A new demonstration of power by the Polish rider. Taddy didn´t appear to be feeling the knee injury that he suffered in the United States two weeks ago, and certainly showed himself to be the superior rider that he is in the three finals of this second event of the World Cup.
The Genoa track was fast, technical and very attractive to the public, numbering 6300, filling the PalaFiera in the Italian city, but it was not at all easy for the riders. It was much more complex than that of Sheffield, with the riders finishing the event totally exhausted.
Once again the best rider in the training sessions was Blazusiak, with a difference of 4 seconds over Ljunggren and Méo. Lampkin, Jarvis and Ahola were six seconds behind the Polish rider and Cervantes, one of the spectators´favourites, was eigth.
The classifications were easy for Blazusiak, Cervantes and the French rider Antione Méo (Husqvarna), who triumphed and went straight to the finals.
In the first final, Taddy made a lightening start, and led the heat from start to finísh, followed by a fighting Cervantes who found it impossible to regain the terrain from the Polish rider. The British rider Dougie Lampkin (Beta) was third after regaining the position, first from Méo, and then from his fellow countryman Graham Jarvis (Sherco).
The second final was huge, with a great start by Cervantes and problems for Blazusiak, with a fall that held him back. However, the KTM Polish rider didn´t give up and started a comeback which led him to overtaking Iván in the last of the five laps of the final. Ljunggren took to the provisional podium, while this time Lampkin was fourth. Dani Gibert had an excellent final, coming sixth, ahead of Ahola.
The last final once again had an excellent start by Iván, but Blazusiak didn´t take long in catching the Catalan rider up, and he had to settle for second place. The Finnish rider Mika Ahola (Honda), E1 World Champion, made his best result of the Cup so far, with well-deserved third position. Ljunggren came fourth and then Lampkin, attaining global fourth position of the night. On the final podium were Blazusiak, Cervantes and Ljunggren.
In the provisional classification of the championship, Blazusiak improves his chances over the second, now Cervantes, given that Brown didn´t participate in Genoa. 32 points advantage will permit him to take the next event Vigo, with somewhat less pressure.
Ljunggren has come up to provisional third position, taking that of Jarvis, who is now fourth.
The next FIM INDOOR ENDURO WORLD CUP will be in Vigo (Spain) on 9th January.
STATEMENTS:
Tadeusz Blazusiak: “Ather everything that happened in Las Vegas, when a crash with another rider injured my knee ligaments, I thought the victory today would be much more difficult, but I´m really happy with how I´ve ridden, with the bike and with the team. It´s been fantastic to win the three races, especially the second, where Iván was really good: I congratulate him on a really clean race.
I´m not going to stop giving my all yet, the championship is only halfway through, and thought there is a big difference in points, anything can happen. I hope my good run will continue in Vigo”
Iván Cervantes: “I´m very happy with this second position, more than anything else because I´ve been able to recover from the fiasco in Sheffield. I wanted win, and I tried, but Taddy was in incredible form. It is difficult for me, but I have to recognize that Blazusiak is at a different level. I´m really happy for the support received by the public, the sponsors and KTM”.
Joakim Ljunggren: “I think I did a very good race, I liked the track and I was especially aware of having gone to the United Status and done the last EnduroCross. I´m very happy. I think I´m gaining experience with every race, I´m learning really fast, aren´t I?”.
