bike. I have to improve my starts with the
four-stroke, but that will come.
"I started really fast in the second moto,
maybe too fast, and I could not keep the
pace," he added. "I wanted to do what
[Antonio] Cairoli usually does and get a
good start and run away, but [Andrew]
McFarlane and Pourcel were really quick,
and they closed down on me."
eN
GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN
MATCHAMS PARK, ENGLAND
Ram: .kINE 4-5, 2005 (ROlN> 7
(Above) Potrick Caps won the first MX2 moto, but bad luck dropped him
to 14th in the second.
then I crashed again and was back a little
again, but I came back to 10th. In the second moto, I was better and could finish in
second, which was great for me. Since
Japan, we changed the setting of the bike,
and it is much better now. I knew I could
expect a podium soon, I knew I was fast,
but after the first moto, 1didn't expect to
be on the podium today. I got it anyway,
which was good. It is true for a couple of
Grands Prix that I was not 100 percent,
but now it is okay. My brother will be
back for France, and that is good."
Italian rider David Philippaerts is making the most of being handed the factory
machine of Tyla Rattray. Philippaerts was
given the bike after Rattray injured himself in the Grand Prix of Portugal more
than a month ago, and it didn't take the
Italian rider long to get his act together.
"I didn't start well in the series, but
now it is going good," Philippaerts said. "It
is like a dream, like when I was a kid hoping to be good in Grand Prix races. I hope
My
8
Honda rider Josh Coppins
finished a consistent
second overall in MX 1. He
now sits third in points.
everyone can continue to help me. Of
course, I feel better with the new bike,
but 1have to work harder. I showed today
that I can do it. The battle started in the
second heat, and I have to get used to this
OWN RACE
Carl Nunn
4th (1-14) MX2
"The fans helped out 50 much in that fim race because Andrew [McFarlane] stayed with
me the whole way and didn't give me any room to breathe," Nunn said. "I just tried to
defend the lead as much as 1could. It was a difficult race, but I was 50 happy to win with
my family, daughter, fiancee and all the English fans; they pushed me beyond what I thought
I could do. lowe it to the team to win, as they have worked so hard and built an awesome
bike. We have been changing things week-in week-out, but now what we have is 100 percent, because it was 50 strong off the start. I knew from the moment the gate dropped in
the fim race that I would be up there for the holeshot. David [Philippaerts1 passed me in
the second moto, and because 1had won the first, I just wanted to push, and maybe it was
too hard. I made a stupid mistake, and it took me awhile to restart the bike."
3
Joel Smets
OF 16)
MX2 MOTO I, I. Carl Nuon (KTM); 1. And.-ew
McFarlane (Yam); J. David Philippaerts (KTM); 4. Alessio
Choo; (Y;un); 5. Stephen SWO<'d (!n Dougan (Suz); 15. Woyne 5mOh (Hon).
MX2 MOTO 2: I. Andrew McFarlane (Yarn); 2.
Christophe Pourcel (Kaw); 3. David Philippaerts (KTM); 4.
Billy Mackenzie (Yam); 5. Patrick Caps (Han); 6. Aigar leok
(KTM); 7. Rui Gonc.afves (Yam); 8. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 9.
Dame Guarneri {yam); 10. Erik Eggens (Hon); II. Matti
Seistoli (Hen): 12. Wyatt Avis (Han); 13. Antonio Cairoli
(Y;un); 14. Carl Nunn (KTM); 15. Max N>gl (KTM).
4th (7-3) MXI
"I expected more today," Smets said. "In the first race, I went down at the start but also had
another moment on the fim lap, so 1was in 29th or 30th coming around by the pits. I should
have taken more positions in the fim five minutes than I did. I should have been like Ben
Townley and hitting the top 10 alter the fim two laps so that the podium was reachable. It
was hard for me to get a rhythm qukkly, so seventh was not too bad in the circumstances. In
the second heat, I did not feel that Stefan [Everts1was that exceptional; he was making mistakes like all of us. He was beatable, and 1thought that maybe I was the one to do it, but it
did not work out for me, and so I'm disappointed. Overall, I felt that I was riding better in the
first moto. I was consistent in both races, but the results don't look that good."
MX2 OVERALL: I. Andrew McFarlane (Yam); 2.
David Philippaerts (KTM); J. Christophe Poorcel (Kaw); 4.
Carl Nunn (KTM); S. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 6. Wyatt Avis
(Hon); 7. Rui Goncalves (Yam); 8. Aigar Leok (KTM); 9.
Matti Seistoli (Hon); 10. Billy Mackenzie (Yam); II. Alessio
Chiodi (Yam); 12. Patrick Caps (Hon): 13. Mickael Maschio
Briefly.••
While Rinaldi Yamaha rider Stefan Everts
looked good in Matchams Park, his two
teammates didn't have the same luck.
Cedric Melotte, who races the MX2 class
and was a contender for the title, has been
riding with an injury the last few weeks. "I
had been racing with bad ligaments in my
wrist since the GP in Portugal, and so far it
has worked quite well with some
painkillers," Mellotte said. "However, on this
occasion, I overjumped trying to pass
(Alessio1Chiodi and landed on the flat, losing
control of the handlebars. I had a lot of pain
immediately alter the accident. I had to pull
out and stop. At the moment we have some
good signs because the pain is fading already,
but we will make some checks this week."
To make matters worse for the Rinaldi
team, its second MX I rider, Brian Jorgensen, crashed hard on Saturday and did
not even take part in the racing on Sunday.
"The crash was not as bad as Portugal,
where I lost seven hours of my life. This
time it was only one minute," Jorgensen
said. "I don't know why these things keep
happening to me. This week, we completely changed the bike, and finally things
became easier. Unfortunately, I could not
show it this weekend. I did many laps in the
fim training and set some fast times, but
the accident was caused by hitting a rock or
something on the track, and I went over
the handlebars and hit my head."
There was a rather interesting American
presence at the Grand Prix of Great Britain.
American magazine Racer X had sent over
one of its staff members, David Langran,
who was doing a story on the event. Also in
attendance was former AMA member Bill
Amick, who is now working with the FIM
on getting the Motocross of Nations to
America in 2007.
(Yam); 14. Tom Church (Kaw); 1S. Erik Eggens (Hon)
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MX2 SERIES
POINTS STANDINGS (After 7 of 17 rounds): I.
Andrew McFarlane (232/3 wins); 2. Antonio Cairoli (225/1
win); 3. Alessio Chiodi (211/1 win); 4. Stephen Sword
(219): 5. Cedric Melone (185); 6. Billy Mackenzie (162/1
win); 7. David PhilippaertS (135): 8. Mkkael Maschio (134);
9. Rui Goncalves (130); 10. Patrick Caps (127); I I. Davide
Guarneri (121); 12. earl Nunn (117); ll. Christophe
Pourcel (107); 14. Tom Church (91); IS. Tyla Rattray (90).
MXI MOTO I: I. Stefan Everts (Yam); 2. Steve
Ramon (KTM); 3. Ben Townley (KTM); 4. Josh Coppins
(Han); 5. Ken De Dijcker (Hon); 6. Danny Theybers (Suz);
7. Joel Smets (Suz); 8. Anni Pyrhonen (TM); 9. Marvin Van
Daele (Hon); 10. Paul Cooper (Han); II. Jonathan Barragon
(KTM); 12. Javier Vico Garcia (Hon); 13. Mickael Pichon
(Han); 14. Pascal Leuret (Hon); IS. Mark Hucklebridge
(Hon).
MX I MOTO 2: I. Stefan Everts (Yam); 2. Josh
Coppins (Han); 3. Joel Smets (Suz); 4. Jonathan
Barragan(KTM); S. Ben Townley (KTM); 6. Marvin Van
Daele (Han); 7. Tanel Leak (Kaw); 8. Mkkael Pichon (Han);
9. Steve Ramon (KTM); 10. Danny Theybers (Suz); II. Ken
De Dijcker (Hon): 12. Pascal Leuret (Han); 13. Yoshi Atsuta
(SUI); 14. James Nobles (Han); 15. Javier VICa Garda
(Hon).
HX I OVERALL: I. Stefan Everts (Yam); 2. Josh
Coppins (Han); 3. Ben Townley (KTM); 4. Joel Smets (SUI);
5. Steve Ramon (KTM); 6. Jonathan Barragan (KTM); 7.
Marvin Van Daele (Han); 8. Danny Theybers (Suz); 9. Ken
De Dijcker (Han); 10. Mickael Pichon (Han); I I. Pascal
Leuret (Han); 12. Javier Vico Garda (Han); 13. Tanel Leok
(Kaw); 14. Yoshi Atsuta (Suz); IS. Antti Pyrhonen (TM).
FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MXI SERIES
POINTS STANDINGS (Mer 7 of 17 rounds): I. Stefan
Everts (301/5 wins); 2. Mickael Pichon (261/1 win); 3. Josh
Coppins (243); 4. Joel Smets (238): 5. Ben Townley (2M/I
win); 6. Steve Ramon (183); 7. James Noble (141); 8. Ken
De Dijcker (D8): 9. Brian Jorgensen (121); 10. Danny
Theybers (113); II. Marvin Van Daele (' 10); 12. Paul
Cooper (109); 13. Tanel Leak (lOB); 14. Pascal Leuret (96);
15. Antti Pryhonen (96).
CYCLE NEWS • JUNE 15, 2005
39
