Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Foxhill is a track nobody likes - only Stefan Everts. So I expected him to not be that fast there - he did a third and a fourth in the two motos. Then we went to Brazil and he didn't like that track either. Bervoets could not follow Vohland and myself there; he was over 40 seconds behind us. Then we went to San Marino and it was there that he started to fail because he was becoming nervous. That was a strange race because it was dry during practice and the morning of the race, but then the rains came and changed everything. Bervoets wanted to have the race canceled, but at the last moment, after we all took a sighting lap, it was decided that we would race. You have to realize that if that race was canceled, the championship was lost for me. So the race went on, and in the first moto I only finished fourth, but I lapped Bervoets! I made up a big gap there - I took like 30 points at that GP. So then he really got nervous! Then we went to France and a lot of shit happened there with him. He was riding pretty good in the first moto, because I was behind him, then I passed him and something went "click" in his mind and he started to go backwards and make mistakes. Then he crashed and went into the crowd and people helped him with his bike. Me and Vohland protested him and they took his points away. After France came the Kester, Belgium, GP, and over 25,000 people came out to watch you and Bervoets go at each other. How did you feel there? I had so much confidence, and so much confidence to win that race. I took the pole position in qualifying and the first mota went perfect. I didn't use any energy, I just played with those guys. I felt so great and I love the track and I was in Belgium. So I won the first mota, while Bervoets got stuck in the gate and was last and crashed a few times coming through the pack, so he finished only 12th. But then, in the second moto, the roles were reversed. He took the holeshot and I got stuck in the gate. However, r managed to finish fourth. After Belgium, I was leading by nine points, because before the Kester GP, I was given my points back from Foxhill. Before the final round in Switzerland, Bervoets and Vohland appealed the FIM ruling that gave you your points back, didn't they? . Yes, but it changed nothing. I had so much confidence that nothing could break it. I told myself that I'm going to win the title no matter what. Still now, when I think about it, I am amazed at the amount of confidence I had. I was taking so many points away from Bervoets that I was not about to lose it at the last GP. How did you feel at the final GP in Switzerland? Good, but before the final timed practice it started raining. I then lost my confidence in the track, because the track was like this (Stefan knocks at the slick table we are sitting at). Roggenberg is a very special track when it is hard, but with the rain, it was so slippery! It was like ice. So I then went out and did only the 13th-fastest time. Everyone was worried, but I wasn't because I was the fastest rider in all of the practice sessions. Sunday everything was great. I took a great start and went to the lead and no one could catch me - I won the first mota. And then before the second mota, I got very nervous. As soon as we started and I passed the first turn in third, I knew I was going to win it. I knew the title was mine. Is it a very gratifying title for you? More so than the year before? I wanted it worse this year. I am now a OUR OF ACES B.-....uL""'" PlRILLi ALSO CONGRATULATES: • BADY HAWK - 1996 <;NCC 4-Stroke A Clwnplon • GEOFf AARON - 1996 U.s. Trials Clwnplon (His third title) • MIl(( YOUNG - AMA 4-Stroke MX East Champion 4-Stroke East/West Shoot-Out Champion • JOSH McLEVY - 2nd Overall AA-Class NETIlA Hare Scrambles Series I.AELL~ Po~er Is nothing without control For information and brochure: phone: (610) 458-9662 I fax: (610) 458 9663 410 Eagleview Blvd.• Suite 106. Exton. PA 19341 Built- for 740 Hunters Court. Bowling Green, KY 42703 • PHONE: (502) 842-6000 • FAX: (502) 842-9527

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