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FIM World Championship MX Series Round 13: Circuit of Castiglione del Largo STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYiR CASTIGUONE DEL LAGO, ITALY, SEPT. 16 or a guy who's leading the 500cc Worle! Championship Motocross Series points standings heading into the final round, it's been a surprisingly frustrating month. The other two class crowns were clinched long ago, and Belgian Stefan Everts was expected to wrap up the big-bike title way back at the German Grand Prix on August 19, but crashes, a mechanical failure and Joel Smets have kept that consummation just out of reach. Just prior to the aforementioned German race, Everts led Smets by 62 points with only four motos (and a maximum 100 points) remaining. Since then, Smets has gone 1-1-1 and Everts has faltered, claiming third place in Germany, a DNF in Holland and finally a second-place F 6 SEPTEMBER 26, 2001 • cue I finish in Italy this weekend. With one round remaining, the championship still seems sure to go to the Rinaldi Yamaha rider, but his once-huge advantage has dwindled to just 23 points with one moto remaining. Needless to say, things are getting a bit tense for Everts, who must be recalling his assault on the 1998 250cc title. That year, Frenchman Sebastien Tortelli came back from what appeared to be sure defeat to take the title from Everts in the very last round, having made up 20 points in just two motos. Since that defeat, Everts has had two years of injury and disappointment, and although this season has represented somewhat of a return to dominance, he's having trouble finishing it off. "I will just have to wait another week," Everts said. "I am still confidant; I would be very unlucky to lose the championship now. Had I not • n • _ • DNFed in Holland, I would be World Champion today." While Everts has struggled, his rival has finally picked up momentum, as well as the confidence that has seemed to elude him all year. The defending champ has lacked motivation, complaining all season long of an injured groin, but he's happy to still be alive in a championship that most thought was all but over. "I don't think Stefan will be too happy if he loses this one," Smets said. "In all seriousness, he would be very, very unlucky to lose, but I'm still here, and I'm still going for a win in Austria next week. Anything can happen, as we saw in Holland [where Everts broke]." In the Italian 250cc moto, it was new champ Mickael Pichon who took his 10th win of the season, just ahead of Chad Reed and Claudio Federici. All season long, it's been Pichon taking the class by storm, and while Reed and Federici have each won a Grand Prix in the past month, the Frenchman was just too quick on the natural-terrain track. "1 did not have a good start," the Corona Suzuki rider said. "However, I really pushed hard early to get to the front. Once there, it was not too bad. My condition is not good anymore; I am not training like I have in the past. With the championship already over, my motivation is not as good as early in the year, but I still love winning." Norwegiap Kenneth Gundersen won his third 125cc Grand Prix of the year with a brilliant victory, leading home fellow Champ KTM rider Erik Eggens. "I had a really good race," Gundersen said. "At the Dutch GP, Erik was too quick. Today I sat behind Erik,