Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

(Left) After a poor showing at the • 125cc GP series opener In Brazil, TM's Alessandro Puzar (2) turned things around in Spain with a doublemoto victory. (Right) American Keith Bowen njade the show, I:Il,rt his best placing was a 12th in the first moto. 250cc Wprld Championship Motocross Series Round 3: Dutch Grand Prix crorterfiJs f1?:~taLUNDMR19 ebastien Tortelli took his first GP win of 1998 to narrow the gap on Stefan Everts at the top of the World MX 2S0cc Championship charts to 10 points after the opposition went . into mutual-destruct mode at Valkenswaard in Holland. The Frenchman took the holeshot in the opening moto but was quickly demoted to third by Tallon Vohland and Everts, who fought a titanic duel for 28 minutes before the champion went for a block-pass on the American and they both went down in a heap. With a six-second cushion to the rest at this stage, Tortelli then rode to an untroubled win, while Pit Beirer, fastest in training, nipped Werner Dewit for second place 10 minutes from the end. The German had also passed Tortelli early on, "but then I clipped one of the piles of track-marker tires," Beirer said. In race two, it was again Vohland who led by the end of the opening lap, this time after passing Paul Cooper. But Everts was in a determined mood, snatching second from Tortelli on lap three and making a clean pass on Vohland a lap later before quickly establishing a lO-second cushion. Tortelli also demoted Vohland before the finish, while Beirer lost valuable points when he was eliminated on the opening lap with a broken radiator after a collision with Jaimy Scevenels. Two leading competitors missed the action in Holland: Frenchman Yves Demaria is suffering a blood disorder, though it was reported he was optimistic that he would be able to return at the next round (the French GP), while Collin Dugmore will be out for longer, as the South African compressed two vertebrae in his back, cracked a shoulder blade and suffered pelvic injuries in a l~ crash on Easter. S Dutch 250cc GP Valkenswaard, Holland Results: April 19, 1998 (Round 3 of 16) MOTO 1: 1. Sebastien TorteUi (Kaw); 2. Pit BeiTer (Hon); 3. Werner Dewit (Suz); 4. Stefan Everts (Hon); 5. Tallon VohlOlnd (Yam); 6. Jocke Karlsson (Hon); 7. Marnicq Bervoets (Su:G); 8. Leon Giesbers (KTM); 9. Remy Van Rees (Kaw); 10. Jajmy Scevenels (SUZ)i 11. Justin Morris (Hon); 12. Joakim Eliasson (Yam); 13. Frederic Bolley (Hon); 14. Paul Cooper (Kaw); 15. Mickael Maschio (Yam). MOTO 2: 1. Stefan Everts (Hon); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (Kaw); 3, MaQtlicq Bervoets (5uz); 4. Werner Dewit (Suz); 5, Jocke Karlsson (Hon); 6, Leon Giesbers (KTM); 7, Tallon Vohlnnd (Yam); 8. Frederic Bolley (Hon); 9. Paul Cooper (Kaw); 10, joaklm EJia~n (Yam); 11. josh Coppins (Suz); 12. Miska Aaltonen (K~); 13. Remy Van Rees (K.1W); 14. Peter Iven (Kaw); 15, Mickael Maschio (Yam). alA: 1. Sebastien Tortclli (Kaw); 2. Stefan Everts (Hon); 3, Werner Dewit (Suz); 4. Marnicq Bervoets (5uz); 5. jocke Karlsson (Hon); 6. Tallon Vohland (Yam); • 7. Leon Giesbers (KTM); 8. Pit Beirer (Hon); 9. Frederic Bolley (Hon); 10. Remy Van Roes (Kaw). 25Cce WORLD CHAMPIONSIllP MX SERlES POINT STANDINGS Wter 3 of 16 rounds): 1, Stefan Everts (107/2 wins); 2. Sebastien Tortelli (97/1); 3. TaJlon Vohland (74); 4. Pit Beirer (69); 5. (TIE) Werner Dewit/Jocke Karlsson (48); 7. Leon Giesbers (41); 8. Mamicq Bervoets (38); 9. Jilimy Scevenels (29); 10. (TIE) Miclcael Maschio/justin Morris/Frederic Bolley (28); 13. PauJ Cooper (26); 14. Yves Demaria (24); 15. Mark Eastwood (17); 16. Josh Coppins (16); 17. Joakim Eliasson (14); 18. Javier Garcia Vico (13); 19. Michal Kadlccek (12); 20. Remy Van Roes (10). Upcoming Rounds: Round 4 - Villars-sous-Ecol, France, April 26 Round 5 - Leuven, Belgium, May 10 125cc World Championship Motocross Series Round 2: Spanish Grand Prix Puzara[[ the way By Geoff Meyer BELLPUlG, SPAIN, APR. 19 rmer World 12Scc MX Champion Alessandro puzar looked like a beaten figh ter after the first round of the 125cc GP series, which was held in Brazil earlier this month. The TM factory-backed rider let his feelings be heard and rubbished the TM bike he was riding, saying something had to be done to make the bike better. Three weeks later in Spain, the Italian won both motos of the Spanish GP and, all of a sudden, his TM was the hottest thing on the planet. "It's great," Puzar said of his TM after recording his 1-1 result. 'They put some new forks on it, suspension, and made a few changes to the engine." What a difference a few weeks make. The track in Bellpujg, situated about 100 miles outside Barcelona, is laid out on a hard-packed uphill/downhill piece of ground, and it proved to have anything but one-way traffic. Alessio Chiodi once again proved he is the fastest man in the 12Scc class and, although the defending champion could only put together 3-4 results, the story of his third-place overall amounted to bad starts but plenty of come-from-behind determin.ation. Qualification for the Spanish Grand Prix was again proof that the 125cc class is the most hotly contested of all the World Championship classes. French wonder David Vuillemin sped to a twominute, 7.674-second lap run, and for all !Fa intents and purposes the Yamaha rider simply looked extremely fast. "I like this track - a lot of jumps and some really fast sections," he said. "My time was pretty much what I expected after doing a few laps of this place." Next best in the Saturday qualification was Honda-mounted Luigi Seguy with a time of 2:9.212; then came Chiodi with a 2:8.179. It didn't look too good for American hopes as three-time World Motocross Champion Trampas Parker floundered in around 60th place (of the nearly 100 riders trying to qualify). Parker had his story, though. "I tried to qualify in Brazil and my knee was not up to it," he said. "Then here it's again a problem," he said. 'Tm maybe 50-percent fit, and that's nowhere near enough. I'll have an operation and be back for 1999. I'm really bummed about this, as my form in Italy before the accident was great. Chiodi, Puzar could not race with me." Another two Americans would also try to qualify. Former American Yamaha factory rider Keith Bowen was making his first appearance in the World 12Scc Series for KTM and would make the Sunday field with a 2:10.579 for 21st place, while KTM rider DavidKratz would miss out with a 2:12.969. He wasn't too far off the last qualification position, so Kratz could not be too disappointed. In the first moto, Puzar set the early pace. '1 just rocketed out of the start - perfect," he sajd. The second-placed rider was Suzukimounted. Brian Jorgensen of Denmark, and then came a long list of Yamaha riders: Phillipe Dupasquier, Luca Cherubini, Carl Nunn, Claudio Federici and, finally, Husky rider Chiodi. Puzar, however, was untouchable, as he would lead the entire field across the finish line. Jorgensen held on for second, followed by Chiodi, Yamaha's Erik Camerlengo, Nunn, Dupasquier, Cherubini, James Dobb, Frederic Vialle and Federici. Bowen finished 13th, saying: "It's the first time I've ridden a 125 machine in this type of competition since the 1980s, so overall, I'm happy if I can get another top-1S place. Then that's something to work on." In moto number two, puzar again got an incredible start, although the TM factory rider settled into second behind Federici. "Whoosh, I got a great start," Yamaha's Federici said. "Puzar tried to get in ahead of me, and I had a lot of other Yamaha riders around! but I held a tight line and it was my holeshot." Puzar held second, and Dupasquier was just ahead of former World 12Scc Champion Dave Strijbos and Vialle. Chiodi held 20th, former World 12Scc Champion Pedro Tragter held 23rd and Vuillemin held 25th. Puzar and Federici set a heated pace, with the two banging bars and showing the Spanish crowd a thing or two about good old Italian showmanship. Puzar, however, made his way into first place on the sixth lap, while Federici started to lose ground. In third place, Camerlengo had charged from 10th place and was setting out after Federici. By lap 15, he was allover the Yamaha's back wheel. Also charging was Chiodi, who was soon past all but the top three. "Passing was not easy, but 1 got a little time where there was no other riders between me and the top three," Chiodi said. "I tried my best, but in the end it was not long enough - another two laps and I would have won." Chiodi finished in fourth place, just on Federie's back wheel and only a bike length or two behind Camerlengo. Puzar had won with time to-spare. As for Vuillemin, his run of poor results continued. After recording 10th place in the second moto, the French rider shocked everyone. 'Tm not going to America next week - at least I don't think 1 will," Vuillemin said in reference to his expected challenge of the American 125cc supercross championship the following weekend in Dallas, Texas. '1t's no point kidding myself. My aim is to win a World Championship, and I'm not properly prepared for the GPs. I want to practice and get organized for Slovenia in May." CN Spanish 125cc GP Bellpuig, Spain Results: April 19, 1998 (Round 2 of 11) MOTO 1: 1. Alessandro Puzar (TM); 2. Brinn Jorgensen (Suz); 3. Alessio Chiodi (Hus); 4. Erik Camerlengo (Yam); 5. Carl Nunn (Yam); 6. Phillipe Dupasqujer (Yam); 7. Luca Cherubini (Yam); 8. Frederic ViaUe (Yam); 9. Claudio Federici (Yam); 10. David Vui1lemin (Yam); 11. Johnny Aubert (Kaw); 12. Keith Bowen (KTM); ]3. Massimo B..1rtohn..i (Hon); 14. Moises Bemardez (Hon); 1.5. Dave Strijbos (Kaw). MOTO 2: 1. Alessandro Puzar (TM); 2. Erik Cameriengo (Yam); 3. Claudio Federici (Yam); 4. Alessio Chiodj (Hus); 5. Phillipe Oupasquier (TM); 6. Alessandro Belometti (Yam); 7. Frederic Vialle (Yam); 8. Marcel Van Drunen (Yam); 9. Luigi Seguy (Hon); 10. Dnvid Vuillemin (Yam); 11. Luca Pretto (KTM); 12. Dave Strijbos (Kaw); 13. Johnny Aubert (Kaw); 14. Pedro Tragter (Hon); 15. Luca Cherubini (Yam). 01A: 1. Alessandro puzar (TM); 2. Erik Camerlengo (Yam); 3. Alessio Chiodi (Hus); 4. Claudio Federic.i (Yam); 5. Phillipe Dupasquier (TM); 6. Frederic Vialle (Yam); 7. Brian jorgensen (Suz); 8. David VuilIemin (Yam); 9. Alessandro BelomeUi (Yam); 10. Luca Cherubini (Yam). 125ee WORLD CHAMPIONS HlP MX SERJES POINT STANOINGS (After 2 of 11 rounds): 1. Alessio Chiodi (65/1 win); 2. Alesandro Puzar (1)/Eric Camerlengo (61); 4. Phillipe Dupasquier (35); 5. Luigi Seguy (33); 6. Brian Jorgensen (32); 7. (TIE) David Vuillemjn/Frederic Vialle (31); 9. (TIE) Claudio Federici/ Alessandro Belomett; (27); 11. Carl Nunn (23); 12. James Dobb (21); 13. Johnny Aubert (15); 14. Luca Cherubini (10); 15. Pretto Luca (9) Upcoming Rounds: Round 3 - Orehova Vas, Slovenia, May 17 Round 4 - Foxhill, England, May 24

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