Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128165
Namur as the favorite. His pre-race performances in France have given him a slight edge in confidence; the tiny Frenchman was not about to get carried away with his podium finish. "Second place was probably the best I could have done today," Chambon said. "I don't like too much clirt on the course, and we had a lot of that here at Namur. It makes it difficult to set the bike up, and I don't really like as much as they had here. I enjoyed the racing today and hopefully I can get one place higher when we go to Valkenswaard in August." The top-placing Belgian was Gerald Delepine, the former Grand Prix motocross rider, who slid his Vertemati onto the podium in third place, and he received an enthusiastic applause from the local crowd for his effort. "I had a long battle with Eddy Seels," Delepine said. "He would pass me, then I could get him back; in the end, he crashed, and I was able to take an easy third place. Unlike the others, I was able to ride the dirt okay, and the speed of my machine kept me in the running on the asphalt section. I couldn't have asked for a better beginning to the series. I look forward to heading to Holland in two months for the second round, then making up some ground on Cham bon and Van Den Bosch." England's Kurt Nicoll finished seventh. He was a little off the pace in the early heat race, which cost the KTM motocross team manager a good start in the final - something that was very important against the best supermotard riders in the World. "If you get a bad run in your heat, then you're stuffed," Nicoll said. "' really struggled to make up places, and even in the dirt section where the others were having trouble, I could not get past. Still, the series looks like it will be fun, and I'll do my best to show some better results at the other rounds." Former World 500cc Motocross Champion Andrea Bartolini was also struggling with machine setup - having decided to do the race in the middle of the World Motocross season did not help the Italian prepare for such a challenge. The hardest-luck story of the weekend involved Klaus Kinigadner. The KTM factory pilot, and brother of former World Motocross Champion Heinz Kinigadner. crashed hard in his heat race, and then crashed again in the last-chance qualification race. He failed to make the main event. eN Feel 9 at this nationally televised event, as the stars of the AMA battle for the National Championship during this Double Header season ffnale at the VIRginia International Raceway. FOR TICKET INFORMATION: Visit the VIR website at www.virclub.com • CallI-888-RACE..()99 or 1·434-822·7700 FREE WITH ADMISSION: Special parlcing for motorcydes • Paddock admission VIR is a family friendly faclIjty • Children 12 & under free with paying adult AVAILABLE: Track Touring Sat & Sun. with your motorcyde on our World Class Road Course • Camping Fun l F~ & World Class VIRgInia International Raceway r---------- ~~~c I I I Circu" de Citadelle Namur, Belgium Results: July 14, 2002 [Round 1 of Bl FINAL: 1. Thierry Van Den Bosch (KTM); 2. Boris Chambon (Hus); 3. Gerald Delepine (Ver); 4. William Rubio (Hus); 5. Thierry Godfroid (Kaw); 6. Fabrice Guyot (Vor); 7. Kurt Nicoll (KTM); 8. Ivan Lazzarini (Yam): 9. Jerome Giraudo (Ver); 10. Max Manzo (Hus); 11. Andrea Bartolini (Hon); 12. Christophe Bertrand (Hbg); 13. Alex Thiebault (Hus); 14. Jelln·Mllrc GZlit1ard (Hon); 15. Daniel Muller (Yam). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Valkenswaard, Holland, August 25 Round 3 - Toulouse, France, September 22 I I I I I For FASJEST serwlce aDacll mailing label. Please allow 3 weeks for change to take eff1tct. If label is not available print your name and old address in this box. : Print your NEW address here. I I NAME ADDRESS L.~~ S.:r~T~ ~I.E ...................... _ _ ~ cue I e Mail to: Circulation Dept. Cycle News, Inc. 3505-M Cadillac Avenue Costa Mesa, CA 92626 n e _ S • JULY 31, 2002 ..I 67