Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126525
After e ..colld end first in Sweden. Graham Noyce vaulted him..1f to IeCOnd behind Andre Melherbe in points. 500cc World Championship MX Series: Round four Noyce jumps to second spot with Swedish win By Bob Gould VASTERAS. SWEDEN. MAY 24 Graham Noyce leaped into second spot in the 500cc World Championship MX Series point standings after brilliant second and first place 20 motos. The factory Honda rider positioned himself in the middle of the start gate in moto one where as reigning champion Andre Malherbe, Hakan Carlqvist, Andre Vromans and Jean-Jacques Bruno were all bunched at one end. The ex-world champion definitely picked the right place and fired off the line With Maico rider Ivan Van den Broeck. As they powered around the first bend and off the first jump, Van den Broeck headed into first place. Noyce was second and Malhe.rbe held third ahead of Brad Lackey, Gemt Wolsinlt and Carlqvist who are all desperately needing points. Yamaha· mounted Vromans, who was lying second after Finland, had a bad start down in 17th. Suzuki rider Jean-Jacques Bruno was right at the back also and soon retired to the pits with no chance of catching the rest of the field. Malherbe, who was fastest in practice. was looking for maximum points to add to his championship lead and soon slipped by Noyce. One lap later, he powered his works Honda past Van den Broeck. That was to be the last view of Malherbe the pack saw. Wolsinlt,lyingfifth, was 509n to be sidelined. A stone damaged the front brake plate then a fall broke off the front brake lever. Carlqvist started moving up the field and quickly found himself in fourth behind Noyce. Van den Broeck was having difficulty holding Noyce back, and after 20 minutes it was Honda one and two. Carla also passed the Maico start and headed after the Hondas. Marty Tripes, who had a bad start riding a standard 4!1O Husqvarna, could not make any progress due to the lack of power and his best performance was a 2:'1rd. Meanwhile back up the field, Vromans had been working his way through, and after :'15 minutes he was right behind Lackey. The Californian tried to hold off the Yamaha ace but due to great pain from his broken foot, he soon saw Vromans slip into fifth. Carla was close behind Noyce, but sand in his eyes made him lose a couple of seconds, and a half a lap later, Carla fell. Quicltly remounting, he put on a charge the last couple of laps to challenge Noyce and they went across the line nearly side by side_ Lackey was also to drop one more place on the closing lap, to Dutchman Gerard Rond on a KTM. KTM-mountedJaak Van Velthoven had also caught up with Lackey though the Suzuki star managed to hold on and come home seventh. Again in the second moto, Noyce started in the same spot. and once more the Honda canoned off the mark. Vromans had a better start, and with Lackey and Carlqvist, all charged after Noyce. Malhe.rbe appeared in 10th place after the first lap but was quickly going through the field. Bruno came around completely last and pulled into the pits throwing his bike down in front of his mechanic and the Japanese representatives from Suzuki. Noyce started to pull out the lead as Malherbe came storming past Lackey, Carlqvist and Vromans to take up third behind Wolsinlt. Two laps later, Malherbe failed to pass the lap scorers; ignition problems had halted the champ from scoring any further points that day. Vromans was back in third and Carla demoted Wolsinlt to fourth. Vromans started to catch Noyce lap by lap, and it looked all set for a battle to commence for first spot. Suddenly, Vromans slowed and looking desperately down at his Yamaha, could see that the rear brake rod had broken. A quick pit stop took place but after a talk with his mechanic. Vromans stepped off the Yamaha and wallted back to his tent. After !IO minutes, Carlqvist was 19 seconds behind Noyce, but the 8000 strong Swedish crowd pushed Carla on, and he closed the gap to 1:'1 seconds. Noyce was in full command and easily won, collecting 27 points at the end of the day. Lackey started to drop down the field with suspension problems and still in great pain. He finished well out