Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) Marnicq Bervoets finished second in both matos, but lost more ground on Everts in the championship. (Right) Mike Brown finished fifth In both motos and now lies 13th In the World Championship. mind made up about Brown and he wasn't pleased. "Tortelli was getting away and Brown was holding us up," the Belgian said. Then;after six of the 21 laps, Everts' moved around Brown and set out after Tortelli. Bervoets also got by Brown a lap later with Brown now hearing the Kawasaki of Bolley roaring in his ear. "Those top three guys got by and them Bolley came on to me," Brown said later. On the 14th lap, Bolley made his move around Brown, but if Brown thought he was having trouble it was nothing compared to Tortelli's. The race leader misjudged a downhill jump and landed on the apex of the following corner. With no time to change his line, he headed into the safety tires and stalled his engine. "I just miscalculated - it was a big, bad mistake," Tortelli said. Everts rode by his rival and then went about setting some blistering lap times. Tortelli, meanwhile, returned to the track just behind Brown in fifth place. Everts led Bervoets by a second with Bolley a solid third and Brown coming under heat from Tortelli. England's Eastwood, meanwhile, was leading a freight train of riders and with the pressure on his right shoulder ended up losing some major points. "It was very tough," Eastwood said. "I held sixth place, but right behind I could hear all the riders coming, changing lines and stuff. Then I tried to do the same and it was a mistake. I lost my rhythm and first Tragter passed me then they all got by." The British rider ended up going from sixth on lap 14 to ninth on the final lap. . The final laps were a show of power by Belgium with Everts and Bervoets running away up front. In the end, though, it was Everts who took the victory over his countryman. Bolley, Tortelli, Brown, Tragter, Dewit, Karlsson, Eastwood and Beirer rounded out the top 10 finishers. "Tortelli is making a lot of mistakes," Everts said. "I feel no pressure from him at all. I know my strengths over him," he added, pointing to his head. While happy with his rostrum finish after his poor French GP results, Bervoets still wasn't completely satisfied. "I was lo.oking ahead and seeing Tortelli going off and I thought he will win," he said. "Then I am behind Stefan chasing for the lead. I am very happy with this result. We had trouble with the bikes in France and now I can concentrate on one race at a time. I will not think about the championship yet." Bolley also seemed to back on form. "My year started so bad, but here and in France, I feel good," Bolley said. "I really think I can go for a win, maybe in England." In regard to his challenge of Brown, Bolley said: "His condition seems not so good, so I wait a little while and then make my move. He slowed a little, so it was not so hard." In the second moto it was Everts' turn to grab the holeshot, although Brown gave him a serious challenge. "We charged up the hill after the start straight and were side by side," Brown said. "He just got into the lead, but I held him off a little." Still, the lead was Everts' - followed by Brown, Beirer, Demaria, Aaltonen, Karlsson, Bervoets, Geisbers, Dewit and Bolley. And Tortelli? He was down in 20th. "I get a great start in the first race and then something happens in the second moto," Tortelli said. "It's not a good start for me and I had a lot of trouble with the other riders. The start is always a lottery." Everts looked brilliant as he pulled away from Brown while Demaria was soon out of the race, his Honda's ignition failing. Tragter was also out, the victim of another early exit. "I think it was the plug," Tragter said. "The bike just died." Eastwood was making his move from 15th place on lap one to hold a steady eighth with the laps running out. "I feel real good," he said later. "This track is a good one, a lot of fun." Tortelli was doing the charging and in no time was on the back wheel of Brown in sixth place. While trying to pass the American, the pair collided with both losing valuable time. "I lost my front brake, there was nothing I could do," Tortelli said. "I ran into him very hard." Brown wasn't overly impressed: "I crashed three times, but still finished okay. Finally, I'm putting together some good results." At the finish, the win went to Everts, well ahead of Bervoets, Beirer, Karlsson, Brown, Tortelli, Iven, Eastwood and Giesbers. "I have a lot of experience," Everts said. "If I had lost points here I would not have died, but I came here to win both motos. We have a good team and the results will prove that. We will be hard to beat." Third-placed Beirer was over the moon with his result. "I crashed really hard on Wednesday and though I would not come here - so this is a real nice round for me," he said through a swollen lip. CN .- •• Loket Lake!, Czech RepUblic Resu~s:May11,1997 MOTO 1: Stefan Everts (Hon); 2. Manticq Bervoets (Suz); 3. Frederic BoDey (Kaw); 4. Sebastian Torte1li (!ert, who won six World Championships. Injuries arB currently ruling the Ii~es of many at the moment. includin.g Tahlon Vohland. "Ifs not the bone anymore. ifs the muscles The HRC team run by Stefan Everts and Daile arid ligaments in bis sboulder - they are reaily Grant is still undergoing some changes and torn up,· Chesterfield Yamaha team boss improvements. ·We will be doing some small Michele Rinaldi silid of his star rider. With Voh- things." Grant said_ "We have this radio"Conland's injury so prominent in the talk around trol system. which is very uncommon in the pits, injuries to others are far less publi- Europe.· The team has also added a round of cized. but Pit Beirer anrived at Loket with a the Japanese Charnpionship 10 its sch·edule. black eye and a bruised face after a practice ·"We will. of course. do UnadiUa in July and crash. "My thumb Is really sore.· Beirer said. then when our season is over Stefan will ride "I strapped it for ihe first mota. but Ithink f did the last round of the Japanese Champiit too hard and I got a really bad cramp. In the. . onship." G,,!,nt said. "We will not be doing the second mota, I didn'~ strap it and the pain was World Supercross Champion&hip. though.· Of the Irst of <;:andidates. likely' to join the team te(l'ible. but Icould at least ride better.•. Qex\ year, Grar!' said. "We don·t. say tho~e French rider Yves' Demaria yvas also r:iding. things yet. but we don't want any Arnericans, . io pain after breaking two rilis io Italy in April. "I that" s. for sure. • could not jump too much. - tie said. "The ribs are very sore and while )Iou try to r:Jde'with it. it . Mike Brown, who. has complained of hdmemakes it difficult to give 100 perce"t." sickness. was' caught reading the latest copy Qf Cycle News in Lake!. "I wish I couid get' De'rryaria missed his, home Grand 'Prix in. France hold of this· every week," he said. -It keeps on May 4 because of t~e injUry. me up to date on things back home.· .' Stefan Everts passed a major g-Q'al in his quest to reacb legendary status. The Belgian A rumor circulating at Loket was that American Suzuki Off-Road team member P.aul rider has now claimed 27 overaU victories in GP racing with his wins in France and the Edmondson has been given the wild-card Czech Republic. 'Everts had been tied with his entry for the 125cc Grand Prix in Foxhill on . .. lather Harry Everts .with 25 wins. The younger May 25.

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