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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125753
H a6ed lL6l '£l 'AON SM3N 3,3A3 TRANS-AMA MOTOCROSS TwoWorld ~....pionsTakeOverTulsa walUng for a safer place, the Belgian chose to do it on a wide, hard fiat-out groove. He dove deep into the turn, smacked off the berm and zapped his Yankee Suzook mate on the inside. No sandbagger, he. Robert may have had to stand in DeCoster's shadow - many spectators were upset that "Robert didn't do well", which interprets, "Robert didn't cream everybody" - but no one had a longer haul than Joel. First moto, he forgot to turn on his gas. That was the nasty mmor, anyway. Well in the dust-choked rear, the five-times motocross king displayed the vehicle of his greatness as he studiously, slowly, continuously picked off rider after rider. Time was tigh t when you're that far back, there is no way you're going to catch DeCoster and Torleif Hansen and Adolf Weil before the week is up. But Robert did pass everyone else at least once and it was majestic to watch him do it. He never wastes a motion. The only good start Robert got as in the second moto. A lap later it was DeCoster, Geboers, Robert and Hansen in a wheel-wheel parade. Poor Sylvain succum bed to pressure as he negotiated one of the stomach-shrinking downhills, started dpg-paddling, and gently plopped over at the boltom. He even crashes delicately. He quickly rejoined behind Hansen and that is how they finished. Roger had pulled a ten-second lead over Robert, though. Hansen, incidentally, has been the most consistent rider on the circuit who has yet to win an overall so it looks like 1 • ,. I \ "." ,.~ .~ °l ..,; ';. :- Joel Robert (15) escapes from Thorleif Hansen. A model of consistency for the series, Hansen finished third overall. Roger DeCoster drops straight downhill, pi amp. The thingies on the front larks prptect the superlight forks against dents which could put the tubes out of business. \ By David Swift TULSA, OKLA" Nov. 14, 1971 Roger DeCoster was on form and no one could touch him. Dust filled his lungs just like it filled everyone else's lungs but for a full 90 minutes he just went faster and faster and faster. It was the third Trans·AMA motocross for both DeCoster, the newly-crowned 500 world motocross champion, and teammate Joel Robert, prevailing 250 world champion, and they had yet to make the impressive showing one would expect of such a chap who holds such a title. At Tulsa Motosport Park, they did, and then some, Rahier. It wasn't long before Rahier unloaded (Rahier: "Pass Va-leek, non?" Nods his head, opens an imaginary throttle with a smile, then gets wide eyes while makinl( tumbling motion, "N ot pos-see-ble!" He clu tches his injured forearm. He still tried to finish the day but reluctantly dropped out of the third moto.) It was DeCoster for the rest of the day and his third moto would be the mind-boggier. Here, he and Sylvain Geboers scrammed from the pack but no battle developed. Geboers had been .rather off-form thus far, finishing 13th in the first moto and falling in the he's about due. Adolf Weil was in hot contention for • a beller spot in the standings but sat out the second moto with a sour bike. The underground buzz was thal he had changed engines but no protest was filed. Top American honors went to Brad Lackey but not wilhout a tussel with John DeSoto, The Flyin' Hawaiian has improved considerably, since Suzuki gave him a one·oSf factory jobber, th RH-71. He is a di fferent rider than the one that left California two months ago, having adopted th typically European techniques of subtle lines and throttle control while engaging in less of the photogenic theatrics one normally associates American motocrossers with. Lackey did very well, finishing higher in all three motos than he has in a while. This might be due, in part, to Tulsa's California-like track and the fact that Heikki Mikkola and Bengt Aberg dropped out last week with injuries. But Braq and DeSoto obviously have the o e~tial to ull a su rise or two AJS' sole campaigner Doug Grant (461 did well despite a little piece of plastic. Tim Hart (7) did well despite Barry Higgins.