Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

FIM World Championship Motocross Series Round 12: Circuit of Lierop ten up quickly. Pichon was making a lot of mistakes, but I was having trouble with my goggles fogging up. In the deep sand, though, I was able to make time on him - I was quick when we got to the really deep sand. I tried to pass him, and when I did I threw my goggles off. We then came onto the lappers, and there were no blue flags, so they were racing with us, which made it difficult. The whole time around in that last lap, I figured I could not lose it now. I am grateful that Jan De Groot brought me to Europe and gave me a chance. I'm just a 19-year-old kid living my dream." Pichon tried to be positive, but one could tell the Frenchman was very disappointed with his result. "I was riding very bad - making a lot of mistakes," Pichon said. "When Chad was behind me, my arms pumped up, and he was riding fast. I trained very hard this week, and I took a week off after winning the championship two weeks ago. It's good for Chad to win a GP before he goes to America. It's still possible to [for me] win more GPs. I wish we had another moto, as I think I could have won. I could not have been as bad as I was in that moto." Third-placed Vehvilainen had never finished so high in a Grand Prix, and he was understandably excited. "I can't believe it," the Finn said. "I had a good start, and that set everything up for me. When Coppins and Crockard crashed, it gave me a good place, [as] some riders got held up. I got into third place early and could hold that place. The fact Honda will back our team in 2002 is very good for me. I am always motivated, and I am now looking at getting on the podium on more occasions." the year, and he looked like the Smets of old. "The way the race started was exactly how I expected it," Smets said. "I was following Stefan and was right behind him when he stopped. I thought he had stalled the bike and would just kick it back over. Then when I got to the next jump, I looked over my shoulder and he was not there. I felt really good at that moment. We have stopped using the electric starter; it changed the power curve on the bike, and I was not used to that. Now that we have changed back to the original setup, I feel good. With Stefan out and Mamicq a long way back, it was an easy race - much easier than I had expected after those first few laps." In second place, Garcia was getting pressured by Bervoets, who was now riding with pain in his hand. The Belgian had injured the hand a few weeks earlier, and he was now suffering. "I thought about pulling in," Bervoets said. "I had injured ligaments in my wrist, and when I landed over one of the jumps, I twisted it again. I stayed out, and the pain became less; still, it was a tough race for me." eN 500cc GRAND PRIX Stefan Everts, Marnicq Bervoets and Joel Smets. The three Belgians entered the first lap of the Dutch 500cc GP in that order, and with the huge support for the three European legends from the crowd, this was looking likely to be one of the best Open-class races of the year. In the early going, Everts set the pace, while Smets and Bervoets exchanged positions. Then on lap five, Bervoets crashed in the whoop section, handing third place to Vico Garcia. The turning point of the race came on lap 11, just as Everts entered the tricky whoop section. Everts had mastered the moguls over Smets all race long, but this time, his factory Yamaha rolled to a halt_ "At the time, you just feel gutted," Everts said. "I know the team did the best they could. It was just one of those things that happens in racing. I am glad it did not happen just a little earlier, as it stopped just as I had landed off a big tabletop' a fraction earlier, and it could have been serious." While Everts walked back to the pit, Smets rolled off his- fourth win of 74 SEPTEMBER 12. 2001 ' cue Circuit ef LienIp 1.ienIp, H....nd IllISlIIts: Septealber 3,2011 [Round 12 at 141 125 /\IOTO: 1. Erik Eggens (KTM): 2. Kenneth Gundersen (KTM); 3. Mllrk De Reuver (Yam); 4. Steve Ramon (KlIw); 5. Sven Breugelmaos (Yam); 6. Kevin Strijbos (Yam); 7. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 8. Billy MecKenzie (Yam); 9. Brian Jorgensen (Yam); 10. Patrick Caps (Yam); 11. Alessandro 8elometti (Yam): 12. Jurgen Wybo (Yam): 13. Luigi Seguy (Yam): 14. Josef Dobes (Yam); 15. Eric Sorby (Hon). fVII WORLD C'SHIP l25cc I'IX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 12 of 14 rounds): 1. Jamie Dobb (221l{1 wins): 2. Steve Ramon (161); 3. Luigi Seguy (132;1 win): 4. Erik Eggens (126/2 wins): 5. Kenneth Gundersen (126/2 wins); 6. AI..slo Chiodi (113): 7. Mark De Reuver (81); 8. Patrick Caps (79): 9. AI....ndro Belometti (74); 10. Sven Breugelmans (67); 11. Stephen Sword (60); 12. Thomas Trave,.inl (57); 13. Alex Puzar (51); 14. 8rian Jorgensen (51); 15. Christian Stevenini (43). 250 /\IOTO: I. Chad Reed (Kaw); 2. Mickael Pichon (Suz); 3. Jussi Vehvilainen (Hon); 4. Frederic Solley (Hon); 5. Johnny Aubert (Yam); 6. Gordon Crockerd (Hon); 7. Cleudio Federici (Yam); 8. Josh Coppins (Suz); 9. Danny Theybe" (KTM); 10. Collin Dugmore (KTM): 11. Pit Beirer (Yam); 12. Peter Iven (Kaw); 13. Peter Niis (Hon): 14. Erwin Robins Yam): 15. Leuris Freiberg (Hon). FI/\I WORLD C'SHIP 250cc I'IX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 12 of 14 rounds): t. Mickael Pichon (268/8 wins); 2. Gordon Crockard (166/2 wins); 3. Chad Reed (154/1 win); 4. Claudio Federlci (141/1 win); 5. Frederic Bolley (119); 6. Josh Coppins (118); 7. Pit Belrer (107); 8. Jussi Vehvlleinen (64); 9. Yves Demeria (80); 10. Denny Theybe,. (64); 1t. Collin Dugmore (62); 12. Johnny Aubert (54); 13. Paul Cooper (43); 14. Marko Kovalainen (42); 15. Carl Nunn (34). 500 /\IOTO: 1. Joel Smets (KTM); 2. Msrnicq Bervoets (Yam); 3. Vico Garcia (KTM); 4. Joakim Karlsson (Hon); 5. Shayne King (KTM); 6. Avo Leak (KTM); 7. Peter Johansson (KTM); 8. Kent Asplund • • n _ vw • (Above) The 125cc moto gets underwa" led br Eric Eggens. (Right) Now that he's got a win, Chad Reed hopes to displace Gordon Crockanl for second In the final 250cc points standings (Mickael Pichon has alreadr clinched the title). (KTM); 9. Johan Boonen (KTM); 10. Oscar Vromans (Yam); 11. Damien King (KTM); 12. Johnny Undhe (Hus); 13. Andre Nilsson (Yam); 14. Gert Jan Van Doom (VOR); 15. Jam.. Noble (KTM). F1/\1 WORLD C'SHIP 500cc I'IX SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 12 of 14 rounds): 1. Stefan Everts (251{1 wins); 2. Joel Smets (223/4 wins): 3. Marnicq Bervoets (182/1 win); 4. Francisco Vico Garcia (116); 5. Johnny Lindhe (82); 6. Andrew McFarlane (79); 7. Shayne King (73); 8. Peter Johansson (66); 9. Joakim Karlsson (64); 10. Avo Leok (61); 11. Andrea Bartolini (56); 12. Chris Burnham (52); 13. Cedric Melotte (39); 14. Johan Boonen (37); 15. Gert Jan Van Doom (36). Upcoming Rounds: Rou1d 13 - CastigIia1e del Lago, Italy, SeptelrI:ler 16 FnaI Round • Kamtenring, Austria, September 23 BRIEFLY••• KTM has continued seeking the best possible lineup for next year s season with the signing of Irishman Gordon Crockard for the 250cc class. Crockard has been impressive this year on a CAS Honda. and KTM wants a good rlder to campaign its new quarter-liter works engine. Also signed by KTM are Dutchman Mark De Reuver and Australian 16-year-old sensation Brett Metcalfe. Metcalfe is rated down under as the next Chad Reed, while De Reuver is another brlght prospect. The British Motocross des Nations team is starting to become somewhat of a joke. The team was first to be James Dobb in the Open class. Carl Nunn on a 250 and Stephen Sword on a 125. Now it seems to be up in the air, although the names thrown into the hat are reportedly veteran (and KTM team manager) Kurt Nicoll. Justin Morris and Paul Cooper, with Nunn and Sword likely to be out of luck. The Dutch have also picked a squad. although changes are expected. The first lineup is Erik Eggens on a 125. Remy Van Rees on a 250 and Marco Van Drunen in the Open class. With Van Rees probably not riding due to injury, it is expected that Mark De Reuver will come in on a 125. Eggens on a 250 and Van Drunen on the Open-elass bike. The .Japa....... MX des Nations team will comprise 125cc sensation Akira Narita. Yoshitaka Atsuta on a 250cc Honda and Ryuichito Takahama on the Open-class bike. Takahama is last year. Japanese National Champion. while Alsuta and Narita both have experience in the American Nationals. Look for the riders from the land of the rising sun to be the dark horses at Namur in a few weeks. Australian Andrew McFarlane is now on the shopping list of many of the teams. It was expected that the 24-year-old would be signed by the Rinaldi Yamaha squad for which he is now competing in the 500cc class. but with so many riders now signed -W)', Jan De Groot's factory Kawasaki team and the HRC-backed CAS Honda are lacking a front-line rider. While McFarlane has not won a GP moto and has only been on the podium three times in the Open class this year. he is known from his fourth place in the 1999 Motocross des Nations to be a quality rider. and he has also raced hard with Joel Smets and Stefan Everts on several occasions this year. It is expected that McFarlane will be signed by the Kawasaki outfit to ride alongside Kenneth Gundersen in the 250cc category in 2002. Europe is now awaiting the return of Mike Brown to the Grand Prix circuit in the coming weeks. The newly crowned 125cc American National champ will compete in the last two GPs of the year (one in Italy and another in Austrial before taking his place in the American Motocross des Nations team at Namur on September 29. Also of note at the final two rounds will be the GP debut of 16·year-old Australian Brett Metcalfe. With his win in the Dutch 500cc GP, Joel Smets is now tied as the third-most successful rider in Grand Prix history with 39 overall victories. Ahead of him are Joel Robert and Stefan Everts, with 50 wins each. Also on 39 wins is Eric Geboers. while just behind are Roger DeCoster on 36 and Torsten Hallman on 37. Filling out the top 10 are Heikki Mikkola on 32. Gaston Rahier on 30, and Georges Jobe. Paul Friedrichs and Andre Malherbe - all on 28 wins.

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