Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Steve Stackable was top American with a 6-10. C Sweden's Hakan Andersson went 1-3 for the individual win.lFils photos) Britannia's Graham Noyce ruled the second moto. T eam Belgium tops Americans In Motocross des Nations By Chris Myers COGNAC. FRANCE, SEPT. 4 Belgium may have let the 500cc motocross world title slip to Finland this year, but they made up for their loss when their four-man team scooped their second Motocross . des Nations victory on the trot. Overall, the Belgians came 20 C.Modd' (Ita/y. MoO 10 . K. Howertan (USA. Husl; 11. ; . J . I18nks (GB. CCM); 12 . H. Schmitz (West G"""""Y. MoO; 13 . A. Undloro (Sweden. Hosl; 14 . J .P. Mingols U!oIgium. Man); 15. P. aonnoce IFrllnCe. KTMI. Race 2: 1. G. Noyce (GB. Moil; 2. J.J. Iltuno IFro""". KTMI; 3. And ..oeon ; 4. D. Peon (Fro""". Moil; 5. Mlliherbe; 6. N. Hudson 1GB. Mai); 7. Bonks; 8. A. Weil (West Germany. Moil; 9. Sllld<8blo; 10 . o..c-..; 11. H. c.lqvist (Sweden, Husl; 12 . von Votthovon; 13 . DiStelono; 14 . Mingela; 15. H. Schmitz; 17 . A. Rober · ton 1GB, Man). Overllil: 1. 8lIIgium. 42 points; 2. USA, 58; 3. G, Britoin, 66; 4 . Sweden. 73 ; 5. Fro""". 74 ; 6. ltoIy. 76; 7. West Germany. 90. . Qualiftc8tton Rae. lteem times total, fateat laps of best three men, top ~ teems to go to finan: 1. Fronco . 8m 39.90; 2. Sweden. 6m 401 ; 3. Blligium , 8m 40.30; 4. USA, 8m 41 .52: 5. West Germany. 8m 42.20 ' 6. Groot Brilllin, 8m 44.20; 7.ltoly. 8m 44.81: 8. Hollond: 8m 51 .41; 9. Finlond. 8m 53.20; 10 . Donmork. 8m 53.61; 11 . S - . . n d, 8m 54.20; 12 . Norwegian. 7m 01.8a. home with 42 points in the two -leg event (scoring one for a win and so on). way ahead of runners·up. the United States on 58 . But the Belgians didn't manage to do any winning. The first leg was won in fine style by Swede Hakan Andersson (Montesa). and British champion Graham Noyce (Maico) romped home to a devastating first in the second. The Belgian team was strong: Roger DeCoster (Suzuki). Jaak van Velthoven (KTM) , Andre Malherbe (KTM) and Jean Paul Mingels (Montesa). The weather was hot on Sunday and racing started just after 3 p .m. The gate dropped just as an official began to wander across the line-up , baulking both Noyce and West German Adolf Wei I (Maico) . As the pack took off in ~ cloud of dust, Roger DeCoster was left prodding at his gear lever and got awa y after a few seconds last. As they came around for the end of the first lap it was a Belgian in the lead , Jean Paul Mingels (Mont esa). folIowed by the on -form West German Fritz Kobele (Maico), American newcomer to Europe St eve Stackable on the 1978 Maico , and Swede Hakan Andersson (Mont esa) . Andersson soon disposed of th e long-haired Stackable, and after fou r laps was pressing Kobele hard for the runner·up position. But th en Stackable crashed and dropped back. Kobele crumbled on lap five , and Andersson was through , riding one of his best races this year. Mingels by now had built up a very respectable lead as the Swede began to nibble away at it. Andersson began to extend his lead, he was making no mistakes. riding smoothly with Ii.ttle sign of effort or strain. Two laps later he had a confertable lead from Mingels as the Belgian struggled to keep ahead of Noyce who was pressing him hard , Then just as they came into the "S " bend before the straight Noyce n ipped inside to be runner-up closely followed by Belgian Andre Malherbe (KTM) on his way up from 10th. But Noyce could only stay there for one more circuit before, tragically, he was forced to pull out for a quick change of a front wheel that had broken several spokes. . Now it was Andersson , Malherbe Mingels and Kobele. The Swed; looked invincible and all set for a convincing victory, but sadly there were no other members of his team to back him up. Mingels soon dropped off the leader- board with an off-song motor and Suzuki-mounted American Tony DiStefano came up to third with Italian Paolo Faeiolio (Maico) behind him, But the race had settled down at the top and when lanky Jaak van Velthoven (KTM) came up behind Faeioli it began to look as if another Belgian victory was on the cards. Belgians now made up second and fourth places, and still making up for that d isastrous start, DeCoster was seventh. Britain made up for their first race showing next time out. There were no problems at all as a determined Noyce disposed of the Frenchman Daniel Pean (Maico) after seven laps, and went on to take the checkered flag with a comfortable lead of about 150 ya rds. Hakan Andersson did his bit for Sweden with third spot behind Pean , but again he had no one to back him up ; next best Swede in 11th place was 250cc Husqvarna runner Hakan Carlqvist, still not 100 per cent fit after the crash at the beginning of the season which left him in hospital for weeks .Torleif Hansen went Out after a spill earlier on . But with Malherbe taking fifth place behind Pean this time. DeCoster, l Oth and van Velthoven 12th, the Belgians were certainties fo; a team win . • Results Race 1: .1. H. And..soon ISweden. Monl; 2. A. _ (Belgium, KTMI; 3. T. DiStelono (USA, Sul!; 4. P. Foeioli ("-'Y, _1; 5. J . von V_ _ (Belgium KTM): 6. S . S _ (USA, Moil; 7. R. (Belgium. SuzJ ; 8. F. Kobele (West Germonv. _1; 9. o.co-; Mauger wins fifth World Speedway Championship By Stewart Boroughs GOTHENBURG , SWEDEN , SEPT. 2 Ivan Mauger. who has come so near so often with three second places in the world speedway final, finally equalled the legendary Ove Fundin's record five world titles at Gothenburg's Ullevi Stadium, For Mauger, 37 , the only rider ever to win three titles consecutively in 1968 , 1969 and 1970 . the meeting was no walkover as he overcame some of the worst track conditions in the 32· year history of world finals to emerge the victory with 14 points. A success which , with aJawa also in third place, puts the Czech Jawa factory back on top of speedway in their needle match with the British Weslakes. Wessies came second and fourth . England's favorite for a second win jn the championship, Peter Collins, handicapped by a cracked fibi .. in his left leg , rode courageously to defend his world title and took runner-up position this year, just one point adrift. Anders Michanek , too , struggled very much against th e odds to repeat his win at Ullevi three years ago, his ital right foot broken and encased in v a special support following .a crash at Norrkopping three weeks earlier. .H e fin ished a creditable sixth th is time. With rain wafting off the roof of th impressive -looking Ullevi Stadium, built 19 yea rs ago for the world socce fina ls, it was a determined Egon Muller of West Germany and twice world long tra ck cham pion who opened the scoring in front of a 35 .000 -strong crowd . Mauger was his main opposition and after teasing each other with a tape bending session it was Ivan who made the gate and shot away for the first of four wins. Re su lt s 1. fven Moug .. (14); 2. Pot.. Collins 1131; 3. 010 Olson 1121; 4. Michool Leo (121; 5. Finn ThorT-. 11 0); 6. An· 1 d... MidlOnok 19; 7. Egan Mull.. 181; 8.1longt Jonoeon (8); 9. 8011y Senders 161; 10 . Tommy Nilsson 161; 11 . B..· nt Peroeon 161; 12 . John Boulg .. 151; 13 . Eclword Joncor. 141; 14 . Jiri Stonel 131; 15 . Jon Verner l1l' Jon Mueho (1). . '

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