ISDE Mexico
For the second time in two years Husaberg Factory Team rider Oriol Mena has helped Spain claim the top spot in the Junior Trophy team competition at the 2010 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE).
Confident that he and his fellow team riders would be able to repeat their ’09 ISDE success, once the event got underway it was clear that Spain’s junior team were going to be extremely hard to beat.
Claiming a deserved Junior Trophy victory Oriol was understandably pleased to have played a key role in the winning team’s performance. But as well as helping Spain top the Junior Trophy category Oriol also produced s ome highly impressive results in the Enduro 3 class.
Topping the class on day one, he then battled hard against experienced E3 campaigners Seb Guillaume and Christophe Nambotin and ended the event a deserved runner-up in the E3 class.
“I’m incredibly happy,” commented Oriol after the event. “This is the first time I have been on the podium in an individual capacity class at the six days, and it’s a very special feeling. Also, helping Spain win the Junior Trophy competition is exactly what I wanted to do.”
“On the first day I made a good race, and then each day after that I was able to keep riding well, although I wasn’t quite able to win. I am very happy – my bike was perfect and so was the team. This is the first time I have been close to the top riders, I liked the terrain very much and I was very relaxed.”
“The first two days were very close and even after days three and four I was still close to the lead. On day five I took it easy, because I had to think about the Spanish team’s position.”
Another Husaberg Factory Team rider to enjoy good results in Mexico was Swedish Junior Trophy rider Calle Sjoo. With Sweden having failed to get their junior team on the podium since 1999 their second placed result in Mexico gave all involved in the team effort much to celebrate.
Despite the fact that Calle’s bike didn’t arrive in Morelia until the 11th hour he completed the event with no major troubles, but like most riders was feeling more than a little second hand come the finish.
“Mexico has been fun,” enthused Calle. “It’s been a good six days, well organised and I’ve enjoyed it. I had a few problems on the first day, but then things started to go better on the second day. The third day was also going well until I had a really big crash on the final enduro test.”
“I hurt my leg and back, which were really sore on Thursday morning so my first couple of tests were bad. Thankfully my injuries then got better. The team are very happy as we have not been on the podium since 1999 in the junior class. Our goal was to be on the podium, so to be second is great.”
Italian enduro veteran Alessandro Botturi played a part in ensuring that Husaberg secured four of the 10 top spots in the Enduro 3 class. With Oriol Mena placing an impressive runner-up, Botturi finished a creditable fifth, and in doing so helped Italy place second to France in the Trophy team competition.
Valtteri Salonen finished eighth in the E3 class, ensuring that Finland placed on the podium in the Trophy Team competition, while US competitor Nathan Woods placed one spot behind in ninth to help the USA finish fourth Trophy Team.
No fewer than 18 riders signed up to the Husaberg ‘rent and service’ package in Morelia, with Argentina’s Kevin Benavides making it onto the first page of the E2 class results with a strong 20th in class.
“It’s not been an easy race, but I’ve enjoyed it,” he explained. “The Husaberg service has been really great, my bike has run perfectly every day. Days three, four and five, were the toughest. But the race was very nice. The only problem I had was getting stuck in the mud on one test. I’m really happy with my performances, and to race against so many great riders is fantastic.”
One other noteworthy Husaberg performer in the Enduro 2 class was Derrick Gorner, who finished 22nd.
ISDE Results – 85th FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE)
2010 ISDE Enduro 3
1. Seb Guillaume (Husqvarna) 3.19:21.66; 2. Oriol Mena (Husaberg Factory Team) 3.19:55.22; 3. Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) 3.20:00.04; 4. Simone Albergoni (KTM) 3.20:51.90; 5. Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) 3.21:36.33; 6. Alessandro Belometti (KTM) 3.21:37.69; 7. Homero Diaz (KTM) 3.21:50.79; 8. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 3.23:02.33; 9. Nathan Woods (Husaberg) 3.24:41.42; 10. Sebastien Krywult (KTM) 3.26:50.90… 11. Karl Svensson (Husaberg) 3.27:15.19; 12. Calle Sjoo (Husaberg) 3.27:54.87; 14. Wim Vanderheyden (Husaberg) 3.29:23.66
2010 ISDE Enduro 2
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 3.14:50.91; 2. Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) 3.20:18.40; 3. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 3.20:53.15; 4. Manuel Monni (Yamaha) 3.20:53.31; 5. Rodrig Thain (TM)3.21:01.22; 6. Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) 3.22:11.09; 7. Jeff Goblet (Yamaha) 3.22:23.89; 8. Michal Szuster (Yamaha) 3.22:39.59; 9. Johan Carlsson (Beta) 3.22:53.04; 10. Taylor Robert (Yamaha) 3.23:04.11… 20. Kevin Benavides (Husaberg) 3.27:49.97
2010 ISDE Trophy
1. France – 16.32:01.55
Johnny Aubert (KTM) E2; Nicolas Deparrois (Kawasaki) E2; Seb Guillaume (Husqvarna) E3; Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) E1; Rodrig Thain (TM) E2; Christophe Nambotin (Gas Gas) E3
2. Italy – 16.42:15.57
Alex Salvini (Husqvarna) E1; Alessandro Belometti (KTM) E3; Thomas Oldrati (KTM) E2; Manuel Monni (Yamaha) E2; Simone Albergoni (KTM) E3; Alessandro Botturi (Husaberg) E3
3. Finland – 16.46:38.80
Eero Remes (KTM) E1; Jari Mattila (Honda) E1; Juha Salminen (Husqvarna) E2; Marko Tarkkala (Husqvarna) E2; Oskari Kantonen (KTM) E2; Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) E3
2010 ISDE Junior Trophy
1. Spain – 10.06:25.11
Victor Guerrero (Yamaha) E1; Mario Roman (KTM) E1; Lorenzo Santolino (KTM) E2; Oriol Mena (Husaberg) E3
2. Sweden – 10.12:19.95
Henrik Lindholm (KTM) E2; Johan Carlsson (Beta) E2; Karl Svensson (Husaberg) E3; Calle Sjoo (Husaberg) E3
3. USA – 10.14:47.89
Ian Blythe (KTM) E1; Cory Buttrick (KTM) E3; Nick Fahringer (Husaberg) E2; Robert Taylor (Yamaha) E2
