Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Steve Ramon (2) led a KTM rout of tile 125cc class. The Austrian manufactuntr took the top four positions, as well as top top spot In tile 500cc division. laps. The Geboers Suzuki rider, however, made a move on Bolley and never looked back, winning by 12 seconds. Third place went to Honda rider Pit Beirer, who had struggled a little as KTM's James Dobb and Honda riders Josh Coppins and Jussi Vehvilainen all moved up on him as the race closed. "I have not done enough work for this weekend," Pichon said. "I just did not feel good today. I really had to fight to stay with Frederic early in the race, and once I passed him, it was not any easier. I felt the pressure today." The Champ KTM team entered the opening 125cc race feeling some pressure, as the squad has won its home GP for the past two years. The squad is situated in what many call the Corona of Europe, an area were several of the major factory teams including Suzuki, Kawasaki and KTM - are located, and Grant Langston (in 2000) and Eric Eggens (last year) have raised the expectations of the fans. Today, then, only victory would do for Eggens and Ramon, and it was the latter rider taking the win on the long sand course. It wasn't easy, though, as teammate Eggens and 16year-old Kiwi Ben Townley (also on a KTM) both gave him a fight. "I knew Eric would be strong here," Ramon said. "He won the Dutch Grand Prix last year - it was a big race for him. I feel good on the bike and know I can now come back and win some more races." Americans Tallon Vohland, Jeff Dement and Trampas Parker all raced the 125cc class, with Vohland scoring a hard-fought sixth place, Dement going 13th and Parker DNFing with a mechanical problem. 125cc GP It was Ramon who gated the quickest in the tiddler race, leading Eggens, TM-mounted Parker, Marc De Reuver and KTM-mounted Patrick Caps into the first corner. Church Kawasaki's Vohland held a terrible 25th place in his first GP back, while Dement was also back in the pack on his Honda. The early pace was typically wild, with riders changing positions regularly. By the end of lap one, it was Ramon, Eggens, De Reuver, Brett Metcalfe, Townley, Georges Strik, Parker, Jurgen Wybo, Alex Puzar, and Caps. Ramon continued to lead, although Eggens put huge pressure on the Belgian, the two making a short break from De Reuver and the Australasian pair of Metcalfe and Townley. On lap three, Townley passed Metcalfe and De Reuver began to slow. "The bike just lost power," De Reuver said. "Townley passed me, then Metcalfe. I just tried to keep the momentum going, but it was difficult. Andrea Bartolini (21) showed up on a Honda CRF450R and grabbed tile 500cc holeshot, tIIough he was passed by defending champ Stefan Everts (1). Fabrizio Dinl (16), Bernd Eckenbach (14). Mats Nilsson (23) and Joaklm Karlsson (9) pursue. Then the bike just stopped. We found the spark plug was broken." Parker was also having trouble, the former champ drifting back through the field and eventually pulling into the pits on lap seven. "I'm pretty pissed," Parker said. "To be honest, I don't have much to say. It was a mechanic's failure - not a machine failure. The grip came off on lap two, and I couldn't hold onto the handlebars. My hand kept slipping off, and I was losing places quickly." As the race moved into its latter stages, Ramon moved well away from Eggens, with Townley showing great speed by passing Eggens and chasing after Ramon. Time ran out, though, and Ramon held on to win the race ahead of Townley, Eggens, Metcalfe, Mickael Maschio, Vohland, Caps, South African Tyla Rattray, PuzaT and Remy Van Rees. "My start was really bad," Vohland said. ") made some moves around the back part of the track and kept pushing. On this track, it was tough - so many fast riders and not too many lines to choose from. I got caught behind Rattray for a while, and by the time I got past him the others were long -gone." Dement could only get as high as 13th place before the moto closed out, but the Tennessee rider was just happy to be racing (he crashed in round one of the 2001 series, breaking his back, and Valkensvaard was his GP return). "I know it's not the results I would normally want," Dement said. "I had a bad start, and on this type of track, I'm going to struggle. On the hard tracks, I'll be okay. Thirteenth place I mean that's a big result considering I've been out for more than a year. The last time I did a Grand Prix moto was in September of 2000, so this will do for now." 250cc GP Bolley grabbed the holeshot on his new YZ, leading Pichon, Coppins, Brit Paul Cooper, Australian Andrew McFarlane and Finn Vehvilainen. As the riders entered the second lap, Bolley and Pichon had already put some time between themselves and third-placed Dobb, while further back came Coppins, Cooper, Beirer, Japanese Yoshi Atsuta, Vehvilainen, Kenneth Gundersen, and Brit Carl Nunn in 10th place. As Bolley and Pichon continued to fight for the lead, riders were finding @@fJiJDD[JD@ f1@ §j[JiJi]@f?D@fiJr? The big topic in the pits in Holland centered on a report that the Motocross des Nations originally scheduled for Belgium but long up in the air - would be held in America. The venue is said to be Competition Park, a local motocross track in Southern California, although the owners would reportedly build a new circuit for the event. The discussion seemed to surprise the FlM and Dama, and FlM Motocross president Wolfgang Srb smiled when asked if the reports were in fact true. "Everyone seems to think it will," Srb answered when asked if the race will be in the U.S. "The FlM and Dama will make an announcement this week about the track and country for the des Nations." Americans present at the Dutch Grand Prix looked forward to the event, although some had reservations. One was fonner World Champion Bobby Moore, of OMS Ltd. "I don't know too much about the area where the track will be - only that it's pretty flat, no hills or anything like that. I know America will support this race, plus Southern California is really a strong motocross area." "It's great: Tallon Vohland said. "I'm also glad the American public will be able to see this event. Let's hope that the FlM and AMA can get together and organize some Grands Prix, also. We need to show America that there are good riders in Europe, and it's not just the Americans who are fast: Still, the Americans admitted that the facility isn't exactly top-notch, comparing unfavorably with the picturesque circuits of Europe. "I have heard that there is not yet a track at the faciUty: Srb said. "If the event does go ahead, there is now six months for a good track to be made. I understand with the people in America and the direction of the FlM and Dama, it is very possible to have something organized by September. I don't see a problem; we will have to give the track our approval before any FlM event goes ahead, and that would be the case for the 2002 Motocross des Nations, no matter where it might be held: The MXdN isn't the only rumor involving the States and international motocross. If the FlM has its way, a USGP will be run in America in the next two years. Srb looks at America as an important part of the World Championships. "Americans are very good at motocross,· Srb said. "It would be important for us to go to America for a Grand PriX, and that is partly the reason for looking at America for the des Nations. We have great interest from the American people, and I would like to think in the next couple of years, you will see a USGP once again: Rumors in Europe even had the flOa] round of the series being held at Budds Creek, Maryland (rather than Russia), a week before the Motocross des Nations, although Srb denied that. "The Russian round will go ahead,· Srb said. "I was in Russia last week, and everything is in place." a U a I • n e _ S • APRIL 3, 2002 21

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