FIM World Championship Motocross Series
Round 7: Gorna Rositza Circuit
PUZAR SHOWS HE'S NOT DEAD YET.
"I know this kid is fast." Puzar said.
Suzuki rider led all but one of the 22
"I don't take this win lightly. The last
laps, passing lap-one leader Frederic
Bolley and pulling away to win easily.
While the Frenchman's victory was
STORY AND PHOTOS BY GEOFF MEYER
SEVLIEVO, BULGARIA, JUNE 23
" eteran Alex Puzar turned back the
'f clock, taking his 23rd Grand Prix
overall as he swept to victory in the
125cc Grand Prix of Bulgaria. The
Italian, who won World Championships in 1990 (250cc) and 1995
(125cc), battled hard to win his latest
GP; despite taking the holeshot, he
knew he would have his hands full, as
17-year-old Ben Townley hounded
the Husqvarna rider, passing him on
lap one and holding the lead for the
next 10 laps.
12
JULY
3,2002'
II:
U
II:
I
IE!!
time I won a Grand Prix was back in
1998, and I know I don't have a lot of
wins left in myoid body. What I do
know is I am now in with a chance of
winning another World Championship. I don't have any pressure; I
still love racing, and if I didn't, I
would stay home with my wife and
bambino."
While Puzar was reliving his glory
days, the present-day 250cc champ,
Mickael Pichon, continued to dominate the premier class in Europe. The
n
IE!!
__
so
by 10 seconds, Bolley had pushed
the series leader in the early laps.
The win also gave Pichon his 20th GP
victory, equaling the mark of
Sebastien Tortelli as the winningest
Frenchman in GP history.
"I was surprised by Frederic,"
Pichon said. "He was pushing very
hard, and I was getting a little worried. I was not sure what to do, and
he was very strong. After about 10
Steve Ramon and the rest of the
125cc class launch off the line in the
Bulgarian heat.
laps, I decided to push a little harder,
and Bolley could not match my pace
- it was then that I won this race. As
far as equaling the mark of Sebastien,
that is also great; 1 want to win many
more."
In the 500cc class, Joel Smets
took the win, and despite his championship chances being slim, the fourtime champ was not about to give up.
After a close battle with fellow KTM
