Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

MOTOCROSS· WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 250cc MOTOCROSS SERIES (Left) Stefan Everts showed his superiorItY In the fifth round of the 250ccWbrld Championship, winning both motos In the Czech Republic. (Below) The always-fast sebastian Tortelilled the first moto until crashing. By Geoff Meyer LOKEr, CZECH REPUBLIC, MAY 11 onda's Stefan Everts has been talking about his strength over young French rival sebastian TortellHrom day one of this year's World Championship. In the Czech Republic Grand Prix, the three-time World Champion backed up his- words. "I want to win both motos here," Everts said prior to Saturday's practice. The Belgian then went out and did exactly that on Sunday. Kawasaki's Tortelli was anything but impressed with his results in the sixth round of the title chase. After leading the first moto and pulling away from Everts, he crashed and ended up fourth. "I felt good coming into this weekend," Tortelli said. "I've ridden here before and had a good result (he had won the 1994 Europe.an Championship round in Loket with a 1-1 tally), but today I had a very bad day." Adding to Tortelli's woes was the loss of his front brake in the second moto. As Everts rode away into the distance, the 18-year-old Tortelli trailed in a lowly seventh place. With the championship nearing the halfway mark, Everts is looking more and more likely to win that fourth title although he's not looking too far ahead. "I came to Loket thinking I would be in the best shape in a couple of weeks," Everts explained. "I figured to peak in Foxhill (the next round, in England), but I feel very good here. My rhythm is great, and on this track timing is everything." Timing was never more obvious than in the first moto when Tortelli blasted into the lead only to throw it all away handing the defending World Champion the lead and in the end the overall. While Everts and Tortelli are fighting their battle up front, several favorites are losing any hope of a serious challenge to the series leader. America's number one on the world scene, Tallon Vohland, is still recovering from his shoulder problem. While he did arrive at Loket, it'was a short-lived appearance. "He rode early on the Saturday, but left when he realized he could not ride to his potential," team manager Michele Rinaldi said. Vohland looked slow in practice, but at least his chance of a return at Foxhill look good. "He rode in Italy on Thursday and it was his first time on the bike since the crash," Rinaldi added. "But he will now go home and practice as much as possible." Qualifying again proved that Tortelli is the fastest motocross rider in Europe and possibly the world. He blitzed to a time of 2:05.679, well ahead of secondplaced Marnicq Bervoets and his Suzuki, who turned a 2:06.797. Everts logged in the third-quickest time at 2:06.815 with American Mike Brown next at 2:07.194. Brown liked the track. "I like it a lot," he said. "In France, the track was a little more like home. Here there are a lot of tabletops - I like those a lot." With qualifying completed, it was down to business, and without a doubt the holeshot leader in Europe is again Tortelli. The youngster blasted off the line with Brown tucked in behind as they headed for the first s-eries of jumps. "I got a great start," Tortelli said. "It is becoming very nice for me. Before I always had to fight to get to the front, but now it is much better." . Brown was showing his GP nerves are quickly disappearing and he held second place, keeping his head the whole time. "Before I would get real bad arm pump, but every GP it's getting better and the results are coming," Brown said. Third place was held by Everts, followed by Bervoets, German Pit Bierer, Frederic Bolley, Mark Eastwood, Joakim Karlsson and Pedro Tragter. Hondamounted Yves Demaria, returning frOl,TI his Italian GP crash, was 13th with Suzuki's Werner Dewit a disappointing 15th. Up front it was Tortelli moving away from Brown, Everts and Bervoets - the three locked in battle. Bervoets had his

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