Two second places for KTM's Eero Remes; Aubert withdraws through sickness

2010-05-23 20:27
Eero Remes, the Finnish rider of the KTM Enduro Factory Racing Team rose to the occasion on Saturday and Sunday in the picturesque but challenging terrain in Italy's Lombardy to score two second places in the E1 GPs.

Teammate Johnny Aubert was forced to retire on Saturday due to illness and did not start on Sunday.

"Remes was leading for half the race and he was as fast as (Antoine) Meo," reported KTM Enduro Factory Racing team boss Fabio Farioli after Sunday's race. Remes, who rider the 250 EXC-F lost some time in the last tests Farioli said but his two second place finishes were still a positive result for the team.

Doctors say no to Aubert starting on Sunday
Aubert forced to Johnny Aubert started on Saturday but had to withdraw and the doctors did not clear him to start on Sunday. The French rider will now undergo some medical tests to determine the nature of his illness. Being unable to race this weekend was a blow for the French rider who with one victory and three second places has been on the podium in all other races this season.

Blazusiak warms up after injury break
KTM's Extreme Enduro specialist Taddy Blazusiak was seventh on Saturday and sixth on Sunday, after using the Italian GP to test his fitness after an enforced injury break. The Polish rider, winner of multiple Hare Scrambles on Austria's notorious Iron Mountain, is aiming to be at the top of his game for the Erzberg Rodeo next month.

Good EJ weekend for KTM's Lorenzo Santolino
Lorenzo Santolino of Spain had a great weekend in Italy with double victories to give him five from six races so far held this season. He trails Frenchman Jeremy Joly by a mere point in the overall standings, however Joly, who has been consistent in scoring minor podium places, has been so far deprived from taking the ultimate prize by the talented young KTM rider.

The GP of Italy was held against a backdrop of dramatic mountain scenery of Italy's Lombardy. It not only attracted a record lineup of 147 male riders, a seven year record for the championship, but also hosted the first ever woman's GP with 11 starters. The Bergamo Valley is considered to be the birthplace of Enduro racing and always attracts a big crowd of the sport's enthusiasts.

First podium for KTM in newly inaugurated Women's Enduro Championship
Three of the eleven starters in the newly inaugurated Women's Enduro competition (EW) were onboard KTM machines and Germany's Heike Petrick gave the Austrian-made sports machines their first podium place when she finished third on Sunday. Petrick garnered 32 points for her weekend rides to finish sixth in the rankings with Sweden's KTM rider Vanja Kollman picking up 30 points to be seventh overall. The third KTM rider, France's KTM rider Marion Gimbert, finished with 26 points and is in eighth place in the standings. The new competition offers the women four more rides in the inaugural season, two in Poland and two in France.


E1 Results Day One
1. Antoine Meo, France, Husqvarna
2. Eero Remes, Finland, KTM
3. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
4. Matti Seistola Finland, Husqvarna
5. Maurizio Micheluz, Italy, TM
Other KTM
7. Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, KTM
DNF Johnny Aubert, France, KTM Retired through illness at T.C. 3

E1 Results Day Two
1. Antoine Meo, France, Husqvarna
2. Eero Remes, Finland, KTM
3. Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
4. Matti Seistola Finland, Husqvarna
5. Nicholas Deparrois, France, Kawasaki
Other KTM
6. Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, KTM
DNS Johnny Aubert, France, KTM

Championships Standings after six of sixteen rounds
1. Antoine Meo, France 147
2. Cristobal Guerrero, 118
3. Eero Remes, Finland, KTM, 97
4. Matti Seistola, 95
5. Nicolas Deparrois, 94
Other KTM
6. Johnny Aubert, France, KTM 91 (DNF Saturday in Italy, DNS on Sunday in Italy)
14. Taddy Blazusiak, Poland, 29 (from two starts only in GP of Italy)

EJ Results Day One
1. Lorenzo Santolino, Spain, KTM
2. Victor Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
3. Jeremy Joly, France, Honda
4. Mario Roman, Spain, KTM

EJ Results Day Two
1. Lorenzo Santolino, Spain, KTM
2. Victor Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha
3. Jeremy Joly, France, Honda
4. Joshua Green, Australia, TM
5. Giacomo Redondi, Italy, KTM
6. Michael Pogna, italy, KTM

EJ Standings after GP of Italy
1. Jeremy Joly, France Honda, 126
2. Lorenzo Santolino, Spain, KTM, 125
3. Victor Guerrero, Spain, Yamaha, 109
4. Mario Roman, Spain, KTM,
5. Romain Dumontier, France, Husqvarna, 86

Source: KTM-Sportmotorcycle AG

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