Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

It was clear to see tha t. even on an open track, Bayle couldn't gain on the leading Suzukis arou nd m ost o f the co u rse, but he was gaining about two seco n ds a lap on all exc ep t Ever ts aro un d th e tight turns j us t af ter th e fin ish line. H e used his advan tage there to close on Schmit before mo unting an outside-insid e pass through some hillside loops in front of th e cheeri ng gallery of 15,000 spectators. There were j ust two la p s remaining however, and Everts was eight seco nds clear. a n advantage h e reta ined o n Bayle to th e checkered fla g. Sch m it crossed th e finish line th ird a head o f Str ij bos , Van den Berk an d Veh ko ne n . There was every little movem ent fu rt he r do wn th e field as the tra ck dried o u t. Bervoets, however , we n t from n ear ly last a fter first la p problem s to claim 14th a t th e fin ish. After two ra ces, ' Bayle a nd Everts were eq u a l o n 37 p oi nts and th e fina l 30-minute moto would decid e which of the m would win th e first round o f the 1991 Mas ter s. The a n tici pated battle n ever materi ali zed. While Bal ey gated third beh ind Schm it , wh o got th e hol eshot agai n, and Van den Berk, Everts wa s stuck back in sixth . H e advanced a p lace at th e expense of th e fading Massim o Gazzarat a before the en d of th e lap, but a seco nd- la p a tte mpt to pass Dem a r i a wa s th e Be lg ia n ' s dow nfall. " I just made a mis take, that 's racing," said a grinning Everts after ·th e race. " I tried to ride around him a t the bottom of the hill and th e wheels broke away u nder me. " Rem o u nting in II th position a nd with all rea listic hopes of th e ov erall win gone. Everts' tas k became saving seco nd place on the da y. Bayle o bligingly helped by rid ing under Schmit for the lead af ter 15 minutes and that meant that Everts needed a sixth in the moto to head his teammate in the overall resul ts. Everts was in seventh p lace as Ba yle took the lead, the n q uickly disposed of Veh ko ne n a nd Strijbo s. Everts made a last lap pass on Van den Ber k a n d was handed th ird when Dem ar ia retired halfway th rough th e final lap with a broken wheel. Ga zzara ta was eve ntually push ed back to 11th by a posse o f hard-riding GP sta rs a nd th e best Am eri can apart from Schmit was Ward in 19th position. The Ame rican Suzuki rider was unha p p y with hi s suspe n sio n a ll da y and left France h o p in g fo r m ore CI success nex t week in Ita ly. R esults 0 1A: I. jean -M ichel Bayle (Hon); 2. Stefa n Everts (Su,); 5. Donny Schmit [Suz): 4. J ohn Van don Berk (Su,); 5. Pekka v ehkc n en (Ya m); 6. Yannig Kervella (Ka w) ; 7. Dave Strijbos (Suz); 8. Mamicq Bervoets (Ka w); 9. Pedro Tragter (Su,); 10. G jobe (Hon). . F.....' Lap: Bayle MOTO I: I. Jea n- Michel Bayle; 2. Sldan Everts: 3. Donny Schmit: 4. J ohn Van den Berk ; 5. Pekka Vehkcnen; 6. Mamicq Bervoets: 7. Thierry Bethys (Yam); 8. Yannig KaveJla ; 9. Yan n Cuedard {Ka w): 10. Bernard Maga in (Ka w); II. Larry Ward (Su,); 12. Pedro Tragter; 15. Frederic Vialle (Ka w); 14. Massim o Gauarata (Suz); 15. Rolf Du pa sq ui er (Vam ); 16. T a kagi Takam asa (H on) ; 17. Dave Strijoo.; 18. J ean -Michel Mid

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