Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

.MOTOCROSS . '. .:. ..World Championship 1.25cc ~ocross Series Final Round: German GP x (Left) Alessandro puzar became the new 125cc World Motocross champion In Germany, wlMlng the champlonahlp by only a thrM-pOlnt margin. . (Above) Runner-up overall, Alessio Chlodl (2) landed second In the championship. Here he leeds 5ebutIen Torte/II, who _ third overall .. well as In the flnel point standings. By Alex Hodgkinson REIL, GERMANY, AUGUsr 13 lessandro puzar showed nerves of steel to bounce back from his recent spell of poor form to clinch the World Championship 125cc MX Series title. The title is Puzar's second, as he earned the 1990 World Championship 250cc MX Series title five long years ago. But while celebration was the theme in Puzar's pits, there was sympathy all around for the defeated Alessio Chiodi, runner-up for the second successive year, who came within five seconds of the crown despite the agony of a broken finger. The German finale, at a deceptively tortuous Reil track overlooking the vine groves of the Moselle, was one of the most dramatic finales of all time. The tense on-track action was intensified still further by the thunder storms which surrounded the aptly-named "Auf dem heissen Stein". (On the hot rocksr track, but which finally broke the claustrophobic humidity 10 minutes after puzar was crowned! American Jimmy Button had two shocking starts, but fought back like a demon to finish fifth on the day with 8-5 moto finishes and clinch the numberfour plate for 1996. puzar had already scored a psychological advantage on Saturday when he timed his qualification lap to perfection and got out on the track just before the checkered flag came out to roost around three-hundredths of a second faster than A (Right) Amertcan Jimmy Button fought back from poor starts to salvage seventh overall; he wes fourth In the world. Chiodi's best as last man in. His rival would have to wait until Sunday afternoon to hit back. Puzar's steely-eyed glare contrasted sharply with Chiodi's perpetual wrinkled brow as the battle of nerves was intensified at the prerace gate inspection. The two rivals shook hands before retreating into their team shells, puzar making his final choice of gate in a huddle with team boss Corrado Maddii, while Chiodi sought the opinion of his chief, Michele Rinaldi. Exactly 11 years ago, Rinaldi had beaten Maddii for the 125cc world crown 50 miles away in Luxembourg. There was a score to be settled there, albeit through surrogates. Almost everybody expected the title rivals to be eclipsed on the day by Sebastion Tortelli, the 17-year-old French kid who had taken a whole second off their best times in the second qualifying group, but it was Puzar whose nerves held .best to take a clear holeshot. Chiodi was buried in the pack and only a supreme effort could advance him to 14th at the end of the first abbreviated lap. His two-point advantage going into the race was history. The Rinaldi teamster needed just four laps to break through onto the rear wheel of fourth-placed Jorgensen, while Puzar, albeit nearly 20 seconds ahead, was under persistent pressure from Vialle. That pressure was still intense as the race went into the final quarter as Chiodi drove inside Maschio for third and the crowd gasped. Heads turned as something bounced down the track Vialle's seat had come adrift! Chiodi had little difficulty hauling in the Frenchman for second, but the pressure was off Puzar. lronically, it nearly worked against him as he slipped off just over two laps from the finish, but there was no cause for panic as he lost just five seconds of his 3D-second lead. The mathematicians were rendered redundant for race two. puzar now led by one, but this could only be significant if both title rivals did not finish. The moto win was Puzar's sixth of the campaign, so a tie would favor Chiodi, who already had seven wins. The title chase had come down to a straight 45-minute fight and the first man across the line would clinch the crown. Puzar's expression flickered between jubilation and thoughts of the battle still to be won as he stood at the top of the first moto podium ... but where was Chiodi? . Had he gone off in a huff? "He can't come," shouted a voice from the throng. "Chicco's gone to the medical tent," explained the Yamaha press attache. "He struck Maschio's signaling board with his left hand 15 minutes from the end and it looks like he broke the middle finger." Chiodi's only option was a painkilling injection immediately before the deciding moto and the scenario was made more'dramatic as the sky darkened and thunder claps could be heard from all directions. ~ As the riders took their places at the gate hail-size rain drops started to fall, only to cease almost as quickly. The race would be dry after all. And puzar holeshot again! Chiodi was quicker out of the gate this time and needed just two laps to reach third as Vialle again pressured the leader. Another lap and the Frenchman had crashed down to ninth, but Chiodi only had clear track to his rival for two laps before he too made a mistake and fell. He got back on fourth but was 11 seconds down and for 10 minutes gave no indication of being able to reduce the deficit as Tortelli, an uninspired fifth in the opener, put the pressure on Puzar. Strijbos, coming aback from a firstrace retirement after a fall and a damaged carburetor, had scored just 26 points since his midseason fuel exclusion from the British GP, but the Carpi teamster suddenly snapped out of his depression. Given third by Chiodi's fall, the Dutchman left the title candidate standing as he hauled in the two leaders and was already past Tortelli before the French kid slid along the ground. puzar too could not withstand the pressure, but he didn't need to. He only had eyes for the track ahead and the black-shirted Chiodi, whom he could glimpse several times a lap across the numerous loops. At 25 minutes Chiodi started to charge again, but within two laps he was in trouble once more, track-marker tape tangled round the rear spindle and footrest. The banner rendered his rear

• Cover