as the day goes by, and they use my concentration, explains Aubert. It is very irritating. In the forest tests, I also tend to lose me, but I can only fight against that”.

In ENDURO 2, the middle season is tightest. Twelve points only separate Mika AHOLA (SF-HM) from his rival. Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM) however used to win second day races over a ground smashed by the crossing of the motorcycles, underwent the law and especially the experiment of the Finnish during last event in Italy and Poland. Thus, it is in the role of the hunter that the Spanish will ride in Slovakia. However everybody knows, with the first drops, Ahola is better. The weather will be very important in this fight. Fifth of E2 class, Joakim LJUNGGREN (SWE-HSB) will want certainly to access the world stars, in particular on a ground where it is sometimes useful to use legs to find an additional support: “I really thought of being able to access podiums during first half of the championship, I was very close in Italy. I would not say that it is a bad beginning of season, but for sure I will try to do better”.

In ENDURO 3, there is some change. With his abandonment in Poland, Christophe NAMBOTIN (FRA-GAS) has a certain gap. However, he will have to forget this enormous disappointment as soon as possible: “I have no other choice to overcome this situation. My goal was to win the Championship; this abandonment is very hard to accept. It is a difficult time to live for my mechanic and all the team. I tried to motive them. Now, I just want to win the maximum of events to prove that I am enough fast to be ahead.” This will be difficult for Nambotin and for Gas Gas, because with two riders at the head of E3, KTM has all assets to win the class, with Simone ALBERGONI (ITA-KTM) and especially David KNIGHT (GB-KTM). Even if he did not find yet the harmony with his motorcycle, the British has the role of chief in this class. And he will surely remember that it is precisely in Slovakia that he won his E3 world champion title.

The Grand Prix OF SLOVAKIA powered by CASINO BONVER will be finally the occasion to attend a new fight between Jérémy JOLLY (FRA-HM) and Lorenzo SANTOLINO (ESP-KTM) in the JUNIOR class. Organized by Slovenska Motocyklova Federacia and Enduro Puchov Club, this next event will be covered 3 times per day, with 65kms length. With meadow of the Cross  Test, the dark underwoods of Enduro Test or technical crossing of the Extreme Test, riders will be severely tested where they will have to climb some impossible slope. This fifth event of the season will finally be under exoticism because it should welcome the national Japanese champion with KTM. Banzaï!