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/126902
(Above) The stert of the L8 Touquet Bach race in France that was won by KTM 's K. .s van der Ven (inset). (Below) Second placed L8urence Spence. Van derVen istop sandman again LA TOUQl ET, FRANCE, FEB. 23 Dutch sandmaster Kees van der Ven made it an amazing five wins in a row for himself and the KTM factory at the La Touquet beach race where 250,000 people saw van der Ven slowly build up a seven minute and 45-second lead by the time the checkered flag fell. And that lead was from j~4 l "';'J U ISlerman Laurence Spence, who was disaualified last ye-.n, but 'made .-~J{-J_ .....-" ..... a_ ................ :..- amends on his lacLOry KTM and gOl his 1986 sea on orr to a good Slan with an aggressive second againslthl.' world's best. DUlchman Jan Van Poppel beat lanky Belgian veteran Jaak Van Vdthoven for third whilea pack of home . riders followed. Olivil.'r Perrin and Jean-Luc Fouchet finished fifth and sixth while another Dutchman, Dinand lij Istra was seventh. The amazing thing was that all of the above seven riders were mounted on KTMs. The firsl rider LO finish on any olher brand was Belgian Chrislophe Groux, who was drafted inlo the Sonaulo Yamaha leam as a lasl minule replacement for fellow Belgian Robert Greisch. As KTM leam manager Caiman Cseh commenled jubilanLly afler lhe race, "We have the besl riders on lhe besl bikes w'jlh the besl support." As far as the Le Touquel race is concerned, il would be a foolish man who argued with lhal. In lerms of preparation and backup, KTM are way ahead of their neareSl rivals al La Touquel. Only lhe French Sonaulo learn, heavily backed by the Gauloises cigareue company, comes close. And on Sunday, their luck was out. Much liked by the local press before lhe race, lheir LOp racer Hakan Carlqvislonly managed a lapon a misfiring Yl490 in IT guise before lhrowing the offending machine againsl his van in the pils. Jacky Vimond rode his heartoul only lO be lel down by pil crew bungling when a holed exhausl required changing. A laler wheel change COSl him more places and hcfinished 13th wilh II laps, one fewer lhan the lOp II riders. The revilalized Gmham Noyce delighled his many fans by occupying 15lh Spol on his KTM, despile a poor Slarl, several crashes and an admilled lack of preparation for his firsl allempl allhe race - Noyce had LO SLOp every lhree laps for fuel inslead of lhe six managed by mOSl of the lOp runners. Of the olher Brilish Ii(:ense holders, expalriale Auslralian Brian Bader was by far the best. He forced his 490 Yamaha lhrough 10 laps LO finish right Ix'hind former Paris-Dakar winnerCyril eveuandlakeasuperb 22nd spot. For many the end of the beach Slan straight was lhl.'end oflhe race. Many riders found madlinl.' problems early in till' going. The top Honda rider on the day was 12lh place man Er' ~~~,~ • • • # • • • • ,--~---~~ • . - - • • - ~~#~~ • • • ~. Geooers. The unlucky Belgian 5000: Grand Prix ace was holding second in fronl of Spence on the lasl lap when he seized his works engint almosl wilhin sighl of the finish. Ht was the£irst rider locomplele lilaps. Andre Malhcrbe was well up in tht early slages of the race, bUl on la/1 nine, j USl as he acceleraled OUl of lht dunes onto the beach, his CR's mOLOr seized. The former 500ec World MOLO· cross Champion had already holed hisexhausl in a collision which mad il run fatally weak. Malherbe, ever the professional, claimed lhal he had hil a palch of iCI and had hun his ribs and wrisl, bUI eyewitnesses say there was no iCI where he went down in sofl sand Despile appearing unhurt, he showed no hurry in getLing lO his bike, even when a Gendarme picked il up fOI him. . French enduro specialisl Marc Morales was the rider evenluall, chosen LO give the new four-slrokt KTM ils debut. The decision Wal taken lWO days before the nice afl much speculation thal van del' Vem would ride il. In lhl.' end van del' Vcr decided LO stay with the lried ani lrusled lwo-slroke. Mondes complele! six laps on the bike and proved II have the same speed down the bea aJS the two slrokes. KTM wouldn admiltoany problems bUlas Mordle was sixth after the firsl lap and onl made one pil SLOp for fuel, somelhinl somewhere mUSl have gone awry Mordles finished in 296lh place. In lheend il was van der Ven'sda~ He led the way 0(£ the line and des pile being passed by several ride before the end of the beach, he wa back in fronl by the end of the firs lap. After lhat he jusl p'ulled awa making illook easy. Results 12TH ENDURO DU TouaUET: 1. Kees van d. Van 1485 KTM); 2. Laurence Spence 1485 KTM); ; Jan Van Poppel (485 KTM); 4. Jaak Van Velthove (540 KTMI; 5. Olivier Perrin (238 KTM); 6. Jean-L Foudhet (486 KTMI; 7. Dinand Zijlstra (485 KTM); I Christophe Groux (490 YAM); 9. Dominique Hama, 1490 YAM); 10. Gilles Lalay(491 HONI; 11. Patri< Drobecq (496 KTM); 12. Eric Geboers (495 HON 13. Jacky Vimond 1490 YAM); 14. Guy Albare.(50 KTM); 15. Graham Noyce (495 KTM); 16. Patri< Saniface (250 HONI; 17. Yanning Kerwlla (49 KTM); 18. Jean·Marc Blanchy (500 KAWl; 11 Christian Vimond (500 HON); 20. Girogio Grass< . (25Q "l'M).J1 1 1 It 1 n 1. l .1 ( t l l J I, q l' I'! ~ Vu~ "",') It, ;),-