Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

F IM World C h a mp io n s h ip MX Series R o u n d 5 : Mitteldeutschland 250cc GP The F rench 250cc riders blitzed to vict o ry in Germany . Pichon led the French fore ign legion into the first lap of the 250cc race, although New Zealand 's Josh Copp ins, German tough man Pit Beirer , and Italian Claudio Fede rici d id their best to stop a F renc h m onop o ly. Copp in s h e ld s e c o n d place, Be ir e r t h ir d, while Frenc h riders Bolle y , in fo urth pla c e , Mick a el Ma sc h io, in fifth , and Yve s Dema ria , in s ixth , we re on the m ove . By la p thr ee, Coppins had dropped to fourth place and Beirer was riding like a wild man in third, trying to keep Coppins and Demaria out of the picture. By midrace, Pichon had taken a lO-second lead over Bolley, with Demaria moving into third place. As for Maschio, the Kawasaki factory rider had dropped to seventh place, yet would get some luck when, late in the race, Coppins retired with a blown motor. Belgian Grand Prix winner Gordon Croc ka rd was in deep trouble. He had gated from the outside of the track due to another poor qualificat ion spot, and t he Irishman was in 20th place early , finally figh ting th roug h to seventh plac e . It was t o u g h for Crockard to fa ce th e fact his qua lification spot cos t him dea rly. "Not a marvelous sta rt," Crockard said. "I would have be en happier to get a better drop from the gate. The guys around me braked sooner than I expect to ; I was taken by surprise and any chance of a good start went ou t the window. I came around in about 2 0th on the first lap. [There was] so m uch dust and th e outside line was we t from the watering of the track, it was tough c o m ing through . I got up to sev enth, a nd that was that." Bolley , who ha s str ugg le d in three o f th e pre vious fo ur ro u n ds o f t h e champi on sh ip , wa s back to his best in Germany. Th e Ma rtin Honda rid e r ev e n looked like a good be t for victo ry befo re Pichon upped the ante. "My start was good ," Bolle y sa id. "It was im portant today a s the tr ack was a little d usty and ha d o nly o ne ra cing line . I wa s a ble to keep with Pich on for a little while ; in the end he ha d better speed. I a m happy with seco nd place to day , but in th e future I will be looking for vict ory. My bike was m uc h better set up for this race, so the team is making progress for sure." In the end, nobody cou ld match Pichon, a n d after 41 mi nutes , t h e Coro na Suzuki rider crossed the line nearly 20 seco nds ahea d of Boll e y and a further 10 secon d s a hea d of Demaria in third. 500cc GP Smets a ns we re d h is critics with a do m ina ting performanc e a t th e German GP. Smets led from the moment the riders ex ite d th e first comer, th en began to put spa ce between himself 26 MAY 23, 2001 .. eye I e and s eco nd p laced Marnicq Bervoets. In third place , Stefan Everts seemed to be pushing to o hard , although he was able to keep S m ets and Bervoets in s ight in the first five laps. E ve rts ma de a b ig m is t a k e and eventually c ruised home for second. "I was really figh tin g hard with Ec ke n b ac h earl y, " Ev e rt s sa id. "Bervoets wa s taki ng big risks a nd I ' ha d to work rea lly h a rd to g et past him . When I move d into s econd p la ce I sh ould h ave push ed h arde r to try and get to J oel , but I just did no t ha ve the energy , Today he was th e better rider. During the season , my le ve l is go ing better and we are making changes to the b ike , so everything is looking good fo r the next few races. " Be rvoets , who has be e n suffering fro m severe arm pump at th e first four GPs , took the advice from h is doctor and the arm-pump problem is now just about ov er. " I had been tra ining too hard , " Bervoets sa id , "ridi ng t he bike too much , and the nerves in m y neck and arms are overworked . A sp e c ialist told me to ta ke it a litt le e a sier with th e tr ai ni n g and th e arm s w ill im p ro ve , and that 's wha t h a s ha pp en ed. I c a n fig ht with those guys now for a few la ps, no w m y a rms a re better and in the future I can b e at these gu ys . If yo u kno w yo ur arms a re better , th en yo u 're m entally much better prepared . I was not th inking about catching Sm ets , I w a s ju st happy to be having fun aga in . I let Ev erts past, and I thought ma ybe he would catch S mets and I could follow him , b ut Joel was just too fa s t , so neither of us could catch him . I made a c o u ple of small mistak es , as that wa s not good for my confidence , so I settled for third p la ce ." Sm ets was h appy with h is 37 t h 500c c Grand Prix victory, ye t still felt his prog re ss in th e c ha m pions hip is be ing s ta lled by injury . "I' ve n e ve r be en th in k in g abo ut records," Smets said. "But now I have great satisfaction for this record . Fo r sure I' m not playi ng games, I'm rid ing hurt and the training is concentrated on just riding a pu s hbike. I like to run , and I ca n't do t h a t. The speed is there, but the condition is not. I was a little s urpris ed that I could lead for so long . I was in terri ble cond ition a nd could not work out wh y they were not catch ing me ; they must have a lso been havi ng trouble . I was trying not to think too m uch a bout Eve rt s and Be rvoets , I just wanted to concentrate on my own line s , a nd that wor ke d eN to day ." Mitteldeutsch land Teutschentha', Germany Results: Ma y 13, 2001 [Round 5 0' 141 125: 1. James Dobb ( KTM) ; 2. Erik Egg en s ( KTM); 3 . Steve Ramon (Kaw a ) ; 4 . A l es sa nd ro Belometti (Ya m) ; 5 . Christian Stevenl nl (Hus ); 6 . Thoma s Treversini (KTM): 7. Stephen Sword (Hus) ; a. A lessio Chiod i (Yam) ; 9. Erik Carme lengo (Yam ); 10. Marco Dorsch (Honda); 11. Sven Breugelmans n e vv s Def e n d i ng 250cc World Champion Frederic Bolley had one o f h i s best rides so f a r this year. finishing second to Pichon. (Ya m) ; 12. J os ef Dobes (Yam) ; 13. Serg e Guide tty (Hus); 14 . Luigi Seguy (Ya m ): 15 . Daniele Bricco (Hus) F1M WORLD CHAMPION SHIP 125« MX SERIES POINT STANDINGS ( Afl er 5 of 14 rounds }: I. Jam;" Dobb ( 120/4 wtns) : 2. Erik Eggens (65/1 ); 3. Stev e Ram on (5 6) ; 4 . Aless io C hi o di (47 ) ; 5 . A lessandro BeJometti ( 43); 6. Sven Br eugelmans (4 1); 7. l.u;g i Seguy (38): 8 . Mark De Rawer (32) : 9. Thomas Trav ersini (31) ; 10. Patrick Caps (31); 11. Ch risti an St ev arun l (3 1); 12. Brian J org ensen ( 26 ); 13. Stephen Sword (22) : 14. Mar co Dorsch ( 19): 15. Sco tt Sheek (15) . 250: 1. Mick ael Pichon (Suz); 2. Frederic Bolle y (Hon); 3. Yves Dema ria (Yam) ; 4. Clau dio Fede rici ( Y am) ; 5 . M ic kae l Maschi o ( Ka w) ; 6 . Mark o Kov ala inen (Yam) ; 7 . Gordon Crockard ( Hon ); 8 . Danny Theybers (K TM); 9 . Ju ssi-Pekka Vehv ilainen ( Hon); 10. J ohnny Aube rt (Vam ); 11. Chad Reed ( Kaw); 12. Collin Dugmore ( KTM) ; 13 . MllSsi mo Bertolini ( Ka w) ; 14 . Pa ul Cooper (Yam ); 15. Ca rl Nunn (Hus) . FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 250« MX SERIES PO I NT STANDINGS ( Aft er 5 of t 4 ro und s) : I. Mickael Pic hon ( 120j 4 w in s): 2. Gord on Crockard (76/1 ); 3 . Yves Dema ria (54 ); 4 . Cla udio Federici (5 1) ; 5. Pi' Beirer (43 ); 6. Josh Coppins ( 43 ) : 7. Danny Th eybers ( 4 1); 8 . Frederic Bolley (36 ) ; 9 . .Jussi-Pekke Vehvileinen (35) ; 10. Paul Cooper (34); 11. Chad Reed (34 ): 12. Mark o Ko valainen (3 2); 13. Mickael Maschio (24); 14. Collin Dugmore (17 ): 15. Johnny Aube rt ( 13) . 5 0 0 : 1. Joel Smets ( KT M) ; 2 . St efan Ev erts (Yam) ; 3. Mamicq Bervoets (Ye m ): 4 . Shayne King (KTM); 5 . Franc isco Vic o -Garcia ( KTM) ; 6. Bemd Eckenbach ( KT M ); 7 . Peter .Jo he ns son ( KTM) ; 8 . J ohnny U ndhe (Hus) ; 9. Gert-Jan Van Doom (Vor); 10 . J o ak im Karlsson ( Ha n ); 11 . Miska Aa ltonen (Vam); 12. Avo l.eok (KTM) : 13. Fabrizio Din i (Vam) ; 14 . Ja mes Noble (KTM); 15. Mats Nilsson (Hbg) . FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 500« MX SERIES POINT STANDINS ( Afte r 5 of 14 rounds): 1. Stefan Everts ( 115/3 ", ins): 2. Joel Smets (97 /2); 3. Mam;cq Bervoets (74); 4 . Johnny Undh e (45 ): 5 . Francisco vico -Gercta (3 4 ) ; 6 . A ndrew McFllrlane (31 ) ; 7 . Cedric Melotte (29); B. Ava Leok (28) ; 9 . Willie Van Wessels (28) ; 10. Johan Boonen (22); 11. Shayne Ki ng ( 2 1) ; 12 . A nd rea Bartoli ni ( 20 ); 13. Bern d Eckenbach (2 0); 14. Jo aki m Karlsson (20 ) ; 15. Gert Ja n Van Doom (18 ). B R IEFLY. •• Frederic Bolley has added his name to the Eu r o pea n rid e rs list for the upcom ing AM A Chevy Trucks National M X rounds in Budds Creek and Southwick in the month of June. The defending World 250cc Motocross champion showed some interest in riding in the factory Honda team truck in America. "If I go. I do it with the factory team." Bolley said. - I am not sure which races I will do. but at the momen t those two races seem good ." Al so iining up will be Alessio Chiodl. Joel Smets. Paul Cooper , Carl Nunn, Stephen Sword , Gordon Cr ockard and possibly anot her five or six GP riders. England's Jamie Dobb will also attend the two National rounds: however, he will only be in America to do some training with Ricky Carmichael. Several of the Grand Prix teams have shown interest in signing Australian rider Michae l B y rne for the remainder of the season. A semi-factory KTM team and the Col in Reed RWJ Honda team are at present trying to make contac t with Byme. Interesting t o note: 125cc rider James Dobb 's quickest lap time was bett er than that of Joel Smets' and would have put him in the top five in the 250c c race. The quickest lap time was set by Mickael Pichon at 2:01.2 13. followed by Frederic Bolley wit h 2;01.423. Dobb with a 2;02.673. while the quickes t 500c c rider was Stefan Evert s with 2;03.126. followed by race winner Joel Smets wit h 2:03 .640. It was announced at the German Grand Prix that a round of the S FX National Arenacross Series would be run in Gennany in Novem ber and Dece mber. The event will take place at the Leipzig Stadium. There will also be a round in Switz erland in December. Martin Honda. once again. announced that they will take legal action against American Scott Sheak. It seems that the Italian team is not happy that Sheak announced his intentions to return to American and faiied to ride the Belgian qualification races and German GP. The German Grand Prix was without doubt the best-organized GP of the year. Perfect weather and a great facility . not to menti on a beautiful track. gave the even t a great atmos phere. For the first time this year though. t he racing was a little boring . with Smet s. Pichon and Dobb all wi nning easily . Fo rmer Action Gro up pres ident Luigi Luo ngo has been replaced as the M anaging Di rector of the Doma Motocross department. His replacement will be Jordi Pons. who has 20 years expertence with the Mo toGP setup. which controlled the road racing activities . Luongo will take care of the developmen t of the relationship between the RM and the W orld Motocross Championships . As far as shares go. Doma still own s 70 perce nt of the shares in Doma Sports. w ith M r. Luongo . Mr. Sevenet and M r. Rahmani owni ng 30 percent.

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