A summer wind blew today over the second day of GRAND PRIX AMV OF SPAIN, third event of 2008 MAXXIS FIM WEC. Whatever the category, the time gaps stayed very tight until the last special test, an Extreme Test staged in the heart of Sitges, retransmitted live on TV, and disputed under thousands of spectators. Mika Ahola deprived Ivan Cervantes of a success on his homeland. To this victory are added those of Johnny Aubert, Samuli Aro and Thomas Oldrati.

ENDURO 1
Seldom a duel had taken such intensity. Ivan CERVANTES (ESP-KTM) and Mika AHOLA (FIN-HON) rode in the same second all the day. The last special test decided between the two men to the advantage of the Finn, faster for 62 hundredths.

Ivan CERVANTES: "It was a hard battle and I’m a disappointed to loose for such a little gap. Mika has more experience of these situations. I just think we had a real equality today, but as yesterday the victory returns to him. Nevertheless I feel happy with my two second places, I get important points for the championship.”

The other duel of the category opposed Simone ALBERGONI (ITA-YAM) to Eero REMES (FIN-KTM). The Italian made the difference in the second part of day to climb the third step of the podium, without ever having been able to hang the rhythm of Cervantes and Ahola, at 24 seconds.

ENDURO 2
This Sunday, Johnny AUBERT (FRA-YAM) really wanted to prove he could beat Juha SALMINEN (FIN-KTM) fair and square. The French took the lead since the first special tests, and without making any mistake, he managed to demoralize the Finn. Aubert offers himself the greatest enduro rider of all time with 15.76 seconds. In Sitges, he takes the first position of the category. As in Portugal, the rest of the E2 class kept far from the two men, about more than 1 minute. Third, Antoine MEO (FRAHVA) is victorious of the confrontation which opposed him to Rodrig THAIN (FRA-TM) 4th, Fabrizio DINI (ITA-YAM) 5th and Alessandro BELOMETTI (ITA-KTM) 6th. The Italian could get better result if he did not loose 30 seconds in the Extreme Test.

ENDURO 3
As yesterday, Samuli ARO (FIN-KTM) coolly dominated the second round of this Spanish Grand Prix. The only rider still unbeaten on the WEC imposes himself with a 10.17 seconds advance on Christophe NAMBOTIN (FRA-GAS), by preserving the same gap during all the day. This second round also marks the comeback of Marko TARKKALA (FINKTM).

Victim of misfortune in the cross Test, the Finn could have played the first places of the category. Unbeatable in the Extreme Test, Stefan MERRIMAN (AUS-APR) offered a nice performance too, by taking the fourth place.

Stefan MERRIMAN: "The Extreme was good for me today, I could make some pretty good times. It’s unusual for me because I didn’t have any experience with this bike in the sand. I use to be faster on second day. Let’s say that first day is for warm up, the second day I start to make some good times. It was a good day today "

JUNIOR
Before deliberation of the jury, Thomas OLDRATI (ITA-KTM) is the winner of the Junior category. Italian signs in Spain the first double win of his career, by relegating to 13 seconds the best contenders of the less than 23 years category. At home, Oriol MENA (ESP-KTM) takes an encouraging second place, ahead of Mirko GRITTI (ITA-BETA). Fourth, Marc BOURGEOIS (FRA-HVA) was slightly slower on this kind of hard and slippery ground.

For Alain BLANCHARD, promoter of the MAXXIS FIM WEC, "this Grand Prix was a beautiful promotion for the enduro. Beyond off road addicts, we managed to bring the enduro into the centre of the city, in front of a public of neophytes, thanks to the efforts of the Motoclub Sitges”. The stars of the WEC have a few weeks of rest before the fourth meeting of the season, the GRAND PRIX MAXXIS OF POLAND, June the 14th and 15th in Kwidzyn.