Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

points to extend his lead in the quarter-liter class. Finishing top of the class by half a minute, the Gas Gas rider again proved that '03 looks like his year. "Day one waso't so good, but day two went really weU," Pohjamo said. "It's been a really good race apart from the extreme test on day one.» Sharing the second- and thirdplace positions over the weekend were Larsson and Germain. With Larsson claiming the runner-up spot on day one, home rider Germain demoted the Swede to third on day two by just four seconds, eN French Two.Dey Aigueperse, Frence Results: Mey 10-11, 2083 (.....ad 41 (KTM); 4, Roman 'Michalik (Vor); 5. Oavid Fretigne (Yam): 6. Marko Tarkkala (Hbg); 7. Oliviel; SamofaJ (KTM); a. Niklas Gustarsson (KTM); 9, Jordi Duran (KTM): 10, Larry Gustafsson (KTM). 500 4/STRK.: 1. Mika Ahola (Vor); 2, Juha Salminen (KTM); 3. Ivan Cervantes (KTM): 4, Oavid Knight (Yam); 5. Bjome Carlsson (Hbg); 6. Wemer Muller (KTM); 7. Christoph Seifert (KTM): 8. Juri Simoneinl (KTM); 9, Joan Jou (KTM); 10. Johan Bjerkert (KTM), O/A; 1, Stefan Merriman (Hon); 2. Samull Arc (KTM); 3. Mlka Ahola (Vor); 4. Juha Salmlnen (KTM); 5. Ivan Cervantes (KTM); 6. Davi-d Knight (Yam); 7. Anders Eriksson (Hus); 8. Alessandro Botturi (KTM); 9. Freddy Blanc (KTM): 10. Xavier PUigdemont (KTM)_ Day Two 125; I. Petri Pohjamo (GG); 2. Marc Germain (Yam); 3. Rickard Larssan (TM); 4. Petteri Silvan (KTM); 5_ Mika Saarenkoski (Hus); 6. Paul Edmondson (Yam); 7, Andre Raphael (GG); 8. Damje:n Miquel (Hus); 9. Herve Versace (KTM) 10. Ivan Beano (Hu$). 250: 1. Stefan Merriman (Han): 2. samull Ara (KTM); 3. Freddy Blanc (KTM); 4, Helder Rodrigues (KTM); 5. Janl Laaksonen (GG); 6. Jari Mattila (GG); 7. Fabien Plzmet (Hus): 8. Paul Whibley rHus); 9. Sebastian Guillaume (Hus);' 10. Emmanuel Albepart (GG), 250 4/STRK; 1, Peter Bergval1 (Yam); 2. Giovanni Sala (KTM); 3. Giuseppe Gallina (Yam): 4. Barto., ObluckJ (TM); 5. Roberto Banum (Hus); 6. Day One 125: I. Paul Edmondson (Yern); 2. Rickard Larsson (TM); 3. Marc Germain (Yam); 4. Petri Riccardo Fermi (Yam); 7. Vita Kuklik (KTM): 8. Danielle TelHni (Yam); 9. Orial Tort (KTM); 10. Rowan Jones (Yam). Pohjamo (GG); 5. Petterl Silvan (KTM); 6. Mika Saarenkoski (Hus); 7. Andre. Raphael (GG); a. Oamlen Miquel (11us); 9. Alessio PaolJ (KTM); 10. Alessandro Zanni (Han); 3. Anders Eriksson (Hus): 4. Jordi Duran (KTM); 5. Roman Michalik (Vor); 6. Ivan Boono (Bus). · (Above) Peter Bergvall topped the a 250cc Four-5troke both days. (Above right) Getting back in action after suffering a broken collarbone, Paul Edmondson aced the 125cc class on Saturday but didn't have things go ; his way on Sunday. formance in France, Anders Eriksson took the top spot in the 450cc FourStroke class on day one, finishing 14 seconds ahead of KTM riders Alessandro Botturj and Xavier Puigdemont. Making the most of championship rival Roman Michalik's bad Luck (the Vor rider got stuck on the extreme test on day one through no fault of his own), Eriksson failed to repeat his day-one performance, finishing third in class behind Sunday's winner David Fretigne and Alex Zanni. "Day two's result wasn't that I 'Was looking for, but it's been a good weekend for my championship," said Eriksson, who extended his class lead to almost 20 points. "I was pushing really hard today [day two]. possibly too hard, but my test times weren't as fast as I'd hoped they would be." Sharing the second-place honors for the weekend were Ltalians Botturi and Alex Zanni. Placing 14 seconds behind Eriksson on day one, Farioli KTM rider Botturi failed to finish the second day's competition after a heavy fall on the extreme tests. For Zanni, second on day two made up for a disappointing] 4th in class on day one, haVing started the event one minute too early and then having struggled on the extreme test. Third on day one was KTM Racing rider Xavier PUigdemont. One of the most surprising results of the weekend ! emerged from the over 500cc Four! Stroke class, where on-form four! time World Champion Juha Salminen i failed to top the class on eitner day. I With honors shared between Vor rider Mika Ahola and Farioli KTM rider Ivan Cervantes, Salminen finished as runner-up on both days, maintaining his comfortable championship lead. Claiming his first class win of the sea- son, Ahola's good fortune was short lived, however, as after putting his name at the top of the class by eight seconds on day one, he then failed to finish day two due to a broken swingarm. "Day one went really well; I only made one mistake, but today was just one of those things," a dejected Ahola said. Improving on his day-one position of third in class, Ivan Cervantes claimed his first ever World Championship class win on day two by linishing 14 seconds ahead of Salminen. "I'm so happy to have won," Cervantessaid. "In Greece I was fighting with Juha, so to beat him here is really good for me." WhIle Cervantes had plenty to be happy about, Salminen was anything but impressed with his performances from the two days. "I don't know why, but I haven't ridden with any aggression this weekend," Salminen said. "I haven't had a good feeling 'With the bike, and I'm not even close to being happy with the way I (Ode this weekend." Like the 450cc and over-500cc Four-Stoke classes, the 125cc class saw two riders claim a day win each UFO Corse Yamaha rider Paul Edmondson and Gas Gas' Petri Pohjamo. For Edmondson, victory on day one ahead of TM rider Rickard Larsson and teammate Marc Germain proved what might have been in '03 had he not broken his collarbone prior to round two. With just three and a half seconds separating the top three riders, Edmondson was clearly happy to have topped the day. "Obviously I'm happy to have won; it's been tough since I broke my collarbone, so to finally prove myself is great," Edmondson said. Edmondson didn't fare quite so well on day two, however, as a lack of match fitness saw him place fifth. Topping day two after seeing his day one result spoiled by crashes, Petri Pohjamo claimed another valuable 25 250: 1. Stefan Merriman (Hon); 2. Samuli Aro (KTM); 3, Freddy Blanc (KTM); 4. Helder Rodrigues (KTM); 5, Paul Whlbley (Hus); 6. Janl Laaksonen (GG); 7. Fabien Planet (Hus); a. Sebastian Guillaume (Hus); 9" Emmanuel Albepart (GG); 10, Jarno Boane (Hon). 250 4(STRK: I. Peter Bergvall (Yam); 2. Giovanni Sala (KTM); 3. Giuseppe Galllno (Yam); 4. Stephan Peterhansel (Yam); 5. Roberto Ba'ZZurri (Hus); 6. Danlelle Tellini (Yam); 7. Riccardo Fermi (Yam); 8. Gilles Algay(Yam); 9_ Oriol Tort (KTM); 10. Vita Kuklik (KTM). 450 4/STRK: 1. Anders Eriksson (Hus): 2. Alessandro Botturi (KTM): 3. Xavier Puigdemont 450 4/STRK; I. Oavid Fretigne (Yam); 2, Niklas Gustafsson (KTM); 7. Marko Tarkkala (Hbg); 8. Miki Arpa (Hon); 9. Martin Und (Hbg): 10. Larry Gustafsson (Hbg). 500 4/STRK.: 1. Ivan Cerventes (KTM); 2. Juha Salminen (KTM); 3. David Knight (Yam); 4. Bjame Carlsson (Hbg); 5. Andreas Toressan (Hbg); 6. Werner Muller (KTM); 7. Christoph Seifert (KTM): 8. Juri Simoncini (KTM); 9. Joan Jou (KTM); 10. Johan Bjerkert (KTM)_ O/A: 1. Stefan Merriman (Han); 2. Ivan Cervantes (KTM); 3, Samuli Arc (KTM); 4. Juha Salminen (KTM); 5. Oavid Knight (Yam); 6. Bjorne Carlsson (Hbg); 7. David Fretigne (Yam); 8. Aless.andro Zanni (Hon); 9. Petri Pohjamo (GG); 10. Freddy Blanc (KTM). BRIEFLY••• The 1CO-percent natural Extreme test in France provoked much discussion at the end of the first day's competition. with many riders feeling that the stage was more of a survival course than an extreme test. Favoring riders from a trials background. the three-to·four·minute-Iong test followed the meandering path of a stream for much of its length and featured difficult climbs, siz· able drop·offs, ruts, roots and plenty of mud and water. With good runs through the stage resulting in test times that were significantly faster than those posted by riders who struggled (the extreme tests at rounds one, two and three of the series sawall riders produce virtually identical times), the fact that the test was both long and difficult meant that certain riders found themselves either stuck behind slower riders or wasting time trying to pass them. Several riders also felt that the organizers weren't able to marshal the full length of the course properly, and as a result complaints of spectators' interfering with the course were made at the end of the first day's competition. Reigning 250cc Four-Stroke World Champion Peter Bergvall was back racing in the WEC in France after crashing out of the Greek round of the series with a broken right collarbone. Having handed Italian Giovanni Sala a sizable championship lead when he failed to claim any points in Greece, Bergvall claimed an important double-class topping performance despite being in considerable pain from the recently plated injury. "Obviously I'm really happy to have won on both days. but today [day twol it has been really difficult for me because of the rough special tests," the Swede said. Spanish rider Gerard Farres was disqualified from the French event after the 250cc fourstroke·mounted rider refused to let officials measure the displacement of his KTM at the close of the second day's competition. Alleged to have been competing on a machine with a bigger engine than the permitted 250ccs, the Spaniard's refusal to allow the officials to measure the bore and stroke of his bike resulted in disqualification from the two days. If the officials had found the bike to be "over size," not only would he have been disqualified from the event, he also would have had to face disciplinary action from the FIM. The French race saw a return to a more traditional type of event with long checks. a seven and a half hour opening day coupled with 12 timed tests, also making it one of the most demanding so far in '03. While the majority of the course wasn't too difficult. one trial-like section and steep uphill climb made many of the world's best riders look like amateurs, especially those from a motocross background. The race also saw the highest number of competitors in a WEe race so far in '03, the highest number of spectators, the highest number of retirements, as well as the longest amount of time competing on the special tests. Despite no longer competing in the full WEe series. a number of France's biggest enduro names took part in the race in Aigueperse, namely Stephan Peterhansel, David Fretigne, Richard Sainct and Gilles Algay. Despite massive support from their home supporters, the four French riders, with the exception of Fretigne, failed to make any real impression on the WEC regulars. Posting a somewhat disappointing fifth in the 450cc Four-Stroke class on day one, David Fretigne claimed the best French result by topping the class on day two. Both Dakar winner Sainct and 250cc four-stroke Yamaha-mounted Algay produced average results. while Peterhansel decided to literally stay in bed on Sunday moming. After finishing fifth in the 250cc FourStroke class on day one, Peterhansel decided that his "only-far-fun" ride hadn't actually been that fun and opted not to compete. The unluckiest rider on day one was Vor rider Roman Michalik. Just two points behind 450cc Four-Stroke series leader Anders Eriksson going into the event. the tall Czech rider found himself stuck behind Juha Salminen during the opening day's second extreme test and with no alternative lines to use. Losing around 30 seconds, Michalik was demoted from a possible class top' ping position to fourth through no real fault of his own. Sharing the" unluckiest rider" award on day two were KTM Racing rider Xavier Puigdemont and Vor rider Mika Ahola. For PUigdemont day two looked like the day the Spaniard would claim his first-ever 450cc class win. Until, that is, his Katoom cried enough within sight of the finish. For over 500cc four-stroke day one winner Ahola, a broken swingarm put him out of the event. c y a I e n e _ os; MAY 28. 2003 37

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