Fujinami back on top In Italy
 After
narrowly missing victory in the French round of the 2006 World
championship last week, Japanese rider, Takahisa Fujinami
– Repsol Montesa HRC took his second win of the season
today in Italy by the narrowest of margins over Albert Cabestany
– Sherco. Jeroni Fajardo – Gas Gas took third
place to earn his second podium finish of the series.
Hot, dry and extremely dusty conditions greeted the riders
at the sixth round of competition in the small town of Darfo
Boario Terme with the loose dust making the sections particularly
slippery. Fujinami, who appears to be on the road to recovery
from his recent illness, led from the outset dropping just
five marks over the opening ten sections.
A further two fives in the remaining third of the lap saw
him enter the second lap with a five mark lead over second
place Cabestany. Both riders turned in second lap scores of
nineteen marks, but with Fujinami picking up five time penalties
for the second week running there was a tie-break situation.
However, unlike France, it was Fujinami who was to prevail
having achieved one more clean than Cabestany.
With both championship leader Adam Raga – Gas Gas and
second place Dougie Lampkin – Repsol Montesa HRC having
bad days finishing in fifth and sixth respectively, this has
allowed Fujinami to close within one point of Antonio Bou
– Beta who is sitting third in the championship table.
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