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/128208
(Left! After finishing second in the MotocrossGP; Joel Smets went back out and handily won the 650cc GP class. (RIght) Mlckael Maschio defended his crown In the 125cc class with an opening- round win. (Below) American Jeff Dement had problems In Spain but salvaged at least a single point with a 20th-place finish. but otherwise it was easy going. Once I got into the lead, nobody followed me, and I could take it a little easier again. ' If Pichon had it easy, then fellow French rider Mickael Maschio was also laughing. Having been forgotten by the press, the pencil-thin rider proved he would not be giving away his 125cc Championship without a fight. Despite a poor start Maschio quickly picked up the pace of the race and moved away from two other former World Champions, Alessio Chiodi and Andrea Bartolini. As for the favored KTM youngsters - De Reuver, Eggens, Ramon and Townley - they all suffered crashes, DNFs or minor injuries. For Maschio it was not plain sailing though. "I hurt myself in a French International last weekend," Maschio said. "Luigi Seguy crashed me into the fence, and I injured my thumb. I am not sure if it is my ligaments or if something is broken, but I could not ride the bike all week, and I came here hoping to get some points. A win was not on my mind when I lined up on the start this morning." Joel Smets pretty much jumped off his 250cc machine and then began preparation for the 650cc moto, a race he won rather easily. While the early lead went to fellow KTM rider Yves Demaria, Smets passed Demaria on lap seven and did a Pichon by moving away to win by 12 seconds. It was a race many would rather not have seen. and then crashed again in the same place I broke my back two years ago. I was back near last and decided to stay out and get some time on the bike, then I noticed I was in 21 st place and could maybe get a point. I moved into 20th place on the last lap and got the point, and while it's nothing to be excited about, I was happy that I fought on and didn't give up." MotocrossGP "It was pretty easy," Smets said. "I didn't find the two motos a problem and enjoyed the day. I don't know which class I will continue to ride in. I'll race the first three rounds in both classes, then make a decision after that. ' 1:51.295 on lap four and moved slightly away from Chiodi, while Sword began to feel the hot breath of Bartolini. As Maschio pulled another few seconds away from Chiodi, Bartolini 125 GP three veterans just turned up the heat to finish 1-2-3. American Jeff Dement, riding a Three-time World 125cc MX Champion Chiodi returned to the class he once owned and took the holeshot, leading British rider Stephen Sword, Maschio and former World 500cc Champion Andrea Bartolini into the first lap. Sword picked his way past Chiodi to lead the riders around the first lap. It wasn't long before Maschio turned up the heat and passed Sword on lap two; Chiodi followed Maschio two laps later, relegating Sword to third position. Maschio clocked a passed Sword for third place, and the Yamaha YZ250F, started off the race in ninth place, yet a locked front break caused him a lot of misery. Dement had injured his hand at a British Championship race a week earlier and was riding with painkillers. "I'm just not in 100 percent condition," Dement said. "Then in the race the brake lever got caught in the hand guard, and I crashed pretty hard. I dropped back to 17th or something cue I e Italian Claudio Federici pulled off the surprise of the day by getting the holeshot ahead of Pichon, Smets, Everts and Irishman Gordon Crockard. Federici held the lead for three laps before Smets passed both Pichon and the Italian. Pichon, though, was not about to wait around and on lap five passed Smets for the lead. It was on lap five that Pichon more or less won the race, clocking a time of 1:48.171, while Smets could only manage a 1:50.750. As the riders entered lap six, Pichon was three seconds ahead and putting some serious distance between himself and Smets. "I wasn't pushing that hard," Pichon said, "although I had an okay pass and was able to get away from the others." Lap six was another bad one for Smets and company, as Pichon again clocked a lap time two seconds qUicker than Smets' and Everts'. Everts was also able to get past Smets on lap seven, and despite pushing to catch Pichon, the six- n e vv os • APRIL 9,2003 27