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/128372
Valentino McGrath? Jeremy Rossi? Briefly... Mike Alessi will skip the opening round of the FIM World Championship MX I/MX2 Series in Zolder, Belgium, April 3. The KTM rider is still suffering from food poisoning but is expected to be ready for round two in Spain and round three in Portugal. "Mike wanlS to go," Alessi's father, Tony, said. "I want to go, but [with] too many prevailing circumstances, including food poisoning, we [are] unable to be correctly prepared. We are keeping the faith, maintaining the primary racing focus and staying the course - and most of all, wanting very much to be prepared by round two of the MX2 FIM World Championships at Bellpuig, Spain, in mid-April." The World Trials Championship will again visit Duluth, Minnesota, for a round of the 200S series, june 4-S. ''As we saw in our 2002 and 2004 World events, this is beyond extreme," event organizer Steve Ahlers said. '1>.nd it happens in only one place and on only one weekend in North America." An elite group of 40 observed trials motorcycle riders from throughout Europe, japan and North America will compete in the Spirit Mountain World round, the fourth of I 0 rounds that comprise the 2005 World Championship. Overlooking Lake Superior and Duluth's Y OU never know who you might see at a international harbor, Spirit Mountain is track day. How about former World and AMA Superbike Champion Doug Polen - in the same corner as supercross legend Jeremy McGrath. Both Polen and McGrath were in action at California Speedway in Fontana, California, on Friday, March 2S. Polen rode a Ducati, McGrath a Honda. one of the region's top ski slopes in the winter. In the summer, ilS rugged cliffs and stunning waterfalls have helped it win national and international honors in observed trials circles. "The world-level riders love coming to Duluth for its beauty and terrain," Ahlers said. "Their only complaint has been that some obstacles we threw at them weren't challenging enough for the top five or 10 riders. We don't think that's going to be a complaint in 2005." For more information, visit www.worldroundusa.com. (Above) Doug Polen leads Jeremy McGrath through a section of the California Speedway road course. (Right) McGrath goes road racing at least for a day. ATV Legislation Update The All-Terrain Vehicle Association has announced that the ATVA has asked the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission to deny a petition to ban the sale of full-sized ATVs for use by children under 16, according to the AHA ATVA director Doug Morris and AMA legislative affairs specialist Royce Wood, along with representatives of the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America, the ATV Safety Institute and others, testified at a public meeting on March 22 in Bethesda, Maryland, asking the commission to follow a recommendation of the CPSC staff to reject the petition. Morris and Wood testified that proper training, the use of safety gear, parental supervision and allowing children to ride right-sized vehicles would do much to reduce ATV-related injuries and deaths involving children under 16. They also encouraged the commission to seek information from user groups when considering ATV-related matters. The full text of the testimony is available at alvaonline.com/News/OSfTestimonies.pdf. The CPSC staff recommendation arose from a 2002 request by the Consumer Federation of America, Bluewater Network, and the Natural Trails and Waters Coalition. Those groups asked for a ban on all ATV use by those under the age of 16, but the panel said it didn't have the authority to enforce such a ban. The groups also asked the commission to ban the sale of full-sized ATVs for the use of children under 16, which is something the ATV industry already voluntarily does. After several public hearings held by the commission in various parts of the country. and after a thorough review of the testimony and faclS by the CPSC staff, the staff on February 2 recommended that the commission reject the request. The World Motocross Championship round scheduled for Italy on June 12 will now take place in Castiglione del Lago instead of Gallarate, according to the FIM. The schedule is now as follows: April 3 • Zolder, Belgium; April 17 - Bellpuig, Spain; April 24 - Agueda, Portugal; May B - Namur, Belgium; May IS - TeulSchenthal, Gernnany; May 29 - Sugo, japan; june 5 - Matchams Park, England; june 12 - Castiglione del Lago, Italy; june 26 - St. jean d'Angely, France; july 3 - UddevaJla, Sweden; july 17 Sun City, South Africa; july 3 I - Nismes, Belgium; August 7 - Loket, Czech Republic; August 2 I - Gaildorf, Gernnany; August 2B Isle of Wight, England; September 4 Lierop, Holland; September 17 - Desert Martin, Ireland. The May 18 viewing of On Any Sunday at the Charter Center Theater complex in Continued on page CYCLE NEWS. APRIL 6,2005 r1 9