Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

ing, the never-say-die Smets was onto him. "I got a really good line up one of the hills, and I saw Darryll was struggling," Smets said. "I knew I did not have many chances and just went for it. I rode a little hard into the corner and Darryll was right there; I had to more or less hit him." The two collided, and King got a sudden wake-up call. The heavy rain had made the circuit just about unridable, and King would suffer on a mud-wrecked hillside. "I looked down and saw this handel bar in my chest," King said. "I thought, 'No way, that can't be Joel.' I messed up a little and just got no traction going up one of the hills, I guess Smets got the grip." Smets burst past King and took the mota win and the Grand Prix overall. For King, it was more than he could take. "I really wanted to at least win a mota in Australia," King said. "So many Kiwis came over for this race. I'll get him next time, though." Smets, on the other hand, was more than impressed with his result. The new KTM/Smets combination is proving to be better than anyone could have expected. "I feel maybe better than ever, this year," Smets said. "The bike is just awesome. I am very confident for the championship, and we showed that in the sunshine or the rain, we can win on this bike. When the track became sloppy, I did not want to give up. I wanted two wins today, and that's the way it turned out." In third place, Bervoets' race was a little disappointing. The Belgian felt he could have even won the second moto. "I lost my goggles near the end," Bervoets said. "I really wanted to race with Smets and King, but every time I got close the stones would fly up and hit me in the face. I did not want to risk injury so early in the year, so I backed off." Finishing behind Bervoets were Johnasson, Ava Leok, Shayne King, Willie Van Wessels, McFarlane and Gert-Jan Van Doorn. McFarlane again rode a great mota, taking his ninth place after a midrace duel with Shayne King and Wille Van Wessels, who are tw'o of the better mud riders in Europe. "I'm not disappointed, no way," McFarlane said. "I think fifth overalJ is okay. I think we proved we can race with the best in the world. We can only improve from this event." Byrne finished in 15th place for one point, giving him a solid ninth overall. The Honda rider was quickly talking to some of the factory teams. "The British Honda team is interested in giving me some rides this year," Byrne said. "If my schedule in Australia can fit it in, I might end up in Europe for a little while later in the year." eN Broadford MX Pari< Broadford, Austrllia Results: March 19, 2000 [Round 1 of 1II MOTO 1: I. Joel Smets (KTM); 2. Marnicq Bervoets (Yam); 3. Andrew McFarlane (Kaw): 4. Michael Byrne (Hon); 5. Shayne King (KTM); 6. Darryl! King (Hus); 7. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 8. Willie VlIn Wessels (Husky); 9. Peter Johnasson (KTM); 10. Christian Burnham (VOR); II. Fransisco Garcia (Yam); 12. Miska Aaltonen (Hus); 13. James Marsh (KTM); 14. Daryl Hurley (Vam); 15. Gert·Jan Van Doom (VOR). MOTO 2: 1. Joel Smets (KTM); 2. Darryll King (Hus); 3. Marnicq Bervoets (Vam); 4. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 5. Peter Johansson (KTM); 6. Avo Look (KTM); 7. Shayne King (KTM); 8. Willie Van Wessels (Husky); 9. Andrew McFarlane (Kaw); to. Gert·Jan Van Doorn (Vor): 11. Jonas Engdllhl (KTM); 12. Daryl Hurley (Vam); 13. Erwin Machtlinger (Hon); 14. Corrie Sargent (Yam): IS. Michael Byrne (Han) O/A: 1. Joel Smets (KTM); 2. Mamicq Bervoets (Yam); 3. Darryl! King (Hus); 4. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 5. Andrew McFartane (KlIw); 6. Shayne King (KTM); 7. Peter Johansson (KTM); 8. Willy Van Wessels (Hus); 9. Michael Byrne (Han): 10. Ava Leak (KTM) FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 500cc MX SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After 1 of 16 ronds): I. Joel Smets (40/1 win); 2. Marnicq Bervoets (32): 3. Darryl! King (27); 4. Andrea Bartolini (22); 5. Andrew McFllrlane (22); 6. Shllyne King (20); 7. Peter Johnasson (18); 8. Willy Van Wessels (16); 9. Mlcheal Bryne (14); 10. Avo Leok (10); II. Avo Leok (10).12. Daryl Hurley (6); 13. Chris Burham (6); 14. Janus Engdahl (5); 15. Fransico Garcia (5) Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 Castiglione del Lago, Italy, April 2 Round 3 Valkensvaard, Holland, April 9 World Championship 25Dcc MX Series Round 1: Talavera de la Reina Crockard Surprises By PHOTO ALEX HODGKINSON Bv MASSIMO ZANZANI TALAVERA DE LA REINA, SPAIN, MAR. 19 rish eyes were twinkling as never before. Just two days after St. Patrick's Day, Celtic Gordon Crockard had his day, when he scored a surprise win at the FIM World Championship 250cc MX Series opener in Spain. I Ryan Hughes was not allowed to ride the first moto at the Spanish 250cc GP. but he did ride the second moto and won it. The Cas Honda rider fought off a late-race charge by defending champ Frederic Bolley to win the first moto, then he showed true grit by overcoming a moderate start and climbing to fourth, only to stall his bike and drop to sixth. Knowing he had to finish at least fourth to secure the overall, Crockard again forged forward and while trailing the pack. Italian Claudio Federici was another non-finisher climbed into that position to take the win, the first of his career. "It is a wonderful feeling," the 21year-old rider said after winning the first moto. "But I have to keep my feet on the ground, because there is another moto later on." And he did just that. But for American GP followers who had their eye on Pamo Honda's Ryan Hughes, the series opener was bittersweet: Bitter because Hughes was told he could not start the first moto due to a technicality, and sweet because he won the second moto. Evidently, Hughes' mechanic didn't get his rider's bike to impound in time before the start of the first moto. He was tardy by just 20 seconds, but no amount of pleading could get FIM MX chief Wolfgang Srb to change his mind. Suddenly, Hughes was a spectator. "Rules are rules," Srb said. "I don't care if it is number one or number 99, his bike was late [to parc ferme] and he [Hughes] may not start." Pamo Honda team manager Paul Kaspar was furious. "All three mechanics left the awning [pamo Honda pits] together, and Ryan's mechanic was right behind the mechanics of Bolley and [Mark] Jones, as they tried to push the bike through the crowd of VIPs and spectators who had bought tickets for the paddock," Kaspar pleaded. "These people should not have been there." But they were, and Hughes was left behind when the pack charged into the first tum for the first moto of the 16-round series. Cockard, who had never even qualified in Spain before, grabbed the holes hot and never let go of the lead. He did, however, have to put up a fight late in the race, when Bolley challenged him to the checkered flag. "I didn't realize Gordon was out front until five or six laps from the end," Bailey said. "I thought I had the lead already when I passed [Mickael] Pichon Ifor third place]." But Bolley did acknowledge the strong performance by Cockard. "He never gave me one chance," Bailey said "I am disappointed not to win, but all credit to Gordon. He deserved it." Pichon ran second for much of the race but couldn't do anything about Cockard. "I tried to close down Crockard, but nothing was happening," Pichon said. "Then I changed my lines, and I dropped back to Bolley. I tried to pick up his pace, but that didn't work either. " Elsewhere in the pack, German Pit Beirer was having his problems getting into a flow. Mentor Didi Lacher had his idea as to why Beirer was struggling: "Nerves. His riding is cramped, and he is making mistakes all over the place." And then there was Frenchman Yves Demaria, who crashed on the first lap and later pulled off the track cue I e after injuring his ankle. After watching the first race in anger, Hughes let off some steam in the second mota by pulling off the win. He tracked down Mickael Maschio early in the race, knocking into teammate Mark Jones along the way. Hughes was determined not to let the Kawasaki rider, Maschio, get away. "I was struggling a little in the early laps," Hughes said. "I'd been sitting around doing nothing for four hours, and I had to completely relearn the track and find the lines." Well, Hughes soon found those lines and caught up to Maschio. Hughes was then handed a gift when Maschio went down, handing the lead over to the Honda rider. Maschio, however, was unfortunately left with a concussion. "We know Mickael can be fast," Hughes said, "and he was fast out there today, but he can also make mistakes." Meanwhile, first-moto winner Cockard was busy making up for an eighth-place start, which was still about 13 places better than Bolley's start. Bolley had gotten tangled up with Beirer in the first turn. Pichon was also mired in the back but was steadily climbing to the front. Cockard eventually worked his way up to third when he stalled his bike's engine and dropped back to sixth. Up front, Hughes was still leading the way, while Demaria was holding down second over a now-third Pichon. Cockard got back on the gas and passed Paul Cooper and Spain's Joseph Alonso for fourth, wrapping up the overall. Pichon ended up holding Pichon off for second. Bolley's moto went from bad to worse when mechanical problems forced him out of the race. CN Talave' de Ia Reina Talaver de Ia Reina. Spain Results: March 19, 2000 [Round 1 of 1II MOTO 1: I. Gordon Crockard (Hon); 2. Frederic Bolley (Hon): 3. Mickael Pichon (Suz); 4. Mickael Maschio (Kaw); 5. Josh Coppins (Suz); 6. Pit Beirer (Kaw); 7. Paul Cooper (Hus); 8. Alessandro Zanni (Yam); 9. Thierry Belhys (Hon); 10. Peter Iven (Kaw): 11. Joseph Alonso (Hon); 12. Mark Kovaiainen (Hon); 13. Nicolas Charlier (Kaw); 14. Mark Eastwood (Hon): 15. Michael Kadlecek (Suz); 20. Mark Jones (Hon); 21. Ryan Valise (Yam). MOTQ 2: 1. Ryan Hughes (Hon): 2. Yves Demaria (Yam); 3. Michael Pichon (Suz); 4. Gordon Crockard (Hon); 5. Paul Cooper (Hus); 6. Joseph Alonso (Hon); 7. Pit Beirer (Kaw); 8. Alex Belometti (Kaw); 9. Pierrick Paget (Hon); 10. Thierry Belhys (Hon); 11. Serge Guidetty (Hon); 12. Alessandro Zanni (Yam); 13. Justin Morris (Vam); 14. Jussi Vehvilainen (Hon); 15. Collin Dugmore (KTM); 19. Mark Eastwood (Han); 20. Mark Jones (Han). FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 250« MX SERIES POINT STANDINGS (After I o( 16 rounds): 1. Gordon Crockard (33/1 Win); 2. Mickllel Pichon (30); 3. (TIE) Ryan Hughes/Paul Cooper (20); 5. Pit Belrer (19); 6. (TIE) Vves Demaria/Frederic Bolley (17); 8. Joseph Alonso (15); 9. (TIE) Theirry Bethys/Mickael Maschio (13); II. Alessandro Zanni (12); 12. Joshua Coppins (11): 13. Alessondro Belometti (8); 14. Pierrick Paget (7); 15. Peter Iven (6). Upcoming Rounds: Round 2 - Agueda, Portugal, March 26 Round 3 - Valkenswaard, Netherlands, April 9 n ... _ S • MARCH 29. 2000 35

• Cover