Townley (30) and Sword a re now tied
fo r the MX2 points lead.
13. Ke n De Ducker (4 5); 14. Paul Cooper (4 2); 15. Yoshi Atsuta
(J7)
MXl MOTO I: I . Ben Townley (KTM); 2. Marc de Reuve r
(KTM); L Stephen Sword (Kaw); 4. Andrew McFarlane (!w) ; 6 . lYta Rattray (KTM); 7. Ca rl Nu nn
(Han); 8 . Pascal Lauret (KTM); 9 . David Philippaerts (Yam); 10.
Billy Mackenzie (Yam) ; I I. Mickael Masch io (Kaw); 12. Antonio
Cairoli (Y
am); 13. Aless io Chiodi (Yam); 14. C hristian Stevanini
(Hoo); 15. James Dobb (Hoo)
MXl MOTO 2: I . Stephen Sword (Kaw); 2. Ben Townley
(KTM); 3. Marc de Reuver (KTM); 4. Ant on io Cairch (Y
am) ; 5.
James Cobb (Han); 6. Andrea Bartolin i (Yam); 7. Carl Nunn
(Han); 8 . AIessK> Chiodi (Yam); 9. Marvin Van DaeJe (Suz) ; 10.
Tyla Rattray (KTM); I I. Manuel Prie m (Suz); 12. Aigar l eok
(KTM); 13. Anthony Boissiere (Y
am) ; 14. Andrew McFarlane
(Y ); 15. Pascalleuret (KTM)
am
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MX2 SERIES PO INTS
STAN D INGS (After 3 of 16 rounds): I. (TIE) Ben Town l@)'
( 119n)lStephen Sword ( 119); 3. Marc de Reuver ( 10 3); 4.
Andrew McFarlane (98 ); 5. Tyla Rattray (8 ]/1 ); 6 . Algar Leok
(75 ); 7. Jame s Dobb (7 1); 8 . Mickae l Masch io (6 7): 9 . Carl N un n
(56); 10. Antonio Cairoli (55); I I. David Philippaern (4 ] ); 12.
Manuel Priem (42); 13. Sebas tien Pourcel (39); 14. Anthony
Bo issie re (] 8); 15. Marvin Van Daele (36)
My OWN
RACE
17 Marc de Reuver (2 -3) MX2
quite have it in the first mota, just too k
the third place and got re ady fo r the second mota."
In the seco nd rno to, Sword rod e even
better, as he le d early and never gave
Tow nley a chance to get close .
But Town ley ne ver gave up an d ended
up sec ond.
" I pushed really hard to catch Swo rd, "
Townl ey sa id . " I was ha ppy to finish second ."
Sword w as q uite ha ppy to w in the seco nd moto.
" I just had a good start and could hold a
solid le ad ove r Townley," Sword said .
"Whe n he ca me to me, I just ke pt my own
pace an d did n't feel any nerves at all." eN
GRAN D P RIX OF P ORTUGAL
AGUEDA, P ORTUGAL
R ESULTS: APRIL
3, 20 04
(ROUND
3
OF
16)
MX I MOTO I: I. Stefan Everts (Yam); 2. Mickael
Pichon (Hon); 3. Kenneth Gunde~ (KTM); 4. Steve
Ramon (KTM); S. Cedric H elott e (Y
am); 6. Kevin Strijbos
(Suz): 7. Paul Cooper (Hon ); 8. Chris Burnham (KTM); 9.
Javier VICO Garcia (Hon); 10 . Brian Jo rgensen (Hon); I I.
Joel Smets (Suz); 12. Yoshi Atsuta (Ho n); 13. Lauris
Freibe rgs (Hon); 14. Antt i Pyrhonen (Suz); 15. Marn icq
Bervoets (Yam).
MXI MOTO 2: I. Mickael Pichon (Hon); 2. Stefan
Everts (Yam 3. Josh Coppins (Hon) ; 4. Cedric Melone
);
(Yam); 5. Ken de O ijker (Hon); 6 . Steve Ramon (KTM): 7.
Yoshi Atsuta (Hon); 8. Kev;n 5trijbos (Suz); 9. Kenneth
Gunde~ (KTM): 10. Javie r VKO Garda (Hon ); I I. james
N oble (Hon); 12. Tanel L.eok (Suz) ; I J. Ann; Pyrohnen
(50,); 14 . Chm Maron (Yam 15. Mmo ~ (Hoo)
);
FIM WORLO CHAM PIONSH I P MX I SERIES
PO INTS STAN DINGS (Aker 3 of 16 rounds): I. Stefan
Everts ( 129/ 1 w;n); 2. Ced ric Melotte (10 3/1); 3. Steve
Ramon (102); 4. Josh CappO", (98); 5. Kennem Gundenen
(9J); 6. Mid..e l P;chon (9 111); 7. K"';n Striioo. (68); 8.
Ja"", Voco GYm (65); 9. Joel Smets (62); 10. Brian
Jo.-gensen (60); I I. Tanel Look (57); 12. James Noble (47);
After winning the ope ning round in Belgium, Marc de Reuver has been str uggling
to find his cons istency when it comes to
his speed . "I just don't know what happened ," de Reuver said. "I had noth ing for
Townley and Sword . I tried to catch them,
and I couldn't . Sure it's a worry, but I
know I am the fastest rider out there. I
just have to get my head together and
work it out. What I can say is that I didn't
have a bad start. I was fifth in the first
mo to , the second lap I was second and riding behind Townley really
easy, then I got arm pump , and I made a small crash. Then I crashed
again when Sword was beh ind me. I was happy with second position in the first moto. In the second race , I just rode bad; never felt
I had a chance . I pushed to get to t he two front guys but couldn't."
7
Ced r ic Mel o tte (5-4) MX I
L&M Yamaha rider Cedric Melotte struggled with his starts in Portugal, but the
Be lgian made good prog ress all weekend.
"In the first race , I had a bad start,"
Melotte said. "I was middle of the pack, I
passed a lot of guys, like Ramon, and then
I came up to Smets. He was blocking me ,
and I tr ied some differe nt lines, but I w ent
into a muddy corner and we nt over the
handlebars , lost some places and again had
to fight back. In the second rnoto , I was
nervou s beca use I got a rock on my foot
in the first moto, and it hurt rea llybad. I
was nervou s at the start and got ano ther bad start. I was 12th on
the first lap and again fought through. I got to fourt h, which was
great. conside ring."
3 Joel
Smets ( I I-DNF) MX I
Joe l Smets , on the 4S0cc four-stroke
Suzuki, didn't have much luck in Portugal and fe ll even further behind in
points. "I felt good in the first rnoto ,
rode to a consistent top five, but
then , on the last lap, I crashed and
drop ped back to 11th place," Smets
said. "In the second moto, I was riding
www.cyclen ews.com
for a podium place , but I sta lled the bike, or it stopped by itself, I'm
not sure . I got going again but then was pushing too hard and
crashed and hit my chest against the handelbars. That was it for
me . I'm disappoin ted , of course. I'm losing ground on the championsh ip; it' s not looking good for me ."
26 Tyla Rat tray (6 -10) MX2
KTM factory rider Tyla Rattray, who won the MX2 class last week
in Spain, could not back up his winning performance on a tra ck that
might've benefited the four-strokes. Rattray rides a 12Scc twostroke. "I had a bad sta rt ," Rattray said. "It's difficultgetting into the
first comer with the four-strokes. I just pushed really hard and got
into sixth position , In the second moto, I had a bett er start but got
pushe d wide in the first corner. I pushed thro ugh the field again and
got 10th ."
15
Andrew McF a rlane (4- 14) MX2
Andrew McFarlane held secon d place
in the champions hip comi ng in to Portugal, but with a 4-14 moto score in
Portugal, the Australian slipped to
fourth. "I had a terri ble qualification,
which mea nt I was wide on the gate.
In the first moto , I was okay out of
the start, but in the second, I had a
terri ble sta rt becau se of my gate pick.
I am really disappointed , because I
lost a lot of grou nd in the ser ies points."
31 Josh Coppins (DNF-3) MX I
The New Zea lander had a mixed
day in Portugal. Coppins, on the
CAS Honda CR, failed to finish the
first moto after crash ing twice and
losing fuel. In the second moto, he
was able to consolidate with a thirdplace finish. "I had third place early
in the first rnoto,' Co ppins said,
"then [Kenneth] Gunde rse n took me
out, and I got up in last. Ramon ran
over my bike and damaged the [gas]
tank, and I lost some fuel. I crashed again, and then on the last lap,
the bike sto pped ; I was ou t of fuel. In the second rnoto, I pushed
hard but had no energy to race with Everts or Pichon. I was spent
from the flrst-rnoto charge."
CYCLE NEWS • APRIL 14, 2004
39
