Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Chevallier, Vic Soussan and Guy Ber tin . Italian Franco Uncini could oaly climb to II th after a terrible start. while young Clive Padgett had a vc:r.y impressive ride to take 12th spot. Eugenio Lazzarini's lead in the 125cc championship battle was cut by reigning champion Pierpaolo BiancHi, who rode the Minarelli to victory after a slow start. 'lrlT Frenchman Thierry Espie on 1th~ Motobecane led for eight la ps-i t i\l Bianchi caught ' and passed him , ' bJl} the cheers of the crowd soon died when -rEspie hit a wet patch and fell. Bianchi won easily, chased in ~a i n by Eugenio Lazzarini , with sivea~ Bam Carlsson having a good ridetil 'to . take t hird spot. .". For Bultaco it was a bad da Y,. Ricardo Tormo didn't qualify after problems in practice. and Angel Nieto Pu lled out after four laps when well , down the field. 'II Italian Maurizio Mass imiani Y{¥. fourth, but only after little ~a~ Muller of Switzerland stopped wi~ ignition troubles, and FrenchmanJean Louis Guignabodet on his Morbidelli had trouble after losing his visor earlY, on. c It was South African KorK Ballington who made Gregg work for his 350cc win. The new Kawasakis a':~ apparently much too quick for the Yamahas, and all reigning cham pion Takazumi Katayama can hope is that the latest three cylinder works bike: due to be ready to race at the Dutch TT in June can match the Greeii' Meanies. J Katayama's race was short-lived. He made a bad start and came bursting through the pack to climb to fifth l spot, behind Hansford, Ballingtori Jon Ekerold and Tom Herron. But then a piston failed , and he had to pull out. ''''1 Olivier Chevallier must have regret ted a foolish warm up lap crash. that made it necessary to remove the complete fairing. Despite the handicap he climbed through to seventh place. "". Out of the points, just as he had been in the 250cc race earlier young Clive Padgett nevertheless made ,h is smark on the meeting. and his riding was a joy to watch. "• Results awn ~. Kenny Roberts' second consecutive 500cc GP victory moved him one step closer to the championship. File photo. World Championship GP Road Racing Series • Round lour Roberts, Hennen top Sheene in France By Chris Carter NOGARO, FRANCE, MAY 7 Kenny Roberts took a one-point lead over .Barry Sheene in the 500ccWorld Championship after winning a superb race at the French Grand Prix at Nogaro on Sunday. Roberts had to win this one the hard way. He came from the back, fought off 'a serious f C h a II enge f rom e II ow coun- 12 try man Pat Henn.en before rushing off to an .1 I-second wm. Third h?me was Barry Sh~en~, ~ho had wheeh~d away fr~m the gnd mto the lead, m determined style . ' B u ~ B.arry, on the Texaco-Heron-Suzuki did not stay out front for long. . Roberts , Hennen , T'akazumi Katayama and Johnny Cecotto all went ah«;ad" and though S~~ne hun.g on, he didn t seem to be ndmg at his best: FJr~t to d~op out was K:"tayama: He was nght with Hen~en, m pursuit of Roberts, and the pair had caught ~he yell~w Yamaha. Bu~ then. the Z~omm~ Taxi crashed heavily, dislocating his shoulder. _. That left Roberts ba~tl~ng w~th Hennen, and . Sheene dicing Wlt~ Johnny Cecotto. But the Venezuelan s Yamaha couldn't stand the pace, and he stopped, with undisclosed engine troubles. Cecotto had been quickest in training, for the third time in four GPs, but there was little indication that he would have caught the leaders. Up front Hennen managed to stay ahead of Roberts until the 26th lap, then Kenny simply opened the taps, and Pat cou ld not hold him . Shattering the lap record Roberts opened up a 10 second lead in five laps, and from then on the result was never in doubt. But equally, there did not seem any likelihood ofSheene catc~in~ He.nnen, and Barry c~ossed .the finlS~mg line 17 seconds behind hIS Amencan teammate. For a while it looked as though Frenchman Christian Estrosi might catch Barry, but he saw the pit signal and spurted to a comfortable distance ahead at the flag, while Dutchman Wil Hartog maintained his im provernent at GPs this year by finishing fifth . Lapped by the leaders, but looking impressive , was Italian Graziano Rossi on a Suzuki , with Steve Parrish keeping his hopes' of a top-six place in the 500cc table alive, was seventh. The race took a heavy toll on men and machines. Teuvo Lansivuori's Suzuki broke a disc valve, Virginio Ferrari had mechanical problems, and then finally crashed the Nava Olio Fiat Suzuki , without injury . Michel Rougerie didn't even start. . . _ Aft~r one attempt t<,J pu~h his Suz~kl mto hfe,. he gave .up '~ disgust, while Steve Wnght ,makmg his European GP debut, had problems with his Yamaha after 10 laps and stopped. While Barry Sheene was finding it hard going to hang on to his world title, Britain's other world title holder, George O'Dell was struggling to hit top form in the three wheeler race. Plagued by troubles in practice George finally picked the old Seymas outfit, and grabbed fourth place after passing Bruno Holzer's LCR Yamaha on the last lap, and Werner Schwanel had dramatically hit trouble in the closing stages on the Aro. The race winner was Swiss Rolf Biland racing the new Car-style device. He sat behind French hero Alain Michel until the very last lap before overtaking him . As a spectacle . the new Biland machine leaves much to be desired, but on twisty tracks like Nogaro he proved it to be a winner. Biggest disappointment of the day was the fact that Australian Gregg Hansford is not yet a contender in the 500cc class . The tall colonial scored an impressive "doub le" with victories in both 250cc and 350cc events, The 250cc race was another Gregg Hansford and Kenny Roberts two man show . Gregg on the Kawasaki always had the upper hand of his rival , and quickened his pace in the closing stages to deal with the challenge. But Kenny never let Gregg have things easy, and his runner-up place was good enough to keep him out in the championship lead. Roberts didn't help himself by taking a trip up the slip road at the end of the straight, but he quickly rejoined the fray to chase Hansford, who once again was at his best, playing to the crowd along the start and finish straight. South African Kork Ballington was a good third on the Life Kawasaki, but he was able to take things much easier after Frenchman Patrick Fernandez had gone out when his Yamaha seized three laps from the flag. With Patrick on his tail Kork had caught and passed fellow countryman Jon Ekerold, who was there to grab fourth spot, after the Frenchman's misfortune . Tom Herron, using a standard Yamaha, held off French hero Raymond Roche to take fifth spot, with Chas Mortimer a good seventh not so far behind this pair, and never in.danger of being caught by a threeway French battle between Olivier 125cc 132 laps-62 miles) : 1. P. Bianchi IMin) ; 2. E. Lazzarini IMar); 3. P.E. Caflsaon (Moot 4. M . Massimiani (Mer) ; 5.1.L Guignabodet IMer); 6. T. Moblesse(Mer) ; 7. M . Kinnunen IMor); B. P. P1isson IMor); 9. H. Bartol (Mer) ; 10.0. Mayer IMer); 11. C. Gerry (Merl; 12. S. DorfIingar IMor); 13. B. Wilber> (Mer) ; 14. J . parzar r (Mor) . Record Lap: P. Bianchi (Min) 1m 30 .35, n 24 mph . i 250cc 133 1aps-63.54 milesl: 1. G. Hansford (Kaw); 2. K. Robarts IVam); 3 . K. Ballingl on (Kaw); 4. J . Ekrold (Vam); 5. T. Harron (Vam); 6. R. Rocha (Varni; 7; C. Mortimer IVaml; 8. O. Chavalliar (Vam); 9. V. Soussan (Vam); 10. G. Bertin (Vam) ; 11. F. Uncini IVaml; 12. C. 00111 Padgett (Yam); 13. H. Moinaau IVam) . Record Lap: G. Hansferd (Kaw! 1m 25.&, 6125 mph. 350cc 136 laps -69.8 miles) : 1. G. Hansford {Kawr.·:z: K. Ballington (Kaw); 3. J . Ekarold (Yam); 4. T. Herron {Vam!; 5. V. Soussan (Yaml ; 6. P. Fernandez (Vaml; 7. O. Chavalli ... (Vaml; 8. P. Korhonen (Vam); 9 . R. Roche (Yam); 10. M. Rougerie (Yam); 11. M . Granl (Kaw ); 12. C. Padgett (Yaml; 13. S. Asami (Yam); 14. G. Bonera (Yam); 15. C. Mortimer (Vaml. '. Record Lap: G. Hansford IKaw); 1m 24.5s. 82.54 mph. 500cc 140 laps · miles) : 1. K. Robarts (Va ; 2. P. Hennen ISuz); 3. B. Sheene (SOl); 4. C. Estrosi (Suz); 5. W . Hartog (Suz); 8. G. Rossi {SuzJ;7. S. Parrish {Suz!; B. J . D. Orban (SuzJ; 9. C. P...ug ini (Suz); 10. K. Blake (Yam); 11. A. George {SuzJ; 12. M. Chabart (Vam); 13. J . Woodley {SuzJ;14. F. Rau (Suz); 15. B. Nielson {sua 16. Vogt ISuzJ. Record Lap: K. Robarts (Vam) 1m 22.B. 84.26 mph . Sidecars 130 laps • 56.12 miles): 1. R. BilandllC Williams (Yam); 2. A. MichaallS. Collins (Vam); 3 M. HobsoniK. Birch (Yam); 4. G. O'DelUC. Holla nd (Yam); 5. B. HolzeriC . Meirhans (Yaml . Record Lap: R. Biland/K. Williams 1m 29.6s. .85 mph . WORLD CHAM PIONSHIP POINTSTANDINGS I 125cc: 1. Lazzarini 54 points; 2. P. Bianchi 4(j; 3. Bartol 24; 4. T. Espia 20; 5. P.E. Carlsaon 17; 6.. ,L Guignabodet 13 . .. . 25Occ: 1. K. Roberts 39; 2. G. Hansford 30; 3. K. Ballington 24; 4. D. Chovallier 15; 5. J . Ek... oId 14;6. • Lavado 12. • . I . . 35Occ: 1. K. Bailinglon 35; 2. T. Katayama 25; 3. Go Hansferd 19; 4. J . Ekerold 18; 5. P. Fernandaz 17; 6 . F. n .50 17 e. uncini 12. 500cc: 1. K. Robarts 42 ; 2. B. Sheene 41; 3. P. He.,. • nen 39 ; 4. J . Cecotte 20; 6 . S. Bak... 15 . Sidecars : 1. R. Biland/K. Williams 30; 2. M . HobosonIK . Birch 22; 3. A . Michal/S. Collins 22; 4. G. O'DaIUC. Holland 16; 5. B . Holzer /C. Meierhans 12 ; 6 . G. Brodin/P.E. Wi ckstrom 8. g

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