Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

1995 Motocross des Nations The Belgian backed his Husaberg up and took off at the back of the pack while Hughes, Emig and Bervoets rode together in the 10th through 12th spots. But before a lap was completed the red flag flew and the race was stopped. The FIM was concerned about Smets getting a fair start, even though many eyewitnesses said that the mishap resulted from Smets smacking the gate on his own. The American team was livid, and team manager Roger DeCoster protested that because Smets caused the red flag, he should not be allowed back in the race. The FIM ruled otherwise and the riders were lined back up for a second version of the third and final moto. "I know that it wasn't my fault because the gate did not drop," assured Smets. " It was a mechanical problem. 1 knew that I had to go on if they did not stop the race, but of course they had to stop. It was not my fault!" This time both Emig and Hughes got better starts but Bervoets did not. In fact, the restart almost cost the Belgians the race, as Bervoets was involved in a firstturn crash that could never justify a red flag. Smets was second behind the Husqvarna of Johansson; Emig was eighth and Hughes 10th. "When [ crashed on the start of the second race I thought, Man, this is over,'" said Bervoets of his pileup on the first steep uphill corner. "We were lucky that Joel did such a good job. That was the most important ride of the day for chance at the day's championship but who was blatantly trying to block Emig anyway. They touched together several times as Emig tried to push the big Husqvama out fairly. "That Swedish guy was trying to push me out everywhere," said Emig later. "He's from Europe, so I'm sure he doesn't like us anyway! It's the rest of the world against the USA here." When asked how much longer he was going to take it from Johansson before giving it all back, Emig laughed "I was getting ready to drop his ass for sure at the bottom of the next hill we got to, but I was already past him by then." The final man left on the track for Emig to pass was the sensational Beirer, who had by this point opened another 10-second lead. "Pit Beirer hauled ass in the second race, too," complimented Emig of the surprising German entry. "He cleared out from the start but sometimes when you're going that fast you ride way over your head. When I came around and saw him laying there on the ground 1 thought, 'Well, that's good. I don't have to worry about him anymore.' I think I would have caught him the second time - I'm sure of it - but I didn't have too. We have a few guys like that in the States that can go fast for a while but sooner or later they go down. Beirer was kind of like Paul Malin was last year: He wins maybe one moto all year and then all of the sudden here it is Motocross des ations, and he hauls us." ass." While Beirer approach d Johansson and Smets for the lead, the American Beirer's fans kept up the pressure on their own man with a portable air raid siren that blared out across the valley every time the German dropped down from the steep center hill. "I heard all kinds of stuff while 1 was going after that guy," said Emig. "I heard cheers, boos, -whistles, air horns, sirens, gunfire. I had flags hanging down in my face, people were throwing shit at me, people standing in the track trying to distract me. In the end there were a few chicanes there that were formed by the fans getting out on the track. It was funny because it seemed like every time Ryan and I came by the track changed - it got longer!" With Beirer out, Emig inherited a comfortable lead on Smets, who in turn held a few seconds on British 250cc pilot Nicoll and Hughes, whose ability to manhandle the big Kawasaki seemed to be growing by the lap. At this point, with 15 minutes le.ft in the race, the team tactics kicked in. "I got the board that said 'Ryan Needs Help,''' said Emig of his sudden speed-loss that allowed Smets to get right up behind him. "I couldn't see where the second 250 was but 1 wasn't going to take out Smets or anything. I was just trying to slow the pace down and let Ryno get up there and make a race out of it." '1 knew that something was going on (with the Americans) and they had some strategy at work," said Smets. "J thought, 'Shit, here it comes.' The Motocross des Nations is only one race and anything can happen to make the winner. You can't make any mistakes because you don't have a second chance. 1 was thinking, 'Don't make a mistake, don't make a mistake, don't hit him back.''' It turned out that Smets would not have to. Nicoll, who had- no business riding between 500cc riders Smets and Hughes, would not get out of the way. Emig's reverse mode had allowed all four riders to pull into single file and icoll seemed more concerned with trying to one-up Emig than letting the Belgians and Americans settle this thing for (Lett) Joel 5mets starts down one of the huge downhills on the picturesque track. (Below) Steve Lamson, U.S. Team Manager Roger DeCoster and Jeff Emlg (left to right) discuss team strategy. 16 also happened to be piloted by a French . rider. After starting out the first lap in 13th overall, Tortelli rose quickly through the field to pass the only two 125s ahead of him: 250cc World Champion Everts and 125cc U.S. National Champ Lamson. Tortelli then opened a commanding 15second lead on Everts and won going away, and he nearly passed Demaria. "In the French championships, the last heat - the third heat - is for 125, 250 and 500. The last race 1come to him and I followed him for 30 minutes. I was strong enough to ride with him but he does not like it when 1 pass him. When I catch him he goes wide open again. I let him go because he's not in 125. If 1could have passed him 1would have because I always want to go faster." Everts made a simple excuse for why he did not beat the kid; Lamson offered respect rather than excuses. "The last major race I had on a 125 was the '92 Motocross des Nations race in Australia, but even that year 1 was riding 250 all the time," said Everts. "The last season I spent on a 125 was in 1991 when J was World Champion. I'm happy with my results today. Tortelli was too fast but this is not my class, so I think that I did pretty good. I finished before Lamson and some other guys like Chicco (Alessio Chiodi) and Malin." "J figured Tortelli would be fast but I didn't think that he would be that fast," admitted Lamson. "I don't know how he must have just pinned it. I don't understand how he could go that fast. Gosh, it was amazing. He was moving." "I think that Stefan is faster than Lamson because in the second heat Lamson passed me in the first lap but then I passed him back and 1 go with Everts," said Tortelli, comparing the two pre-race favorites. "Lamson did not come with me." With four scores in, the Belgians led with eight points to 10 for the Ameri.cans. The French were third with 13. The Yanks needed to win both motos to beat the Belgians and take their 14th Motocross des Nations victory. However, the order would not change in the dramatic final moto. The biggest controversy of the day took place at the start of the final 250/500cc moto when Smets' starting gate did not fall while the 39 others did. duo of Emig and Hughes were carving through the field. Beirer got to the lead on the fourth lap and took off again; it took Emig the same amount of time to get up to fourth. He immediately put a muscle pass on Smets at the bottom of one of the hills. "I did n' t try to take Smets ou t," assured Emig, "I was just going for my line. We were just racing." When asked what went through his mind when Ernig gave him that love tap, Smets said, "Wow! For me I feel like it wasn't very fair but that's the way it goes in racing. 1 was happy that J could stay relaxed rather than lose my cool." The next man Emig approached was Johansson, whose Swedish team had no

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