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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128317
also happy because it was my first race in
the MX I class, and I won it. That shows
something abo ut myself."
Seco nd-placed Melotte was excited
about his finish, but he failed to take the
win due to nerves. His midrace battle
w ith Pichon brought the crowd to their
feet more than once .
"1got arm -pump ," Melotte said, "simple as that. It cost me the win, but I fought
back from a crash and was able to get second . Th is race is just like any other. I'm
not overexcited because it's a home race,
but it sure is fun to ride in front of the
Belgian public. I had a hard time with
some guys, just racing hard , and Pichon
didn't impres s me that much ."
In the second MX I mo to , allhell broke
Stri jbos (24), on the RM·Z4S0, hod
a tough first mota a s his bike
broke, but he finished a strong th ird
the second time out. Here, he leads
Pichon (2) and Melotte (7) in malo
one.
loose as a first-tum crash dropped Picho n
and Eve rts . Eve rts was quick to remount;
however, Pichon remained on the track
for some time, re-entering the race in
last. Coppins was able to hold off the
hard-chargi ng Melotte for a few laps, but
as the race reached the middle stages,
Me lotte to o k the lead and was neve r
headed, leading home Co ppins, Strijbos,
Ramon and Eve rts once again in fifth.
Melotte, who had on ly eve r won one
Grand Prix (in Namur), was quietly confident about the rest of the season.
"I've grown in confidence for sure,"
Melotte said. "1 know I can win, and I've
learned so much about be ing pre pared
for Winning. I don't feel the nerves as
muc h as others, and I hope that will work
in my favor as the season moves into the
impo rta nt rounds."
As for Smets and Pichon, the two
championship favorites finished seventh
and I Ith , respectively.
The KTM duo of Marc de Re uver and
Be n Town ley dominated MX2, bot h winning a heat (flag-to -flag victories for bo th)
The second MX1 mota first turn
went poorly fo r many, including
Pichon and Everts.
and finishing first and second overall. In
the op en ing rnoto, it was de Reuver w ho
walke d away w ith the race as Townley
came through the pack after a bad start.
Town ley finished second with Australian
rider Andrew McFarlane in th ird on his
Yamaha.
"It' s tough," de Reuver said. "You don't
get rough tracks like this very often. This
track is rea lly bumpy and at times dangerous. I just took my own rhythm and didn't
think about the other guys. 1had big problems in the sand section - that was so
rough."
In the second rnoto , it was de Reuver
who suffered the poor start, wh ile
Townley captured the win with a flag-toflag victory. Scotland 's Stephen Sword,
riding for the Jan de Groot Kawasaki factory team, came home second, with Aigar
Leo k on a KTM in th ird . For Townley, it
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was eve rything he ex pected from the
weekend.
"1 knew afte r Saturday 's races that I
had the speed ," Townley said. "1just took
it easy in those early laps and didn't do
anyt hing stupid. I want to be consiste nt
this year and not throw it away too ofte n,
w hich was the case last year."
De Reuver was disappointed with secon d overall, as he felt he was the fastest
rider on the track.
"1 am disappointed because I proved
on Saturday that I was fast enough ," de
Reuver said . "In the first moto, I was half
a lap ahea d despite the rear brake be ing
bro ken . The n for the seco nd race [Pascal]
Leuret crashed in front of me, and there
was now here to go. I got back to fourth
but then cra shed again. I th ink our bike is
the most co mpe titive on the track. We
have done a lot of testing, and it is the
most powe rful. I was also a little angry
with McFarlane; that guy ro de dirty and
cut me up a few times . I do n't know what
his problem was. Looking into the future ,
it might just be me and Ben fighting fo r
the title."
eN
BE LGIAN MOTOCROSS COMPLEX
Z O LDER, BELGIUM
RESULTS: MARCH 2 1, 2 0 0 4
(ROUND 1 OF 16)
HXI MOTO O N E: I. Steve Ramon (KTM); 2. Cedric
Melone (Yam); 3. Michael Pichon (Hon ); 4. Brian J
orgensen
(Hon); 5. Stefan Everts (Yam); 6 . Paul Cooper (Hoo); 7. Josh
Coppins (H on); 8. Kenneth Gundersen (KTH ); 9. Tanel
l eo k (KTM); 10. Marko Kovatainen (Ho n); I I. Javier Vieo
Garcia (Hon); 12. James Noble (Hon): I l . Joel Smets (Suz):
104 . Ken de Dijke r (Hon ); IS. Yoshi Ats uta (Hon) .
MX I H OTO TW O : I. Cedric Melon e (Y
am); 2. Jos h
Coppins (Ho n) ; 3. Kevin Strijbos (Suz) ; 1 . Stev e Ramon
(KTM); S. Stefan Everts (Yam); 6. Kenneth Gundersen
(KTM); 7. Joel Smets (Suz); B. Mam icq Bervce ts (Yam); 9.
James Noble (Hon); 10. Tanel Loo k (Suz); I I. MichA
el
Pichon (Han ); 12. Dann y Theybers (Yam); 13. C h ris
Bumham (KTM); 1<4. Brian Jorgensen (Hon); 15. Ch ris
Martin (Yam).
MX 1 O/A; I. Ced ric Melotte (Yam) ; 2. Steve Ramon
(KTM); 3. Josh Co ppi ns (Hon); 4. Stefan Evens (Yam); S.
Mic k.a l Pichon (Hon) ; 6. Kenneth Gund e rsen (KTM); 7.
e
Brian Jorgensen (Han ); 8. Tane l l eok (Suz); 9. Joel Smets
(Suz ); 10. James No ble (Ha n); II . Kevin Strijbo s (Suz); 12.
Paul Cooper (Han); I ] . Mam icq Bervoe ts (Y
am); 14. Dan ny
Theybe rs (Yam); 15. Marko Kovalainen (Ha n).
MXI WO RLD CHAMPIONSH IP POINTS STAN D·
INGS (After I o f 16 rounds): I. Cedric Melo tt e
(41/1w;n); 2. Steve Ramon (43); 3. J
osh Co ppins (36); 4.
neth
Stel", E",oU (32); S. M;cluel Pichon (30); 6. Ken
G undeown (28); 1. 8rian Jorg ernen (25 ); 8 . Tanel Leak (23);
9. J Smeu (22); 10. James Noble (21); I I. t