-- French lead Aussies as ISDE gets underway
-- 2012 Red Bull ISDE, International Six Days Enduro being hosted by Saxony Germany
-- KTM Report

The 2012 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), the oldest offroad event in the International Motorcycle Federation got underway in Saxony, Germany with the French team, including three KTM factory riders seizing an early lead in the coveted World Trophy.

France’s Antoine Meo (KTM), Rodrig Thain, Johnny Aubert (KTM), Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Christophe Nambotin (KTM) and Sebastien Guillaume finished the day with a collective time of 5 hours 37 minutes 01.50. Guilaume’s time as the slowest was not counted as each team can drop their worst time in the calculation.

Australia with Glenn Kearney, Daniel Milner, Christopher Hollis (KTM), Matthew Philipps, Josh Strang (KTM) and Toby Price (KTM) were 4:13.29 behind and Finland, who won the trophy last year were third with Eero Remes (KTM), Antii Hellsten, Roni Nikander (KTM), Juha Salminen, Jari Mattila (KTM), Marko Tarkkala trailing by 5:34.42.

Spain, with KTM factory rider Cristobal and his brother Victor Guerrero, a KTM supported rider and teammates were fourth. Italy was fifth and the USA, with four strong KTM riders finished sixth. USA’s Kurt Caselli crashed during the day’s race but is expected to start tomorrow. Eight minutes 15.13 separate the first eight teams.

In the Junior World Trophy Italy was the fast finisher on day one followed by Britain, Australia, France and USA. Seven national teams are also contesting the Women’s Trophy and after day one it was France who led the field, followed by Australia, Germany, Sweden and the USA.

KTM factory riders were also very strong in the individual classes. In E1, KTM’s newly crowned E1 World Champion Antoine Meo of France had a strong first day finishing ahead of factory teammate Eero Remes who trailed him by 12.44. KTM’s Johnny Aubert of France and his factory teammate Cristobal Guerrero made a solid start in E2 finishing second and fourth while KTM’s E3 World Champion Christophe Nambotin of France taking an early lead in front of Toby Price, a leading KTM rider in Australia close behind at 4.32.

The 2012 ISDE is being hosted by Saxony in Germany in and around the famous Sachsenring racing circuit and the opening day offered near perfect riding conditions. The event has attracted around 470 riders from professional level to club and hobby riders and represents the perfect annual occasion for hobby riders to race against the world’s best. The 2012 edition has attracted riders from all over the world.

Toby Price (via FB) - "Well that was a rough day, was doing good at the start sitting 2nd outright then hit a massive stump and got ejected hard, smashed my front wheel and had to ride with a buckled wheel all day and now for the remaining five days, I was lucky to finish today but have got heaps more to go, hopefully it holds together...."

Day One: ISDE International Six Days Enduro, Saxony Germany

World Trophy
1, France: Antoine Meo (KTM), Rodrig Thain, Johnny Aubert (KTM), Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Christophe Nambotin (KTM) and Sebastien Guillaume - 5 hours 37 minutes 01.50
2, Australia: Glenn Kearney, Daniel Milner, Christopher Hollis (KTM), Matthew Philipps, Josh Strang (KTM) and Toby Price (KTM) + 4:13.29
3, Finland: Eero Remes (KTM), Antii Hellsten, Roni Nikander (KTM), Juha Salminen, Jari Mattila (KTM), Marko Tarkkala +5:34.42
4, Spain: Victor Guerrero (KTM), Lorenzo Santolino, Ivan Cervantes, Cristobal Guerrero (KTM), Armand Monleon (KTM), Aaron Bernardez + 55:37.31
5, Italy: Maurizio Micheluz, Deny Philippaerts, Alex Salvini, Oscar Baletti, Manuel Monni (KTM), Mirko Gritti (KTM) + 7:49.05
6, USA: Mike Brown (KTM), Destry Abbott, Kurt Caselli (KTM), Taylor Robert, Charlie Mullins (KTM), Russell Bobbitt (KTM) + 8:15.13
7, Sweden +8:49.70
8. Britain +16:53.50
9, Netherlands +18:17.36
10, Czech Republic +24:55.94
11, Belgium +26:55.53
12, Austria +32:01.21

Junior World Trophy
1, Italy: Thomas Oldrati, Gianluca Martini, Nicoli Mori, Rudy Moroni (KTM) three hours 29 minutes 27.45
2, Britain: Jack Rowland, Steve Holcombe (KTM), Alex Rockwell, Danny McCanny +1:10.46
3, Australia: Benjamin Burrell (KTM), Luka Bussa, Mitcham Harper, Lachlan Stanford +2:56.98
4, France: Jeremy Joly, Matthias Bellino, Alexandre Queyreyre, Kevin Rohmer +4.11.68
5, USA: Travis Coy (KTM), Andrew Delong, Thaddeus Duvall, Jesse Groemm (KTM) +4:31.03
6, Portugal: +6:09.61
7, Spain: + 7:41.62
8, Finland: + 8:04.37
9, Sweden: 8:50.46
10, Czech Republic: 9:58.40

Manufacturers Trophy
1, KTM 1: Cristobal Guerrero, Antoine Meo, Christophe Nambotin 3:21.59.18
2, Husqvarna CH Racing 2: Juha Salminen, Lorenzo Santolino, Alex Santolino at 1:27.28
3, KTM 2: Eero Remes, Kurt Caselli, Johnny Aubert at 1:53.99
4, KTM 3: Mike Brown, Charlie Mullins, Russell Bobbitt at 5:18.14
5, Husaberg 1: Joakim Ljunggren, Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Mathias Bellino at 5:41.11

E1 individual
1, Antoine Meo, France, KTM 1:06.56.92
2, Eero Remes, Finland, KTM, at 12.44
3, Lorenzo Santolino, Spain, Husqvarna at 52:59
4, Rodgrig Thain, France, Honda, 1:30.64
5, Thomas Oldrati, Italy, Husaberg at 1:32,86
6, Daniel Milner, Australia, 1:47.82
7, Roni Nikander, Finland, KTM 2:06.62
8, Maurizio Micheluz, Italy, Honda, 2:10.09
9, Victor Guerrero, Spain, KTM, 2:16.83
10. Antti Hellsten, Finland, TM, 2:21.17

E2 Individual
1, Pierre-Alexandre Renet, France, Husaberg 1:06.46.29
2, Johnny Aubert, France, KTM, 34.81
3, Juha Salminen, Finland, Husqvarna, 41.59
4, Cristobal Guerrero, Spain, KTM, 46.34
5, Josh Strang, Australia, KTM, 46.70
6, Charlie Mullins, USA, KTM, 1:07.25
7, Matthew Philipps, Australia, Yamaha, 1:13.63
8, Alex Salvini, Italy, Husqvarna, 1:22.76
9, Ivan Cervantes, Spain, Gas-Gas 1:38.20
10, Taylor Robert, USA, Kawasaki 1:50.31

E3 Individual
1, Christophe Nambotin, France, KTM 1:07.29.63
2, Toby Price, Australia, KTM, 4.32
3, Joakim Ljunggren, Sweden, 47.17
4, Sebastien Guillaume, France, Gas-Gas 1:30.01
5, Manuel Monni, Italy, 1:42.11
6, Pontius Hogberg, Sweden, Gas-Gas, 1:43.89
7, Algar Leok, Estonia, TM, 1:44.38
8, Mirko Gritti, Italy, KTM, 2:05.30
9, Marko Tarkkala, Finland, 2:06.89
10, Aaron Bernadez, Spain, TM, 2:08.80