CH Racing Husqvarna Factory Enduro Team 2010
Enduro World Championship ‘10 – Round 1
Valverde del Camino, Spain, 10-11.4.2010
Meo & Husqvarna on top of the world at GP of Spain
CH Racing Husqvarna rider Antoine Meo got his Enduro 1 championship campaign off to a near perfect start at the opening round of the ’10 Enduro World Championship where the Frenchman claimed a winning result on day one before backing it up with a runner-up finish on day two. Now sitting at the top of the E1 championship standings level on points with countryman and expected closest championship rival Johnny Aubert, Meo produced one of the stand out performances of the new series on day one as he battled against tough conditions, hard charging class mates and a knee injury he picked up during the Italian Enduro Championship.
Surprising even himself with his speed throughout the opening day Antoine set a blistering pace to claim an eventual 25-second winning margin. Starting the event in the best possible way by winning the Friday night Super Test Antoine then made a cautious start to the first day. Saving his best until the end of the day Meo finished the eight-hour day more than pleased with the way he’d performed on his TE250.
Day two at the GP of Spain was a tough one for Meo, as it was for all riders. Feeling the effects of the opening eight-hour day he struggled a little early in the day due to pain from his knee but battled on to win four of the day’s special tests and importantly make no major mistakes in the extreme test. Placing 22-seconds just 22-seconds away from the top spot Antoine and Johnny Aubert sit together at the top of the E1 class with 47 points each.
Antoine Meo – Enduro 1: ‘I was amazed how well the first day went. I was hoping for a top three result but after I injured my knee in the Italian championship a few weeks ago I wasn’t sure what to expect. To win was fantastic. It was a very hard day but I didn’t make any really big mistakes and managed to stay in front the whole day. For the second day I just wanted to try and be consistent. My knee was giving me some troubles so I wasn’t able to find a really good rhythm. Johnny Aubert was really fast, so I knew I wouldn’t be able to fight with him. I’m happy with second considering my knee, so all together it’s been a good start to the championship for me.’
Competing in the Enduro 1 class for the first time, and returning to the EWC having missed the closing stages of the ’09 championship through injury, Finn Matti Seistola delivered more impressive results for Husqvarna with fifth and sixth place results in E1. Showing that he has the speed to challenge for a place on the podium it was the extreme test that was Matti’s undoing at the GP of Spain. With the forest-based test featuring one very long, very steep, very technical uphill, like many riders he made mistakes on more than one lap, which prevented him from finishing higher up the results. Nevertheless Matti looked well at home on his TE250 and performed well in what was a very demanding event.
Matti Seistola – Enduro 1: ‘It’s been a mixed weekend for me – some things have been really good but there were also one or two things that didn’t go so well. Generally my speed in the special tests was really good, but the one steep uphill in the extreme test caused me some real problems. I crashed there on each lap, and lost a total of two minutes. I’m not happy about that because it affected my result. But my speed was good, my bike was great, my physical condition was also good, so I’m pleased. I’ve been battling with the third, fourth, and fifth placed riders, which is great. There is a long way to go in the championship but knowing that I’m not too far away from the podium is very positive.’
Looking to score his first ever points in the Enduro World Championship Chris Hollis started the GP of Spain full of enthusiasm but was disappointingly struck down by sickness and failed to start the second day’s competition having placed 14th in the E1 class on day one. Feeling less than 100 per cent prior to the start of the event Chris placed eighth during the Friday night Super Test and then third in class at the end of the first days opening special test. Like team-mate Seistola it was the extreme test that Chris found hardest. Competing at the rear of the E1 class also didn’t make things easy for the Australian as on numerous occasions he caught slower riders.
Chris Hollis – Enduro 1: ‘I went down with some kind of fever on Friday and basically felt worse and worse as the weekend went on. I didn’t feel too bad when I started the first day but I got worse and worse, and weaker, as the day went on. I had some pretty good tests, but one big crash on the first extreme on lap one which took it out of me a bit. But after that I managed to get going ok. It was seriously tough – the tests were demanding and the time controls were also really hard. There was next to no time to take on any food or drink during the day. I got really sick on Saturday night, which meant there was no way I could ride on day two. I was sick five times, I was freezing cold one minute and then boiling hot the next and got about one-hour of sleep. It’s disappointing because although the first day was hard I was looking forward to day two. I learned a lot though, which is important. It was also pretty tough being right at the back of the E1 class. I’m hoping things will go better in Portugal.’
CH Racing Husqvarna team riders Bartosz Oblucki and Seb Guillaume both endured a tough time at the GP of Spain. Finishing in sixth on day one and fourth on day two Bartosz, like Hollis in the E1 class, was hampered by slower riders ahead of him. Forced to take an alternative line across one of the difficult rock sections during the Friday night Super Test Bartosz lost close to half a minute, which in part prevented him from challenging from a podium result on day one. Catching slower riders throughout the opening day Oblucki improved his result on day two where he finished fourth.
Bartosz Oblucki – Enduro 3: ‘It’s not been the best of weekends for me, but I know where I can make improvements so I’m confident that things will be better in Portugal next weekend. Riding at the back of the Enduro 3 class has been a big disadvantage for me. Starting with the Friday night Super Test I got stuck behind a slower rider and lost a lot of time. Then during Saturday and Sunday I was catching slower riders in my class. I think during the whole weekend I only had about three or four tests where everything went well. The second day was going better until I crashed over the bars on the motocross test on the last lap. It was hard after that – I didn’t feel too good. My times on the special tests were acceptable, but I hope to improve things in Portugal.’
Without question one of the most impressive performances at the GP of Spain came from Seb Guillaume. Although not managing to finish on the podium on either day Seb completed what many riders considered to be one of the hardest EWC events in many years having had a metal plate and five screws inserted into his right hand just 10 days before the competition. The result of a crash in the French Enduro Championship, Seb amazingly competed without pain killers and placed a superb fifth on day one. On day two Seb struggled to hold onto his WR300 but battled his way through the day to place 10th, a remarkable result considering his considerable handicap.
All team riders now head to Portugal for the second round of the ’10 EWC series.
Seb Guillaume – Enduro 3: ‘It’s been a hard race for all riders, but for me it’s been one of the hardest races of my career because of my hand injury. I wasn’t sure what to expect before the start, as I knew it would be a hard race. I’m just thankful that I was able to finish both days and take some championship points. The second day especially was hard. I had so much pain around my thumb and couldn’t hold on well. Finishing both days was all I wanted to try and do so to have finished in fifth on day one and 10th on the second day is better than I expected.’
2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of Spain – Day 1
Enduro 1
1. Antoine Meo (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.05:25.23; 2. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.05:50.87; 3. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 1.06:21.61; 4. Nicolas Depparois (Kawasaki) 1.07:20.90; 5. Matti Seistola (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.07:21.18; 6. Eero Remes (KTM) 1.07:35.80; 7. Julien Gauthier (Honda) 1.07:43.89; 8. Sebastien Bozzo (Husqvarna) 1.08:28.02; 9. Maurizio Micheluz (TM) 1.09:12.44; 10. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 1.09:18.27…14. Chris Hollis (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.10:38.33
Enduro 3
1. David Knight (KTM) 1.05:41.51; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 1.06:12.58; 3. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 1.07:27.64; 4. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 1.07:34.62; 5. Seb Guillaume (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.08:06.11; 6. Bartosz Oblucki (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.08:18.37; 7. Aaron Bernardez (KTM) 1.08:38.15; 8. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 1.09:14.69; 9. Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) 1.10:01.78; 10. Michal Kadlecek (TM) 1.10:06.18
2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of Spain – Day 2
Enduro 1
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 1.15:02.97; 2. Antoine Meo (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.15:25.35; 3. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 1.15:31.92; 4. Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) 1.18:45.21; 5. Julien Gauthier (Honda) 1.18:58.12; 6. Matti Seistola (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.19:39.04; 7. Jari Mattila (Suzuki) 1.20:10.32; 8. Juan Perez (KTM) 1.20:31.88; 9. Jordan Curvalle (Sherco) 1.21:13.38; 10. Goncalo Reis (KTM) 1.21:14.11
Enduro 3
1. David Knight (KTM) 1.15:31.34; 2. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 1.16:40.40; 3. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 1.17:18.14; 4. Bartosz Oblucki (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.18:30.75; 5. Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) 1.18:53.96; 6. Mirko Gritti (Beta) 1.19:20.34; 7. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 1.19:22.39; 8. Michal Kadlecek (TM) 1.19:31.75; 9. Oriol Mena (Husaberg) 1.19:47.79; 10. Seb Guillaume (CH Racing Husqvarna) 1.20:00.48
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