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Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pela Renet has claimed the overall
individual victory in the 89th edition of the International Six Days Enduro,
held in San Juan, Argentina Starting as he meant to go one, Renet immediately got down to business by claiming a confident victory at the end of the opening day of competition. Another win on day two firmly established the Frenchman at the head of the overall standings. With day three of the race seeing the ISDE’s worst rate of attrition for many years – 111 riders failed to see the end of the day – Renet powered on and further extended his advantage. Comfortably poised at the head of the standings he placed inside the top three in the final three days of racing to secure the overall win in the 2014 ISDE. Enjoying a solid performance in Argentina, Loic Larrieu ended the race as the best performing junior rider. Finishing an incredible sixth in the overall standings, the Husqvarna rider was rewarded with fifth in the E2 category while guiding France to the runner-up result in the FIM Junior World Trophy category. Delivering a top ten result in the overall individual standings, USA’s Mike Brown ended a tough edition of the ISDE in ninth. Claiming victory on the final day of competition Brown recorded a top three result in the Enduro 3 class. Helping the USA to the runner-up result in the World Trophy class ensured the 2014 ISDE was one to remember for the Husqvarna rider. Completing the weeklong race in fourth overall in the Enduro 1 class, Jaume Betriu helped Spain to finish third in the FIM World Trophy category. Pela Renet: “It feels fantastic to not only win the race with France but to also personally be the fastest rider in the entire event. It’s not been the easiest of ISDE races. A lot of people suffered with mechanical problems – the dust made it hard on everyone – but my bike was perfect from start to finish. Overall I didn’t have any real problems – only one or two crashes – and that was a major help in a race like this. This is my third ISDE so it’s brilliant to win the overall and cap off what’s been an incredible season of racing for me.” Loic Larrieu: “It’s been a good week. I only took a one-minute penalty during the entire week despite the conditions being extremely difficult. Although as a team we missed out on winning the Junior World Trophy class it was nice to still finish as the fastest junior rider this week. Sixth overall and fifth in E2 is the perfect way to end my race.” Mike Brown: “It’s been a consistent week. My focus was on putting in strong times during each test and to avoid making mistakes. I managed to do that and it showed in my results. It was fun to also go out and win the final motocross – I enjoyed that. As a nation we did have some bad luck. It cost us the chance of taking the victory but it only fuels the fire to return stronger next year.” Overall Individual Results – 2014 International Six Days Enduro 1. Pela Renet (Husqvarna) 3:46:30.54; 2. Toby Price (KTM) 3:47:15.83; 3. Kailub Russell (KTM) 3:49:58.80; 4. Matthew Phillips (KTM) 3:50:15.65; 5. Joshua Strang (Yamaha) 3:51:50.76; 6. Loic Larrieu (Husqvarna) 3:52:15.23; 7. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 3:52:25.25; 8. Christophe Nambotin (KTM) 3:52:35.66; 9. Michael Brown (Husqvarna) 3:52:51.27; 10. Thad Duvall (Honda) 3:54:06.11… 18. Jaume Betriu (Husqvarna) 4:01:31.87; 19. Dennis Schroeter (Husqvarna) 4:01:31.94…
Renet wins at GP of France Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pela Renet caps off an incredible 2014 season with a double Enduro 2 class win at the EWC GP of France Ensuring a winning end to his 2014 FIM Enduro World Championship campaign, newly crowned Enduro 2 champion Renet delivered a double victory at the seventh and final round of the series in Brioude, France. Free from championship pressure having secured the E2 title at the GP of Italy, the Husqvarna rider produced a flawless performance in France. Clearly enjoying his home GP Renet powered his way to two convincing victories. Winning day one by a massive 92 seconds, while also topping the event’s unofficial outright classification, he eased back on day two to secure a 53-second margin of victory.
In the 125 Youth Cup Sweden’s Albin Elowson narrowly missed out on taking the title. Placing fourth on day one but improving to finish second on day two, the young Husqvarna rider ended his season just four points shy of securing the championship. Scoring two top ten results in the Enduro 3 category, Joakim Ljunggren placed ninth on both days. Signing off on a strong 2014 series, Husqvarna supported Jane Daniels enjoyed yet further podium success by placing second on both days in the Women’s Cup. In doing so she ended her year as runner-up in the final championship standings. Pela Renet: “Ending the championship with a double victory is just perfect for me. With the E2 title already secured in Italy it sort of lifted the pressure from my shoulders and I could concentrate on enjoying the race. I really wanted to win and almost immediately I was able to set some very fast times in the tests. I found a rhythm I was comfortable with and steadily tried to increase my advantage each day. It’s been great to win in France.” Loic Larrieu: “I’m so happy to have finally got a win in 2014. Honestly it feels like a relief. It’s been a tough year for me – crashes and injuries really hurt my championship hopes. I was determined to try and set things right this weekend. It’s my home race and the final round of the series so I wanted to end it on a high. I’m glad I’ve been able to do that.” Jane Daniels: “I think finishing second both days was the best I could hope for. The tests were very fast and it was hard to make time up. I made a few mistakes and that hurt my chances of winning. Overall it’s been a solid year. I’ve taken a race win in Sweden and managed to repeat my result of runner-up in the championship.” Albin Elowson: “It’s disappointing to have come so close but yet miss out on winning the championship. I knew the points were very close so I gave it my all to win. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out in my favour.”
Renet, Barragan & Ljunggren Claim National Enduro Wins Husqvarna Motorcycles has enjoyed a weekend of success with Pela Renet, Jonathan Barragan and Joakim Ljunggren all claiming victory in their respective national enduro championships. For Renet the weekend ended with the newly crowned Enduro 2 World Champion continuing his domination of the French Enduro Championship. Barragan recorded a career first win in the Spanish Enduro Championship while Ljunggren made it a winning return to the Swedish Enduro Championship. French Enduro Championship – Round Four Continuing his domination of the French Enduro Championship, Husqvarna’s Pela Renet claimed a commanding double win at round four in St-Cirgues-en-Montagne. Proving himself as the rider to beat in this year’s championship, Renet – the newly crowned Enduro 2 World Champion – eased his way to a two-minute margin of victory in the E2 class on day one. Backing that up with another strong ride to victory on day two – while unofficially topping the event outright – Renet so far remains unbeaten in this year’s series aboard his FE 450. Ending day one fourth in the Enduro 1 class, Loïc Larrieu improved two positions to place second on day two. Capping off a successful weekend, Husqvarna Motorcycles also secured the constructors victory on day two. French Enduro Championship (Standings After Round Four) Spanish Enduro Championship – Round Four Returning to action following its summer break the fourth round of the Spanish Enduro Championship in Larrión marked a debut career win for Husqvarna mounted Jonathan Barragan. Starting strongly Barragan quickly positioned his FE 350 at the sharp end of the results. Getting to grips with the dry terrain, the former MXGP racer took control of the race lead midway through the day. Upping his pace, Barragan extended his advantage to record a comfortable 17-second margin of victory in the overall standings while also topping the Enduro 2 category. There was further success for Husqvarna in Spain as Jaume Betriu delivered a flawless run on his FE 250 to secure the Enduro 1 class win while placing fourth overall. Runner-up in the Enduro 3 category, Mario Roman also ended his day sixth overall. Claiming an impressive top ten overall result youngster Josep Garcia topped the Junior Open category. Spanish Enduro Championship – Round Four Swedish Enduro Championship – Round Three Husqvarna’s Joakim Ljunggren made a winning return to the Swedish Enduro Championship by taking victory at round three of the series in Kumla. In what was an occasional outing for the former national champion, Ljunggren opted to contest the event on a FE 501. Leading from the off, the Swede secured a comfortable 50-second margin of victory to take the overall and Enduro 3 class wins. Joining his teammate on the podium, Albin Elowson finished third overall. Swedish Enduro Championship – Round Three US National Enduro Championship – Round Nine In the US National Enduro Series Husqvarna’s Andrew Delong claimed third overall behind Grant Baylor and Josh Strang at the Little Brown Jug National Enduro in South Carolina, a result that sees DeLong remain at the top of the championship standings. With just one event to go Andrew holds a 22-point advantage at the top of the championship, which concludes with the Muddobbers National Enduro in Indiana on September 14th. US National Enduro Championship – Round Nine Photo credit: © Befurious & Mathieu Talayssat
Qualifying well to claim an important front row start for the main event – the Red Bull Hare Scramble – Jarvis initially got a good jump at the drop of the starter’s flag. But as riders fought to climb the first hill out of the quarry Graham tangled with fallen riders and was forced to climb the first hill for a second time. Rejoining the race outside the top forty the Brit battled hard to recover lost time. Working his way forward Graham fought his way into second position at the end of the notorious Carl’s Diner section. With time running out the 2013 winner was forced to settle for the runner-up result. Unlike Jarvis, Gomez began his race in a strong position, placing inside the top five as he exited the quarry. On course to repeat his 2014 podium result, Gomez then made some mistakes that ultimately saw his chance of a top three result disappear. Despite pushing hard in the closing stages of the race, the Spaniard battled hard to take fourth. Graham Jarvis: “To be honest my chance of winning ended on the very first hill out of the quarry floor. I came off the line quite well but got boxed out going into the first corner. When I came to the first climb a few riders crashed in front of me and I then crashed trying to get around them. I had to take a second run at the climb. That put me behind straight away and it was an uphill battle from there. The pace was pretty high and it was tough to fight back. I got up to second going through Carl’s Diner but by that stage Jonny Walker was just too far ahead to catc. I had to take second. It’s disappointing – I wanted to win.” Alfredo Gomez: “The race started well but during the middle of it I made four big mistakes. I didn’t really crash anywhere I just lost time on some of the climbs. That really cost me a chance of finishing on the podium. It’s disappointing because I felt like I had the speed to place inside the top three. It’s unfortunate but fourth is still a good result.” Results: Red Bull Hare Scramble 2014 1. Jonny Walker (KTM) 1:37:38; 2. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 1:50:50; 3. Andreas Lettenbichler (KTM) 1:53:01; 4. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 1:53:53; 5. Paul Bolton (KTM) 1:55:21; 6. Dougie Lampkin (KTM) 2:05:31; 7. Cory Graffunder (Husqvarna) 2:05:51; 8. Ben Hemingway (Beta) 2:18:01; 9. Taylor Robert (KTM) 2:19:24; 10. Cody Webb (Beta) 2:20:06…
Pela Renet delivers a winning result for Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing at the Enduro World Championship GP of Greece. Claiming a hard fought victory on day one at the hot, dry and dusty GP of Greece in Kalambaka, Renet continued his battle for championship honours in the Enduro 2 category. Entering Greece having agonisingly missed out on winning at the previous round of the series in Portugal, the Husqvarna rider was determined to secure a race win this time around. Starting day one inside the top three, the Frenchman upped his pace in the second half of the day to claim the win. Despite pushing hard throughout day two, Renet was unable to make it a perfect 1-1 result in Greece and had to settle for second. In the Enduro 3 class, France’s Mathias Bellino again figured highly at the sharp end of the results. Gaining confidence in the dry terrain, Bellino recorded his best performance of the series to date. Ending day one in second, the Husqvarna rider produced another consistent ride on day two to place third. Following his recent shoulder injury, the GP of Greece was about salvaging points for Enduro 1 class rider Thomas Oldrati. Despite riding in pain on the unforgiving terrain, the Italian dug deep to place sixth on day one and then improved one position to fifth on day two. Returning to top form following his crash at the season opener in Catalunya, Enduro Junior class rider Loic Larrieu recorded a double podium result in Greece. Settling into the tricky conditions well, the Frenchman placed third on day one. Starting day two strongly, Larrieu upped his pace as the day progressed to secure the runner-up result on the final lap. Fourth on day one before improving to third on day two, Sweden’s Albin Elowson enjoyed a confidence building ride in the 125 Youth Cup. The FIM Enduro World Championship continues with round four in Finland on June 7/8. Pela Renet: “Obviously winning on the first day was great. I rode well and took advantage of mistakes others were making. It was close at the end of the day, with only a few seconds between us, so I was very happy to win. I really pushed to the limit. I can't explain why I didn't feel as good on day two as I did on day one, but it was like that for me. I had a few problems at the start of the day, but I came back a little and managed to finish second. I wasn’t too far away from Antoine, so it wasn’t bad at all, but honestly I had no answer for him.” Mathias Bellino: “It’s been the best GP so far this year for me. I really feel like step-by-step I am returning to my true level. I made some mistakes, but also put in some really good special test times, so overall I am very happy. I made a big, big mistake on the first downhill and thought my day was over. I went off the track and jumped into a creek, but amazingly I managed to ride back onto the track and everything was ok. Thankfully day two was a lot less exciting. A good event.”
Loic Larrieu: “I feel a lot better than I did at the GP of Greece, but my neck injury still isn't 100 per cent. I made a much calmer start to the event and managed to finish third on day one, where I finished the day with good speed. Day two I started well but crashed on the second test, which affected my confidence a little for the rest of the day. I managed to finish second, which is good, but I can improve my riding so I can fight for victories.”
Enduro 3 and Enduro Junior duo to miss this weekend’s round three of the Enduro World Championship Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Enduro 3 class rider Joakim Ljunggren and Enduro Junior competitor Jamie McCanney have both been ruled out of this coming weekend’s Enduro World Championship’s GP of Greece. Joakim is unable to compete due to a left knee injury picked up at the GP of Spain while McCanney has damaged ligaments in his right foot while practicing at home. Sustaining Meniscus and Cartilage damage, Joakim headed home to Sweden following the GP of Portugal for a specialist consultation where an MRI scan confirmed the damage. The decision was taken not to operate, instead for Joakim to embark on a programme of extensive physiotherapy. Joakim will have a second scan on his injured knee in the coming weeks while continuing with his physiotherapy. The Swede’s goal is to return to competition at rounds four and five of the Enduro World Championship in Finland and Sweden in early June. Finally recovered from the broken wrist and ribs sustained at the final round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Jamie McCanney has frustratingly been dealt another turn of bad luck. Damaging ligaments on both sides of his right foot during a practice fall, the Manxman as been ruled out of competing this coming weekend. Although not breaking any bones, McCanney, like Ljunggren, has begun a programme of physiotherapy in order to return to racing at the GP of Finland next month. Joakim Ljunggren: “I really feel bad to have picked up an injury at the start of the season like this. What makes it more disappointing is that everyone in the team had worked really hard to be ready for the start of the world championship. I guess it’s one of those things that can happen, but I hate not being able to race. I’m hoping the injury will heal quickly, but I’m not going to be able to race in Greece this weekend. I’m already working hard on my physio and rehab, doing a lot of cycling and other exercises. I will see how my knee is when its time for the races in Finland and Sweden. I hope I can ride my home race… that’s my goal.” Jamie McCanney: “My bike got cross-rutted on the face of a sandy jump and I crashed. My boot got hooked on the foot peg and twisted my leg quite badly. Immediately I knew it wasn’t right and when I got it checked out at the hospital doctors confirmed I’d damaged the ligaments on both sides of my right foot. To say I’m gutted is an understatement. I was looking forward to the GP of Greece. My previously broken wrist is healed up and my fitness is great now. My goal was to build on my podium result in Portugal and finally show what I could do when fit and healthy. Luck’s just not on my side at the moment but I’ll do my best to be ready for the GP of Finland in June.”
Husqvarna’s factory rider Jacob Argubright scored his first win of the season this weekend when the US National Hare & Hound Championship took on the wet dirt and high winds in the Lucerne Valley for Rd. 5 of the competition. Just as rain in the days before the race brought moisture to the parched landscape, Argubright's historic win was a fresh chapter in Husqvarna's desert racing history. "I'm really happy to get this win for Husqvarna," Argubright said. "Desert racing was a big part of Husky's legacy in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I'm proud to be on a Husky and put them back on the map in the National Hare & Hound Championship!" Jacob got out to a modest start on his FC 450 and spent the first loop working his way into third place. By the time he reached the pits, the top-three riders were within a bike-length of each other. Argubright left the pits in a close third-place and then put his strategy to work. "It was crazy windy again," Argubright explained. "Just like at the last round, some of the course markings were blown down so I knew I needed to focus on the course." Argubright stayed in a close third in the early part of the second loop. Then as the course began to get twisty, he made a pass when the second-place rider blew a turn then repeated the action to move into the lead. "I let them make the mistakes for me," Argubright said. "Actually taking it down a notch helped me win.” Once he had the lead he never looked back.
Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Alfredo Gomez ended the 2014 edition of The Tough One on a high, securing a well-deserved third place podium result. With the race celebrating it’s 10th edition at the iconic Hawkstone Park circuit, Gomez excelled on the course that featured a mixture of sandy motocross terrain and technical woodland climbs and descents. After missing Hell’s Gate due to appendicitis, Gomez quickly settled into the three-hour race – his first major outdoor event of 2014. Starting inside the top five, the Husqvarna rider followed a race strategy that saw him up his pace once he’d reached the mid-way point of the race. With the challenging conditions taking their toll on competitors, Gomez fought his way up to third. Battling with teammate Graham Jarvis during the final hour, the Spaniard eventually pulled clear of the Brit to claim third. Unsure of how the fast paced circuit would suit him, Jarvis struggled early on. Unable to shake off a bad case of arm pump, he placed outside the top ten during the first hour of the race. As he started to find his rhythm the Husqvarna rider began to charge his way forward. Catching up to Gomez he momentarily found a way past until his teammate retaliated. Unable to respond, Jarvis finally settled for fourth. Competing at The Tough One, Husqvarna supported rider Jane Daniels enjoyed a strong ride in the Expert class. Using the event as training for the Enduro World Championship, Daniels ended the race in 12th. Alfredo Gomez: “I’m so happy to finish in third. I’ve only been riding a bike for four weeks since my appendix operation so to come away with a result like this is fantastic. I knew the three-hour format would be tough. My strategy was to get a good start and ride at a comfortable pace for the first hour. I stuck to my plan and was about fourth early on. After that I got up to third and began to build my speed. Graham caught me on the final hour but I knew I had a little in reserve and gave it everything I had. After missing Hell’s Gate due to my illness it’s brilliant to be on the podium here.” Graham Jarvis: “I expected the race to be very fast, which isn’t really my type of going. Early on I got some arm pump and wasn’t able to settle into the race as I wanted. Once it cleared I started to improve my pace and gain some positions. Things were going well and I managed to pass Alfredo for third. But with about 30 minutes to go my energy dropped and I couldn’t hold my position. It’s unfortunate – I really wanted to finish on the podium but considering this isn’t my type of race I’m pleased to come away with fourth.” Jane Daniels: “It’s been a hard race with a couple of crashes but overall it’s gone quite well. I just tried my best to stay safe and get some bike time in as my focus is on the Enduro World Championship and not Hard Enduro. My start was ok but there was a lot of dust on the first lap and I had to pick my way through some of the trickier sections on the course. After a couple of laps I settled into it a lot better and pushed as hard as I could to the finish. It’s been a lot of fun.” Results – The Tough One 2014 - Pro Class
Husqvarna Motorcycles are pleased to introduce their official team for the 2014 FIM Enduro World Championship and international Extreme Enduro season – Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing. Continuing its strong and successful association with enduro sport Husqvarna are fully committed to both Enduro and Extreme Enduro competition. Husqvarna invites the world’s media to access the wide selection of action, portrait and static bike images that are now available from the press area on the Husqvarna Motorcycles website. For 2014 the Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing team will compete in the eight-round EWC series with riders from four different countries – Sweden, Great Britain, France and Italy – with at least one rider participating in each of the series’ six classes. With its strong enduro tradition, both Husaberg and Husqvarna have enjoyed numerous championship winning successes in recent years and will be lead in the EWC by the highly experienced former champion Thomas Gustavsson from Sweden. Official representation in both the junior and senior classes sees Husqvarna Motorcycles put equal emphasis on competing for World Championship titles as well as ‘youth’ rider development. The Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing team consists of eight Enduro World Championship riders. In the EWC’s three senior classes Frenchman Pela Renet will compete in the Enduro 2 class, Swede Joakim Ljunggren and France’s Mathias Bellino in Enduro 3, and Italian Thomas Oldrati in Enduro 1. In addition to their senior riders Husqvarna will also field four youngsters in the EWC. Great Britain’s Jamie McCanney and France’s Loic Larrieu will race in the Enduro Junior class, Swede Albin Elowson in the 125cc Youth Cup category and Great Britain’s Jane Daniels in the Enduro Women class. The 2014 Enduro World Championship series will start in southern Europe with consecutive events in Spain and Portugal at the beginning of April before moving to Greece in May. Next the championship will head to Scandinavia with rounds in Finland and Sweden before the series only non-European event in Mexico in early July. The championship returns to Europe with the GP of Italy in early August, with the final round being held in France in September. Alongside Enduro World Championship participation Husqvarna will be well represented in international Extreme Enduro events, including races such as The Tough One, Erzberg, Romaniacs, Sea to Sky, and many more. Husqvarna’s Extreme Enduro specialists Graham Jarvis and Alfredo Gomez face a long and demanding season. Already off to a winning start with victory at Hell’s Gate in Italy, Jarvis will lead Husqvarna Motorcycle’s assault in Extreme Enduro competitions as he and Gomez compete in no fewer than seven leading Extreme Enduro races. Unveiling their new season colours, Husqvarna invites the world’s media to access the wide selection of action, portrait and static bike images that are now available from the press area on the Husqvarna Motorcycles.
The Bel-Ray Husqvarna Factory Racing team has been dealt a double injury blow this week with team riders Graham Jarvis and Jamie McCanney both picking up injuries. Training in the UK following his winning ride at Hell’s Gate, Jarvis ‘tweaked’ his shoulder after he got wire caught in his bike’s rear wheel. Stopping him unexpectedly, Jarvis was thrown over the handlebars injuring his shoulder. A low-speed incident, despite now having to stay off a bike for a number of weeks Graham expects to be fully recovered in readiness for The Tough One – his next major Hard Enduro event. Now back at his home in the Isle of Man following several days in hospital in France, Jamie McCanney faces a five-week lay-off. However, the 2013 Enduro Youth World Champion is hopeful of a return to racing at the opening round of the FIM Enduro World Championship in Spain. Crashing during practice for the SuperEnduro final round, Jamie fractured five ribs, damaged a lung and broke a bone in his left wrist. With no displacement of the wrist fracture no surgery was required. Graham Jarvis: “There’s never a good time to get injured, but I guess this isn't a bad time to be injured. I’m disappointed that I’ll miss the British Extreme Enduro Championship event this weekend, but The Tough One is my next big race and that’s six weeks away. I injured my shoulder after I went over the bars. I got some wire caught in my rear wheel and it stopped my bike dead. It was just one of those things. I’ve tweaked my right shoulder, but luckily it doesn't look too serious. I will stay off a bike for two weeks and then start some physio.” Jamie McCanney: “It’s really frustrating to have ended the SuperEnduro series with an injury, but I guess it can happen. I’d been training hard and felt I was riding better than I had all series – I was looking forward to a strong end to the championship. Unfortunately, I made a small mistake on a technical log jump and paid a big price for it. I crashed awkwardly and then my bike hit me. I fractured my left wrist, broke five ribs and damaged my lung. After a couple of days in hospital in France I’m now back home in the Isle of Man and focused on my recovery. The goal is to be ready for the opening round of the Enduro World Championship in Spain. My doctor and physio are optimistic that I can do it.”
At the end of what was a night of highs and lows for the Bel Ray Husqvarna Enduro Team at the final round of the 2014 SuperEnduro World Championship in Tours, France it was Mathias Bellino who was celebrating the most having secured his first ever SuperEnduro podium result. In front of his home fans Bellino claimed a well-deserved third overall in the Prestige class. In the Junior category Sweden’s Jesper Borjesson claimed his first ever SuperEnduro win after his 1/6 results put him on the top step of the podium. Unsure if he would even be able to ride due to tendonitis in his wrist, Bellino enjoyed a near perfect night. Second to newly crowned SuperEnduro champion Taddy Blazusiak in the opening final Bellino battled to a seventh place result in the second final. Turning his fortunes around and ensuring a podium result he placed third in the closing Prestige class final to earn the same overall event result. Enduring a difficult few weeks following surgery for Appendicitis, Alfredo Gomez overcame a disappointing result in the night’s first final to finish fourth overall. Pleased simply to be able to compete, but unable to bring himself up to speed as quickly as he hoped, the Spaniard scored 8/3/4 results. Alfredo’s fourth place result ensured he claimed the same position in the 2014 SuperEnduro championship. Fifth in the final Prestige championship standings Joakim Ljunggren ended his night in seventh overall. The biggest smile among the Husqvarna team was on the face of Swedish youngster Jesper Borjesson, who claimed his first ever SuperEnduro overall win. Topping the first of two Junior class races, a sixth place finish in the second final was enough to put Borjesson onto the top step of the podium. For Women’s class title hopeful Jane Daniels the final round of the series ended in disappointment. Class leader headed into the closing event of the series, Jane held the runner-up spot for much of the Women’s final – a result good enough to secure the championship. But with the laps winding down a mistake saw her drop to third, which saw the Women’s SuperEnduro World Championship title slip from her grasp. Despite ending the three-round championship on equal points as winner Emma Bristow, Jane claimed the runner-up championship position. Mathias Bellino: “It’s been a really good night for me, especially as I was not sure if I could even race. I had a problem with my wrist, so I have been taking some time off from riding, and wasn’t sure how I would get on. But it worked out ok and after feeling good in practice I really started to enjoy myself. To finish third overall, which is my first ever SuperEnduro podium, is really special. I struggled a lot at the start of the series, but I have worked hard and improved. To finish third here in France at the final race is a really good way to end the championship.” Alfredo Gomez: “It’s been a difficult few weeks for me, since I had my Appendix removed. I wasn’t able to find a good feeling with the track straight away – it took a little longer than I wanted. But I am happy with fourth overall. Of course I wanted to be able to fight with Jonny Walker for third in the championship, but considering my situation I have to be happy.” Jesper Borjesson: “I can't really believe it. For my first SuperEnduro podium to be a first place result it’s incredible – it’s been an amazing night and a great end to the series. The first race went really well for me. I didn't make any mistakes and felt good. The second race with the reversed start wasn’t great. I was riding well but some mistakes costs me. Eventually things worked out perfectly and I got the win.” Results – SuperEnduro World Championship Round 6, France
ALFREDO GOMEZ SECURES PODIUM RESULT IN SPAIN Just over one week after an operation to have his Appendix removed, Gomez put his Husqvarna FE 350 on the third step of the podium to the delight of his home support. Ensuring the penultimate round of the series was one to remember for Husqvarna Motorcycles, Joakim Ljunggren placed fifth overall while in the Junior class Jamie McCanney ended his night third overall. Despite being in some discomfort, Gomez produced a determined performance inside the Palau Sant Jordi stadium. Third fastest in the Super Pole qualifying session, the Spaniard led early in Final #1 until he slipped back to third. Regaining composure, the Husqvarna rider fought his way back into second – a position he held until the chequered flag. Struggling to make progress in the reversed start for Final #2, Gomez could fair no better than seventh. Knowing that a chance of a podium result was still on the cards, the Spaniard ended Final #3 in third place to claim his second top three result of the series. Switching to the TE 300 two-stroke for Barcelona, Ljunggren enjoyed one of his strongest performances of the season. Comfortably placing inside the top five in each of the night’s Finals, the Swede ended his event in a solid fifth overall. Hoping to build on his winning result from the GP of Mexico, France’s Mathias Bellino was unable to recreate his impressive form. Carding a 7-8-6 result the SuperEnduro rookie finished in sixth position overall. In the Junior category, McCanney was a model of consistency. Recording two third place results, the Manx youngster earn a well-deserved third overall. The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship concludes with the sixth and final round of the series in Tours, France on February 22. Alfredo Gomez (Prestige – 3rd): “I came here not knowing if I would be able to race so to come away with a podium result is amazing for me. My objective was to take it one race at a time and see how I progressed. Starts were the key and I got a great one in Final #1. I led for a bit but slipped back to third. Somehow I found a better rhythm and got back up to second. That set the tone for the rest of the night. Overall it’s an incredible feeling to finish third – I’m so happy.” Jamie McCanney (Junior – 3rd): “I’ve been struggling a bit with a winter cold before I came here so to come away with a top three result is rewarding. Throughout the night I rode well – I found a better line in the rocks and was very fast there, but for some reason I just wasn’t able to make it count and finish second. I’ll take third though – I’m pleased with that.” Joakim Ljunggren (Prestige – 5th): “I think that was the best I have ridden all season. Switching to the TE 300 for this race made a massive difference. I’m a tall guy and the bike suits me better. I had three consistent rides and was in the hunt all the time.” Mathias Bellino (Prestige – 6th): “I have tendonitis in my wrist and it hurts when I ride. During the night I tried to ride as smooth and fast as possible but the track was so slippery in places that it wasn’t possible. It’s unfortunate because I felt like I could build on my result from Mexico. But with one more round left in France I hope to end the season on a high there.”
Getting their 2014 season off to a strong start, Husqvarna Motorcycles have enjoyed solid performances at the opening round of the Internazionali d'Italia series in Sardinia. With round one of the championship taking place in the deep sandy tracks of Crossdromo Dunes in Riola Sardo, Sardinia, Red Bull Ice One Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray placed an impressive sixth and fourth in MX1, while teammate Todd Waters was sixth and eighth. In the MX2 category, Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Romain Febvre improved on his sixth position in the MX2 race to place an incredible ninth overall and second fastest MX2 rider in the combined MX1/MX2 Elite Final. Delivering his best result of the day, Aleksandr Tonkov finished seventh in the MX2 race. Setting the fourth fastest time in the morning’s qualification, Tyla Rattray hoped to mix it with the leaders early on in the first MX1 race. But following a poor start the South African was forced to work his way forward from eighth position on lap one. Fighting his way up to fifth, he then battled hard with team-mate Waters during the halfway point in the race. Upping his pace in the closing stages, Rattray eased away from Waters to claim fifth. Despite his best efforts Waters was unable to keep pace with his teammate during the final few laps and settled for a comfortable sixth position. In the opening MX2 race Romain Febvre intended to capitalise on his eighth fastest time set in qualification. But a costly mistake left him languishing in 18th position at the end of lap one. Undeterred, the Husqvarna rider set about charging his way through the field of riders. Tenth on lap two, Febvre pushed hard to reach as high as fifth with just three laps remaining. But with the difficult conditions taking their toll, the Frenchman slipped back one position to end his race sixth. While Febvre fought his way forward, Russian Aleksandr Tonkov set the pace out front. Grabbing the all-important holeshot, the Husqvarna rider led the way. Maintaining the race lead during the first six laps, Tonkov dropped back to third as the race passed the halfway point. He eventually placed behind Febvre in seventh. In the combined MX1 and MX2 Elite Final it was South African Tyla Rattray who produced Husqvarna Motorcycles best result. Fourth at the end of lap one, Rattray raced hard for a top three result. But unable to find a way around Evgeny Bobryshev, Rattray crossed the finish line in fourth – just two seconds behind his rival. Placing inside the top ten, Waters was eighth. Delivering an impressive performance, Febvre worked his way from outside the top ten to finish as the second highest placed MX2 rider in ninth. Tyla Rattray – Red Bull Ice One Husqvarna Factory Racing MX1: “Overall it’s been a very positive day for me. I feel that I’ve made a lot of progress and it showed in the final race of the day. In the MX1 race I struggled a little with setup. It’s been a long time since I raced in sand this rough. We changed the suspension settings and I instantly felt more comfortable on the bike for the Elite Final. It was a big fight between Jeremy Van Horebeek, Evgeny Bobryshev and myself for the runner-up result. Unfortunately I just couldn’t find a way around them and finished fourth.” Todd Waters – Red Bull Ice One Husqvarna Factory Racing MX1: “It’s been a bit of an up and down day, but it’s also been a good learning experience for my first race in Europe this year. I struggled a little with my starts and that sort of held me back. Each race I had to come through the pack. In the MX1 race I worked hard to finish sixth and in the Elite Final I was running sixth until I tangled with another rider and dropped back to eighth. It was a rookie mistake and I’ve already learned from it. Overall it feels good to have the first race of the season under my belt – I’m ready to continue improving from here.” Jacky Martens (Team Manager) Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2: “I’m very happy with how both Romain and Aleksandr performed. They showed great strength and determination in tough conditions. In the MX2 race, Aleksandr proved his speed is good. He got the holeshot and led for the first 15 minutes. Unfortunately arm pump slowed his progress and he dropped back to seventh after a small crash. In the Elite Final, Tonkov also rode well. He started 15th and was leading the MX2 class. But again he got some arm pump and had a big crash trying to ride around the problem. Thankfully after some medical checks he is Ok. For Febvre, he fought well to race from last to sixth in the MX2 race. In the Elite Final he pushed hard against the bigger machines to finish ninth and the second fastest MX2 bike. For our first race with Husqvarna Motorcycles I feel we’ve taken a big step forward over 2013 and I’m excited to see how the rest of the year progresses.” Results - Internazionale d’Italia Motocross, Rnd1
Mathias Bellino delivers Bel Ray Husqvarna Enduro team’s best result Finishing fourth overall and claiming his first ever race win FE250 mounted Mathias Bellino ends Husqvarna’s South American SuperEnduro tour in impressive style. For the second consecutive event the Bel Ray Husqvarna Enduro Team enjoyed race-winning success in the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. Following on from Alfredo Gomez’ victory during the night’s second final in Brazil, it was Mathias Bellino who triumphed in Mexico, topping the third and last final following a determined race-long performance. Enjoying the Mexican track Bellino’s night didn't get off to the best of starts. Second fastest in the Super Pole qualifying session, two costly mistakes early in the night’s opening final saw the hard charging Frenchman end the race in a frustrated eighth position. Determined to improve in the second final Bellino again saw mistakes hamper his progress, and another crash in the log pile section of the track again saw him fail to turn his speed into a top three result. Thankfully, in the night’s third and last final Mathias got almost everything right. Again he fell in the logs, but quick to remount he battled with David Knight before establishing himself in the runner-up position. Going after then race leader Taddy Blazusiak, Bellino capitalised on a mistake made by the championship leader and moved into the lead before securing his first ever SuperEnduro final victory. Husqvarna’s Joakim Ljunggren ended the night sixth overall, delivering his best result in the night’s second final. Finishing a strong fourth in the reversed start order race, Joakim comfortably ran the pace of the riders that had finished ahead of him in the first final. Hopeful of a strong end to his event Joakim endured a tough third race. Settling into fifth from the start, the Swede felt comfortable and hungry for a better result. But crashing while trying to move into fourth, Ljunggren ended up eighth. At the end of the night Joakim placed sixth overall and holds the same position in the championship standings. Entering the Mexican event in high spirits following his third place overall result in Brazil, Alfredo Gomez battled through what was a difficult night for the Spaniard. Unable to gel with the track Alfredo’s first final result of ninth came as a result of a fall while trying to make a pass for third position. Last to round the first corner in the reversed start order second final, Gomez ‘pushed hard all race’ yet was only able to manage a seventh place result. Sixth in the night’s last race was Alfredo’s best result. The Spaniard sits fourth in the SuperEnduro championship standings. The Bel Ray Husqvarna Enduro Team will next be in action at round five of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Barcelona, Spain on February 9th. Mathias Bellino: “I seem to be either very good, or very bad at SuperEnduro. Thankfully, this race in Mexico was mainly good for me. I felt comfortable in practice, and my time in the Super Pole was also ok. But in the first final I got stuck in the log pile as well as the rocks. I was really angry about that and could only finish eighth. The second final was going ok, but again I crashed in the logs. I was really mad with myself and decided to give the last race everything I had. I got a good start, but then I crashed in the logs again. I went from leading to second, but got up really quickly. Knight also passed me but after several passes I eventually got back to second. And with Taddy making a small mistake in the rocks I was able to get back into the lead and to win. I know it is only one race win, but against riders like Knight and Blazusiak, with so much more experience than me, I am very, very pleased about it.” Joakim Ljunggren: “I guess it’s been a pretty good night for me. The second final was my best. I was strong in the first turn, because it was a bit of a mess there, and felt good running the same pace as the guys ahead of me. I got fourth in that race, which was one place better than the first final. I’m not sure what happened in the third final. I felt good again, was comfortably in fifth, but then I crashed in the stones and hurt my thumb. It was tough to come back and I finished eighth.” Alfredo Gomez: “I’m not able to take too many positives away from this race. From the first practice I struggled a little to get a good feeling with the track. I just couldn't find the speed despite trying many different lines. In the first final things were ok. I got to fourth from eighth, which was good. But with one lap remaining I crashed trying to pass Walker, in the rocks. I finished ninth. I started very badly in the second final – I was last around the first corner. I pushed hard all race but I just managed seventh. The last race was better, I was fourth or fifth off the start, but I finished sixth. The next race is my home race in Spain, which I am looking forward to.”
McCanney & Husqvarna SuperEnduro Junior World Championship leaders Bel Ray Husqvarna Enduro Factory team riders Jamie McCanney, Alfredo Gomez, Joakim Ljunggren, Mathias Bellino, and Jane Daniels were all in action at the opening round of the 2014 SuperEnduro World Championship, held in Liverpool, England. Making his SuperEnduro debut in Liverpool, McCanney ensured it was a memorable one by taking the overall win in the Junior category. Second in Final #1, the Manxman hit the front of the field at the end of lap three in Final #2 and held on to secure the race win while also winning the event outright. Danny now holds an early lead in the SuperEnduro Junior World Championship. With round one of the series getting underway inside Liverpool’s Echo Arena, Alfredo Gomez made his debut ride aboard the new Husqvarna a solid one. Recently returned from his busy schedule of Hard Enduro, the Spaniard felt a little underprepared but quickly got up to speed. Fourteenth in qualification, Gomez rapidly improved to place fifth in Final #1. Benefitting from a front row start for Final #2, the Bel Ray Husqvarna Enduro Factory rider ended it in third. Fifth in the third and final race of the night ensured Gomez fourth overall at round one. Joining Gomez in the Prestige class, Joakim Ljunggren ended his night sixth. Competing on the FE 250 for the first time, the Swede delivered his best result of the night in Final #3 by placing third. In the Women’s class, Jane Daniels bounced back from a disastrous start to take third. Hitting the starting gate, the young Brit was forced to fight her way to the front of the field. Snatching third on the penultimate lap, the Husqvarna rider claimed a well-earned podium result in her home race. The 2014 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two in Poland on December 14th. Jamie McCanney: “I’ve never ridden SuperEnduro before so it was a whole new experience for me tonight. I was learning a lot throughout the day and managed to improve my lines. In the first Final I rode a little bit too tight and Linusson got away from me. I tried to settle myself, relax a little and not make any more mistakes. It worked out and I got second. In the reversed start for the last race I knew starting from the second row wouldn’t be easy. But I managed to find a couple of clear lines and got into the lead. I felt more confident with the track and was able to control the lead and take the win. It feels great to have won in Liverpool. It’s my home race and my first time on the Husqvarna. Overall it’s been a perfect night.” Alfredo Gomez: “In all honesty I felt somewhat underprepared coming into this race as I’ve been travelling for four weeks racing Hard Enduro. It took a little bit of time to get used to this type of racing but as the night wore on I continued to improve. I struggled with qualification and only posted the 14th fastest time so to finish third in Final #2 and end the night fourth overall is a really good result. Now – with almost one month before round two in Poland – I’m confident I can build on this result.” Joakim Ljunggren: “I feel OK about my race. It was tough out there and I wasn’t 100 per cent ready for it. I was nervous about riding the FE 250 as I have been riding bigger bikes for quite a while now but the bike performed brilliantly. It’s easy to ride and not so tiring. In the final race of the night I delivered my best performance. I was fighting for the third position but in the end I had to settle for fourth. I think that with some more time on the bike I can do better in Poland.” Jane Daniels: “I made a big mistake at the start of my race and actually hit the starting gate. That put me almost last and I had to work as hard I could to recover. I got up into fourth position at the halfway stage in the race and then managed to pass Sandra Gomez in the closing stages to finish third. Despite my bad luck I’m really pleased to have got a podium result in my home race.” Overall Classification
Claiming his third consecutive victory in the prestigious Swedish event Pela Renet has won the 2013 Gotland Grand National in Sweden, giving Husqvarna the first win of its new era With the Gotland Grand National – Sweden’s largest off road race – celebrating it’s 30th anniversary in 2013, Renet finished first of the 2700 riders competing in the event to secure his third consecutive event win. Intent on launching Husqvarna 2014 model FE 450 with a winning debut Renet set about claiming an historic third consecutive win in determined style. Starting the three-hour race inside the top five, the Frenchman quickly worked his way into the lead during lap one. Feeling incredibly comfortable in the slippery, muddy conditions, the Husqvarna rider steadily extended his advantage over the chasing pack. Holding a two-minute lead at the end of his first fuel stop on lap three, Renet continued his unrelenting pace throughout the race to cross the finish line almost five minutes clear of his nearest rivals. In claiming the win Renet delivered Husqvarna a memorable and important victory. Joining Renet inside the top ten, Finland’s Juha Salminen placed eighth. Competing in the event – despite recently retiring from professional competition – Salminen acquitted himself well. Recovering from a bad start, the Husqvarna rider ended his race in the top ten. Pela Renet (Husqvarna): “It feels incredible to take my
third consecutive Gotland Grand National victory in what’s my first
race with Husqvarna. We worked hard during the week to prepare for this
race and I felt very confident about what I could do on the new bike. I
started inside the top five and took the lead shortly afterwards. I was
happy to lead the race and felt very comfortable out front. I rode at a
rhythm and pace I was happy with and at the first fuel check I had a
two-minute lead. After that I controlled my speed and won the race.
Winning here in Sweden is the perfect way to start the new Husqvarna
era.” Juha Salminen (Husqvarna): “My start was bad and with so many riders competing I needed to work hard to advance. I spent too long passing riders and by the time I got inside the top ten the leaders were too far in front of me. At the halfway stage I settled into a pace I was comfortable with and ended the race in eighth. Overall I’m pleased with that and very pleased with how the new Husqvarna performed.” Results – Gotland Grand National
In the future, up to 15,000 Husqvarna motorcycles will be manufactured in upper Austria every year. The recently accomplished acquisition of the Husqvarna motorcycle brand by the KTM Group will bring a further upgrade to the production site in Mattighofen (Upper Austria). The Members of the Board of KTM AG, as well as the staff at the main plant, followed the production of the first Husqvarna that was assembled in Mattighofen. KTM CEO Stefan Pierer explains the corporate strategy as follows: "By the acquisition of the brand Husqvarna, the KTM Group expects an additional growth of approximately 15,000 motorcycles in the next few years." On October 7, 2013, the first production day, approximately 75 units of the new four-stroke model range (250cc - 450cc) were assembled. www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com |
Making
it a weekend to remember for Husqvarna Motorcycles Loic Larrieu claimed a
brilliant double victory in the Enduro Junior category. Finally overcoming the
injuries and problems that have hampered him throughout the year, Larrieu was on
top form in France and won both days.
Thomas
Oldrati: “It’s been a tough weekend for me. The first day was hard
because I had a lot of pain in my shoulder after one of the jumps in the extreme
test. Day two started well with a good feeling and a good time in the enduro
test. I finished fifth, which I’m happy with, and now I have some time to
prepare for the Scandinavian events where my focus is to return to the podium.”
Injuries
for Husqvarna Motorcycles’ Graham Jarvis & Jamie McCanney
Husqvarna’s
Alfredo Gomez, Mathias Bellino and Jesper Borjesson deliver strong results at
2014 SuperEnduro World Championship final round
