Cycle News

STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYER n front of around 30,000 spectators and using all the savvy of a great rider, Stefan Everts delivered yet another legendary performance. The seven -time World MX Champi on got his 76th GP victory, and he got it under very difficult circumstances. With temperatures around 100 degrees, the veteran put together an unforgettable performance, winning both motos of the MX I class and moving to 88 points ahead of his nearest rival in points . But, despite his convincing win, Everts isn't about to count his competition out. "I like racing in France ," Everts said. "I've won here nine times ; I must like the dirt or something. I am not yet looking at the championship. I have some Grands Prix to win, and it's far too early." After his first career Grand Prix victory a week earlier, Josh Coppins, of the CAS Honda team, showed again his intent on giving Everts a race . After going 3-2 in France for second overall , Coppins is now just two points out of second place in the points standings . The New Zealander lucked out a little in France when the two riders ahead of him in the series points DNFed a moto each . Mickael Pichon dropped out of the second MX I moto with a damaged front brake , and Cedric Melotte crashed on the second-to -last lap of the second moto, I 30 breaking his front brake lever. In the opening MX I race , Coppins took the holeshot ahead of Everts and Pichon . The Honda rider held the lead for six laps before Everts forced his way past and began to make a break for it. Then Pichon , who did not want to let Everts get away, passed Coppins and actually closed in on Everts . Everts, though, was too quick and finished ahead of everyone else , with Pichon, Coppins, Melotte and Steve Ramon finishing in that order. The second MXI moto saw Everts take the lead on the first lap, with Pichon in second and another Frenchman, Yves Demaria, in third . The two French riders did their best to put pressure on Everts , although Pichon 's race quickly ended when he caught a stone in his front brake, forcing him into the pits. Making matters even worse for the jubilant French crowd was the fact that Coppins passed Demaria on lap I I to take second. Everts , looking like he was riding on rails, went on to win ahead of Coppins and Demaria. "In England I didn't feel good," Everts said. "I knew coming here that I had a good chance. On this type of track you have to use your skills, using the throttle that is so important here." Coppins never tried to challenge the Belgian, knowing that Everts, in this type of form , was nearly unbeatable. JUNE 16,2004 ��� CYCLE NEWS "I am back to where I feel I should be," Coppins said of his day. "I was able to holeshot the first moto, but I pushed a little too hard, and after about five laps I was breathing really heavily, I slowed down, lost my rhythm and Pichon and Everts went past me . I was disappointed with that, I should have done better, but I was able to finish in third place. In the second moto I got a top-five start, I didn't push too hard early and felt great. I was able to pass Demaria midrace and moved into second. I didn't really think I could catch Everts, he was too far ahead, so I finished second in the moto and second in the overall." In the MX2 class all hell broke loose as mechanical failures and DNFs decided the overall positions. The series leader, Ben Townley, DNFed the second rnoto after crashing and spending two laps trying to restart his bike. By the time he got it running, he was two laps down , and with that he decided to retire to the pits. Second place in the MX2 series, Stephen Sword also scored a DNF. While running midpack in moto two, Sword crashed once and stalled his bike, thus dropping back in the pack and eventually out of the race . Although Townley DNFed the second rnoto, he was still able to show everyone else why he has been the dominating MX2 class rider this year by taking the 40th Anniversary win in the opening moto. But that win came w ith a challenge from Italian Antonio Cairoli, who held the lead for a few laps before succumbing to Townley. "Cairoli is quick," Townley said. "You have to hand it to him, he never gave up, and once he gets out front , he knows how to stay there. I enjoyed the race , but because of all the mud in the first few laps, I had gone through all my tears-offs. If I didn't pass him [Cairoli) when I did , then I probably wouldn 't have." After an excellent showing in the first rnoto, Townley was looking for a repeat. However, that idea quickly went out the window when he stalled his bike and couldn't get it started. With that , Townley, back so far, was force d to pull out of the race , effectively handing the win to his teammate Tyla Rattray. "I know I got lucky today," Rattray said. "But I worked hard in that second race . This track is not good for the 125cc machines against the four-strokes, but I put my head down and raced hard . They put so much water down before our races, it was really difficult to see during the opening laps of both races ." Another lucky rider was second-place finisher Mickael Maschio, who, after an opening moto engine problem, nearly saw his podium hopes slip away. "I'm of course really happy to be on the

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