David Knight KTM Results Service
2006 World Enduro Championship, Round 8 – Boussac, France
Knight finishes ’06 WEC series unbeaten
KTM Enduro Factory Team Farioli rider and ’06 Enduro 3 world champion David Knight put the finishing touches to his incredible season at the eighth and final round of the ’06 WEC series, the GP of France held in Boussac, where he claimed his 15th and 16th Enduro 3 class wins. The E3 winner on both days of every round of this season WEC series Knight brought his season to a close in the only way he knows how - by finishing one minute ahead of his closest rival on day one and 30 seconds ahead on the shortened second day. At the end of the ’06 Enduro 3 world championship, having stood on the top step of the podium no fewer than 16 times, Knight placed 81 points ahead of his nearest championship rival.
With conditions in France extremely wet due to several days of heavy rain both prior to and during the event Knight started as he meant to go on by winning the opening test on day one. Going on to win six of the opening day’s seven tests Knight comfortably outpaced his closest championship rival Seb Guillaume and finished just under one-minute ahead. On day two Knight topped three of the four special tests to place 26 seconds ahead of Guillaume and extend his championship lead to 81 points.
David’s next event will be round 12 of the US GNCC series.
David Knight: “It’s been a good event really but I found it hard to get motivated, to be honest. With winning the E3 championship in Slovakia it meant that I didn’t really have anything to go for this weekend apart from trying to win every day of the series. I enjoyed the course, it was a real challenge in places by the end of day two, but I just didn’t feel right on the tests. I just couldn’t get into it to start with. The last test of the first day was the best fun, it was like riding in a river the whole way around because there was so much rain.
“I found it pretty hard going on the second day. The big four strokes really take it out of you when you’re riding in ruts from start to finish. I managed to open up a good lead after the first two tests and then I got stuck a few times on the enduro test because I was a little bit too relaxed. It was really slippery in places. I just didn’t want to do anything stupid. It was one of those tests where you could lose a lot of time but not really gain that much even if you did have a good run through it.
“The last test of the event was the slipperiest test I’ve ever ridden. My rear wheel passed my front about three times and I just couldn’t get my bike to go where I wanted it to and it spat me off in the end.
“I was worried that I might not win the second day. The tests really suited the two strokes and I could actually see Seb Guillaume behind me so I started pushing harder. I ended up crashing and I thought I’d blown my perfect season. Thankfully, I won. I could have easily stayed in bed on day two but I’m really happy to have won the E3 championship as well as winning every day – it’s been a great season.”
Results – World Enduro Championship 2006 Round 8 – day 1
Enduro 3 class
1. David Knight (KTM Enduro Factory Team) 48:19.29; 2. Seb Guillaume (Gas Gas) 49:19.16; 3. Bjorne Carlsson (Husaberg) 51:10.44; 4. Marko Tarkkala (KTM) 51:21.56; 5. Alessio Paoli (TM) 52:28.57; 6. Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna) 52:36.40; 7. Markus Kehr (KTM) 52:36.67; 8. Jean Francois Goblet (Gas Gas) 53:03.31; 9. Rudy Cotton (Beta) 55:04.18; 10. Vita Kuklik (KTM) 55:11.65; 11. Jean Nicon (KTM) 56:54.92; 12. Daniel Persson (Husaberg) 57:07.59; 13. Laurent Bouffioux (Aprilia) 1.00:33.63; 14. Laurent Pannetier (KTM) 1.02:05.96; 15. Noe Vadic (TM) 1.23:09.93; 16. Hugues Forichon (Gas Gas) 1.23:38.24
Results – World Enduro Championship 2006 Round 8 – day 2
Enduro 3 class
1. David Knight (KTM Enduro Factory Team) 32:30.94; 2. Seb Guillaume (Gas Gas) 32:57.62; 3. Marko Tarkkala (KTM) 33:23.65; 4. Bjorne Carlsson (Husaberg) 34:33.78; 5. Marcus Kehr (KTM) 34:55.06; 6. Anders Eriksson (Husqvarna) 35:07.31; 7. Vita Kuklik (KTM) 36:33.27; 8. Michael Vukcevic (Sherco) 38:25.36; 9. Sebastien Denis (Husqvarna) 39:17.37; 10. Michal Rudolf (KTM) 39:43.12; 11. Jean Nicon (KTM) 39:58.38; 12. Rudy Cotton (Beta) 40:31.79; 13. Laurent Bouffioux (Aprilia)
