The HM Honda Zanardo team took victory in the Enduro 2 World Championship at the weekend in St Flour, France at the final of seven rounds with rider Alex Salvini, who has had an outstanding season with nine wins and a 100% podium record to secure his first world title.
Salvini, a former motocross racer who switched to Enduro three years ago and signed up to ride HM Honda machinery this season, has had an outstanding year, as the 28-year-old unstoppable Italian took nine wins, which includes three double-victories, and he also never finished off the podium for the HM Honda Zanardo team.
With his aggressive, technical riding style comprised with a strong mental attitude and tactical approach to his races, the Italian’s hard work has paid off, although the final event in France this weekend wasn’t the easiest.
Saturday’s racing proved to be a washout, as riders battled through the rain, and Salvini secured the title with one race still to run by taking the win. Yesterday’s proceedings were shortened due to the weather, although Salvini took victory again to put a final stamp of authority on the series.
Salvini is the first Italian to win an Enduro World Championship since 2000, and he concluded the year 47 points ahead after dominating performances against his closest rivals Pierre Alexandre Renet, Ivan Cervantes and Johnny Aubert.
The HM Honda Zanardo team has now enjoyed a total of nine world championship wins, and this victory is incredibly special to the squad to re-alight the winning flame they had with the late Mika Ahola, with whom the team won no less than five consecutive world titles.
Super Salvini has also won the Italian Championship this year in his class and overall, making it a perfect season for the Enduro-ace, and the team would like to thank everyone who has helped them throughout the year.
Alex Salvini: Enduro 2 World Champion
“It was a long race to the title, and then on the last Saturday the rain came to complicate everything. On Friday I fell and had to recover the lost seconds, but for Saturday my main goal was to finish in the top three and not to push too much. From the second lap I raced in the rain with ease and took the victory, as well as the championship. I’m really excited and happy. The HM Honda Zanardo team has been fantastic at every race, where they’ve always been super-prepared, and with a lot of motivation. I must say thanks to Franco Mayr, Alessandro Tramelli, the technical manager Tullio Pellegrinelli, Antonio Specia, Luca Pidutti and everyone who has helped us. Thanks also to my family, the sponsors, the partner technicians and my fans. It was also a special victory ‘made in Italy,’ and I hope we can continue in this way.”
Franco Mayr: HM Honda Zanardo Team Manager
“For me this is almost a dream because for sure with Alex we knew we could have a good result, but to win like this is very important for us. He won nine times and he is absolutely the strongest winner of the season, with good finishes on the days he didn’t win. It is also particularly special because we have been waiting since 2000 for an Italian champion, but now we have this and it’s important for us, especially as we are an Italian team. Many people have been waiting a long time for this victory, because enduro is followed so closely in Italy. Alex is very strong and almost unbeatable, but now we head to the six days, as he is part of the Italian team and we hope to take victory in that important race. Then we start our work for next season. It’s interesting that Alex was second to Mika in 2011 in the last race of the year, and Mika had said that Alex is very, very fast and he also said that with his bike he thought he could be a champion. Obviously we could not predict that the story would end up like this, but when Alex won his first race earlier this year I felt the emotion and feeling from that conversation. I would like to say thankyou to everybody, the staff, the sponsors and the fans who have always believed in our team. We hope with the good support we receive, we can deliver more results like this.”
Roger Harvey: Honda Motor Europe Off-Road Manager
“Congratulations to the HM Honda Zanardo team who are once again world champions. Their ability to pick the good riders and develop them into winners is quite amazing. Every single member of the team has worked hard, and I’d like to thank every one of them for their work, as well as Alex Salvini who did the job. From the beginning of the year Alex has been good right from the early races in South America and he came back to Europe with consistent strength whatever the terrain. He has matured this year, and has become very strong while approaching the championship in a really good way, so we’d like to say a big congratulations to him.”