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/128230
F IM World Championship Motocross Series R o u n d 10 : Gaildor f C ircuit BRIEFLY••• The IS .000-strong crowd was in lull spirits as Germany' s favorit e son Pit Beirer was brought to the event. The KTM factory rider broke his back in the Bulgarian Grand Prix earlier in the season and was m a ki n g h is f ir st ap p earance a t a motocros s event. Fo r m a ny . it w a s a spec ial momen t. Bernd Eckenbach. who raced alongside Beirer on many oc casions. had his helmet pain ted hall in his own colors and hall in the helmet colors 01 Beirer. Stel an Evert s also sto pped to talk to his friend alte r both 12Scc and 2SOccvicto ries. Stefan Everts picked up his 13th overall victory 01 the year in Gaildorf and is now equal WIth M ic ka el Pic hon for m o s t GP w in s in one seas on . Ev ert s is not so im p re s sed with his reco rd . 00 ' will have to wirt another overall. ' Everts said . ' I'm not too keen on the number 13. It's nice to take records. but to be honest. I didn' t even know I had done that record .' Lost in all the excitement about Ste fan Everts" gelling his 67th Grand Prix vict ory and heading toward his record-brea king sevent h W orld Motocro ss Ch ampionship is the l ac t that .Jo el S m ets is ready to equal the five-World·title tally 01 Roger DeCoster. Eric Gebo ers and Georges Jobe il he wins the 6SOcc World title this year. II Smets wins. whic h is nearly a sure thing. he will be third in the all-time list 01 riders. behind Evert s and Joel Robert . who has six W orld tit les. It is still unsure il Namur will be on the 2004 calendar. The lamous Belgian circuit is still outside FIM regulations. and it is underst ood that several more trees have to be cut down Irom the National Park where the circuit is raced . Johan Maris, who ran this year s event and will also run live Grands Prix in 2004 . is disappointed with the FIM and its rules. "They say some more trees have to be taken out." Maris said. ' You know . it' s nearly imposs ible to take trees lrom that pla ce · it' s a nationa l m onument a rea and a very fa m o us pa rk; it's no t like w e ca n ju st w alk in there With a chainsaw and start culling away.' W hat is sure is that the Lichtenvoo rde Circuit in Holland will run a Grand Prix. along with possibly Valkenswaard. At this moment. Belgium will also run two Grands Prix. although due to the proble m s in N amur. it is not kn own w h ere . S ome o f the c ircui ts o n the sho rt lis t are N ism e s . Z o ld e r and Gent . Stelan Evert s is giving himsell the chance to look toward the 2003 Motocross des Nations. to be held in Zolder. Belgium. on October 4. The legendary rider is not sure how to look at his challenge from American Champion Ricky Carmichael. ' You know. Ricky is a great rider.' Evert s said. ' He's always shown me respect. and I like him a lot. I do n't think anyone can say he will beat me. though. or that I will beat him - we will only know when the event is run. but lor sure 1 look forward to racing him.' Fr e nc h rider Johnny Aubert looks lik e one o f very few new Eu ro p ea n ride rs to arri v e in America in 2004 . Aubert will head to America in late 2003 to check out the scene. He will probably ra ce Y a m aha machi ne s . The now-in famous MLet S t e ve PastM sign that was put o ut during the 12Scc race has suddenly disappeared. W hen Cycle News asked team boss Kurt Nicoll about the sign. he gave a vague loo k. ' I don't know what you're talking about.' Nicoll smiled. 'I was wat ching the race. Ben makes the decision on the track. not me.' When we asked Townley. he smiled and gave the sa m e an swer. M o m at e . I m ad e a m is take o n t he la s t corn e r . I didn 't see any sig n . I d on 't k n o w N what you're talking about.' We then asked RM track directo r Dave Nicoll [the lather 01 Kurtl . and he made it all clear. ' There is no rule about team orders .' Nicoll said. ' Although the riders mu st go fo r th e wi n. wh ich is a rul e fo r sure . (82 ) ; 11, Marv in Van Daele (77 ); 12 . Rodrig Thai n (7 6 ); 13. Nic ol as Cha rl ier (6 7) ; 14 . Ben To wn ley (64 ); IS . Tanel Leok (63). MOTOCROSSGP: I. Stefan Evert. (Yam); 2. Bria n J orge nsen ( Han); 3 . Jo el Sme ts ( KTM ) ; 4 . Cla udio Federici (Yam) ; 5. Mami eq Bervoets (Yam) 6. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 7. And rew McFl' rlane (Kaw ); 8. Kenneth Gundersen (Kaw); 9. Chri s Martin (Suz); 10. Johnny Aubert (Yl' m) ; 11. Petric k Caps (KTM) ; 12. Josh Coppi ns (Hon) ; 13. Vince nt Turpin (Hon ); 14 . A ntoi ne Meo (Kaw); 15. Lauri s Frei bergs (Han ). E ck enba ch in thi rd. For Ecken b ac h, i t wa s a v e r y emo tio na l m o m en t. Eckenba ch had h i s h e lm e t p ai nted in the colo r s of injured G erman ride r Pit B e i r e r and e n joyed hug e c ro wd support. "I wanted to ha v e my h e lmet in t he c o lo r s of Pit Beirer ," E ckenbach said . Pit. F or m e it was a s pecial moment Stefan Everts (225n win s); 2. Joel Smets (2 10 ); 3. M ickael Pichon (1 88 /3 wi ns) ; 4 . Brian J orgensen a n d also a sad one, h e ' s a goo d ( 134): 5. (TIE) Kenneth Gund ersen (119)/ Andrew frien d and a great person . I could McFarla ne ( 119 ); 7. Claudia Federici ( 113); 8. Yoshi At suta (98 ) : 9 . Kevin Str ijbos (95 ); 10 . Milirn i cq Bervoets (94) ; 11. Gordon Crcc kard (79) ; 12. J am es hear th e crowd around the ci r c u i t , Dobb (73) 13. Josh Coppin. (62); 14. Pa trick Cap . (48): 15. JohnnyAubert (47). a n d it rea lly inspi red me t o go for th e 650: 1. .Joel Smets (KTM) ; 2. Jav ier vi ce Garcia p odium. " (KTM) ; 3. Bernd Eckenbach (KTM); 4. Michal American Trampas Pa rker finish ed Kadl ec ek (Yam ); 5. Fabr izio Di ni (Hon) ; 6. Dann y Theybers (Hbg) : 7. An tti Pyrho nen (Yam) ; 8 . Mark Eastw ood (Han ) ; 9 . Daniel Bric ea (Hon); 10. A vo Leak (Han) ; 11. T hierr y Beth y s (Han) ; 12 . Mar k Huek lebrid ge (KTM ); 13. Roman J elen (Han); 14 . Mi ska Aeltonen (KTM); 15. Christia n Beggi (Han ). in 23rd p l a c e afte r a t errible start. He is now n inth in th e p o in ts ra ce . eN Gaildarf Circuit Gaildarf , Germany Results: August 24, 2003 (Round 10J POI NTS STANDINGS ( A ft er lO af 12 roun ds) : I. J oel Sme ta (2 4 5/ 9 win s); 2 . Ja vier v tco Garc ia (21 6) ; 3 . Cedric Mel ott e ( 165 /1 w in ) ; 4 . Da nny T hey be rs ( 12 0 ) ; 5 . Michal Kad l ec ek (1 10 ) ; 6 . Fa brizio Dini ( 10 6): 7. Bernd Eckenbach ( 102 ); B. Roman J elen (101 ) ; 9 . Tramp as Park er (93 ) ; 10. An tti Pyrho nen (88) ; 11. Mark East wood (86 ); 12. Thie rry Beth y s (8 5): 13. Stuart Floc k hart (62 ); 14. Jo aki m Karlsson (55): 15. Avo Leok (5 4) . FIM WORLD C'SHIP 125 MOTOCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS' (After 10 of 12 rounds): I. Steve Ramon (204/1 win); 2. Andrea Bartolini ( 177); Upcoming Rounds: Round 11 ' Loket, Czech Republic, August 31 Round 12 ' Ernee, France. September 14 3. (T IE) Stefan Everts (168/6 wins) /Mickael Maschio (16 8/1 win ); 5. Marc De Reuver ( 136/1 win); 6. Erik Eg ge n s ( 126 ) ; 7 . Ste p he n Swo rd (113) ; 8 . T y ll' Rattray ( 108) ; 9 . A lessio Chiodi (95); 10. Luigi Seguy S EPTEMBER 3 . 2 0 03 ' (Above left) Ben Townley ran as h igh as seco nd in the 125c c GP . but team orde rs may h ave slowed h im t o allow teammate and p o ints l eader Ramon by for second. FIM WORLD C'SHIP 650 MOTOCROSS SER IES 125: 1. Stefan Evert s (Yam) ; 2. Steve Ram on (KTM ); 3. Ben Townle y ( KTM); 4. And rea Bart oli ni (Yam) ; 5 . Mickael Masch io (Kaw); 6 . Stephen Sword (KTM ); 7. A lessio Chi odi ( Yam) : 8. Rodrig Th ain (Hus) ; 9. Lu ig i Seguy (Yam ); 10 . Nicol as Charli er ( KT M); 1 1. Pa sc al Le uret ( KT M) ; 12 . Chris t ia n Steve nin i ( Hus) ; 13 . A nto ine LeUeli er (Ya m ) 14. Marco Dors ch (Suz); 15. Tene l Leak (KTM). 20 Several riders are now clear about their p ro spects for 2004. While Jo el Smets has tested Aprilia. Honda and just about every othe r brand. he will not sign a contract until the last Grand Prix in France on Septemb er 14 . Many in the padd ock l eel he will remain with KTM . New Zealand's .Jo s h Coppins has re-signed with the CAS Honda team. while Belgian Steve Ramon and Holland's Erik Eggerts remain with the KTM team. FIM WORLD C'SHIP MOTOCROSSGP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After 10 of 12 rounds) : I. " It w a s m y w a y of showi ng r espe ct t o cue I n e vv s ft (Ri g ht ) Javier Vi co Garcia f inished the 650cc cla s s as the runne r -u p y et again in Ga ildorf.