Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

Round 1: French GP FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 125cc MX SERIES (left) Alessio Chiodi won both motos at the opening round of the AM World Chllmpionship 125cc MX Series in France. (Above) After a disappointing first moto, American Jeff Dement, who was riding his first~ver 125cc GP, came back in moto two to finish second, giving him sixth in the final results. By Alex Hodgkinson VERNEUIL-SUR-AVRE, FRANCE, MAR. 14 lessio Chiodi showed just why he is the hot favorite to clinch a third consecuti ve World 125cc Motocross title when he clinched a double win in the opening GP of the year at Verneuil-sur-Avre. Despite his domination of the event, Chiodi knew after the second moto that his biggest threat could be American Jeff Dement, who gave Chiodi his hardest fight in a long time. Onlookers saw a typical Chiodi win in the first moto, but the champion had to use all his skills after an awful start. '1 got terrible wheelspin on the gate," Chiodi said. "(Johnny) Aubert had a complete bike length on me within five meters." No one in the class has a better eye than Alessio, however, ana within three corners he had sliced his way through to third. By the end of the lap, he had pass.ed Nicolas Charlier and was chasing Husky teammate Johnny Aubert. "1 didn't try to catch him," said Chiodi of Aubert. "He is 18 and this is his home GP, so he was certain to go wide open when he got the holeshot. 1 had just started to close him down when he stopped." Aubert halted due to a broken chain. g: '" "1 had no pressure, but 1 had no lappers in my way, so 1 checked my race ~ speed for a few laps before settling C down to make sure of no mistakes," said Chi'odi abou t his moto win. 36 A . - Carl Nunn was equally delighted with second, which he inherited when Aubert dropped out and Chiodi moved into the lead. "I ·could have been more aggressive, but I quickly decided not to take any risks," said Nunn. "We have 25 motos more, and my team would not be pleased if 1 had touched with another rider and it cost us the expenses-paid trip to Brazil (See "Briefly..."). All my passes were clean and wide, which showed me my speed is good." Other big names were in trouble. Paul Malin bent his gearshaft on lap one after a collision sent him into th.e tractor tires lining the course. Claudio Federici struggled with the wrong tire choice for the rapidly drying track and settled for sixth. Dement fried the clutch while running ninth, and his fellow American Mike Brown lost a footpeg. At one point, Brown was running as high as fourth place. Luigi Seguy smashed his radiator when he crashed, and James Dobb gave himself blisters in a hard ride back to fifth place, but not without some drama along the way. Having already shown his coolness by gating fifth after changing a fouled plug on the line with the 15-second board raised, Dobb moved into third, but he cast the Suzuki away on lap three. "I lost the front end on loose rocks and had to do it all again from 13th," Dobbsaid. Chiodi led race two on the first lap and the last, but his second win was no start-to-finish runaway, as he twice had to pass Dement. "I'm going to get him soon," said Dement, the GP debutant, after hanging in for second. "He got me quick on· the first lap, but 1 settled in behind and set him up for a sweet block-pass by squaring up a left-hand sweeper. I've broken a bohe in my right hand yesterday, and I had to let him go after half an hour." While the two were battling, Chiodi actually went down after the American had brake-checked him. "He'd shown me his front wheel there twice already, and he came up yelli.ng and screaming," Dement said. '1 thought I'd better teach him. He can't intimidate me just because he's a twotime World Champion." A duel for third between unn and Aubert never got too hectic, as Aubert needed a finish to go to Brazil, and, in the end, Federici came from a long way back to pass them both. Aubert was not the only one riding for safety to salvage a top-15 ranking alter failing in race one. Brown had a racelong battle with Steve Ramon before Thomas Traversini passed them both near the end to claim sixth. Dobb had gone out this time when he crashed hard while trying to pass Traversini during their charge through the pack, and Malin exited midmoto with dead electrics. CIII French Grand Prix Verneuil·sur-Avre, France Results: March 14, 1999 (Round 1 of 13) MOTO 1: 1. Alessio Chiodi (Hus); 2. Carl Nunn (Yam); 3. Patrick Caps (Hon); 4. Claudio Federici (Yam); 5. James Dobb- (Suz); 6. Cedric Melotte (Kaw); 7. Thomas Traversini (Hus); 8. Rodrig Thain (KTM); 9. Nicolas C.harlier (}(aw); 10. Erik Camerlengo (Yam); 11. Steve Ramon (Kaw); 12 Manuel Rivas (J(aw); 13. Enrico Oddenjno (KTM); 14.'Jon Pettit (TM); 15. Kenneth Gundersen (Yam). MOTO 2: ]. Alessio Chiodj (Hus); 2. Jeff Dement (Han); 3. Claudio .Federici (Yam); 4. Carl Nunn (Yam); 5. Johnny Aubert (Hus); 6. Thomas Traversini (Hus); 7. Mike Brown (Han); 8. Steve Ramon (Kaw); 9. Erik Camerlengo (Yam); 10. Luca Cherubini (Yam); 1l. Patrick Caps (Han); 12. Luigi Seguy (Han); 13. Grant Langston (KTM); 14. Ivan LaZZ<1rini (TM); 15. Kenneth Gundersen (Yam). OIA:. 1. Alessio Ch.iodi (Hus); 2. Cart Nunn (Yam); 3. Claudio Federici (Yam); 4. Patrick Caps (Han); 5. Thomas Traversini (Hus); 6. Jeff Dement (Han); 7. Steve Ramon (Kaw); S. Erik Camerlengo (Yam); 9. Johnny Aubert (HusY; 10. James Dobb (Suz). F1M WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP USee MX SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 1 of 13 rounds): 1. Alessio Chlodi (40/1 win); 2. Carl Nunn (30); 3. Claudio Federici (28); 4. Patrick Caps (20); 5. Thomas Traversini (19); 6. Jeff Demen' (17); 7. Steve Ramon (13); 8. Erik Camerjen80 (13); 9. (TIE) Johnny AubertIJames Dobb (11); 11. Cedric Melo"e (10); 12. Mike Brown (9); 13. Rodrig Thain (8); 14. Nicolas Charlier (7); 15. Luca Cherubini (6); 16. (TIE) Luigi Seguy/Manuel Rivas (4); 18. (TIE) Grant langston/Enrico Oddenino (3); 20. (TIE) Ivan LazzarinilJon Pettit (l). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Cingoli, Italy March 28 Round 3 - Indiatuba, Brazil, April 4 Brieflv... - Several new rules came to light during Friday's paddock. meeting. Carbon fiber is now outCawed· as material for mudguards and number' plates. due to tne danger of Injury by cutting in crashe.s. Also'. 'reserve, machines may be shared by more. than one rider. thus saving the major teams ~osts on their overseas travels.. The FIM used the results of Verneuil alone to decide which 1'5 riders .would receive finanCial help in getting their motorcycles to round three in Brazil. 'The FIM put such a tight schedule in place thaI the bikes will have to be .crated and shipped literally hours after round.~ in Italy is completed. ."

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