Across the Board Wins for KTM Enduro Factory Riders in GP of Italy
OutdoorHub 07.01.12
KTM Enduro factory riders rose to the occasion at Rd. 9 & 10 of the GP of Italy in Castiglion Fiorentino, closing out a good weekend on Sunday with across the board wins in E1, E2 and E3.
Eero Remes, Cristobal Guerrero of Spain and French rider Christophe Nambotin scooped all three classes on Sunday to add to wins by Antoine Meo and David Knight on Saturday. This went a long way to neutralizing the disappointment of a DNF by Meo on Sunday and a double DNF by Johnny Aubert.
Remes, who was third on Saturday in E1, was the fastest in all cross tests and never finished lower than fourth in any of the 12 tests held in Italy’s blistering summer heat.
With Johnny Aubert off the E2 results sheets it was also a fine performance by Guerrero who was a model of consistency throughout Sunday to emerge on top of the E2 class.
The E3 on Sunday was firmly in the hands of Nambotin who won seven tests and was a consistent finisher in the remaining five. Together with his second place finish after teammate David Knight on Saturday the Frenchman picked up another slew of points to add to his leadership position.
Meanwhile it was a renaissance weekend for David Knight who added a third place podium on Sunday to his confidence-building win on Saturday. Knight competed for the first time on the KTM 300 EXC, a switch to the 2-stroke machine after more than a decade on the 4-strokes. He now looks set to deliver a better showing in the second half of the season.
“I felt I needed to try something new,” David told enduro21.com prior to the technical control on Friday afternoon in Italy. “Something hasn’t quite clicked this year and I’m not sure why. I feel like I’ve been riding good and although the four-stroke is bigger, it’s also better than before yet my times still weren’t there. I think there’s been a shift in events. This season the special tests have really suited the lighter and nimble two-stroke.” David first tried the 300 EXC in the recent Erzberg Rodeo and decided he would make the switch.
Sunday’s EJ class also went to KTM with Italian Jonathan Manzi quickest home and Kevin Benavides of Argentina in second. The two riders finished 2-3 on Saturday.
