Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Erik G.bo.... (3) pow.r. hi. big Honda through the deep sand at Ruskeasanta, Finland, grabbing the holeshot in the first 600cc GP mota. Defending 500CC MX World Champion David Thorpe (1) is trailed by eventual Finland GP winner Erik Geboers; Thorpe finished second overall. 500cc~otocrossVVorldCh8IDpionship Series: Round 4 Geboers wins in Finland By Alex Hodgkinson RUSKEASANTA, FINLAND, MAY II With his second runner-up spot of the Scandanavian GP tour, David Thorpe took advantage of a first race break-down for Andre Malherbe to move into a commanding 18point lead in the 500cc World Championship Series as Erik . Geboers made It Honda a one, two and three in the title stakes 46 after his commanding double win at Ruskeasanta. It was Geboers' second successive win in Finland and after his awful start to the 1986 campaign it gave him renewed confidence. "Now I am in with a real chance again," he said. "I am still 24 poims behind David but after the break-downs for MaIherbe and Persson, he is the only rider clear." For Thorpe, secod overaJl was a bonus; ''I'm just glad this race is behind me. Teh 34 poims and the championship lead are just a bonus." An incredible third overall was Georges Jobe, the man not even expected to start, while further good news for Kawasaki came with, two good rides for Kurt Nicoll, which take him within sniffing distance of the tOP eight. On the deficit side for Team Green were the double zero score which dropped Rob Andrews behind Heinz Kinigadner, and an awesome crash in heat two which left Jared Smith in the hospital with broken bOnes in his back. . Kinigadnerwasthecenterofauenlion at the first auem~t to start race one when a nervous rival reacted to the five-second board and the Austrian followed suit, going over the bars and gate to sit facing the rest. Despite stomach pains, the 250cc World Champion made an excellent second auempt and alone split the Hondas, holding second to Geboers after a lap. He inevitably dropped back, not only behind the Hondas but behind the Yamaha duo of Carlqvist and Persson and KTM teammate Kees van der Yen. The Dutchman lost pace when he fell in a corner and after 25 minutes he collided with Kinigadner when going past for the second time. The Austrian had to quit. "I banged my right knee for the third time this weekend. Roll on the hard tracks'" he said. Perrsson was also unable to hand on to the Hondas but, as Geboers moved into a comfortable lead, Carla hung right in there as Thorpe used track-craft more than speed to stay second. "I wasn't really racing, just riding around concentrating on getting some poims," he said. At 20 minutes Malherbe found a way through over-the-table but a lap later had to stop to change a broken rear wheel. This cost him one minute and 42 seconds and after two further laps the Mona~sque pulled in with the rear brake Jammed on. "I was really worried when by brother Sylvain signalled me that Andre was out with a broken wheel. I immediately slackened my pace on the jumps, and concentrated on speed in the turns," explained Geboers afterwards. Keeping both of the remaining Hondas in sight to the finish but angry with himself that he couldn't find the pace to pass them, Carlqvist took third as the leaders spread out. Nicoll looked good for ixth umil Jobe, having set himself a pace he felt well able to keep for 45 minutes, speeded up in the final laps to snatch it from him. For the second heat the inside got the start with Thorpe turning tight to lead and American Phil Larson, eliminated early in the opener with a broken rear brake line, using all the track to keep th.e outside fast-starter Geboers out. For 20 minutes the American defied the Belgian and pressured the champion, making light of his power deficit. But soon after Geboers finally got through on a series of jumps, Larson dropped it in a turn, lost his goggles and was eventually a brave sixth. That set up a dramatic chase at the from. Three times Geboers got alongside, Thorpe, only to have the wrong line for the following turn, and as they headed towards the pits turn for the final time it all seemed over. "I just missed the berm," said Thorpe as he reflected on a secure title lead while an elated Geboers said, "I had planned to make my final attempt on the double. The landing had become badly rutted and David hadn't jumped itfor five laps." With just three corners from there to the finish, both flew over at the final auempt_ An amazing third was Jobe, just 16 seconds behind the leaders and always in comrol against Malherbe as the lauer tried to retrieve some of the poims leeway. But both had a big crash for Carlqvist to think that they were disputing third and not fourth. The Swede had landed heavily on his head with three laps to go and literally didn't know which way he was going. A marshall had to send him in the right direction. It was a bad race for Yamaha with Persson eHectively out after 10 min'Utes with a rear tire puncture. Nicoll again rode well within himself for ninth. "That is the first time this year I have done two 45-minute motos so I am satisfied," he said. "Now I have a few weeks before Beuern to sort myself out." Results OVERAlL: 1. Erik Geboera IHon) 20+20=40 pIS; 2. Deyid Thorpe lHon) 17+17=34; 3. G _ Jobe lKew)1 0+15=25; 4. Heken Cerlqyist (Yem) 15+B=23; 5. K. .syenderVen(KTM) 11+11 =22; 6. Kun Nicoll (KewI9+7=16; 7. Andre Melherbe (Hon) 0+13=13; 8. Lei! Persson (VemI13+O=13; 9. Phil Lerson IMei) 0+1~10; 10. Heinz Kinigedner (KTM) 0+9=9; 11. Johnny Ponjee IKew) 6+3=9; 12. Gererd Rand IKTM) 8+1 =9; 13. Werner Siegle (KTM) 2+8=6; 14. Mervyn Anstie (Kewl 4+4=8; 15. Erwin Gebriel (KTM) 7+0=7; 16. EtienneJ. .mers (HonI0+5=5; 17. Tepio Kokkonen (Han) 5+0=5; 18. Jeek Verweeyen (Kew) 3+0=3; 19. WeherVen Rompeey (KTM) 0+2=2; 20. Jon.. Andersson (KTM) 0+1=1. FIRSTMOTO: 1. Geboers; 2. Thorpe; 3. Cerlqvist; 4. Persson; 5. Van der Yen; 6. Jobe; 7. Nicoll; 8. Rand; 9. Gebriel; 10. Ponj. .; 1 1. Kokkonen; 12. Anotie; 13. Verweeyen; 14. Siegle; 15 Andersson. SECOND MOTO: 1. 'Geboers; 2. Thorpe; 3. Jobe; 4. Malherbe; 5. van der Yen; 6. Larson; 7. Kinigedner; 8. Cerlqvist; 9. Nicoll; 10. Siegle; 11. Joemers; 12. Anotie; 13. Ponjee; 14. Ven Rompaey; 15. Rand; 16. Willie Simpson. WORLD C'SHIP POINTS: 1. Thorpe (123); 2. Malherbell05); 3. Geboers(99); 4. Persson 1911; 5. yan der Yen 1911; 6. CerlqyiSl (76); 7. Jobe (67); 8. Kinigedner 142); 9. Andrews (36); 10. Nicoll (36); 11. Siegle (31); 12. Lerson (31); 13. Spence (21); 14. Ponj. . (20). 250cc Motocross World Championship Series: Round 4 Fanton wins Italian GP By Mannix Devlin GALLARATE, ITALY, MAY II Although he blatantly rode outside track markers each lap to bypass a rough lOO-yard sectionoftrack, Yamaha-mounted Michele Fanton claimed overall victory at the 250cc Italian GP, where he won the first moto and finjshed third in the second moto. At first glance, the stadium-like GaUarate track, which sported steep, dusty terrain and 22 jumps per lap, looked as if it would suit the Italians, but not the foreign riders who managed to qualify. That assumption proved wrong. As the gate dropped for race one, England's Jeremy Whatley stormed imo the lead on his factory Cagiva, followed by Fanton. Lap twO saw the Italian take the lead from Whatley, and the pair pulled away with a 10second margin over Roland Diepold (Kawasaki) in third. Famon was able to maintain a three-second advantage over Whatley by blatantly disregarding the track markers. The Italian repeatedly rode on a smooth piece of ground between markers and a crowd comrol (ence for 100 yards each lap. Third-place Diepold started to fol· low Famon's line, but both Watley and Englishman Mark Banks, who moved through traffic to take up fourth spot on lap seven, stayed on the track through the bumpy uphill section, fearing disqualification if

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