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/128204
Two Days of Brianza etu n of The Spaniard rules under the new rules. STORY AND PHOTOS By MARIO CANDELLONE MONZA, ITALY, FEB. 22-23 ,jfJIl' ore than because of the unex;JJ VI. pected win of Spaniard Joan Pons, number three in the World in 1996 but out of active competition for the last four years, the 21 st edition of the Due Giorni Della Brianza is noteworthy as the first venue to test the revised rules for the coming World outdoor season. Many top riders were absent for this first outdoor event of the season, some of them too busy with the World Indoor series. Italian Champion Daria Re Delle Gandine was also absent, due to a cold. Among the more than 100 riders who started the event on Saturday, only Pons and female World Champion Laia Sanz, both winners in their classes, could be considered international stars at Brianza this year, although the competition did get much better on Sunday, because Albert Cabestany and Graham Jarvis, after having competed on Saturday night in the World Indoor round at Pesaro, joined the event. BRIEFLY• •• As usual. the rules changes. which now make it legal to stop or hop into position in order to attack a section. have divided the trials world right down the middle... Joan Pons said that he was in favor of the new nules. -I am used to riding with the nules this way in the past, so I do not have any problem riding under them again." he said. Graham Janris. on the other hand, does not agree with the new nules. "I do not think this is a good solution." Jarvis said. "For the top riders it does not change a lot. The problems come for all the others. people who might be eager to try our sport. I am in favor of the fully nonstop ride. like the Scottish. In England. our federation decided to stay with the old nules. They have not changed for the moment. Albert Cabestany said that he agreed with the changes. "This time we can do legally what we used to do but what was not allowed." he said. "Also. for the observers and for the public. it is simpler to judge and to understand the penalties. About the continuity, it is guaranteed by the time limit. It is not possible to insert huge obstacles to be overtaken in 60 or gO seconds. " Fabio Lenzi said that he believes the change to the rules is "a step backward. It is boring to see again the possibility to stop," he said. "We leamed how to negotiate the obstacles by keeping our bikes moving. but now we are retuming to the past. This may be better for the observers but not for the public. Before these changes. the sport was more dynamic." Monza is 15 minutes by car from Milano. in the North of Italy. The small town is well known in the world for its road racing circuit. The local Moto Club is nun by Giulio Mauri. one of the oldest. most experienced journalists in the world. Beside Joan Pons, Brianza also marked the retum of another great rider. Piero Sembenini, number three in Italy at the time of Bosis-Miglio, to this event. Sembenini had a bad accident five years ago and left the sport. He rode both the days, but for political reasons (his license had not arrived) he was officially inserted only on Sunday, with the 100 points (the maximum) assigned for the Saturday missing. His score of Sunday was the third best, behind only Pons and Lenzi. 52 MARCH 12, 2003' eye I e ne_s