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/127659
"' PRE"IEW~ยท By Alex Hodgkinson hile the AMA Camel Supercross Series is already well underway here in the States, Europeans are just getting ready for their main off-road attraction to start. Most of the American limelight is focussed on the stadium circuit, but it's the outdoor GP scene that appeals to the European race fan. With the season rapidly approaching (it kicks off on March 20, with the open- W World Championship MX Series Preview ing 250cc round in Jerez, Spain), all three World Championship Series appear to be in good health. Even the most striden t attempts of meddling bureaucrats to hijack the GPs and reduce the importance of the 125 and 500cc series, at the expense of the quarter-liter div ision, ha ve failed miserably, and in 1994 all three classes wiI\ run at full strength for the 20th consecutive season. In fact, the 125 and SOOcc categories face the fut u re with fewer worries, as they have already adapted to the prevailing world eco nomic climate, while the 2.5Os, hyped up beyond their genuine status, are currently casting a worried eye towards their financial backers, who may not consider they are getting enough return for their investment now that the FIM has cancelled the TV contract and has nothing to offer in its place. For 1994 however, the 250cc World Championship retains its "p remier" statu s, as well as its ex p ensive I S-round worldwide schedule, so let us first look at the front runners in that category. Mo re top riders than usual h a v e swi tched carnps this winter, and a lot wiI\ depend on how qu ickly they settle down. Unable to la nd a deal w hic h met h is financial requ ir em en ts in th e States, defending champion Greg Albertyn has switched from Jan De Groot-tuned Hondas to the factory Suzukis on the team of Sylvain Geboers. The South African playboy could win easily, but he could also falter, as the third consecutive title has always proved to be the most d ifficult. Winnin g three consecutive GP crowns is a feat whi ch ha s onl y been achieved by Pa ul Fr iedrichs, Jo e l Robert, Roger DeCoster and Heikki Mikkola, and only the latter achieved it without a great deal ofluck. Alb ert yn's ch ie f ri val co u ld be the rid er he repl aces on the Geboers team Stefan Everts . The Belgian has lin ked forces with ace tuner De Groot and, like (Lett) Former 250cc champion Stefan Everts Is switching to KlIwuakls for '94. He'll be becked by JHK, fonMr sponsor for arch rival Greg Albertyn. (Below left) After a year-lorig stint In thlI 250cc clan, Billy Ulea Is returning to thlI b1g-bore ranks, where ha'lI ride a Vertematl fourstroka. (Below) Unable to land a deal In thlI States, Greg Albertyn will defend his quarter-liter title aboard an unfamiliar Suzuki. Albertyn, wiI\ have the handicap of using an unfamiliar marque. Everts' career to date has always. been with Suzuki, while De Groot has been associated w ith Honda for a decade, but th ey come togeth er with the factory Kawasaki team, s till und e r the ' lea d ers h ip of the red oub table Alec Wright. There is more stability in the set-up for last year's other medalist, Donny Schmit. The deposed champio n from Minnesota remains with Michele Rinaldi on the factory Yamahas, but his problem could once again be the sand races; it was his meagre scores in Holland and Belgium which cost him his title last year, even befo re injury dropped him to a distant third. The "challengers" are numerous. Kurt N icoll is p robab ly the only potential British title candidate, but his broken arm this win ter makes life difficult for him. Other Honda hopes for the title are the Italian-based duo of Tallon Vohland and class n ewcomer Yves De m a r ia. The American, Vohland, has shown speed in both of his previous GP campaigns, but lost his medal chances each tim e with injury a couple of weeks before the opening GPs, while the Frenchman, Demaria, was renowned for his lazy approach until last year when he finished runner-up in the 125 series under the guidance of exchampion Jacky Vimond. Dutchman Edwin Evertsen is the man w ho has finally been sign ed to ride for HRC through Eric Geboers, but the 1992 world number three ha s alwa ys lacked the required aggression for ultimate success in the past. Kawasaki's effort this year is tremen dous. In addition to Everts, th e w orks team ha s al so si gned up highly-rated Swede Joakirn Karlsson. a rugged rider in the mold of Hakan Carlqvist, while Belgian Jaimy Scevenels stays under the w ing of De Groot in his switch from Honda. Rob Her r ing w ill have id en t ical resources at his disposal after joining the RWJ team, and will undoubtedly once again prove to be phenomenally fast - but he has been that for eight years and never gotten anywhere near a world title. "Fish" fits the mold of Torleif Hansen and Jaroslav Falta - and they never won anything either! A further Kawasaki challenge comes from the Italian duo of Alessandro Puzar and M ichel e Fa n to n. The latter will undoubtedly play a role again on the hard tracks without being a title candidate, bu t 'Sandro pro ved at the end of last seas on that he has his confidence back after injury. Don' t d iscoun t hi m for a medal. Marnicq Bervoets wiI\ partner Albertyn in the official Suzuki team and should again be prominent, particularly on sand tracks. His stylish riding is a pleasure to wa tch, but he probably lacks tha t killer spirit which makes a champion. Werner De Wit's final ran king will once again rely on his gating. The only change in the Yamaha lineup is And rea Bartolini, who wiI\ replace Puzar, but th e Rin ald i new comer will probably find life difficu lt in his 250cc debut se ason. A much better bet for a medal is Frederi c Bolley - the Frenchman carne back from injury to genuinely earn a kitted fa cto ry Ya m ah a las t year. A medal is not beyond his reach. Once again the lone challenger to the Japane se Big Fo u r comes fro m Louis ia n a ' s Trampas Parker and his KTM. His departure from the medal chase at Lommel last year was sad, for he was just starting to show the sort of grit which had wo n him two titles, but his n ew fou n d confidence in sand again makes him a stronger challenger.