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In hot, dry, dusty conditions the fifth round of World Enduro Championships kicked off in the valley of Bergamo Italy. The race was headquartered at the small town of Rovetta. In 2006, the championship has undergone an extreme transformation as several jury members have encouraged the FIM to endorse changes to make the races more difficult. The ‘Valli Bergamashe’ has a long history of running hard races and the area is known to pride themselves on making hard, test-of-physical-strength races. So it was not surprise that, despite the sunny conditions, this was not to be a race that would be enjoyed. Four laps on both days with four specials in each lap in 30 degree heat, 7 hours of riding in total each day with less than 3 min break at the time control to rest.
The riders held a meeting on Thursday to try and persuade the organizers to reconsider the course set. The enduro test was 7.5 mins and in conditions that would usually be in a short 3 minute extreme. After the enduro tests the riders had to complete a very difficult section of trail uphill to the top of a mountain range before embarking on a arm-numbing 15min steep, rocky downhill before arriving at the extreme test to complete the 3 min trials-type section. The riders requested that the enduro test be shortened and declared an extreme test and the second cross test in the gravel quarry be change to enduro test and the extreme test be taken out. In addition they campaigned for 3 laps on Sunday instead of the planned four laps. The jury and organization rejected all changes and went ahead with the race as planned.
The first day Merriman struggled to match the speed of Belgian sand specialist, Aubert and Finnish rider, Aro in the sand/rock quarry where they were able to get a 30 sec gap each time. Merriman fought off Ahola to stay in third position with some very fast times in the Enduro test. Then in the final test of the day the heat and fatigue got the better of Aubert and Ahola in the sand/rock quarry where they both suffered crashes loosing time. Merriman finished the day in second position behind Aro. Aubert finished third and went to hospital after the race suffering dehydration and chest pains which later turned out to be broken ribs. Over 50 riders in the 80 rider field did not finish.
SATURDAY
Aubert did not start on Sunday morning. Despite more than 10 of the remaining riders being on a drip on Saturday night the stubborn organization insisted on 4 laps for Sunday. Merriman was fighting with Aro in the first three tests (grassy cross, enduro and extreme tests) with less than a second separating them.
Aro did a brilliant time in the sand/rock quarry, whilst Merriman crashed in the same place as Aubert and Ahola the day before losing 30 seconds to Aro. Merriman then recovered to take 17 secs on Aro on the 2nd lap enduro test and 34 seconds in the 3rd lap enduro test, however Aro was much faster in the sand/rock quarry winning 9 and 17 seconds in the second and third laps respectively.
Throughout the race on Sunday there had been much debate about reducing the race to three laps as the riders were all struggling and fatigued. But the organizers insisted on four laps for the spectators. First it was decided it would be three laps plus one grassy cross test. Then a very strange decision was made. They decided to cancel the enduro test and extreme test on the fourth lap and leave in the grassy cross test and sand/rock quarry test. This of course favoured Aro.
It was a strange decision as the sand/rock quarry tets had been the source of many accidents over the weekend and over 9 mins long it was by far the most dangerous. As there had been no rain over the weekend the conditions of the extreme and enduro test had not changed much, but it was these two tests that was cancelled in the last lap. This decision by Motorclub Bergamo clearly favoured the KTM Team riders who are all familiar with the area as the Italian Factory Team is based nearby. Aro took the lead and Merriman once more had to settle for second.
