MERRIMAN CONTINUES WINNING STREAK TILL THE END
17 October 2004 - Yamaha Racing

Despite having already being crowned as Enduro 1 World Enduro Champion at the penultimate round of the ''04 WEC series, UFO Corse Yamaha rider Stefan Merriman continued his dominance of the E1 class at the final round of the championship held in Zschopau, Germany.

Claiming another double class win to end his impressive season in style, Merriman finished one minute and six seconds ahead of his nearest E1 class rival on day one and 47 seconds clear on day two. Claiming the runner-up spot on both days, and in doing so landing himself the second place spot in the Enduro 2 world championship, was Italian Simone Albergoni. Having come into the event trailing UFO Corse Yamaha rider Bartosz Oblucki, Albergoni moved himself into the runner-up spot following a strong runner-up place finish on day one and a disappointing eighth place finish by Oblucki.

On day two Albergoni again placed ahead of Oblucki as the pair placed second and third respectively with Bartosz finishing third in the E1 world championship behind his team-mate Merriman and Albergoni. Four-time world champion Mario Rinaldi rode his WR250F to sixth on day one and seventh on the second day. The Italian veteran ends his season in seventh overall.

Stefan Merriman (UFO Corse Yamaha) Day 1: First, Day 2: First ''Everything went well for me this weekend. The event, and especially the enduro test, was really difficult because we had to push our own bikes in places, which meant that all riders were completely destroyed when they reached the end of the tests. The extreme test was also pretty difficult. I have to thank Paul Edmondson for standing up for the riders because he acted as a spokesperson in talking to the organisers. He made them realise that unless they made changes to the course then the riders didn''t want to start day two - it was crazy some of the things they wanted us to do. They seemed to forget that this is a round of the WEC and not a one-off extreme enduro. After they made a few changes the event has been great, a really challenging but enjoyable day. My bike has been really good all weekend, just like it has all year, and I felt that I also rode well.''

Bartosz Oblucki (UFO Corse Yamaha) Day 1:eighth, Day 2: third ''The first day of the race was really terrible. It was so wet and cold and the organisers made some parts of the course much too difficult. When we have to push our own bikes up some of the hills and have to ride too fast on the public roads, it''s crazy. The extreme test was also crazy. Day two here in Germany was a really good race though. It was difficult but because of the changes the organisers made we didn''t struggle like we did on day one. I''m happy because I have had a really good season. At the beginning of the year I wasn''t sure where I would finish so back in March I would have been really happy with third in the Enduro 1 world championship. But having battled to finish in the runner-up position all season I am a little disappointed to finish third and so close to second.I had a really bad day on day one and that has cost me the second place in the championship. Finishing on the podium at the end of the world championship, as well as winning the E1 class at the six days, are results that I am happy with, but I''m just a little disappointed.''

Race classification Enduro 1

Round: 8 - Grand Prix of Germany
Circuit: Zschopau
Race: 3 Laps

Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 S. Merriman Yamaha AUS 1.00'' 31.630
2 S. Albergoni Honda ITA +1.01'' 38.300
3 R. Larsson TM ITA +1.02'' 7.320
4 P. Silvan KTM FIN +1.04'' 27.260
5 H. Rodrigues KTM POR +1.04'' 30.430
6 M. Rinaldi Yamaha ITA +1.04'' 41.770
7 A. Belometti KTM ITA +1.04'' 46.590
8 B. Oblucki Yamaha POL +1.05'' 40.360
9 H. Diaz KTM MEX +1.05'' 46.440
10 A. Paoli TM ITA +1.06'' 42.920
11 G. Canova Husqvarna ITA +1.09'' 18.870
12 J. Stapleton TM AUS +1.20'' 22.730
13 A. Decker KTM GER +1.41'' 1.030
14 R. Rota KTM ITA +1.48'' 16.340

Race 2: 3 Laps
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 S. Merriman Yamaha AUS 36'' 37.150
2 S. Albergoni Honda ITA +37'' 24.180
3 B. Oblucki Yamaha POL +38'' 2.610
4 R. Larsson TM ITA +38'' 3.800
5 P. Silvan KTM FIN +38'' 7.800
6 H. Rodrigues KTM POR +38'' 48.680
7 M. Rinaldi Yamaha ITA +39'' 9.980
8 A. Belometti KTM ITA +39'' 18.920
9 H. Diaz KTM MEX +39'' 20.030
10 J. Mattila GasGas FIN +39'' 20.260
11 P. Dirk KTM GER +39'' 51.800
12 A. Paoli TM ITA +39'' 58.330
13 J. Boano Honda ITA +41'' 12.790
14 J. Stapleton TM AUS +41'' 32.430
15 G. Falgari Husqvarna ITA +42'' 29.870
16 P. Olsson Yamaha SWE +43'' 20.430
17 R. Rota KTM ITA +44'' 2.110
18 B. Meyer KTM GER +45'' 4.050
19 M. Kriol GasGas ESP +46'' 35.290
20 M. Triebel Yamaha GER +1.01'' 40.510

Championship standings Enduro 1
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points
1 Stefan Merriman Yamaha AUS 385
2 Simone Albergoni Honda ITA 306
3 Bartosz Oblucki Yamaha POL 302
4 Petteri Silvan KTM FIN 284
5 Richard Larsson TM ITA 223
6 Alessandro Belometti KTM ITA 211
7 Mario Rinaldi Yamaha ITA 188
8 Helder Rodrigues KTM POR 182
9 Roberto Bazzurri Husqvarna ITA 167
10 Fabien Planet KTM FRA 140
11 Jarno Boano Honda ITA 112
12 Homero Diaz KTM MEX 106
13 Alessio Paoli TM ITA 104
14 Peter Bergvall Husqvarna SWE 99
15 Simone Tonelli Yamaha ITA 93
16 Jari Mattila GasGas FIN 88
17 Marc Germain Yamaha FRA 84
18 Xevi Puigdemont KTM ESP 69
19 Giuseppe Canova Husqvarna ITA 48
20 Jacob Stapleton TM AUS 42
41 Ricardo Fermi Yamaha ITA 4


Manufacturers standings Enduro 1
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1 Yamaha 385
2 KTM 311
3 Honda 307
4 TM 248
5 Husqvarna 215
6 GasGas 88
7 Kawasaki 16

Enduro 2 : Beconi scores top five finishes

Round: 8 - Grand Prix of Germany
Circuit: Zschopau
Date: 16 October 2004

Claiming his sixth consecutive world enduro championship title, Finn Juha Salminen (KTM) was again the rider to beat in the Enduro 2 class in Germany claiming yet another double class victory. Also topping the overall Scratch results on both days, Juha placed just under one and a half minutes ahead of Spaniard Arnau Vilanova on day one with Britain''s Paul Edmondson in third.

Prior to the competition''s jury meeting at the end of the first days competition only one rider in the E2 class finished the day without time penalties - UFO Corse Yamaha rider Andrea Beconi. Following the jury meeting Andrea was dropped from second to fifth in the E2 class results following the decision to scrap most of the opening days penalties. However the WR450F mounted Italian showed his form again on the second day scoring a strong fifth. Beconi finshes the world championship tenth with 174 points. On day two Juha was again the rider to beat, with Paul Edmondson (Honda) moving in front of Vilanova (Honda) to claim second while the Spaniard finished third.

Andrea Beconi (UFO Corse Yamaha) Day 1: Fifth, Day 2: Fifth ''Day one was a difficult race because it rained really hard. I was the only rider in the Enduro 2 class that didn''t take any penalties and I should have finished second. But then in the jury meeting they took away the penalties and I finished fifth. I think that it is crazy to do this. If they have a difficult race with short time in the controls then you make a decision to push hard and I pushed hard to make sure I didn''t take any penalties. There is no sense when they take away these penalties. On the second day I was fifth again, which I am pleased with. It has been my first time here in Zschopau, and my first WEC season, and I''m pleased with the way it has gone.

Race classification Enduro 2
Round: 8 - Grand Prix of Germany
Circuit: Zschopau

Race: 3 Laps
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 J. Salminen KTM FIN 59'' 14.490
2 A. Vilanova Honda ESP +1.00'' 41.730
3 P. Edmondson Honda GBR +1.00'' 58.330
4 G. Sala KTM ITA +1.02'' 40.950
5 A. Beconi Yamaha FRA +1.02'' 54.470
6 V. Salonen Honda FIN +1.03'' 47.860
7 M. Kehr KTM GER +1.03'' 48.990
8 E. Jones KTM GBR +1.05'' 41.390
9 A. Botturi KTM ITA +1.07'' 9.730
10 J.F.. Goblet GasGas BEL +1.07'' 35.510
11 A. Zanni Honda ITA +1.08'' 7.120
12 P. Whibely Honda NZL +1.08'' 55.730
13 M. Straubel KTM GER +1.11'' 29.310
14 A. Toresson HusaBerg SWE +1.11'' 59.730
15 D. Weigl KTM GER +1.12'' 4.160
16 U. Grellman KTM GER +1.13'' 54.940
17 F. Georgsson KTM SWE +1.15'' 1.010
18 D. Persson HusaBerg SWE +1.23'' 40.850
19 P. Bernardi Honda ITA +1.26'' 11.050

Race 2: 3 Laps
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 J. Salminen KTM FIN 36'' 1.950
2 P. Edmondson Honda GBR +36'' 14.620
3 A. Vilanova Honda ESP +37'' 52.840
4 G. Sala KTM ITA +38'' 11.430
5 A. Beconi Yamaha FRA +38'' 18.920
6 V. Salonen Honda FIN +38'' 26.350
7 P. Pohjamo GasGas FIN +38'' 36.090
8 A. Botturi KTM ITA +39'' 3.400
9 P. Whibely Honda NZL +39'' 24.910
10 M. Saarenkoski Husqvarna FIN +39'' 31.340
11 M. Straubel KTM GER +39'' 52.200
12 E. Jones KTM GBR +39'' 55.010
13 M. Kehr KTM GER +39'' 56.580
14 A. Toresson HusaBerg SWE +40'' 37.790
15 J.F.. Goblet GasGas BEL +40'' 58.140
16 A. Zanni Honda ITA +41'' 30.530
17 M. Micheluz Sherco ITA +42'' 19.010
18 D. Weigl KTM GER +43'' 45.320
19 U. Grellman KTM GER +45'' 4.760
20 J. Pester Yamaha GER +45'' 22.750

Championship standings Enduro 2
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points
1 Juha Salminen KTM FIN 372
2 Paul Edmondson Honda GBR 320
3 Arnau Vilanova Honda ESP 275
4 Alessandro Botturi KTM ITA 241
5 Valtteri Salonen Honda FIN 224
6 Paul Whibely Honda NZL 209
7 Mika Saarenkoski Husqvarna FIN 190
8 Giovanni Sala KTM ITA 188
9 Andreas Toresson HusaBerg SWE 174
10 Andrea Beconi Yamaha FRA 167
11 Petri Pohjamo GasGas FIN 145
12 Alessandro Zanni Honda ITA 122
13 Thierry Klutz GasGas BEL 103
14 Maurizio Micheluz Sherco ITA 71
15 Edward Jones KTM GBR 70
16 Vit''a Kuklik KTM CZE 69
17 Miki Arpa Husqvarna ESP 66
18 Marcus Kehr KTM GER 62
19 Daniel Persson HusaBerg SWE 45
20 Gerard Farres KTM ESP 44


Manufacturers standings Enduro 2
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1 KTM 394
2 Honda 352
3 Kawasaki 308
4 GasGas 213
5 Husqvarna 200
6 Yamaha 183
7 HusaBerg 174
8 Sherco 35
9 VOR 3

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