KTM’s Nambotin, Meo and Sanz Win at Spanish World Enduro Round

KTM factory riders Christophe Nambotin, Antoine Meo and Laia Sanz bag wins in Jerez, Spain, during round two of the 2015 FIM Enduro World Championship.

Reigning FIM E1 World Enduro Champion Christophe Nambotin put together the perfect weekend during round two of the 2015 FIM Enduro World Championship in Jerez Spain, last weekend.

Nambotin won every test on both days of the event to easily score the overall win in his class. Meanwhile, his factory KTM teammate Antoine Meo battled hard with E2 rivals Alex Salvini and Pela Renet to win his class on both days. Off-road rally star Laia Sanz made her debut ride with the KTM Factory Racing team a memorable won over the weekend, winning the opening round of the Women’s World Championship with dominant performances on both days.

Nambotin and his KTM 250 EXC-F were flawless in the dry and slippery conditions in Jerez, and he was unstoppable despite the oppressive heat that made the event all the more difficult. The win allowed him to pull out to a 10-point lead over E1 rival Eero Remes of Finland. Remes finished second on his Italian-built TM on both days.

“I won both the E1 and was fastest overall,” Namobtin said after the second day. “It’s been a perfect day–I can’t fault it. I managed to win all 11 special tests–I don’t think I’ve done that before in E1. I had a great feeling with the bike, and it allowed me to make the difference in the Enduro Test.”

Meo likewise won the E2 class with wins on both days while aboard his KTM 350 EXC-F. Meo had a fight on his hands as Husqvarna factory rider and reigning E2 World Enduro Champion Pela Renet battled with him for the overall win. Meo and Renet were separated by six tenths of a second going into the penultimate test on Saturday when Renet crashed and handed Meo the win.

“It was so close and was anybody’s race to win, but unfortunately for Pela he made a mistake and crashed, but we were both riding on the very limit,” Meo said.

Italian rider Alex Salvini was Meo’s biggest challenger on day two, but Meo prevailed again and left Spain with a 1-1 score over the two days. Nevertheless, Salvini and Renet, who finished second and third, respectively, are sure to keep the battle for E2 class supremacy interesting next weekend in Portugal.

With her countrymen clearly in her corner, 2014 Women’s World Champion Sanz set her plans to repeat in motion as she easily picked up two comfortable wins in her debut for KTM after saying farewell to Honda, with whom she finished an impressive 13th overall in the 2015 Dakar Rally.

But it wasn’t a perfect weekend for KTM as Matthew Phillips, the reigning E3 World Enduro Champion, came up short of victory after battling with Frenchman Mathias Bellino of the factory Husqvarna team. The two riders traded the lead as the tests progressed during day one, but Phillips made a mistake in the final test, and that gave Bellino the edge. Bellino also took the victory during day two on Sunday with Phillips finally having to settle for fifth.

2015 FIM Enduro World Championship
Andalusia Region
Jerez, Spain
Results: May 9-10 (round 2 of 7)

E1 Overall
1. Christophe Nambotin (FRA)-KTM/1-1
2. Eero Remes (FIN)-TM/2-2
3. Cristobal Guerrero (ESP)-Yam/3-3
4. Daniel McCanney (GBR)-Hus/6-4
5. Simone Albergoni (ITA)-Ke-M/7-5

FIM E1 Enduro World Championship Point Standings (After 2 of 7 rounds/4 of 14 legs)
1. Christophe Nambotin-77
2. Eero Remes-67
3. Daniel McCanney-53
4. Cristobal Guerrero-52
5. Marc Bourgeois-51

E2 Overall
1. Antoine Meo (FRA)-KTM/1-1
2. Alex Salvini (ITA)-Hon/3-2
3. Pela Renet (FRA)-Hus/2-3
4. Johnny Aubert (FRA)-Bet/4-4
5. Loic Larrieu (FRA)-She/6-5