Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

FIM Wo r ld C h am p io n sh ip Motoc r oss S eri e s R o u n d 1 1 : L o k e t Ci r c u it '" pushed early to c atc h Maschio , c ia i n th e o pe n i ng lap s. and I c o uld f o ll ow h im witho ut any B y t h e end of th e ra c e, difficu lty ," Ba rtol i ni sa i d , "Passing Smets had c leare d away was m ore difficu lt, how ev er , as we from Ga rc ia . The Spanish bo t h had t he same lines, Then in th e rider finis hed in sec ond seco nd half of the rac e, he sta rt ed to pla ce, w it h Ced ric M elotte slow , and I fell int o th e trap of drop - Smets recorded h is 10th w in of the s e a s o n in the 650cc class. in t h ird p lac e. For Smet s p ing to h is spe ed , That w a s h o w it mean t a n o t her W orld T ownle y wa s a b le to catc h u p and t it l e , so me t h ing h e was jump p ast m e o n t he in side afte r a emotiona l abo ut. " lt' s been a funn y day ," downhill j um p, " St ev e Ramon , who ca me so close S mets sa id . "The 650cc to wrapping up the 125cc Champi- ra c e was pretty m uch the o ns hi p in Loket, di d n 't look too same as it' s bee n all yea r; am use d with the fac t he was not yet I had some trou bl e with Wo rl d Ch ampi on , K no wn as one of Garcia ea r ly, b ut once , the m o st u n ex c it a bl e ride r s on t he got him, I was o kay. " Gra nd Pri x scen e, Ram on now looks D e spit e fini sh in g the season with a tit le an d second -place fini sh in the M o t o cr o s sGP c las s, Smets was no t sure he had do ne the c orrect thing go ing fo r two titl es. " Ridi ng both classes this ye ar real ly to ok it o ut of m e m en ta ll y ," Sm et s sai d. " Go ing for two titles in one ye ar, to th e last round in Franc e, " I j us t di d n ' t ge t a goo d sta rt ," Ramon said . " I was stuck behind some riders for far too lo ng , and it' s a diffic ult t rack to pass anyway . , didn 't wa n t to take to o m an y risks , and when I d id , I near ly go t into t ro uble . I j ust go to Fra nce now wit h a pod ium m a yb e i t was a mist ak e . I rea l l y pushe d hard fo r th e 250cc class , and p la c e in mi nd a n d hop efull y t h e cham pio nshi p ." t o fi nish second was tough t o take , al t houg h wi nn i ng th e 650 c c tit le 6 50cc me ant so m uch t o m e. It 's my fifth ,t it l e , and h av in g sta rted r a c in g as In the b i g -bo r e r a c e , Sm et s was c au g ht behind se vera l ri d er s in t he a 17 -y e ar-o ld , I th in k ' ha ve d o n e okay." eN first co rn er, alt ho ug h he bur st t hro ug h to pass ear ly lead er J av ier Vieo Gar- B R I EF L y · •• • J o el Sme t s shocked everyone when he said at the Czech Grand Prix that he will be parting ways with KTM . It is now understood that Smets will either race for the CAS Honda team in 2004 or the facto ry Suzuki team. Sm ets has continued to com plain about his machinery this year, and racing for the tough Honda team would poss ibly give him the bike he needs to win a Worl d 250cc Motocross C hampionship. It was also understood that KTM tried to force Smets to sign his contract for 2004 in Germany a week earlier. something the Belgian didn't take kindly to . "I have said it before," Srnet s said. " I will make my decision in the last round in France. I wo n't be pushed into anyt hing. by anyone. I want to ride the bike that will give me the best chance to win another W orld titl e. I've had a good time with KTM . although it's maybe time to move on." The victory by S t e fa n Everts in the Motoc rossGP race gave him his 69th Grand Prix victory out of the 175 Grand Prix race s he has ridd en. Fo r Evert s it' s been an amazing 12 or so yea rs in the Grand Prix scene. The Belgian wo n his first World Moto cross Championship in the 125cc class in 1991 . and that was followed with a victory in the 250cc class in 1995 . '96 and '97. before he claimed wins in the 500cc class in 200 1 and 2002 . and now another title in the 250cc class this year. In comparison Joel Smet s entered the Grand Prix scene in 1989 , rode as a privatee r for a few years. then won his first World 500cc title in 1995. followed with titles in 1997, 1998 and 2000. before winning again this year in the 650c c class. Evert s and Smets have two completely different backgrounds. although both have raced through the European Series. winning a total of 12 Worl d Motocross Championships, and giving the European public one of the greatest rivalries in GP history . Smets began riding motocross at 17 years old, while Evert s had already wo n a Belg ian Champ ionship at the age of 15. Both Smet s and Evert s regard Roger DeCoster as their hero , and both have now passed DeC oster in Grand Prix records. If Steve Ramon wins the World 125cc title in two week s, he will be the first Belgian to win a Wo rld 125cc Motocross Championship since Everts back in 1991. Stefan Everts was asked about the Motocross des Nations by the Belgian press, and. as he ofte n does. Evert s tried to bring some interest into the biggest event of the season. "The Ameri· cans will be coming." Everts said. "That means Ricky Carmichael vers us Stefan Everts. which should be an interesting duel. Anything can and probably will happen. For the Belgian public this is a huge race." Everts will lead the European challenge against the tough Amer ican team. and wi th S teve Ramo n and Joel Smets o n the team . it should be a great Belgium-ve rsus-A merica battle. Willy Linder, the traine r for Stefan Everts. feels the Belgian is at the peak of his career. Linder also trained Everts' fat her Harry to four World titles in the 1970s. " For sure he was very good in his Honda years, from 1996 until 1999 , but his mind is so strong now." Linder said. " He knows how to prepare for a race, and he is very motivate d. more than ever , he know s his body bet ter tha n ever. and he also wor ks hard on mental prepa rat ion. which is what got him t hrou gh t his year. " 40 SEPTEMBER 1 O. 2003' C II C I e n e vv s l oket Circuit l oket , Czech Re public Res ults: August 31, 2003 [Round 11] 125 : 1. Ste fan Ev erts (Yam ) ; 2. Ben Town ley (KTM ); 3 . M i ckael Ma sch io ( K aw ); 4 . And rea Bar to lin i (Yam); 5. Eri k Eggen s (KTM); 6. Al essio Chio di (Yam ); 7. Luigi Seguy (Yam ); 8. Steve Ram on (KTM): 9. Stephen Sword (KTM): 10. Tyla Rattray (KTM ); 11. Tanel Leak (KTM); 12. Nicol as Char lier (K TM ); 13 . Stefan An de rsson (Ya m) ; 14. Ru i Goncalves (Yam ); 15. Ai gar Leo k (KTM) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 125 MOTOCROSS SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Aft er 11 of 12 rou nd s ) : 1. Steve Ramon (2 17/ 1 win ); 2. An dr ea Bartolini ( 195 ); 3. Stefa n Everts ( 193/7); 4 . Mic kael Maschio (18 8/ 2) ; 5. Eri k Eggens ( 142) ; 6. Marc De Reu ver ( 136/1 ); 7 . Ste p hen Swo rd ( 125) ; 8 . T yl a Rattr ay (1 19) ; 9 . Alessio Chlod! ( 1 10) ; 10 . Lu ig i Seguy (96) ; 11. Ben To wnley (86); 12. Marvi n Van Dael e (7 7 ) ; 13 . Rod ri g T hai n (7 6) ; 14 . Nico las Cha rlier (75) ; 15. lanel Leok (7 3 ) MO TO CRO S SG P: 1. Ste fa n E verts (Yam) ; 2 . Marnicq Bervoe ts (Yam ); 3. Brian J orgensen (Hen): 4. Jos h Coppi ns (Hen): 5. Gordo n Croc kard (Ho n) ; 6. Andrew McFarlane (Kaw) ; 7. Claud io Federici (Yam) ; 8. Kenneth Gund ersen (K aw): 9, Pat rick Caps (KTM) : 10. J oel Smets (KT M) ; 11. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 12. Man uel Priem (KTM ); 13. Yosh i Atsuta (Ha n); 14 . Vince nt Turpin (Hon ); 15. Avo Leak (K TM) WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MOTOCR OSSGP SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (After J 1 of 12 rounds): L Stefan Everts (250/8 win s); 2. J oel Smets (22 1); 3. Mic kael Pichon (188 /3) ; 4. Brian Jo rgensen ( 154) ; 5. K en net h Gun ders en ( 137 ) ; 6 . A ndrew Mc Farl ane (134) ; 7. Claudio Federici (1 27) ; 8. Mam icq Berv oets (I t 6) ; 9 . Yosh i Atsuta ( 10 6 ); 10 . Ke vin St rijbos (105) ; 11. Gordon Cro cka rd (9 5) ; 12. Josh Cop p ins (80): 13. James Dobb (73): 14. Pet ick Caps (60); r 15. Jo hnny Aubert (47) 650 : 1. J oel Sm ets (KTM ); 2. Javier Vice Garcia (KTM); 3 . Cedric Melott e (Han); 4. Micha l Kadl ece k (Hon); 5. Fabr izio Dini (Han) ; 6. Jam es Noble (Hen): 7. Danny Theybers (Hbg): 8. Avo Leok (KTM); 9. Rom a n Je len (Ho n ); 10 . Ro dri g Th a in ( Hus) ; 11. A ntt i Pyr oh on en (Ya m); 12 . J ohnn y Lin dh e (Hus); 13. Christi an Beggi (Hen) ; 14 . Martin Zereva (Hon); 15. Peter Iven (KTM ) WORLD CHAMPlONS HIP 65 0 MOTOCROSS SERIES POtNTS STANDINGS (After 11 of 12 Rou nds): I. J oel Smets (27 0/ 10 wins); 2. Jav ier Vico Gar ci a ( 2 3 8 ) ; 3 . Ce d ric Mel otte ( 18 5 ); 4 . Da nny T h eyb e r s ( 13 4) ; 5 . M ic h a el Kad lec e k ( 128) ; 6. Fabriz io Dini ( 122); 7. Roma n Jel en ( 113 ); 8. Bernd Eckenbac h ( 102); 9 . A ntti Pyro ho ne n (98); 10 . Tram pas Parke r (93); 11. Mark Eastwoo d (86); 12. Thierry Bethy s (85); 13. A va Leak (67) ; 14. Stuart Flockh art (62); 15. J oakim Karlsson (55) St eve Ra m on was h o pi n g to c linch the 1 2 5 c c t itle, but he')1 have to wait until the final round. Ramon finished e ighth.

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