PREVIEW: 2006 WORLD ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP
09 June 2006 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Round 4 GP Valli Bergamasche, Italy (09.06.2006)

After competing successfully in the WEC’s first ever winter enduro the KTM Enduro Factory Team continued its winning ways in the ’06 FIM World Enduro Championship at rounds two and three staged in Portugal and Spain. Leading all three of the enduro world championship’s senior classes as well as the Team classification after the opening round of the series KTM riders still lead the world after round three with Spaniard Ivan Cervantes comfortably ahead in the Enduro 1 class and Manxman David Knight unbeaten in ’06 and leading the Enduro 3 class. Making things even better for the KTM Enduro Factory Team is the fact that they sit in first and third in the Team championship standings.

In the Enduro 1 class KTM’s reigning world champion Ivan Cervantes is now 24 points clear of his closest championship rival having performed exceptionally well in both Portugal and at his home GP in Spain. Placing as runner-up on day one in Portugal, having had much of his race clothing stolen prior to the start, on day two Ivan showed exactly why he is the reigning E1 world champion by topping the E1 class. One week later in Spain Ivan recorded the perfect result winning on both days to stretch his WEC advantage.

Putting his disappointing result at the opening round of the WEC behind him KTM mounted Italian Alessandro Belometti also performed well in Portugal and Spain and as a result has lifted himself from seventh to third in the E1 championship standings. Finishing in third on both days in Portugal Alessandro finished just a handful of seconds behind team-mate Cervantes on day one in Spain to claim a well deserved runner-up spot. He then backed that result up with third on day two. With his home round of the WEC the next stop on the word championship tour Alessandro is hoping to claim his first win of the ’06 WEC season.

In the ultra competitive Enduro 2 class KTM’s reigning E2 world champion Samuli Aro currently lies a close second behind Frenchman Johnny Aubert. Recording the perfect double class win at round one in Sweden Samuli then finished third and fourth in Portugal having struggled a little to feel completely settled in the dry, dusty and rocky conditions. In Spain he improved his results and once again showed that as well as being one of the fastest riders in the world he is also one of the most consistent and placed in third on both days.

KTM’s second rider in the Enduro 2 championship standings is Frenchman Fabien Planet, who currently lies in fifth position. Still to produce his best form Planet has produced solid point scoring rides at each of the three rounds of the ’06 WEC series held so far and after a month of hard training is looking forward to the GP Valli Bergamasche.

The Enduro 3 class is being dominated by the KTM duo of David Knight and Marko Tarkkala this season, much as it was in ’05. With David the only rider not to have been beaten in the ’06 WEC series so far, having claimed six convincing day wins, he holds an 18-point advantage at the top of the class. With no intention of finishing in any other position other than first at the GP Valli Bergamasche David will be looking to continue his winning ways. KTM’s second factory backed rider in the E3 class, Finn Mark Tarkkala, has also had a great season so far claiming six runner-up finishes. While David hopes to continue his win streak Marko is hoping that he can finally stand on the top step of the E3 podium.

With the ’06 World Enduro Championship soon to arrive at the half way point of the season the GP Valli Bergamasche in Italy on June 17/18 is one event, more than any other, that KTM Enduro Factory Team Farioli rider Alessandro Belometti is determined to do well at. After claiming his first ever world championship victory in Italy last season, Belometti is hoping to use the event to close in on second place in the Enduro 1 championship standings.

Alessandro, having finished third in the ’05 Enduro 1 world championship your goal for ’06 was to battle with team-mate Ivan Cervantes for the Enduro 1 world championship. But things didn’t start well for you at the GP of Sweden, what happened?

Alessandro: “The first round of this year’s world championship was a real disappointment for me. I had been working hard to prepare myself for the race but things just didn’t go well. Racing with spiked tyres was a real challenge and unlike anything that I have ever done before. I lost around 30 seconds on the enduro test on day one when I made a big mistake. It is so difficult to finish inside the top three after you have lost that much time. Then at the end of the day my chain came off, which lost me even more time. Without those two mistakes my result would have been ok. “On day two I couldn’t find my rhythm. I didn’t find a good feeling with the ice and snow and made many mistakes. I fell a few times in the morning and pushed hard to make back the time but I was pushing too hard and made even more mistakes. It was a great experience racing in the snow but a disappointing result.”

After the race you vowed to perform better at the GPs in Portugal and Spain, which you did. You lifted yourself from seventh to third in the E1 world championship and are now just 13 points behind the second placed rider. Were you happy with the way you rode at rounds two and three of the championship?

Alessandro: “Yes, very much. I knew that I could improve my result after Sweden and worked hard to prepare for the races in Portugal and Spain. They were both really difficult races, maybe some of the hardest we have had for some years. In Portugal I was really happy to show that I did have the speed to race for podium positions.

“In Spain it was incredibly close between myself, Ivan Cervantes and Simone Albergoni on day one. There were only a few seconds between us. I was third that day, which I was pleased with although I would have liked to have finished first. The most important thing in Portugal and Spain was that I showed that my result in Sweden was a one-off and that I have the speed to perform on the same level with Ivan and Simone.”

The fourth round of the world championship takes place close to your home in Italy. You claimed your first ever world championship win there last year so you must be hoping for a good result again this year?

Alessandro: “Yes, I am certainly hoping to have a good result their. It is only 45 minutes from my house to the race so it is certainly close to my home. It is very important for the people in Italy that I, and my rival and friend Simone Albergoni, get good results. I have been training hard for a good result but beating Ivan Cervantes is going to be hard. It would be perfect if I could get a result like last year, but I know that isn’t going to be easy.”

How much of a boost does it give you performing in front of your home fans and having your friends and family at the race to support you?

Alessandro: “It is great being able to race close to home, especially at such an important event like a world championship race. It is easy to put too much pressure on yourself so I am just trying to race like I would at any other race – to push hard and try my best. It is important that I don’t push too hard though and make mistakes.”

In the E1 world championship your team-mate Ivan Cervantes is the rider to beat at the moment. Do you feel that you can beat him this season or are you simply focusing on going one better than last year and aiming to finish as runner-up in this year’s E1 championship?

Alessandro: “Of course my goal is to win the Enduro 1 world championship as well as trying to win races but with Ivan in the E1 class I know that is difficult. I think that it is possible to win some races if Ivan makes some mistakes but realistically I think I will be fighting with Simone Albergoni this season for the second position.”

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