Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
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although hi s final resting pl ace was seventh . "Too many mistakes," Smets said . "I just d idn 't get the feel for the bike. I didn 't want to push too hard after the cra sh, and to be honest , nothing went my way this wee k end. I'll c om e back strong in 2004 and hopefully get my six th title." In th e 650cc rac e it was his riva ls that m ad e it much easie r for Ev ert s. Despit e a strong cha llenge from bot h J oel Smets and Jav ier Vico Garci a, th e Belg ian Yamaha ride r was ab le to t ake this race as fi rst Sm et s cra sh ed , then Garc ia nearly sta lled after colliding with th e ba c k wh ee l o f E v erts' m ach ine in a tight corner. Th e r ace b e g a n wi t h A me ric a n Tr ampas Park er ' s g rabb in g t he holeshot ahead of Ev erts and Sm ets . By th e end of lap o ne, Everts wa s in th e lead and feelin g hu g e p re ssu re fro m Smets. Smets slipped off on a dusty left -h an d corner , letting several riders past and gi ving Everts a hu ge adv antage . Ev ert s . th ou gh , a lso crashed , handin g th e lead to Garc ia, who the n battled with Eve rts for two laps. Evert s ma de a move on the Spanish rider, though , and as Garcia trie d to p ress u re Ev erts. he c o ll id ed wi th Evert s' rear whee l, lo sing seve ral seco nds . From that m om ent on , Everts ju st cruised to his th ird win of the da y - and hi s 7 2nd Grand Prix victory . "I felt good," Ev erts said . " I th ink this rac e was th e m ost enjo y a b le first Smets gave m e some co m pet iti on , t h e n Gar ci a - it was fun o u t th er e. I g ot a l ittl e tir ed an d mad e :so m e mistak e s , al th ough I just backed o ff and fo llowed Ga rcia fo r a !littl e while . th en co ul d pass him and 'quick en m y pac e." eN G rand Prix of France Emee, France Results: September 14. 2003 [Round 12 of 121 125: I. Stefa n Everts (Yam ) : 2 . Alessio Ch iodi (Yam) ; 3 . Lui gi Seguy (Yam ) ; 4 . Ty la Rattray ( KT M ); 5 . Steve Ramon (KTM ) ; 6 . Ben T ownley ( KTM ) ; 7 . Mick ael Masch io (Kaw ): 8. Devide Guarnieri (KTM) ; 9 . Pascal Leuret (Ya m ): 10. Andrea Bartoli ni (Ya m) : 11. Rul Gon ca lves (Yam ); 12. Tom Church (KTM ); 13. Wy att Avis (Yam ) : 14. Benj amin Coi sy ( KT M ); 15. Stephen Sword (KTM ). FIM WORLD C' S HI P 125 MOTOCROSS SERIES FINAL PO I NT S STAND INGS ( A f t er 12 of 12 ro und s ): I. Steve Ra mon (2 3 3/1 win ): 2 . Stefan Everts (2 18/ 8 win s) ; 3 . And rea Bartolini (20 6) ; 4 . Mickllel Maschio (20 2) ; 5 . Erik Eggens (1 46 ); 6 . Tyla Ratt ray ( 137) ; 7 . Mar c De Reuv er (1 36/1 win ) ; 8 . Ale ssio Chiod i ( 132 ); 9 . Step hen Swo rd ( 131) ; 10 . Luigi Seguy ( 116 ) ; 11. Ben T ownley (101 ); 12 . Rodrig T hain (7 7); 13 . Ma rvin Van Daele (76) ; 14 . Nicolas Charlier (76) ; 15 . T anel Leok (56 ). MOTOCROSSGP: I . Stefa n Ev ert s ( Yam) ; 2 . Br ian J o rgensen ( Hon) ; 3 . Josh Cop p ins (Ho n) : 4 . •Pat r ic k Ca ps ( K T M ); 5 . K evin St r ij bos (S u z) : 6. Marnic q Bervoets (Yam ) ; 7. J o el Smets (KTM) : 8. Kenneth Gunder sen (Ka w) : 9 . Chris Martin (S uz); 10 . , Yoshi At sut a (Hon): 1 1. A va Leak (KTM ); 12 . Go rdo n Croc ka rd (Han) : 13. Antoin e Mea (Kew) : 14. And rew McF z ne (Kaw ); 15 . Manu el Ma nni (Kaw). lrla FI M WOR LD C ' S HI P M OTOCR OSS GP SE R IE S FINAL PO INTS S TAN DING S ( Af t er 12 of 12 rou nds) : 1. Stefan E v er t s ( 2 7 5/9 win s) ; 2 . J o el Sme ts ( 23 5 ); 3 . M ic ka el Pich on ( 18 8 /3 w in s ); 4 . Brian Jorg ensen ( 176 ): 5 . Kenneth Gundersen ( 150): 6 . Andrew McFarlan e (1 41); 7. Ma rn icq Bervoe t s (1 3 1); 8 . Cl aud io Feder ic i ( 12 7); 9. Kev in Strij bos ( 12 1): 10. Yosh i A tsut e ( 117); 11. Go rdon Crocka rd (104 ); 12. J o sh Co pp in s ( 10 0 ); 13 . Patric k Ca ps (78): 14 . James Dobb (73): 15. Anto ine Moo (53 ). 6 50 : I . Stefan E v erts ( Yam ): 2 . Ja v ier Vic o Gar cia ( K TM); 3 . J oel Sm et s ( K TM); 4 . C edr ic Melotte (Hon ); 5 . Roman Jelen (Hen): 6 . Av a Leak (Hen): 7 . Mich al Kadlecek (Yam); 8. Dann y Th eyb ers ( Hb g); 9 . Pete r Iv a n ( K TM); 10. Mark E a stw oo d (Han) ; 11. Danie le Br icco (Hen) : 12. Antt i Pyrhonen ( Yam); 13 . Mark Hu c k lebri dg e ( KT M ) ; 14 . Mi sk a Aa ltonen (KTM ); 15 . Fabrizio Din i (Han). FIM WORLD C'S HIP 650 MOTOCROSS SERIES FINA L POINTS STAN D INGS (Afte r 12 o f 12 rou nd s): 1. J oel Smets (290/l 0 win s): 2. Javier Vico Ga rci a ( 2 6 0 ); 3 . Cedri c M el o tt e ( 2 0 3/1 w in ) ; 4 . Danny Th eyb ers (14 7 ); 5 . Mi ch al Kadl ecek ( 14 2) ; 6. Roman J elen ( 12 8 ): 7 . Fab riz io D ini (128) ; 8 . A ntt i Pyrhonen ( 107) 9. Bern d Ecke nba ch ( 102) : 10 . Mark Eastwood (9 7 ); 11. T ram pas Park er (9 4 ); 12 . Th ierry Bethys (89 ): 13. Avo Look (82 ): 14. Stuart Flock hart (62) ; 15. Joaki m Kar lsson (55 ). I Donate today For information call 714-751-7433 Clay"on Nle...orial Founda..ion 3S0S-M Cadillac Avenue, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 cu e I e n e vv s SEPT EMBER 24 . 2003 11