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MOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 250cc MOTOCROSS SERIES Round 5: French GP (Left) Defending champ Stefan Everts won the French GP, via 1. 2 moto finishes. (Below) Despite winning the second moto, Sebastien Tortelli took runner-up honors. By Geoff Meyer BROV, FRANCE, MAY 4 hen the riders arrived on Sunday morning for the French 250cc MX GP, they were greeted by 20,000 supporters screaming for blood and wanting a Frenchman to win their GP. For World 125cc champ Sebastien Tortelli this was the moment he had waited for: "Winning here would be very important for me," Tortelli said. "This Brou track is a nice long track and you can have a lot of fun here." . Unfortunately for Tortelli the fun would be mixed with a little pain. Tortelli, once again, looked good to win the GP following Saturday's qualification. He timed a 2:41.808, with Belgium's Mamicq Bervoets second with a 2:43.608, and World 250cc champ Stefan Everts third with 2:44.303. Then the unthinkable happened. With the qualification just about over, Tortelli went back out to improve his already impressive time. He did not do it. "The bike just died and I was heading for a jump," Tortelli said of his impending crash. "With the bike not running, it dropped down front first, and I went over the handlebars." Luck would have it the French sensation would only have bruising, but still the crash played a major part in the run~ ning of the French Grand Prix the fol0'1 lowing day. ,.....~ If there's one thing abou t a grand ,..... prix held in France, it is the unbelievable C'l . atmosphere. The race organizers >. claimed 50,000 spectators but many of those in attendance figured it was more ~ like 20,000, but no matter how you look at it, the numbers were great no matter how many had actually arrived, and ..:g 24 with the added sound of air homs bellowing into the sky, it was little wonder the French riders - Tortelli and Bolley looked pumped. . The long, winding layout of Brou caused many a problem for the competitors, but not so for the boys from England. As the first moto blasted out of the start gate, it was all England with Paul Cooper leading fellow Brit Mark Eastwood, who was just ahead of Britishbased Swede Joaldm Karlsson and British youngster Justin Morris. "1 looked ahead and thought it was a British Championship round," Morris said: Putting the strong showing by the Brits into perspective, Cooper (who is technically a South African living and riding for England) is placed 14th in the series, while Eastwood is 15th and Morris, with only s~ven points to his name, was not even ranked in the top 20 going into the race. Meanwhile, Tortelli's qualification crash was revisited early and he lay in rnidpack. "I had a little crash, and got going again very quickly," Tortelli said. Everts held 10th place. By the time the riders had sorted themselves out, the British boys were still holding it together, with Cooper in the lead but getting some serious hurryup from Karlsson, who was looking for his second moto win of the year. "I felt good," Karlsson said. "This track is great, if you can stay out of trouble, then it's nice racing on it." Everts had blasted past many riaers and ~as looking to make a move on Eastwood, who still held third place. '1 knew Everts was there, and I just kept my head, but he got me anyway," Eastwood said. "From there I just wanted to keep with him," Eastwood said. thinking about winning yet, but I will soon." Brown held eighth place and was not 'looking tired as he had in the past. "The other GPs it was cold in the morning and 1 would get arm pump, but tOday it feels okay," Brown said. With time running out for Tortelli, he made another charge, this time past Eastwood, who had dropped to sixth place, but the move by Tortelli was a blessing. "When he passed me, 1 tried not to race with him," Eastwood said. "That would've been stupid, but 1 kept with him and it pulled me away from the others. 1 was happy about that." Eastwood's luck was made all the better as former race leader Cooper sat trackside. . "1 was styling out there," Cooper said. "Everything felt good, but then 1 hit a lip of one of the jumps and went over the bars. I've knocked my shoulder out, it hurts really bad." Tortelli had moved thrOugh the field like a wild bull, charging past Bervoets and American Mike Brown like they were standing still. "1 had to make up ground," Everts said. "1 felt 1 could have won the moto and rOde with that in mind." Brown was also looking good early and, despite his lack of points, it was very much an upbeat Brown who said afterward: "I've been practicing good all week. Every GP is getting better. I'm not It was a huge shame for Cooper. His series continues to give little in the way of results. With laps ticking away, Everts had surged past Karlsson for the lead, Tortelli held third with Eastwood hearing bells in his head, or at least hams. "Bolley was moving up on me and the crowd was going crazy," Eastwood said. "The closer he got the louder the horns. 1 tried to keep my lines, but eventually he got me."

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