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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128119
FIM World Championship MX Series Round 1 1 : Circuit of Geildorf (Left) New Zealand's Josh Coppins (41 and Australian Chad Reed (41) lead the 250cc field Into the first tum. Pichon (hidden, behind Coppins), Pit Beirer (3), Yves Demaria (7) and the rest set sail after them. Johnny Aubert (43); 14. Marko Kovalainen (42); 15. Cari Nunn (34). 500: 1. Joel Smets (KTM); 2. Andrea Bartolini (Husky); 3. Stefan Everts (Yam); 4. Peter Johansson (KTM); 5. Johnny Lindhe (Husky); 6. Joakim Karlsson (Han); 7. Chris Burnham (Han); 8. Vico Garcia (KTM); 9. Bernd Eckenbach (KTM); 10. Shayne King (KTM); 11. Erwin Machtlinger (Han); 12. Miska Aaltonen (Yam); 13. Ava Leak (KTM); 14. Fabrizio Dini (Yam); 15. James Noble (KTM). FIM WORLD 500« MX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 11 of 14 rounds): 1. Stefan Everts (251I7wins); 2. Joel Smets (198/3); 3. Marnicq Bervoets (162/1); 4. Vico Garda (100); 5. Andrew McFarlane (79); 6. Johnny Lindhe (78); 7. Shayne King (62); 8. Peter Johansson (57); 9. Andrea Bartolini (56); 10. Chris Burnham (52); 11. Ava Leak (51); 12. Joaklm Karlsson (51); 13. Cedric Melotte (39); 14. Gert·Jan Van Doom (34); 15. Miska Aaltonen (33) misfiring, I was a bit nervous that I might crash. In fact, I did crash once, my concentration was gone and I could just struggle on to finish in third place. I'm just .glad the bike did not stop all together. For that I am very thankful." While Bervoets, McFarlane and Everts were suffering, Joel Smets was turning up the heat, clocking the quickest lap of the race and taking his third win of the season. For the four-time World Champion it was a long time coming. Motivation has been a big problem for Smets this year, but in Germany he returned to his place in the 500cc class. "This is more like it," Smets said. Upcoming rounds: Round 12 - Leirop, Holland, September 2 Round 13 - Castiglione del Largo, Italy September 16 "The championship is still alive, I just BRIEFLY••• hope I can win again in two weeks in Holland, that way the championship will remain undecided. I had a great race, no worries. My start was not perfect, but I could come through rather easy. Then when I took the lead from Bervoets after his crash, I just settled into a good pace." CN Stefan Everts had hoped to take his eighth victory of the year in Germany. Not only would it have been his 51 st win of his career, which would make him the winningest GP rider of all time. it would also take him closer to hiS personal best for a season. The Belgian, who is always 'ooklng at records to be broken, would like to win 10 GPs in 2001. That would be one more than his previous best of nine in a season. which he did in 1997. Everts won that 1997 championship by an amazing 151 points; second back in that year was Marnicq Bervoets. "' crashed in the Ger· man GP back in 1997 and' was going for my 10th win of the year then. I now have seven wins this season, so I would need three more wins to beat that record." Everts now has to win the last three GPs of the season, which seems unlikely gOing by the current form of his Belgian countrymen. Bervoets and Joel Smets. Circuit of 6aildarf 6aildarf, 6ennany Results: August 19, 2001 (Round 11 of 141 ] 25: 1. Luigi Seguy (Yam); 2. Steve Ramon (Kaw); 3. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 4. Jamie Dobb (KTM); 5. Kenneth Gundersen (KTM); 6. Patrick Caps (Yam); 7. Alessandro Belometti (Yam); 8. Alex Puzar (Husky); 9. Mark De Reuver (Yam); '10. Thomas TrZlversini (KTM); 11. Enrico Oddenini (Hon); 12. Eric Sorby (Hon); 13. JoserDobes (Yam); 14. Serge Guidetty (Hon); 15. Billy Mackenzie (Yam). FlM WORLD 125 MX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 11 of 14 rounds): 1. Jamie Dobb (228/7wins): 2. Steve Ramon (148); 3, Luigi Seguy (129/1); 4. Kenneth Gundersen (106/2); 5. Alessio Chiodi (104); 6. Erik Eggens (101/1); 7. Patrick CliPS (73); 8. Alessandro Belometti (69); 9. Mark De Reuver (65); 10. Stephen Sword (GO): 11. Thomas Traversini (57);12. Sven Breugelmans (56); 13. Alex Puzar (51); 14. Brian Jorgensen (44); 15. Christian Slevanini (43). 250: 1. Mickael Pichon (Suz); 2. Chad Reed (Kaw); 3. Josh Coppins (Suz); 4. Yves Demaria (Yam); 5. Johnny Aubert (Yam); 6. Frederic Bailey (Han); 7. Collin Dugmore (KTM); 8. Claudio Federici (Yam); 9. Danny Theybers (KTM); 10. Pierrick Paget (Han); 11. Jussi·Pekka Vehvilainen (Han); 12. Gordon Crockard (Han); 13. Mark Jones (Han); 14. Jiri Cepelak (Yam); 15. Peter Iven (Kl!lw). FIM WORLD 250« MX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 1 t of 14 rounds): 1. Mickael Pichon (248/8 wins); 2. Gordon Crockard (156/2); 3. C1oudio Federici (132/1); 4. Chad Reed (129); 5. Josh Coppins (110); 6. Frederic-Boiley (106); 7. Pit Beirer (102); 8. Yves Demaria (80); 9. Jussi·Pekka Vehvilainen (68); 10. Danny Theybers (57): I J. Collin Dugmore (56); 12. Paul Cooper (43); 13. 34 AUGUST 29, 2001 • cue • (Right) Joel Smets is finally back on fonn after a rather dismal (by his standards) 500cc GP season so far. He won in Gennany and sits second to Everts, 53 points back with three races left to run. It now seems sure that Joel Smets will not race the Motocross des Nations in Namur, on September 29. The tall Belgian. who is really only a 500cc rider. will not be picked in the 500cc class. as that spot will go to Stefan Everts. The probable Belgian team will be Steve Ramon on the 125, Mamicq Bervoets on the 250 and Everts on the 500.. New Zealand's Josh Coppins. who looks probable to be racing a Yamaha in the World 250cc Motocross Championships in 2002. might also race in America in 2002. The Corona Suzuki rider is still keen to do the American series; however, for next year, it will only be for some fun and practice for a possible full-on assault in 2003. "I would like to go to the first few rounds of the West Coast 125cc Series.· Coppins said. "I am looking at taking a bike and just racing those early races. I recently bought a farm In New Zealand and have a design of the Anaheim track, so I'll make the track on my farm and practice all through the Kiwi sum· mer. I won't do any Supercross races in Europe over the winter, and I also have an operation to do after this season is finished. " Jamie Dobb had flown his family to Gaildorf for his expected crowning. For Dobb. it was not the first time he had done this. Expecting to win the title in Namur two weeks earlier. Dobb had booked tickets for his family to Belgium, only to injure his shoulder a week after buying the tickets. e n e _ s The KTM factory had T·shirts made up with the words "Dobb is hurtingon the back. Then in small writing. it mentioned he had won the champi· onship with two broken shoulders. James Dobb became very amotional when he talked about his friend John Deacon. a former ISDE rider and Dakar rally competitor, who lost his life in a rally two weeks ago. Dobb had known Deacon for many years. The two are among the most well-known off-road racers in England. "I want to send out my thoughts to John's family," Dobb said. "He was a good friend and somebody we will all miss very much... The silly saason rumor mill is still working in Europe. although at this moment it looks like Gordon Crockard will remain with the CAS Honda team and Frederic Bolley will remain with Honda to race the four-stroke in 2002. Bolley and Crockard have both had talks with Just about every team in the paddock. including Corona Suzuki, Jan de Groot Kawasaki and KTM. It seems Mickael Pichon had told the Corona Suzuki team he would be leaving for a beller deal. then when Corona offered him a good package. the new World 250cc Champion tumed around and signed for the Suzuki factory for 2002. Big problems seem likely for Jan de Groot. With Chad Reed moving to America in 2002. the Kawasaki team manager has no replacement. Bailey, Coppins and Crockard have all talked to de Groot. yet none have signed. The de Groot team will also lose 125cc rider Steve Ramon in 2002. as Ramon will race in the KTM team. With the German Grand Prix victory. Mickael Pichon moved into the 41 at place on the all-time GP winners list. with 12 GP overall victories. He is the fifth most successful French rider of all time. behind Sebastien TortelIi. who has 20 wins, Jean-Michel Bayle with 15. Yves Demaria with 14 wins, and Jacky Vimond with 13 wins. It seems sure that Pichon can move to at least the second most successful French rider of all time. Piohon won his first GP in the French 125cc GP back in 1994 before moving to America for five years. Pichon is 10th in the 250cc GP victory list, the only riders ahead of him are Joel Robert with 50 wins. Stefan Everts with 37, Torsten Hallman with 36. Mamicq Bervoets and Georges Jobe with 15. Sylvain Geboers and Guennady Moissev with 14. and Pekka Vehkonen and Jacky Vimond with 12 wins. Pichon has 11 wins (and one 125cc GP victory). Pichon is also the first Suzuki rider to win a World 250cc Championship since Greg Albertyn in 1994.