WRC Rally de Espana 2014 : Hirvonen rejoint KKK : Hirvonen goes level with Kankkunen

 Hirvonen (Ford/Michelin) égale ce week-end le nombre de rallyes WRC disputés par le plus actif des « Flying-Finns », Juha Kankkunen, avec 162 départs. Encore sept rallyes et il sera sur le podium du WRC derrière Sainz (196) et Solberg (188)…

Le RallyRACC-Rally de Espana 2014 marque le 162^e rallye mondial du pilote M-Sport Mikko Hirvonen qui avait débuté en WRC au Rallye de Finlande 2002. Au prochain Wales Rally GB, il pourrait donc dépasser Juha Kankkunen et devenir, à 34 ans, le Finlandais le plus actif du WRC.

Mikko Hirvonen a remporté 15 victoires et signé 67 podiums mondiaux, dont le 1^er en Espagne en 2005. Avec une stat à 41,6%, il est un des pilotes les plus régulièrement présents sur la « boîte » en WRC, même si cette saison, il n’est monté qu’une seule fois sur le podium (Portugal).

Mikko Hirvonen est toujours mathématiquement en course pour une 3^e place finale au championnat Pilotes 2014 (à 50 points de Mikkelsen), même s’il devra surtout maintenir sa 4^eposition face à Neuville, Meeke et Ostberg.

Comme son compatriote Markku Alén, il n’a jamais remporté de titre mondial. Sa malchance fut sans doute de mener carrière en même temps que Sébastien Loeb… En 2009, Mikko s’est incliné pour un tout petit point face au Français. Certes, contrairement aux Kankkunen, Mäkinen, Grönholm, Mikkola, Vatanen, Salonen, il n’a jamais été couronné.

Malgré tout, Mikko possède l’un des plus beaux palmarès du WRC parmi les « Flying-Finns » avec 4 titres de vice-champion du monde, 10 ans de carrière de pilote officiel et 143 rallyes mondiaux disputés au volant de voitures d’usine, Subaru, Ford, Citroën.

Reconnu pour sa régularité, Mikko a ainsi marqué 1177 points au championnat (3^e derrière Loeb et Sainz) et a largement contribué à la série ininterrompue de Ford/M-Sport dans les points depuis le Rallye Monte-Carlo 2002 (182 rallyes). C’est la plus longue série en cours du WRC.

Sa dernière victoire mondiale remonte à tout juste deux ans, au Rallye d’Italie-Sardaigne 2012, avec Citroën. Cette année, hormis au Portugal, il n’a jamais semblé en mesure de se mêler à la lutte pour la victoire. Certains disent que depuis son gros crash au Rallye de Finlande 2010, il n’est plus aussi performant, un peu comme le Tommi Mäkinen d’après Argentine 2003…

Ce week-end, Mikko Hirvonen dispute le RallyRACC-Rally de Espana pour la 12^e fois. La moitié du temps, il est monté sur le podium final (6). Pas si mal pour un « Flying Finn » qui n’a jamais gagné sur asphalte…

This weekend will see Mikko Hirvonen (Ford/Michelin) equal the record of fellow Flying Finn Juha Kankkunen who started 162 WRC events. Seven more outings for Mikko would put him on the podium behind Sainz (196 starts) and Solberg (188).

The 2014 RallyRACC-Rally de Espana is the 162^nd world class appearance for Mikko Hirvonen (M-Sport) who made his debut in Finland in 2002. Next month’s Wales Rally GB will make the 34-year old his country’s most active driver in WRC history.

To date, he has notched up 15 victories at this level and 67 podium finishes, the first of which was in Spain in 2005. His top-three finishing record is 41.6%, making him one of the WRC’s most consistent drivers ever, although he has only finished in the medals once so far this season (Portugal).

Theoretically, Mikko can still come third in this year’s Drivers’ standings (he is 50 points behind Mikkelsen) but his current fourth place is above all under threat from Neuville, Meeke and Ostberg.

Like compatriot Markku Alén, Mikko has never won the supreme title and that could well be because his career at the top coincided with that of Sébastien Loeb. In 2009, he ended the year on the Frenchman’s tail, a single point short of joining Finland’s six world champions (Kankkunen, Mäkinen, Grönholm, Mikkola, Vatanen and Salonen).

Even so, he has carved out an enviable record of four runner-up titles, a 10-year career as a factory driver and 143 WRC rounds in a factory car (Subaru, Ford, Citroën).

Reputed for his consistency, he has scored 1,177 championship points to date (only Loeb and Sainz have done better) and played a major part in the record-beating uninterrupted sequence of points-finishes that Ford/M-Sport has enjoyed since the 2002 Rallye Monte-Carlo (182 rallies).

His most recent WRC success dates back to Sardinia 2012 with Citroën. This season, with the exception of Portugal, he has rarely been involved in the battle for victory. Some observers believe he has been less competitive since his big crash on the 2010 Rally Finland, much like Tommi Mäkinen after Argentina in 2003…

This weekend will be Mikko’s 12^th Rally de Espana. He has finished six times on the podium which isn’t bad for a Flying Finn who has never won on asphalt…

Allo .........quoi .......

Budnitz Bicycles N°3

Budnitz Bicycles creates the lightest, fastest, and most elegant city bikes in the world. Custom built for each customer, our handmade titanium belt drive bicycles set the standard for exceptional beauty, speed, and comfort.

Meet the new Budnitz Model No.3, the latest evolution of our ultimate all-around city bicycle.

Completely re-engineered from the ground up, the world’s best go-anywhere, do-anything bicycle for fast and fun city riding just got even better.

The new No.3 twin-tube single arc cantilever frame features elegant double curved down tubes that increases lateral stiffness for speed, while absorbing road shock for comfort. Available titanium frame weighs just 3.6 pounds.

Equally adept at jumping curbs, cutting corners, and tearing through gravel alleyways, No.3 is also a wonderful bicycle for lazy rides down dirts roads to the lake and taking it easy in the park.

Big 29-inch wheels and up to 2.35-inch tires, combined with a long wheelbase and aggressive geometry, make the New No.3 equally at home on pavement, cobblestones, rough asphalt, and dirt.

Clean and silent carbon belt drive weighs a third of a traditional bike chain and won’t get your pants dirty. Your choice of singlespeed, or up to 14-speeds and a massive 526% gear range in a high-tech internal hub from Rohloff or Shimano.

Built by hand with proprietary Budnitz titanium riser handlebars, seatpost, stem, badges, and some of the greatest bicycle components in the world from Paul Components, Formula, Thompson, and more.

If you’re going to own just one bicycle for the rest of your life, choose Model No.3.

Available in limited quantities.

FRAME

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• Frame

  Budnitz No.3 Titanium or Steel Cantilever Frame.

• Fork

  Budnitz No.3 Titanium or Steel Half-Crown Fork

COMPONENTS

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• Handlebar

  Budnitz Titanium Riser Bar or Flat Bar

• Stem

  Budnitz Titanium Stem, 80mm-130mm

• Seatpost

  Budnitz Titanium Seatpost

• Headset

  Budnitz Silver or Black Alloy HS-1S Ultra Polish Headset

• Saddle

  Budnitz & Brooks Saddle Options

• Pedals

  VP Pedal Option

DRIVETRAIN

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• Transmission

  Gates carbon belt drive & single speed Budnitz hub
  Gates carbon belt drive & 11-speed Shimano Alfine internal hub
  Gates carbon belt drive & 11-speed Shimano Alfine Di2 internal hub
  Gates carbon belt drive & 14-speed Rohloff internal hub

• Crankset

  daVinci Design handmade in USA

• Brake Levers

  Paul Components Love Levers (USA) | Formula Carbon Fiber Optional (Italy)

• Brakes

  Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes | Formula Hydraulic Brakes Optional (Italy)

• Bottom Bracket

  Bushnell USA Featherweight EBB & square-taper sealed bearing bottom bracket by Token

• Cable Housing

  Yokozuna Internal housing (Japan) | Formula Kevlar Hose Optional (Italy)

WHEELS

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• Rims

  Budnitz XR1 Featherweight in matte black, 700c

• Hubs

  Budnitz XH1 Featherweight in high-polish silver

• Tires

  Schwalbe 29-inch Big Apple 2.0" or Marathon Supreme 1.6", Germany

ACCESSORIES (OPTIONAL)

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• Security

  Pitlock locking wheel skewers, seat post clamp & stem cap. Abus mini U-lock, Germany.

• Fenders

  Budnitz Handmade wood fenders | Budnitz Titanium Fenders

• Bell

  Bellini bell in real brass. Ding!

• Rack

  Tubus Titanium rear racks, made in Germany

SIZING & GEOMETRY

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JONATHAN REA’S CB TRACKER

Spending your time at full chat, knee pressed into the Tarmac of the finest racetracks on the planet is pretty exhausting stuff. Jonathan Rea is currently fourth in the World Superbike Championship standings and has every chance of making it third; if that pesky little Italian Marco Melandri doesn’t get in the way. When the champagne fugg has lifted after the season finale in Qatar, Rea will no doubt be looking forward to heading home and wheeling this little beauty out of the garage for some well deserved downtime.

Having seen the Pata Honda WSBK team’s PR man and his IDP Moto built Honda NX650 Dominatrix, Rea fancied a custom of his own so commissioned the guys to work their magic on a 1975 CB550K. The donor had been imported from Colorado and for a 40 year old machine was in fine fettle so attentions could be turned to style and specs.

Once stripped bare the subframe chopped and looped before being reunited with the frame and swingarm at Redditch Shotblasters who applied a thick and lustrous coat of black powder. Ratty and gnarled fasteners were replaced but remainder received a fresh zinc plating. When your customer is used to titanium and magnesium everything scrimping on the nuts and bolts wasn’t an option.

Dropping the front wheel from 19″ to 18″ not only looks more balanced but allows greater tyre choice; for a vintage style Rea went for Firestone Deluxe Champions. Gloss black rims and hubs with stainless spokes is the proper way of wheel building, allowing for future spoke tuning if required. The original rear shocks were replaced with new black units, and the original chrome bars swapped for satin black Renthal 758s.

Exhaust perfectionists Co-Built in Oxfordshire made up the link pipes to utilise the original headers, mating them to MotoGP mufflers. At the sucking end, an old British Touring Car was liberated of its velocity stacks which now reside on the four rebuilt carbs.

The engine was painted silver and cases polished which looks great against all the black. Spidey took care of the paintwork, leaving room for Purple Fayze to work her airbrush magic over the white pearl, ghosting multiple JR logos prior to plenty of coats of lacquer. Brand new Honda badges finish the job.

A new speedo, headlight and bullet indicators are relatively standard fair which leaves the paint job and engine to do the talking. Steve Adams fashioned a new seat pan to sit on the new subframe, with a white stitched synthetic leather saddle to compliment the colour scheme.

In case you’re wondering, this is not some show pony that sits in Rea’s trophy room gathering dust. It has completed a lap of the IOM TT course during a parade at the Classic TT this summer. As this is at the end of Rea’s driveway don’t be surprised to see a bit of retro glitz flashing past you on the mountain course at some point.

IDP Moto are doing a fine job at bringing current racing superstars and worn out heroes to the custom scene with a range of smart looking machines. Watch this space as there will be more from the Silverstone based team coming soon.

via The Bike Shed