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File photo - Paul Whibley
GASGAS Press Release:
First day of the World Enduro Championship's opening round - Guadalajara, Spain, 2 April 2005.
In a tough race marked by prolonged intermittent rain, the GAS GAS rider Cristóbal Guerrero won the Junior class on the first day of the World Enduro Champioship's opening round, which took place in Guadalajara, Spain. On his part, Oriol Mena shouldered the Malaga rider on the rostrum, giving the Salt manufacturer the first one-two of the 2005 world series.
All the GAS GAS riders crossed the finish line of the Alcarrian event, except for Finland's Miska Aaltonen, who was forced to abandon after a fall at the commands of his 4-stroke GG FSE 450: "Our balance is positive, it was a good debut by all of the riders in a very tough race, particularly considering the weather conditions they had to suffer," commented GAS GAS team enduro manager Josep Pou at the end of the enduro.
In the E2 class, the hottest class in the championship, the Portuguese GAS GAS rider Hélder Rodrigues finished in an excellent fourth place, showing his perfect adaptation to the 2-stroke GG EC 250. On his part, New Zealand's Paul Whibley, a semi-works GAS GAS rider, was eighth, riding the same mount as Rodrigues. Jean François Goblet, also on a GAS GAS, was eleventh.
In the E3 class, Sébastien Guillaume, from France, riding a 2-stroke GG EC 300, managed to climb up to the third place, but was unlucky to get stuck in an uphill climb in one of the last tests, losing time and dropping down to sitxh. Belgium's Thierry Klutz was also unfortunate, and finished eighth with the same bike.
The Enduro de Guadalajara's second day will take place tomorrow. The participants will ride four laps on the 55-km circuit, with three tests per lap again. The first rider will start, like today, at 9:00.
World Enduro Championship's 1st round and provisional championship standings
E2
1 - S. Merriman (Yamaha)
2 - F. Planet (KTM)
3 - S. Aro (KTM)
4 - H. Rodrigues (GAS GAS)
8 - P. Whibley (GAS GAS)
Second day of the World Enduro Championship’s opening round - Enduro de Guadalajara, Spain, 3 April 2005.
In spite of the weather forecast, which predicted showers for today, the rain did not come in the end,
although this dried the ground and made it quite bumpy.
The E2-class GAS GAS riders, Portugal’s Hélder Rodrigues and New Zealand’s Paul Whibley, a
semi-works rider, both on 2-stroke GG EC 250 bikes, finished 8th and 12th respectively. Another GAS
GAS rider, Jean-François Goblet, crossed the line in the 13th place. Unfortunately, the Finnish motocross
multi-champion Miska Aaltonen could not compensate yesterday’s result, and had to abandon
because of a problem in his bike during the rally test.
"Although today’s results may not seem as shiny as yesterday, we have been fighting for the top places, particularly in the E3 and Junior classes, so we are leaving Guadalajara completely satisfied. The races are usually tough in Portugal, but we trust we will be as competitive as we have been here," commented Josep Pou, the GAS GAS enduro team manager.
The next round for the World Enduro Championship will take place in short, in Fátima, Portugal, at the weekend. The whole of the GAS GAS team will leave for Portugal at once, and will try and have another good performance there.
Championship standings - Enduro 2:
