Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128112
Irela nd' s Gordon Crockard grabbed his se c ond 250cc GP win of the year after le adi ng from start to finish. 125 class , I am really having trouble . I then had tro u ble with m y goggles, but I knew I had to get on the podi um, so I just worked hard and passed whenever I could. It's a narrow track and passing was no t easy. If I get a s tart I can win, t he b ik e i s q u i c k enough to run with the KTMs .· As fo r E gg en s , h is t hi r d p lac e m eant tha t he was able to p ick up 16 points o n th e i njured Dobb . F or Eggen s, tho u g h , it w as a d a y he would j ust as soo n forget. " I r od e s o st iff, " Egg en s said . "F ro m the m oment I cr ash ed in o ur heat yesterday, I have felt t err ib l e. F irs t I ha d a bad st arting p lace due to t he c ras h , then wi th Jam i e b e in g inj u re d eve ryo ne is now sayi ng I'm the ma n. I put too much p res sure on myself and rode like a p iece o f wood." 250cc With a huge Norwegian turnout at th e S w e d i s h G P, G u nd e r se n was in spired b y h i s cou ntrymen, taking the win with Ramon 10 seconds back in the runner -up position and Eggens a nervous third. Fo r Gundersen, it was th e gre ate st m oment in his career. "With so many of my countrymen here, it was very exciting,· Gundersen said. "I could hear them around the tr ack . I am so proud. In the early laps I felt strong , and while the track is a little difficult, a good start can take all the problems away . Once I got under De Reuver , it was an easy ra ce.· Sec on d- p laced Ram o n, of the Jan De Groot Kawasaki team , was disap pointed with his start, yet unlike a nu mber of top ride rs in the 125cc heat, he could make passes. " I was a long way back on the start," Ramon said. "I was not even in the top 15 going into the first corner. I don ' t k now what the probl em is . When I race the 250cc in the Be lgian Championships I can get starts . In the C roc kard made no mistak e th is tim e a r o u n d as the 250 c c r i der s ent ered the first turn of th eir moto . Having been bl ocked out of the starts in p reviou s GPs, this time Crockard hit the lead going into the fast righthander. In second and th ird c ame the Kawa saki duo of M i c k a el M asc hio and Chad Reed , w ith England 's Carl Nunn in fourth pla ce and C laud io Federici m a ki n g up the top five . Crockard loo k ed on a mission as he led the field th rough the first lap. "I got a great drop from the start," Crockard said . "I was a little surprised that I co uld m a k e a gap be tween myself and second pla ce . I reall y felt go od for the opening few laps." Second-placed Maschio was get t i n g the hu rry -up from h i s junio r teammate Reed, and on lap four, Reed t ook second p lace and began the chase for th e lead . Pichon , who had hit turn one in around l Oth place, w as soon int o t hi r d, having bl itzed past Nunn , Mas chio and Federici in a super b ride . With only around 10 minu tes go ne , however , Pichon began to weaken . " I really had to try and get to Crockard , " Pichon said . " H e wa s moving away from Reed and I knew if I wait ed to o lon g he wo uld wa lk aw ay w ith th is race. Then I st arted ge tting tired - I was really thinking m y ra ce was ov er. " Reed , though , also turned up the pac e, clocking the quic k est lap of th e rac e and moving a little cl oser to the Iri shman. "T o be hon est , I had a good pa c e and felt great," Reed said. "Then I got comfortable, I started thi nking sec ond place was okay . By the time I sta rt ed t h in kin g ab o u t win ning a gain , Crock ard was gone and Pichon w as on m y back wheel. " For Pichon, the c ho ic e was ea sy , first get by the Aussie, and then give Cr ockard something to wo rr y about. " I h ad mad e up go od time on Re ed , " Pichon sai d . " M y strength ca m e back and I knew I could pass Chad. Once by him I was also able to move closer to Crockard. " A s the ra ce hit the closin g stages, a ne w proble m arose for Cro c kard . Backma rkers were now beg inn ing to slow up the CAS Hond a r id er. W ith Pichon slowly closing in , it was obvi ous that t he pride of Irela nd has to t ak e some chanc es. "I was screaming at them to get out of the way," Crockard said . "I coul d see Pich on was up on me. There were slo wer riders everywhere ." Crockard en d ed up crossing t he fin ish line one se cond ahead of Pichon , with Reed another eight sec onds ba ck . Feder ici, fig h ting a n incorre c t ti re ch oice , was fo urth , whil e N ew Zealand 's Josh Coppins (Left) Kenneth Gunderson be c ame th e fi rst Norwegia n to win a GP after cruising to victory in the 125c c c las s. (Right) Mickael Pichon finished second in t he 250cc class, but he still enjoys a comfortable points lead. c ue I e n e _ 50 • JUL Y 11 , 2001 27