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/127675
Rou 7:DutchG nd P A.six--pack fer Strijbes Local sand-rid ing experts normally d ecimate the o p p osi ti o n in th e Lo w Countries GPs, but odds were eve ned out by the combination of the atypical Dutch track and claustrophobic atmosp her ic conditions which left ev en th e onloo kers gasping for air. Tragter, riding just a few miles from his home in Ep se, need ed to wi n this one to keep alive hopes of prolonging his hold on the titie. And in the opener, with the hole sh ot and a runaway, he gave no one else a chan ce. He was mor e than 20 seconds ahead at half-distance, while Bader Manneh hung on grimly to seco n d. "I su rp rised even m yself," adm itted the resid ent of San Diego wh o has always struggled on sandy tracks . It was only in the final 10 minu tes tha t he fell back to sixth. As everyone e lse struggle d in the sand, the big Dutch nam es go t their act together in the opening race, with Tragter leading former champions John Van den Berk an d Dave Strijbos across the finish line in a home 1-2-3 sweep. The title leaders had made life easy for Tragter, enabling him to reduce his points deficit. "Iwas away about sixth," explained Moore as he sat in the specially improvised bathtub outside hi s caravan to cool down between motos. "Chiodi was in more of a hurry than me on that opening lap, came under me and took us both down." The Italian was first back on his feet, and Moore's ini tial goal after completing the opening lap in 17th was to pass his closest points rival-And that he did, around hall-distance, but not before he had been knocked ba ck down the leaderboard by another wayward Italian. "I had just passed (Simone) Cirolami on the outside and he fell over in the turn right on top of me." The second half of the race saw the im p re ssi ve Yamaha leader ad vance as far as fifth, By Alex Hodgkinson HALLE, HOLLAND,)ULY3 he battle for the World Championship 125cc MX title heated up in Holland w ith the tQP three in the stan dings comp leting the day in reverse order so that defending champion Ped ro Tragter reduced his deficit on pace-sette r Bob Moore to 35 poin ts, while Alessio Chiod i now tra ils the Californ ian by just seven. But non e of them won! Tha t ho nor went to former champion Dave Strijbos, w ho thus registered the sixth 125cc GP vic tory in his Du tch homeland in nine att empts spread over 11 years. And Mikael Pichon? Well, the French wonder kid had slayed 'em in qualifying over the very untypical Dutch track: fast, hard sand with big jumps and a se ries of king-sized w hoops. Then he went out for an inspection lap prior to the first moto - ironicall y, it was through the whoops, wh ere his supercross skills ha d brou ght such divi dends - flew over the bars and slammed onto the gro un d, his right forearm broken and his tit le dr eams gone for '94. T 14 (Above) Holland's Dave Stri jbo s recorded his sixth GP victory o n home soli at Halle. The former ch amp went 3-1 and Is now fifth In the World Championship 125cc MX series point standings. (Right) Fren ch rider Frederic Vlalle gets a little sideways ahead of series points leader Bobby Moore. The Californian went 5-4 at the Dutch GP and saw his points lead shrink to seven over Alessio Chiodl. The italian finished third overall behind Dutchman Pedro Tragter. just missing Peter Beirer, whil e Chiodi never got back pas t eighth. Tra gt er must ha ve fa ncied his chances of a second wi n as he ga te d beh ind Chiodi in race tw o, b u t the Dutchm an was no t as happ y in this moto and never serio usly threatened the Italian apart from an ear ly push. Bu t Strijbos - who had also bee n s tro ng in the opene r and ad van ced to third from an initia l 11th - was hot. He passed both title candidates to secure the moto win and his first overall success of the campa ign. The decidin g second-moto win sp lit the tie w ith Tragter, w ho has yet to secure an overall win this summer. The re was littl e movement th rough the pack , and it became apparent tha t dehyd ration was a problem, but Moore had to race ha rd for anothe r 11-poin t haul. "The motor bogged comi ng ou t of the gate, but I was back into the top 15 alrea dy on the first lap and passing Marce l Van Drunen w he n he suddenly vee re d across me . I guess hi s front wheel must have found a groove." From 24th o n lap one, Moore had reestablished his lead in the standings by half-distance and got back to fifth, within sight of Massimo Bartolini at the checkered flag, but was not happy as he consulted with Yamaha race chief Gary Benn afterwards. "The motor was bogging off the big jumps all (during the) race," said Moore. Beirer wa s once again running among the leaders, in fifth for a third of the race, before getting off big time over the massive tabletop in the woods. "I landed on my chest on track-marker tires at the follow ing tum and I am coughing blood from my lungs," said Beirer afterwards. Manneh had challenged earl y before fading back through the pack, but maintained his sixth place in the standings. fX