Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

fighting hard to get from ninth to second place. Actually, it was not easy to keep Cairoli behind, and he likes supercross tracks, and this is a supercross track." Bike It Yamaha rider Billy Mackenzie finished second in the MX2 class and was glad to walk away with another good points haul. Mackenzie is working hard on getting consistency into his GP career. "I want to have some good results, but sometimes I push too hard, and I have nothing to lose in the championship," Mackenzie said. '1\11 that is important for me is to win races and go as fast as I can. I had two nice, consistent rides, and I rode the races like I wanted to. I got two third-place finishes, and I improved my starts all weekend. I battled all the way through and many riders were going down. I made sure I made third stick in the first race. "In the second race, I was in sixth early, and I had a slide-out at the table top at the finish," Mackenzie added. "[Christophe] Pourcel and Cairoli passed me. I had Cairoli in front of me the whole time, and I felt I could have passed him, but then I nearly crashed, and I thought it is better to stick with third in the race and second overall." Italian rider Antonio Cairoli finished in third place, with a brilliant ride from the back of the pack in the opening moto. The Yamaha-mounted hero could only pick up one point on series leader Briefly... The rumor in the paddock is that Joel Smets is about to call it a career. Smets, who won fIVe World 500cc Championships and is considered one of the greatest riders of all time, is not wanted by the Suzuki factory. While the Sylvain Geboers team does want Smets for next year, it is up to Japan and the factory, and they are not showing any interest in re-signing the Belgian. David Philippaerts (19) went 2-1 ta win the MX2 class. Andrew McFarlane, but he looks in good form of late. "For me, this wasn't a great day," Cairoli said. "I had a lot of problems in the first heat in the crash with Melotte. He jumped from left to right, and we collided. Afterwards, I closed the gap to Philippaerts, but when I arrived to [Davide] Guarneri, I lost a lot of time because, as many people know, it is not easy for me to overtake him. I was fighting with Pourcel and McFarlane and finished ninth. "In the second race, I started okay, in the top seven, and I was closing on Davide Guarneri in the lead," he continued. "But I had some engine trouble and lost a lot of time in the early part of the race. When Davide passed me, I watched his lines and picked up the speed. I struggled to get past Chicco [Chiodi] but then pushed Philippaerts all the way when I got to second. I am happy enough with second because McFarlane was fourth, and for the Championship, it is not too bad." eN GRAND PRIX OF SOUTH AFRICA SUN CITY, SoUTH AFRICA RESULTS: JULY My 30 OWN RACE Ben Townley 10th (4-0NF) MX I "In the first race, I got the holeshot, and I was pumped with that," KTM's Ben Townley said after a disappointing day that saw him crash in the first moto and suffer a costly DNF in the second moto. "I don't really like being out in the lead early on, because I prefer to hang back and see what everybody else is doing. When Everts passed me, I was riding a little better, but then I made that stupid mistake and hit my head. I was a bit dizzy for half a lap, but then I got back into it. I could not reaily get past [Steve] Ramon, but fourth was okay after the crash. In the second race, I wheelied off the start and wasn't able to come out of the first corner that well. I got up to third and chased Josh Coppins and Stefan hard, but they were too fast for me. I guess I stepped the pace up in Italy and France, and now they have taken it up another notch. I was disappointed with the second moto. I could not see the track that well because the sun had gone right down, and I don't know what happened. I went down pretty hard, and all the stitches came out from my finger and all the skin off from around the wound. It was bloody painful just to continue, let alone go fast. I am still third in the points, and I have to win as many motos as I can now." 3 Joel Smets 4th (5-6) MX I "I messed up the start of the first moto but came through okay," said Joel Smets, who was disappointed with his fourth-overall placing. "In the second race, I was off the pace. I was not riding very well, and it was a strange feeling. I think it has a lot to do with confidence - I am so disappointed. There was no fighting spirit. My motivation dipped, and I can't reaily explain it, but I was not at my maximum. The results may have been slightly better today, but I do not feel good with that last race. I want to do well and fight with the front guys, and I know I can still do it." 7 17, 200S (ROUND 11 OF 17) MX I MOTO I: I. Josh Coppins (Hon); 2. Stefan Everts (Yam); 3. Steve Ramon (KTM); 4. Ben Townley (KTM); $. Joel Smets (Suz): 6. Paul Cooper (Hon); 7. Jonathan Barragan (K'fM); 8. James Noble (Hon); 9. Antti Pyrhonen (TM); 10. Danny Theybers (Suz); I I. Pascal Leuret (Han); 12. Brian Jorgensen (Yam); 13. Voshi Atsuta (Suz); 14. Tanel Leak (Kaw); 15. Marvin Van Daele (Hon). MX2 MOTO 2: t. Josh Coppins (Han); 2. Stefan Everts (Yam); 3. Steve Ramon (KTM); 4. Jonathan Barragon (KTM); S. Pascal Leuret (Hon); 6. Joel Smets (Suz); 7. Tanel Leak (Kaw); 8. Brian Jorgensen (Yam); 9. Yoshi Atsuta (Suz); 10. Ken De Dijcker (Hon); II. Danny Theybers (5uz); 12. Jamess Noble (Hon); 13. Mark Hucklebridge (Hon); 14. Paul Cooper (Hon); IS. Marvin Van Daefe (Hon). MX I SERIES POINTS STANDINGS (Mer II of 17 rounds): I. Stefan Everts (455/5 wins); 2. Josh Coppins (41612 wins); 3. Ben Townley (36812 wins); 4. Joel Smets (349); 5. Steve Ramon (304); 6. Mickael Pichon (299{2 wins); 7. Pascal Leuret (211); 8. James Noble (210); 9. Jonathan Barragan (197); 10. Brian Jorgensen (188); I I. Ken De Dijcker (184); 12. Danny Theybers (182); 13. Tanel Leak (175); 14. Yoshi Atsuta (155): 15. Anni Pyrhonen (152). MX2 MOTO I: I. Anthony Boissiere (Yam); 2. David Philippaerts (KTM); 3. Billy Mackenzie (Yam); 4. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 5. Davide Guameri (Yam): 6. Andrew Other talk is that Stefan Everts is having talks with the Rinaldi Yamaha team for 2006, but the team isn't showing much interest in the eight-time World Champion. Everts said that if he can't get the deal he wants in Europe, he might move to America and do the AMA National Series in 2006. "I could do that - spend six months in America and do their outdoor series," Everts said. "I mean. my options are open. It will be my last season, and I want to go out with a good feeling." Australian Andrew McFarlane is still looking at coming to America, although he too has some big offers in Europe to consider. KTM factory rider Tyla Rattray is also looking at a possible move to America, but he won't give details on where he will ride in 2006 until the Grand Prix of Belgium in two weeks. The Sun City GP was well run, and it looks like the Grand Prix series will return to the venue again in 2006. Even if Sun City is not on the calendar, there is also interest from another South African promoter to run a GP in the new season. McFarlane (Yam); 7.Gareth Swanepoel (Kaw); 8. Christophe Pourcel (Kaw); 9. Antonio Cairol; (Yam); 10. Rui Goncalves (Yam); II. Max Nagl (KTM); 12. Carl Nunn (KTM); 13. Cedric Melone (Yam); 14. Maneo Bonini (Hon); 15. Mickael Maschio (Yam). MX2 MOTO 2: I. David Phillipaerts (KTM); 2. Antonio Cairoli (Yam); 3. Billy Mackenzie (Yam): 4. Andrew McFarlane (Yam); 5. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 6. Christophe Pourcel (Kaw); 7. Gareth Swanepoel (Kaw); 8. Rui Goncalves (Yam); 9. Max Nagl (KTM); 10. Davide Guarneri (Yam); II. Jason Dougan (Suz); 12. Cedric Melone (Yam); 13. Wyan Avis (Hon); 14. Mickael Maschio (Yam); 15. Anthony Boissiere (Yam). MX2 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES POINTS STAND· INGS (After II of 17 rounds): I. Andrew McFarlane (37813 wins); 2. Antonio Cairoli (354/3 wins): 3. Alessio Chiodi (344/1 win); 4. David Philippaerts (30512 wins); 5. Cedric Melone (284); 6. Stephen Sword (262); 7. Billy Mackenzie (228/1 win); 8. Carl Nunn (212); 9. Rui Goncalves (207); 10. Christophe Pourcel (199); II. Mickael Maschio (198); 12. Davide Guarneri (190); 13. Anthony Boissiere Coppins won both motos but had a little help from Everts. Andrew McFarlane 5th (6-4) MX2 "Today was a bit of a disappointment, and I'm not so happy," the series points leader said of his day. "In the first moto, I felt really good and fast but then made a small mistake in the combination section, and that put me on the ground. I got back up and fought really hard. I definitely have the speed and the fitness. I was closing on Chicco [Alessio Chiodi], but we came up on a backmarker, and he more or less took my line, and the front end went away. I hurt my hand slightly, and it bothered me in the second moto. I started badly and was nearly last in the next race. I tried really hard to fight back for the whole duration but got stuck behind Gareth Swanepoel. Once I overtook him, I again felt good; my fitness was fine, and the bike was working really well. In the first race, 1made three points on [Antonio] Cairoli but then lost it again in the second one. I feel strong and confident at the moment. We have a weekend off to recuperate and get some more training done." CYCLE NEWS • JULY 27,2005 29

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