Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

Strijbos' rapid movement suddenly ground to a halt behind the veteran Bernelli pilot Andreani. Andreani seemed to find the same line that Strijbos wa aiming for in every corner and denied the Cagi va eigh th posi tion for nearly 10 minutes. Strij bas finally muscled by, but finishing in the top five was now out of the question. He finally ended up in sixth spot after blowing by Peter Iven and another Italian Bernelli pilot, Alberto Barozzi. Moore continued to fight off Pantilla and the others as van den Berk eased through lapped traffic out front. With two laps left on the scoresheets, Moore brushed a backmarker on the main berm of a sharp hairpin and helplessly watched Pantilla streak around him against the fence. Moore put up a brief fight to regain the spot before conceding second to the Finri at the finish. The third spot was still Moore's best to date, as Tragter and Vehkonen failed to match Pantilla's pass. Strij bas had no problems gating in moto two, but it was van den Berk from the inside who led the pack around the corner. Strijbos, Peter Dirkx, Alwin van Asten, and a fresh Contini rounded out the first lap five. Contini had completed only half of the first-heat laps but looked comfortable as he sellied into fifth. Tragter, Pantilla, Vehkonen, and Moore all found themselves in the top 20 while Kouki found himself on the ground, again in last place. By the third lap the Flying Dutchmen had put 10 seconds on third Spot as they raced across the hills wheel-towheel. Strijbos seemed to have the speed in the second slot, but van den Berk definitely had the line. The ultraquick Yamaha raced through the . highest berm in every corner and found the smoothest line down every straight, Strijbos pushing for a way by all over the course. One more lap and the leaders raced themselves another 10 seconds away from new number three Contini. Dirkx remained in fourth with Pantilla fifth. By this point Moore had entered the top 10 and found himself in the ninth position. Unfortunately, that' as far as it went for the American. A rear flat relegated him to the perimeter of the Vrigstad circuit, unable to continue the chase. A semi-quick change in the Suzuki pits left him two laps down, too far down. The 30-minute mark saw van den Berk and Strijbos push themselves into a one-minute lead while Contini joined Moore in the pits. A few adjustments allowed him to reen ter the race before being lapped by the frontrunners but after 10 positions raced by. Pantilla was now the number three man with Vehkonen and Tragter trailing. The pace up front was now faster than ever as Strij bas picked up the pursuit of van den Berk. Van den Berk was showing the fatigue of the chase, but the Yamaha continued to pound the laps away as the finish grew near. The crowd was racing across the infield wi th each pass of the leaders in order to gain an extra glimpse of the battle, and when a pair of backmarkers stacked up in a corner in fron t of the leader, Strij bas seemed to finally have "the drive to grab his mark. The anticipated pass never materialized as van den Berk leaped across the berm to the outside of the track, nearly pinning Strijbos to the outer fence. With three laps now left, Strijbos seemed to find new energy as his frenzied rush for the lead reached an almost dangerous pace. He bruised by the lappers at every chance while van den Berk gave his all just to keep the Yamaha on the smooth line. The next lap was more of the same - van den Berk holding the hotline, Strijbos holding on for life down the rougher lines. When they simultaneously leapt across the fini h line tabletop for the two-lap card, van den Berk glanced across the plateau at his rival. He landed with the throttle on and aimed for the same spot as the Cagiva, both hurling themslves towards the summit of the steep downhill ski jump. It was at this moment that van den Berk sellied the score once and for all. Strijbos' last shot at the lead was crushed as van den Berk pushed across to the high spot and out-leapt the Cagiva. His daring maneuver gave him a needed extra burst of speed to keep up the fight to the fini h. A few corners later Strijbos dropped his bike and conceded the victory to van den Berk, along with his series lead. Van den Berk immediately slowed the pace and eased to the finish 10 seconds ahead of Strijbas. The worn-out winner saluted the cheering crowd with a no-hander over the tabletop that would have made any American factory rider proud. Behind Strij bas came a happy Pantilla, Vehkonen, and Tragter. Kouki crossed the line in eighth, 38 positions better than he started. • Results MOTO 1: 1. John van den Berk (Vam); 2. Arto Pontillo (KTM); 3. Bobby Moore (Suz); 4. Pedro Tragter (Hon); 5. Isma Vehkonen (Han); 6. Davev Strijbos (Cag); 7. Albano Baroni (Ber); 8. Peter Iven (Suz); 9. GiuseppeAndrsani (Ber); 10. Peter Oirkx(Hon); 1 1. Mike Kouki (Yam): 12. Petr Kovar (Kaw); 13. Kari Helin (Suzl: 14. Antoon Pruijmboom (Hon); 15. Alwin van Asten (Kaw). MOTO 2: 1. John van den Berk: 2. Davey Strijbos; 3. Arto Paotilla; 4. Isma Vehknoen; 5. Pedro Tragter; 6. Alberto Barozzi; 7. Alwin van Astan; 8. Mika Kouki; 9. Antoon Pruijmboom; 10. Peter lven; 1 , . Massimo Contini (cag); 12. Giuseppe Andreani; 13. B fa ~ Van den Berk and Davey Strijbos were this close throughout their second moto dogfight; the two are tied for the World Championship. Eric Stuurman (Kaw); 14. Peter Oirkx; 15. Jean Michael Bayle (Kaw). POINT STANDINGS; 1. Davey Striibos (222'); 2. John vanden Berk (214); 3. Pekka Venkonen (186); 4. Massimo Contini (172): 5. Mika Kouki (159); 6. Arto Pamilla (145); 7. Ismo Vehkonen (136): 8. Alberto Barozzi (112); 9. Alain Lejeune (70); to. Bobby Moore (61 ). • Under protest. 13

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