BMW Husqvarna Motorsport's number one rider Juha Salminen delivered another pair of solid results in the '10 Enduro World Championship, finishing third and fourth in the highly competitive Enduro 2 class at the GP of Portugal. Following on from his strong start to the series in Spain, where he also claimed the same third and fourth place results, Juha finished just 22 seconds behind day one winner Mika Ahola but a fall on the opening special test on day two robbed him of another podium result.
Winning the Friday night Super Test Salminen made the best possible start to the GP of Portugal and began the first full day of competition holding a slender advantage over his E2 class rivals. Although unable to win any of the day's special tests consistent, mistake free, riding enabled him to keep up the pressure on Ahola and Ivan Cervantes. After 46 minutes of special test racing Juha placed third, claiming his second podium in as many races.
The dominant rider on the Extreme test throughout the second day's competition Juha made one costly error during the day's opening special test. Falling in the slippery conditions, Salminen fought back throughout the day winning each of the three extreme tests. Giving the final lap his all, and setting his fastest time on the motocross tests, Juha came within less than a quarter of a second of repeating his day one third pace result, forced to accept fourth. Despite his frustration at having not claimed a podium result Juha currently sits in third position in the E2 championship standings with six GPs remaining.
Marko Tarkkala endured a tough event in Portugal as the burly Finn saw falls and a derailed chain on the extreme test effect his result. Placing 15th on day one Marko placed 12th on day two. Juha and the BMW Husqvarna Motorsport team will neat be in action in the Enduro World Championship at the GP of Italy, which takes place on May 22/23.
Juha Salminen - Enduro 2 class: "It's been what I would call a pretty normal world championship race for me. Finishing on the podium on day one was good, I wasn't too far away from the winning rider. It was a tough but enjoyable day and I was 22 seconds behind the winner. I was pleased with my riding on the first day. I didn't make any big mistakes and enjoyed the event. Racing in Portugal is always challenging and with the rain the course and some parts of the special tests were quite difficult. The second day was really slippery in the morning, and I wasn't able to get the times I wanted. I also made a small mistake and fell on one of the tests. It got drier towards the end of the day, but although I pushed my hardest on the third lap I just missed the podium. Finishing third and fourth at both the GP of Spain and the GP of Portugal isn't the best start to the championship because of course I want to be winning or finishing on the podium on both days. But it's not too bad, it's a start we can build on."
2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of Portugal - Day 1
Enduro 2
1. Mika Ahola (Honda) 46:19.71; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 46:32.15; 3. Juha Salminen (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 46:42.56; 4. Pierre Alexandre Renet (KTM) 47:10.48; 5. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 47:14.47; 6. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 47:45.98; 7. Nicolas Paganon (Kawasaki) 47:55.90; 8. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 48:08.20; 9. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg)
48:11.19; 10. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 48:38.53... 15. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 50.17:17
2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of Portugal - Day 2
Enduro 2
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 47:40.10; 2. Mika Ahola (Honda) 48:02.52; 3. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 48:18.15; 4. Juha Salminen (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 48:18.30; 5. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 49:02.25; 6. Pierre Alexandre Renet (KTM) 49:07.57; 7. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 49:45.76; 8. Nicolas Paganon (Kawasaki) 49:47.49; 9. Jeff Goblet (Yamaha) 49:48.82; 10. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 49:50.43... 12. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 50:26.91
Winning the Friday night Super Test Salminen made the best possible start to the GP of Portugal and began the first full day of competition holding a slender advantage over his E2 class rivals. Although unable to win any of the day's special tests consistent, mistake free, riding enabled him to keep up the pressure on Ahola and Ivan Cervantes. After 46 minutes of special test racing Juha placed third, claiming his second podium in as many races.
The dominant rider on the Extreme test throughout the second day's competition Juha made one costly error during the day's opening special test. Falling in the slippery conditions, Salminen fought back throughout the day winning each of the three extreme tests. Giving the final lap his all, and setting his fastest time on the motocross tests, Juha came within less than a quarter of a second of repeating his day one third pace result, forced to accept fourth. Despite his frustration at having not claimed a podium result Juha currently sits in third position in the E2 championship standings with six GPs remaining.
Marko Tarkkala endured a tough event in Portugal as the burly Finn saw falls and a derailed chain on the extreme test effect his result. Placing 15th on day one Marko placed 12th on day two. Juha and the BMW Husqvarna Motorsport team will neat be in action in the Enduro World Championship at the GP of Italy, which takes place on May 22/23.
Juha Salminen - Enduro 2 class: "It's been what I would call a pretty normal world championship race for me. Finishing on the podium on day one was good, I wasn't too far away from the winning rider. It was a tough but enjoyable day and I was 22 seconds behind the winner. I was pleased with my riding on the first day. I didn't make any big mistakes and enjoyed the event. Racing in Portugal is always challenging and with the rain the course and some parts of the special tests were quite difficult. The second day was really slippery in the morning, and I wasn't able to get the times I wanted. I also made a small mistake and fell on one of the tests. It got drier towards the end of the day, but although I pushed my hardest on the third lap I just missed the podium. Finishing third and fourth at both the GP of Spain and the GP of Portugal isn't the best start to the championship because of course I want to be winning or finishing on the podium on both days. But it's not too bad, it's a start we can build on."
2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of Portugal - Day 1
Enduro 2
1. Mika Ahola (Honda) 46:19.71; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 46:32.15; 3. Juha Salminen (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 46:42.56; 4. Pierre Alexandre Renet (KTM) 47:10.48; 5. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 47:14.47; 6. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 47:45.98; 7. Nicolas Paganon (Kawasaki) 47:55.90; 8. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 48:08.20; 9. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg)
48:11.19; 10. Valtteri Salonen (Husaberg) 48:38.53... 15. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 50.17:17
2010 Enduro World Championship
Grand Prix of Portugal - Day 2
Enduro 2
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 47:40.10; 2. Mika Ahola (Honda) 48:02.52; 3. Thomas Oldrati (KTM) 48:18.15; 4. Juha Salminen (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 48:18.30; 5. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 49:02.25; 6. Pierre Alexandre Renet (KTM) 49:07.57; 7. Oscar Balletti (Honda) 49:45.76; 8. Nicolas Paganon (Kawasaki) 49:47.49; 9. Jeff Goblet (Yamaha) 49:48.82; 10. Fabien Planet (Sherco) 49:50.43... 12. Marko Tarkkala (BMW Husqvarna Motorsport) 50:26.91
