Smoked Salminen!
By TMX Archives on 17th Mar 03
Getting ready for the six days is normally a pain in the arse but for me having the mechanic brought to the event is totally ace! And riding the 400 even more ace! Yep, you've got it - having the chance to go head-to-head with the enduro world #1 Getting ready for the six days is normally a pain in the arse but for me having the mechanic brought to the event is totally ace! And riding the 400 even more ace! Yep, you've got it - having the chance to go head-to-head with the enduro world #1 was definitely something to look forward to. The week before was taken up with the usual preparation - test walking, bike testing and the odd social evening. Working with the Italians has been great and when my mechanic arrived the Husky was fired up and ready to go. I've gotta say, having a new machine was worth waiting for and the power of the 400 was 'totally awesome dude, yeah man'. She was a real beauty (all this slang is down to listening to the Yanks for two weeks - something that brought a smile to all our faces)! On to the start of the race and day one brought plenty of work as I had to fit a #4 Michelin to the front of the machine as my hard-pack tyres were of no use. It was wet and cold and the scene was set for a long old week. After some steady test times, finishing third in class was my usual average start to the week. But after cleaning the super-tight check only to find out it was cancelled didn't exactly leave me feeling a happy bunny. Day two started with new tyres, jetting changes and, during the day, a different set of forks. I was beginning to wonder if I came to ride or to work as a mechanic. Anyway, I decided I was getting too technical for my own good so after all this spannering and steady test times it was time to start twisting the throttle and giving it massive. After bad weather had ruined the special tests, day three was going to be survival of the fittest - for many riders it was the end of the ISDE but for me it felt like the start. So I pulled out my finger and was rewarded with second in class, 30 seconds behind the leader. Day four saw a complete change with leader Roman Michalik going out, leaving little ole me to inherit the lead with Juha Salminen breathing right down my neck - he was clearly not about to give in without a fight. I knew day five would be make or break and while the tests were good, that damn Finn just kept riding like the world champ he is and reeled me in to come within four seconds at the end of the day. What a motocross it was going to be...