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Guidon d'Or Palais Ornnisport (Left) Frederic Bolley dominated the Guidon d'Or Supermotard event in Paris, France. He used quick starts and mlstake·free races to take the prestigious victory. from Bayle, that is for sure - you can see it from his heat race." As for Bayle, with a win came some confidence. He was still looking to win the final when it came around; simply beating Chambon was not his priority. "The track is small," Bayle said. "Once you don't get the start, passing is very difficult. Chambon got out ahead early in his heat. If I can get the start in our road-race final, then of course I have a good chance winning. I still have the speed to win here tonight." With three separate finals to decide the positions for the Guidon d'Or final, STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYER PARIS, FRANCE, DEC. 23 s Frederic Bolley bored with motocross? The two-time 250cc World MX Champion participated in a French endurance road race earlier this off-season, and at the Guidon d'Or Supermotard event in Paris over Christmas weekend, the Frenchman rode to a convincing win. Bolley won everything he entered, taking victory in the all-important final after putting his Pamo CR250 Honda into the lead on the first turn. "My motivation to win this race was very big," the Frenchman said. "It's an important race in France, and many great riders have won the Guidon d'Or. The bike was great - no problems, and I knew I could win if I just got the starts and raced to my own pace." On a night when some of the old heroes came out to play, it was the relatively young Bolley who showed lightning reflexes, against names like MX god Jean-Michel Bayle, Grand Prix MX legend Kurt Nicoll, multiple Dakar-Rally winner Stephane Peterhansel and Supermotard veterans Stephane Chambon and Boris Chambon. What was expecting to be a tight battle between these riders turned into a demolition derby, as Bayle, Nicoll, Peterhansel and Stephane Chambon all crashed out of contention. The evening began with some qualification races. For the top guys, this was not a problem as Peterhansel led home Nicoll in his heat race after gating to perfection (he had to, since Nicoll's fast practice time had earned him the pole). I 40 JANUARY 10. 2001 • cue I "I'm not sure about the gate positions." Nicoll said. "We have a staggered start, and pole is not as good a position as second place on the grid. He got me out of the start, and I just could not catch him - simple as that, really. I was also very tentative; I've not ridden much in the last year, and I was a little slow in some areas. My mind was not really ready to race." Peterhansel was in agreement with the British rider: "For sure, second . place on the grid is better," Peterhansel said. "Lucky for me, I just took my time and didn't do anything too silly. I've got to race the Dakar Rally in a week." In the second off-road qualifier, it was Bolley who blitzed out of the start and was gone, leading home a host of locals including ISDE rider Laurent Pidoux. "It feels good to race on this track." Bolley said. "I'm having a lot of fun. [The track is] very tight; maybe with my motocross skills I have a good chance tonight. The start is so important, and I feel the Honda is quickest in that department." Other heat winners were Stephane Chambon and Bayle in the road-racing heats, and Boris Chambon in the Supermotard heat. For Stephane Cham bon, a rider whose name is on the Guidon trophy several times, it was a war with Bayle that he looked forward to. "We raced together many times in the early 1990s." Chambon said." He often beat me, so I look forward to racing him in the road-racing final. He is still very tough, and he will push me all the way. :rhe desire has not gone n • _ s • the Bercy crowd was always able to see some serious racing, and the riders did not let them down. Again it was Bolley who blitzed to the lead in his off-road final, leading home Peterhansel and Belgian Grand Prix rider Gerald Delepine. Nicoll had held fourth place, yet mere preservation was not in his mind as he tried to pass Delepine for third place. The multiple Grand Prix winner headed to the lastchance qualifier after crashing out and finishing in sixth place. "I was okay in fourth place," Nicoll said. "I just wanted to get a better position; it's very important to get a good start [in the final], and the further back I was in this race meant a poor start in the final. I slid out and lost a couple of places. " Bolley never had to contemplate anything but victory, as he took and easy win. "I feel comfortable on this track." Bolley said. "Sliding the bike is nice; I'm having fun. I have missed many races in (Above) Carios Checa road well on the paved sections rode, even finishing as high as second In his first heat, but the dirt sections gave him trouble all night and he finished 10th. the Supercross, and only raced the Bologna Supermotard event a few weeks ago. That didn't go so well, so this is nice tonight." Peterhansel knew he had his work ahead of him once Bolley got into tum one first. "He was quick out of the start," Peterhansel said. "I don't ride bikes that much anymore, and I knew I would have to get the start to keep Bolley behind me. Once he got the start, I was never going to seriously challenge him." The most anticipated final, though, was the road-racing event, with Chambon and Bayle once again producing some action. Chambon got the drop ahead of Bayle and the two raced side by side for several sections of the technical circuit. On several occasions, Bayle went for a pass on the dirt section of the track, yet Chambon held his lines for the win ahead of Bayle and Thierry Traccan. "It's nice to get a win over him," Chambon said. "He beat me in this event a long, long time ago, before he moved to road racing. lowed him a little, and tonight I was able to get ahead and stop him from passing. He really pushed me, and at times I was having to really concentrate very hard." As for Bayle, victory in the Guidon final was still the only thing on his mind, so losing to Chambon was not too painful. "He rode okay," Bayle said. "Getting a win was important, mainly for the good position on the start for the main event. I will have to Jean-Michel Bayle ran a familiar number 111 on his Suzuki to top finishes all night, but an ill-timed crash took both him and Stephane Chambon out of the final.