Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

pen to his teammate Luigi Seguy in race two. After crossing the line five seconds down on Chiodi, Dobb was confident for race two. "il I can get out of the gate with Chicco, I'm sure I can beat him on a track like this," he said. "This is the first technical track we've ridden 'this year and you can see how many more passes are taking place. The first two GPs were decided at the gate." Chiodi again took the holeshot in race two and had to tay on the gas for the whole race this time, as Puzar avoided early problems and still had the champion in sight as he hit second after 25 minutes from an initial fifth. No matter how hard he tried, the TM rider could not close and, in the end, he had to be careful not to get caught by the hard-cllarging Vuillernin and Dave Strijbos. The ex-champ from Holland had his best ride since his comeback on the loose-surfaced track. Switzerland's Philippe Dupasquier had held second until Puzar got him just after half-distance, but soon afterward he made a minor error which dropped him to his eventual sixth. ViaLle crashed into the crowd this time, while Dobb pursued puzar up the leaderboard for half the race before "hitting the wall." Fourth midrace, he would eventually trail in lOth. Of the four Americans competing in the racing (three of them riding KTM), Keith Bowen eventually took the best finish - a 20th in race two - and he was not happy with his riding all weekend, while David Kratz, his young teammate in a German-backed setup, looked impressive while he was moving. "I was racing the guy who got the 15th-placed point until I crashed mid race," said the 24-year-old from Souderton, Pennsylvania, who would cross the line 26th in both races. James Povolny, who had flown over from the States five days before the race to ride Trampas Parker's factory KTM, had only qualified as a reserve but got a start in race two. He retired after half an hour after running in company with Kratz. . Long-serving GP runner Bader Manneh, riding a Yamaha so far this year, was on the ground on the first lap of earn moto but persevered each time to finish 27-32. C\" Siovenian 12Scc GP Orehova Vas, Slovenia Results: May 17, 1998 (Round 3 of 11) MOTO 1: 1. AJessio Chiodi (Hus); 2. James Dobb (Hon); 3. Luca Pretta (KTM); 4. Alex Belometi (Yam); 5. Brian Jorgensen (Suz); 6. Nicolas Charlier (Kaw); 7. David Vuillemin (Yam); 8. Thomas Trave.rsin.i (Hus); 9. Luigi Seguy (Hon); 10. Dave 5trijbos (Kaw); 11. Philippe Dupasquier (TM); 12, Petr Kuchar (Hon); 13. Erik Eggens (Han); 14. Carl Nunn (Yam); 15. Cedric Melotte (Yam). . MOTO 2: 1. Alessio Chiodi (Hu~); (Left) American Ja\Tles Povolny rode as an alternate at the SlovenIan GP. He competed in only the second moto, where he finished 20th. (Above) Fellow American Keith Bowen was unable to score any points in Slovenia. World Championship SOOcc MX Series Round 5: Finnish Grand Prix ~mets~ lFlordic double By Alex Hodgkinson HELSINKI, FINLAND, MAY 17 efendin g Champion Joel Smets moved to the head of the World Championship 500cc MX Series standings after completing a Scandinavian double when he added the win in the Finnish GP to that in Sweden seven days earlier. The Yamahas were again his main opposition, as the Huskies struggled at the starts on a circuit at Vantaa, located on the other side of Helsinki airport from the track where America won the final MX des Nations that was held solely for 500cc machines in 1984. jg Smets took the lead from KTM rider James Marsh on lap two of the first moto, with Andrea Bartolini in his wheeltracks. The Italian, fastest qualifier on Saturday, tried all he knew to stay with the Belgian, but in the end the champion's experience on sandy tracks proved just too much as they came on the lappers. Once beaten, the Yamaha rider eased his pace but still finished near!y half a minute ahead of third-placed Darryll King, the pre-race points leader from New Zealand having been outgated for the second week in succession. "We had too murn power for these Scandinavian tracks, and we were just sinking in the sand rather than finding traction out of the gate," King said. The second race again. saw Smets quickly in front, but Bartolini again gave rnase after a fifth-placed start. "The track was getting rougher all the time, and I was confident that I could win this time," Bartolini said. "But then the bike just stopped. We don't know what it is yet, but that is the third zero score I have this year because of mechanical problems." In sheer desperation, the Halian added, "I am ready to win this title, but my team is not" 0 Finnish SOOcc GP Vantaa, Finland Results: May 17, 1998 (Round S of 12) MOTQ 1: 1. Joel Smets (Hbg); 2. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 3. Darryll King (Hus); 4.. Shayne King (KTM); 5. Gert-Jan Van Doom (Han); 6. Bernd Eckenbach (Hus); 7. Avo Leok (Hon); 8. J\.fuka Aaltonen (KTM); 9. Willie Van Wessel (Hon); 10. Peter Johansson (Yam); 11. James Marsh (KTM); U. Rob Herring (Hon); 13. Danny Theybers (Hbg); 14., Jef Janssen (Yam); 15. Rupi Walkner (KTM), MOTO 2: 1. Joel Smets (Hbg); 2. Peter Johansson (Yam); 3. Shayne King (KTM); 4.. Darry11 King (Hus); 5, Gert-Jan Van Doom (Hon); 6. Willie Van Wessel (Han); 7. Bernd Eckenbach (Yam); 8. Avo Leok (Hon); 9. James Marsh (KTM); 10. Miska Aaltonen (KTM); 11. Danny Theybers (Hbg); 12. Rupi Walkner (KTM); 13. ler Janssen (Yam); 14. Thierry Klutz (Han); 15. Jonas Edberg (Hon). OIA, 1. Joel Smets (Hbg); 2. Shayne King (KTM); 3. Darryl! King (Hus); 4. Peter Johansson (Yam); 5. Ge~ Jan Van Doorn (Hon); 6. Bernd Eckenbach (Hus); 7. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 8. Willie Van Wessel (Hon); 9. Avo Leak (Hon); 10. Miska Aaltonen (KTM). FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SOOcc MX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 5 of 12 rounds), 1. Joel Smets (151/2 wins); 2. DarryU King (147/1); 3. Andrea Bartolini (115/1); 4. Peter Johansson (115); 5. Gert-Jan Van Doom (104.); 6. Bernd Eckenbach (95/1); 7. Shayne King (93); 8. Rob Hening (72); 9. Johan Boonen (63); 10. Avo Leak (45); 11. (TIE) Rupi Walkner/Willie Van Wessel (4.1); 13, Erwin MachtJinger (37); [4.. (TIE) ams BumhamlJames MillSh (34.); 16. Jachen Jasinski (33); 17. Mats Nilsson (24.); 18. Danny Theybers (IS); 19. Miska aaltonen (14.); 20. Ola Eifrem (10). Upcoming Rounds: Round 6 - Osuna, Spain, June 7 Round 7 - Loket, Czech Republic, June 21 2 Sandro puzar [fM); 3. David Vuillemin (Yam); 4. Dave Strijbos (l

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