KTM News From France

KTM’s Cervantes revels in hot and dry conditions in France
Ivan Cervantes was unbeatable in the E1 class of the Enduro world championship rounds in Uzerche, France at the weekend winning on both days for 50 points. He is now just nine shy of leader Mika Ahola of Finland.
Cervantes race weekend drew praise from KTM Enduro factory team boss Fabio Farioli. ‘Ivan was very fast today. He was incredibly good and he won in almost all the tests and he likes the dry and dusty conditions.
 
Cervantes was pumped after his win on Saturday. ‘It’s never easy to win in E1, because Mika Ahola and Marc Germain are always fast here in France. After all the mistakes I made in Britain I really wanted to ride as well as I can. From now, for the championship, I’m focused on one thing: to win, to win, and to win again,’ the Spanish rider promised and which he fulfilled in style also on Sunday.
 
Farioli also praised the performance of the newest team member Britain’s Tom Sagar who moved up from the junior category this season. ‘He is gaining a lot of good experience and he is getting better and better,’ Farioli said of the young rider.
Sagar was eighth on Saturday and two places up the order at sixth on Sunday.
 
E 1 Results Saturday
1. Ivan Cervantes, Spain KTM
2. Mika Ahola, Finland, Honda
3. Marc Germain, France, Yamaha
4. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
5. Simon Albergoni, Italy, Yamaha
8. Tom Sagar, Britain, KTM
 
E1 Results Sunday
1. Ivan Cervantes, Spain KTM
2. Mika Ahola, Finland, Honda
3. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
4. Marc Germain, France, Yamaha
5. Simon Albergoni, Italy, Yamaha
6. Tom Sagar, Britain, KTM
 
Standings after GP of France
1. Mika Ahola, Finland, 275
2. Ivan Cervantes, Spain, KTM, 266
3. Simon Albergoni, Italy, 251
4. Marc Germain, France, 196
5. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, 196
8. Tom Sagar, Britain, KTM  127
 
Good E2 weekend for KTM’s Salminen in France
KTM Enduro factory rider Juha Salminen of Finland lived up to his name and reputation at the weekend in Uzerche, France to pick up 45 championship points and edge closer to championship leader Johnny Aubert in the race for the E2 title.
‘Juha was incredibly fast today. He’s in great form and is riding well in any conditions,’ team boss Fabio Farioli reported on Sunday after the races in northern France. Salminen won in style on Sunday after taking a third place for 20 points on Saturday, 20 seconds behind the winner Mickael Pichon of France, also riding a KTM.
 
KTM factory teammate Alessandro Belometti netted two sixth places in the two rounds bumping up his points tally by 30, enough to elevate him into third place in the standings.
Riders batted very hot weather during the gruelling race but were supported by large crowds of enthusiastic French supporters who always turn out in large numbers to support Enduro racing.
 
E2 Saturday
1. Mickael Pichon, France, KTM
2. Johnny Aubert, France, Yamaha
3. Juha Salminen, Finland, KTM
4. Antoine Meo, France, Husqvarna
5. Rodrig Thain, France, TM
6. Alessandro Belometti, Italy, KTM
 
E2 Sunday
1. Juha Salminen, Finland, KTM
2. Johnny Aubert, France, Yamaha
3. Antoine Meo, France, Husqvarna
4. Rodrig Thain, France, TM
5. Simo Kirssi, Finland, BMW
6. Alessandro Belometti, Italy, KTM
 
Standings after two rounds in France
1. Johnny Aubert, France, 272
2. John Salminen, Finland, KTM 256
3. Alessandro Belometti, Italy, KTM 185
4. Joakim Ljunggren, Sweden, 165
5. Rodrig Thain, France, 160
 
Aro battles through injuries in France, Tarkkala second on day two
KTM Enduro 3 heroes Samuli Aro and Marko Tarkkala,overcame difficulties and in Aro’s case the pain of injury in two rounds at the E3 GP in Uzerche, Northern France to pick up valuable points to consolidate their double lead in the standings.
Onboard the big bikes, Tarkkala was fifth on Saturday but climbed the podium on Sunday in second place, while team-mate and Finnish countryman Aro, despite injuries, struggled through for a creditable fourth and sixth place in the hot, dusty and dry conditions. Aro is still bearing up after a painful non-race related injury to his hand but also has a knee injury.
 
The results however were enough to allow the two riders to retail the two top positions in the championship standings, where Aro leads Tarkkala by 12 points, followed by Sebastien Guillaume of France in third place.
 
Aro now has time to rest and recover before the next two rounds of the E3 world championship at the end of September in Italy, the penultimate in the 2008 World Championship series.
 
E3 Saturday
1. Christophe Nambotin, France, Gas Gas
2. Sebastien Guillaume, France, Husqvarna
3. Stefan Merriman, Australia, Aprilia
4. Samuli Aro, Finland, KTM
5. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, KTM
 
E3 Sunday
1. Sebastien Guillaume, France, Husqvarna
2. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, KTM
3. Stefan Merriman, Australia, Aprilia
4. Markus Kehr, Germany, KTM
5. Xavier Galindo, Spain, KTM
6. Samuli Aro, Finland, KTM
 
Standings after two round of French GP
1. Samuli Aro, Finland, KTM 255
2. Marko Tarkkala, Finland, KTM 243
3. Sebastien Guillaume, France, 232
4. Christophe Nambotin, France, 228
5. Markus Kehr, Germany, KTM, 180
 

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