Harry Everts lebovalled &elglen teammllteS Andra Malherbe ltop right) and
Rog. DeCoster lright! to victory In the MX d.. NlItiona.lRla photos.1
Motocross des Nations
Belgian stars scoop
American-less team
contest
By Geoff Aspell
RUSKEASANTA, FINLAND, SEPT. 2
After Britain's new World Champion Graham
Noyce had been sidelined with injury, the
Belgian team scooped the lion's share of the
glory in the Motocross des Nations - the annual 500cc team contest - held
near Helsinki Finland on
S d'
un ay.
The very fast and sandy track
14
at Rusk.easanta. just ouuide the
Finnish capital, was the scene for this
year's battle of the motocroaaing
countries, and with the British squad
including new 500cc World Champion
Noyce and runner-up in the 250cc
class Neil Hudson, it looked as though
B~ta.in could ha~e had a chance of
WtnnIng the prestlgeous event for the
fint time since 1967.
But it was Dot to be. The Dutch and
the Belgians produce possibly the best
sand racen tn the world. and their
overall experience was enough to give
them the edge on the deep sand circuit
which was ideal for speetaton.
Leader of the home team. Heik.k.i
Mikkola was out of action after injuring his back. while practicing earlier in
the week., leaving the Finish squad
underpowered. The Italian team did
not even turn up at the circuit and
offered no explanation.
Britain's quartet was Noyce.
Hudson, Vaughan Semmens and Rob
Hooper, all chosen for their on-form
performances in recent evenu by team
manger Dave NicoU.
The tint leg got off to an electrifying start. Dutchinan Gerard Rond got
the hole\shot with tiny Belgian 125cc
World Champion Harry Everu inches
behind, chased by the hefty Swede.
Torlei£Hansen.
Next were Noyce's factory teammate
Belgian Andre Malherbe on the
Honda. and reigning 250cc World
Champion Hak.an Carlqvist. Malherbe
was having to go lik.e blazes because
fellow countryman Ivan Van den
Broeck had been sidelined with a
broken leg received in the Saturday
practice session.
Multi-World Champion Roger De
COlter was using his sand racing skills
for all they were worth, and the rest of
the shoulder· to-shoulder group'
included Dan Arne Lodal, Netl
Hudson and Graham Noyce.
Rond was just superb on his favorite
sandy going and by the time the riden
hurtled. around for the beginning of
the second lap he had already pulled
out a substantial lead. Last year's winnen, the Russians, were malting no
impression at all, with an off·fonn
Moiseev struggling to get his KTM
near the front of the pack.. By the
fourth lap, he had pulled the- Russian
