Knight Third at World Indoor Enduro Finale
February 1, 2010, 1:14pm
David Knight has made a successful return to the Farioli KTM team finishing as overall runner-up at the final round of the ’10 Indoor Enduro World Cup staged in Barcelona. Competing for KTM for the first time this season Knight got off to a winning start as he claimed the chequered flag at the end of the night’s first final. Going on to finish third in the remaining two finals David claimed a well-deserved overall runner-up result at the end of what was a demanding night of racing and joined event winner Taddy Blazusiak and third place finisher Ivan Cervantes on the podium .
Spending the week prior to the Barcelona Indoor Enduro in Spain testing aboard his Enduro 3 class four-stroke bike in readiness for the start of the World Enduro Championship in April, David opted to compete on his 300cc two-stroke despite knowing that his bike wasn’t perfectly set-up for indoor racing. But with a winning performance in his qualifying heat race David’s confidence was high as he headed into the first of the three eight-lap finals.
Starting well and managing to make no major mistakes during the opening laps Knight set the pace at the front of the race, going on to claim victory with a 10 second winning margin. With IEWC champion Taddy Blazusiak having to fight his way past rider after rider following a poor start at the end of the race Knight and Blazusiak claimed a KTM one-two with Spain’s Daniel Gibert third.
The second and third finals both ended with Knight placing third. With Blazusiak winning the second final ahead of Cervantes, the two riders swapped positions for the third race while Knight brought his night to a successful close. Getting tangled up with a few other riders off the start in the second final, and crashing in the third, Knight’s second place overall result ensured KTM filled all podium positions as the Manxman showed that his preparations for the upcoming WEC season are going well.
David Knight: “Finishing the night on the podium, and having won the first final, has been a great way to start the new season. It’s just great to be back racing again. I knew that I wasn’t perfectly prepared for the event as I’d been testing my World Enduro Championship bike all week before the event and basically put my four-stroke suspension in my 300 and made the best of what I had. Generally the bike was great but there were a few places where I was finding things tough. I had two options in the first final once I got into the lead – take things at a speed I was comfortable with or go as hard as I could and risk crashing. I took my time a bit and it worked well as I won. I got a bit tangled up with a few other riders off the start in the second race but finished third, which was ok. And then I got third again in the last final. I can’t really complain about the way things have gone. I really enjoyed the event and to finish on the podium having only spent about an hour on my two-stroke in the last few weeks is pretty good. Both Taddy and Ivan rode well, as I knew they would, so to be on the podium with them is great.”
Results – Barcelona Indoor Enduro, 31.1.2010
Final 1
1. David Knight (KTM) 7.2:958; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7.33:220; 3. Daniel Gibert (Yamaha) 7.45:547; 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 7.53:831; 5. Mika Ahola (Honda) 8.0:280; 6. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 8.06:627
Final 2
1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7.17:023; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 7.29:062; 3. David Knight (KTM) 7.46:345; 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 7.53:631; 5. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 7.58:664; 6. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 8.02:914
Final 3
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 7.15:106; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7.19:931; 3. David Knight (KTM) 7.42.866; 4. Daniel Gibert (Yamaha) 7.50:479; 5. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 8.04:218; 6. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 8.13:450
2010 Indoor Enduro World Cup, final series standings
1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 174 points; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 115; 3. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 95; 4. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 70; 5. Daniel Gibert (Yamaha) 63; 6. Mika Ahola (Honda) 47; 7. David Knight (Farioli KTM) 43; 8. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 43; 9. Mike Brown (KTM) 32; 10. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 27
Spending the week prior to the Barcelona Indoor Enduro in Spain testing aboard his Enduro 3 class four-stroke bike in readiness for the start of the World Enduro Championship in April, David opted to compete on his 300cc two-stroke despite knowing that his bike wasn’t perfectly set-up for indoor racing. But with a winning performance in his qualifying heat race David’s confidence was high as he headed into the first of the three eight-lap finals.
Starting well and managing to make no major mistakes during the opening laps Knight set the pace at the front of the race, going on to claim victory with a 10 second winning margin. With IEWC champion Taddy Blazusiak having to fight his way past rider after rider following a poor start at the end of the race Knight and Blazusiak claimed a KTM one-two with Spain’s Daniel Gibert third.
The second and third finals both ended with Knight placing third. With Blazusiak winning the second final ahead of Cervantes, the two riders swapped positions for the third race while Knight brought his night to a successful close. Getting tangled up with a few other riders off the start in the second final, and crashing in the third, Knight’s second place overall result ensured KTM filled all podium positions as the Manxman showed that his preparations for the upcoming WEC season are going well.
David Knight: “Finishing the night on the podium, and having won the first final, has been a great way to start the new season. It’s just great to be back racing again. I knew that I wasn’t perfectly prepared for the event as I’d been testing my World Enduro Championship bike all week before the event and basically put my four-stroke suspension in my 300 and made the best of what I had. Generally the bike was great but there were a few places where I was finding things tough. I had two options in the first final once I got into the lead – take things at a speed I was comfortable with or go as hard as I could and risk crashing. I took my time a bit and it worked well as I won. I got a bit tangled up with a few other riders off the start in the second race but finished third, which was ok. And then I got third again in the last final. I can’t really complain about the way things have gone. I really enjoyed the event and to finish on the podium having only spent about an hour on my two-stroke in the last few weeks is pretty good. Both Taddy and Ivan rode well, as I knew they would, so to be on the podium with them is great.”
Results – Barcelona Indoor Enduro, 31.1.2010
Final 1
1. David Knight (KTM) 7.2:958; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7.33:220; 3. Daniel Gibert (Yamaha) 7.45:547; 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 7.53:831; 5. Mika Ahola (Honda) 8.0:280; 6. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 8.06:627
Final 2
1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7.17:023; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 7.29:062; 3. David Knight (KTM) 7.46:345; 4. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 7.53:631; 5. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 7.58:664; 6. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 8.02:914
Final 3
1. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 7.15:106; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 7.19:931; 3. David Knight (KTM) 7.42.866; 4. Daniel Gibert (Yamaha) 7.50:479; 5. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 8.04:218; 6. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 8.13:450
2010 Indoor Enduro World Cup, final series standings
1. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 174 points; 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM) 115; 3. Joakim Ljunggren (Husaberg) 95; 4. Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 70; 5. Daniel Gibert (Yamaha) 63; 6. Mika Ahola (Honda) 47; 7. David Knight (Farioli KTM) 43; 8. Dougie Lampkin (Beta) 43; 9. Mike Brown (KTM) 32; 10. Antoine Meo (Husqvarna) 27
