Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

Namur-born Cedric Melotte took the win ahead of Spanish rider Javier Vi co Garcia, with series leader Smets finishing third. Melotte and Garcia spent the complete race changing the lead, while Smets tried to recover from a crash in the opening laps. 125CC The opening corner of the first Grand Prix of the day more or less set the pace for the complete race. Italian Andrea Bartolini led, followed by Everts, Ramon, Stephen Sword and Mickael Maschio. Everts made a passing move on Bartolini in the first lap and set off, taking a slight lead over the second-placed rider. For Bartolini, the Namur circuit invoked many memories - not all good ones. "I broke my femur here a few years ago," Bartolini said. "I didn't want to push too hard. My start was good, but that is never a problem with the Yamaha four-stroke. It is so difficult to pass on this track. The track is so dangerous - so many bumps. My speed was good enough to finish on the podium, but any better was difficult. I just want to finish the championship as high as possible. Ramon made a mistake on an uphill, and I thought maybe I could get him, but his speed was too good near the end of the race." Bartolini was able to hold off Ramon for a little while, but on lap four, the KTM factory rider took over second place and set out after Everts. Back in the pack, Maschio was trying to make up time yet never really challenged for a podium place. While Everts was taking it easy up front, Ramon was doing his own thing in second - not making any ground on Everts and not really getting away from third-placed Bartolini. "Stefan was really fast," Ramon said. "I saw Everts get away, and I knew I had to go with him if I wanted to win. He got away quickly, and I just couldn't keep with him - his speed was really fast. The track was really wet; they watered it too much, for sure, and it was muddy and one-lined. It was important to beat Bartolini, as he is close to me in the championship. I really had to push because he really was working hard behind me. The championship is looking good, although anything can happen." Everts also found difficulty in the Namur layout, although he responded when needed. The Belgian legend cruised to his 63rd Grand Prix victory. Everts 1721. Smets 131 and Pichon (11 finished m that order in Belgium. , • down on power compared to the four-strokes." Smets rode probably the best race of his season yet still walked away with second place. He came close to Everts with only one lap remaining, but a mistake on the esplanade saw him drop off Everts' pace. As for Everts, he never had too much of a problem early in the race, although, as the moto moved into the later stages, his problems grew. Still, GP win number 64 was his. "It is so hot," Everts said. "I had been sick for a week after the last Grand Prix and couldn't train for a seven days - that didn't help coming in here. I knew Joel would not give up. With two laps to go, I began to have trouble with my bike. I got some track fencing caught in my back wheel, and the brake was not working very well. Also, my clutch began to play up. I stalled the bike twice, and lucky it was on the downhill sections of the track so I could roll-start it again. I think Joel knew I was having trouble, and he was really pushing me near the end." 650CC For the first laps of the 650cc race, everyone was expecting another Smets victory. Having won the first seven races of the season, it was little surprise that Smets rounded the opening lap in first place. By lap two, Smets was pulling away, while Spanish rider Garcia and Namur local Melotte battled for second place. Smets, however, made a big mistake on lap three and crashed out, handing the lead to Garcia. He remounted a distant third. Smets still had a number of laps remaining before he needed to mount any sort of attack on the lead riders, but the charge never came, and Smets remained in third. As luck would have it, the battle between Garcia and Melotte was one of the best the 650cc class has seen this year. Lap after lap, the two youngsters locked handlebars, until, with a few laps remaining, Melotte took the lead for good. Garcia pushed hard to try to get to the Belgian, but Melotte MOTOCROSS GP While Everts took the holeshot, it was Smets who led through the first couple of turns. Pichon was third early, followed by Marnicq Bervoets, James Dobb, Kenneth Gundersen, Andrew McFarlane, Brian Jorgensen, Josh Coppins and Avo Leok, who rounded out the top 10. By the end of lap one, Smets still led, while Pichon had lost contact with second-placed Everts. It seemed the Frenchman was already suffering. "I don't know," Pichon said. "I don't like this place, and it's so slippery that my two-stroke is just not getting enough grip. I didn't mind the way I was riding, but I was losing ground and not feeling as though I could push harder to get to Smets and Everts. I mean, this is their home track, and they have ridden here many times. I have ridden here just once, when I beat Chad Reed at the GP back in 2001. We are working on different settings; we are really "I had worked really hard to get onto his back wheel," Smets said. "Then on the last corner before the finish line, I got sideways and lost probably five bikelengths to him. The last lap was again a case of trying to catch him. I came so close, so it's disappointing, although I'm still in contention for the championship. I have been really consistent." eye I e n e __ S • JULv30,2003 15

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