Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

MOTOCROSS 125cc WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MOTOCROSS SERIES By Geoff Meyer ••T ...... ..... ~ P.. <: 28 lNDAIATUBA, BRAZIL, APR. 5 he Husqvarna is much better than the Yamaha; this year 1 will be very fast," said World 125cc Motocross Champion Alessio Chiodi just prior to the start of his defense of the title. His words would ring true in the ears of the large number of Yamaha-mounted riders at the opening round of the World 125cc Championships, played out on the sun-baked track in Brazil. Chiodi, who was part of the strange switch to Husqvarna at the end of 1997, would keep his promise with a 1-2 result and the overall win, even though the Yamaha brigade was anything but soft. French sensation David Vuillemin would claim a second-place finish in the opening moto, while Italian Eric Carnerlengo swept to victory in the second moto. Along the way, riders were left with injuries and pain, as the young 1998 season already begins to take its toll on the World Championship competitors. Earning second place overall in Brazil was Camerlengo, his 5-1 score bettering that of third-placed Italian Honda rider Luigi Seguy, who went 4-4 on the day. But the talk of the day was the Yamaha-vs.-Chiodi battle, a battle that will no doubt rage all season long. After all, Chiodi won his crown riding a Yamaha, then moved to Husqvarna, taking his prized number-one plate with him - and so begins the story of the 1998 World 125cc Motocross Championships. Round 1: Brazilian Grand Prix Indaiatuba, a small Brazilian village some 70 miles outside Sao Paulo, is the site of Honda Brazil's training track and was also this year's si te of the opening 125cc GP, and a crowd of 15,000 turned out to watch the international stars. Brigh t sunshine made sure the event was a success. When the riders rolled into Brazil, many were happy to see a track with few technical demands and an event hosted by an organization that did its best to produce a good GP. The top GP riders, however, were not entirely happy, even when the easy surface was roughed up after qualification, as a 'dozer would come out and replace the ruts with a level track. "We told them to keep the ru ts in - it w01.!ld have sorted out the men from the boys," said Great Britain's James Dobb. Chiodi was anticipating some problems with slower riders. "It will not be easy coming from behind; there are so many riders on equal times and this track is not difficult," Chiodi said. "But only if you're in . front; behind, you will never get through." Like a mind reader, Chiodi bolted up the slight hill off the start of moto one and left behind him a tale of misery. Dobb, Malin, and former World Champion Alex Puzar were fighting for survival in 25th, 37th and 17th, while Yamaha-mounted chargers VuiIIemin and Frederic Vialle faired better in second and seventh. With only one lap completed, Malin was riding at the rear . of the field and wishing his luck would change. "They watered the track this morning and the lines were very slippery," Malin said. "1 saw a place to pass - it was a little dangerous - but I knew it would be hard otherwise. 1 was doing okay; then, just as 1 thought 1 would get by a bunch of riders, one of the other competitors moved into the line I expected to slide into. 1 fell and got up in last place." Malin's British rival, Dobb, was also suffering, moving into 22nd place after four laps. He was finding the track not to his liking. "You just had to put your head down and hope," said Dobb, but the look on his face told another story, as slower riders blocked his every move. All along, Chiodi moved further ahead. "1 was really trying to get a large lead," Chiodi said. "1 knew the others were struggling; they must've been. 1 wanted to set a pace they could not contain, and 1 think it worked okay." VuilIemin, who had crashed into a slower rider, decided to cruise in second place, with Denmark's Suzuki-mounted Brian Jorgensen in third place. Rookie Johnny Aubert held fourth place, moving into the role of the fighter. Behind Aubert came a freight train of charging riders: Seguy, Alessandro Bellometti, Carl Nunn, Eric Camerlengo and finally Vialle (and all but Seguy were riding Yamahas).·Seguy was feeling a little nervous as the blue Yamaha machines were edging closer. Alessio Chiodi gave Husqvama the overall win atlhe opening round of the FIM World Championship 125cc MX Series in Brazil. Chlodi went 1-2. TM's Puzar was making his own move in 12th place. "1 saw Federici up ahead and decided to really go hard. Making up ground on this track was not difficult, but once 1 caught him, it became more of .a job," said Puzar, who was now climbing all over the back wheel of his fellow Italian. The two battled for a short time, and then Puzar moved into 11 th, while Federici was having his own problems. "Two weeks ago 1 hurt my ankle. 1 could not put my foot down, and on·this track it's impossible to race with this injury," Federici said afterward with a grimace. Still, he struggled on. By lap 18, Malin and J)obb were doing their best to make up ground, with Dobb now in 11 th place and Malin in 17th. With only a handful of laps remaining, Chiodi just cruised away from his rivals, with six seconds between himself and second-placed Vuillemin, who knew better than to make another mi~ take and perhaps lose his safe runner-up position. "After 1 collided with a slow rider early in the moto, 1 knew 1 could not catch Chiodi, so I settled for the 17 points," VuiIlemin said. '1t's going to be a long year, so it would be better for me to take the points." Third-placed Jorgensen had enough

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