Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

~ MOTOCROSS World Championship 500cc MX Series: Round 10 ~ Kurt Nicoll kept his tide hopes alive by scoring the overall win at the Belgian GP. By Alex Hodgkinson NAMUR, BELGIUM, AUG. 2 nglishman Kurt Nicoll kept his title hopes alive by posting 1-3-1 moto scores and securing the overall win at what many regard as the most prestigious GP of the year, the Belgian round at Namur. The factory KIM rider, who is seeking his first GP title, climbed back E 22 into the runner-up spot in the championship point standings and is now only 24 points behind series leader Georges Jobe, with just two rounds and six motos remaining in the series. Jobe, the home country favorite at Namur, failed to finish the first moto . with tranSmlSSlOn problems, whIle American Billy Liles had an even worse day after crashing twice in the first moto, once again in the second and finishing fourth in the third. Second overall was Sweden's Marcus Hansson via 3-1-3 moto placings, a career-best' for the Kawasaki rider. Rounding out the top three was the defending champ Jobe. Able only to score 13 points on the day, Liles effectively ended any chance he had of taking the title. The Georgian went into the Belgian GP second in the series point standings but left in third, 59 points behind Jobe, 453-393. Nicoll is currently second with 428 points. All Jobe needs to do is score one more point and Liles will officially be out -of the hunt. An air of gloom was cast over the event, however, when, during Sa turday's practice session, Belgian Wijnants crashed into a tree.'He was airlifted to the hospital with paralyzing spinal injuries. The first of three 20-minute-plus twolap motos was disastrous. Holland's Gerard Delepine slid out on the wet and grassy first turn and took out about a third of the 40-rider field, including Liles, Belgian Joel Smets, Swede Jorgen Nilsson, Belgian Jacky Martens and Brit Jeremy Whatley. Martens called it quits right there,. while Liles recovered in the back of the pack. Leaving the scattered bikes and bodies behind him was Jobe, who blasted out into the lead after passing fellow countryman Johan Boonen and Nicoll on the first lap. From that point on, the race was all Jobe's, as the factory Honda rider pulled away. But at the 20-minute mark, Jobe's race came to a screeching halt when the transmission blew. Inheriting the lead was Nicoll who held on for the win over Boonen. "1 had a few attempts at Jobe in the early laps but my arms started to pump up a little and I decided to ease back a little," said Nicoll. "He (Jobe) was also riding tense and I knew I could pull him back when I wanted. If his gearbox hadn't gone, I still would'~e won; I knew I could pass him on the big uphill, but I was keeping that in reserve." Third-place Hansson, said, "1 tried to pace him (Boonen) many times, but it is so difficult here." Hansson backed off in the final half a lap to cross the finish line a lonely third. Liles, meanwhile, was working his way up through the pack after crashing in the first tum, but it was all for naught, as he and another rider collided in midair over a jump and went tumbling on the gravel. Both riders were badly bruised and Liles went to have the little finger of his left hand, which had been cut through ta the bone, stitched up. Rounding out the tap five were former champ Dave Thorpe of Great Britain and Karl Sulzer of Germany. The second moto provided the first GP mota win of Hansson's career. The Swede hoIeshot and by the time Jobe passed second-place Warren Edwards of Great Britain at the end of lap two, Hansson was long gone. '1 got a little nervous in the last few laps," said Hansson. "The starts are so important here and getting a good one really helped. I was never troubled." Jobe had little worries in second, as his main concern, Nicoll, gated ninth. "1 could see Jobe at one stage, but when he got past Edwards and I was still behind Jacky Martens and Billy Liles, the gap was too great to try to chase him. By the time I got into third, 15 minutes had already gone." Nicoll ended up third. Nicoll took over third when Liles, once again, crashed. "1 came off the jump into the main arena sideways, and it just spit me off," said Liles. "The asphalt there is slippery enough with the dirt on it, but for some reason they went and watered it as well. I had no chance to save it. There was no sense to continue. The bike was bent and the grip torn off and,no one is going to catch me for third in the championship. The title is over for me now though." A few laps later, Lile's teammate, Whatley crashed heavily on the main uphill and was unconscious for a time before being taken by ambularice to the hospital for immediate s~rgery on a badly splintered left wrist. The top five finishing order was Hansson, Jobe, Nicoll, Martens and Edwards. Gating third behind Jobe and Hansson in the third and final moto, Nicoll needed less than two laps to work his way to the front. "1 had an even better line at the bottom of the big hill than earlier in the day and passed them both there," said Nicoll. "1 knew I was riding so much better than Jobe that I was safe even when I was only a couple of seconds clear." Nicoll went on to score the win ahead of Jobe and Hansson, Hansson was content with third: "1 didn't quite have their speed," said the 22-year-old ;Hansson. "I'm getting there, though." Fourth went to Liles, while Great Britain's Brian Wheeler rounded out the top five, (N Results TIMED PRACTICE: I. Kurt Nicoll (2 min. 57.62 sec.); 2. Georges Jobe (2:58.43); 3. Billy Ules (2:58.26); 4. Marcus Hansson (2:59.41); 5. Karl Sulzer (2:59.87); 6. Franco Rossi (2:59.94); 7. Joel Smets (3:00.09); 8. Carlo Hulsen (3:00.63); 9. Jeremy Whatley (3:00.99); 10. Ronny Weustenraed (3:01.08); 1I. Johan Boonan (3:01.90); 12. David Thorpe (3:02.21); 13. Gerald Delepine (3:02.28); 14. Jorgen Nilsson (3:02.65); 15. Siegfried Bauer (3:02.72); 16. Olivier Perrin (3:02.78); 17. Jacky Martens (3:03.03); 18. Mervyn Anstie (3:03.05); 19. Magnus Petterson (3:03.26); 20. Warren Edwards (3:03.32); 21. Jared Smith (3:03.40); 22. Ornost Zemen (3:03.60); 23. Dirk Geukens (3:03.71); 24. Jo Martens (3:03.86); 25. Giovanni Cavatorta (3:03.92); 26. Darryl King (3:0428); 27. Marc Velkeneers (3:04.51); 28. Stefan Larsson (3:04.67); 29. Thomas Kneip (3:04.79); 30. Soren Mortensen (3:04.91); 31. Christian Vimon (3:04.93); 32. Rudi van Leeuwen (3:05.05); 33. Brian Wheeler (3:05.07); 34. Arto Pantilla (3:03.20); 35. Bruno Salina (3:05.81); 36. Mauro Moretto (3:05.97); 37. Mario Vincenzo (3:06.12); 38. Eric Delannoy (3:06.13); 39. Jason Higgs (3:06.16); 40. Marco Faussone (3:06.29); 41. Petr Kovar (3:06.45); 42. Giorgio Antoniazzi (3:06.53). MOTO 1: 1. Kurt Nicoll (K1M); 2. Johan Boonen (Kaw); 3. Marcus Hansson (Kaw); 4. David Thorpe (Han); 5. Karl Sulzer (Han); 6. Carlo Hulsen (Han); 7. Brian Wheeler (K1M); 8. Olivier Perrin (Kaw); 9. Jeremy Whatley (Han); 10. Dirk Geukens (Han); 11. Jared Smith (Kaw); 12. Joel Smets (Han); 13. Marco Faussone (Kaw); 14. Darryl King (Kaw); 15. Warren Edwards (Han); 16. Siegfried Bauer (Kaw); 17. Stefan Larsson (Kaw); 18. Jorgen Nilsson (Han); 19. Magnus Petterson (Kaw); 20. Mervyn Anstie (Han); 21. Eric Delannoy (Han); 22. Mario Vincenzo (Kaw); 23. Petr Kovar (Kaw); 24. Ornost Zemen (Kaw). Time: 31:29.54 • MOTO 2: 1. Marcus Hansson (Kaw); 2. Georges Jobe (Han); 3. Kurt Nicoll (KTM); 4. Jacky Martens (Hus); 5. Warren Edwards (Han); 6. Brian Wheeler -(K1M); 7. Franco Rossi (K1M); 8. Joel Smets (Han); 9. Jorgen Nilsson (Han); 10. Darryl King (Kaw); 11. David Thorpe (Han); 12. Jared Smith (Kaw); 13. Johan Boonen (Kaw); 14. Dirk Geukens (Han); 15. Ronny Weustenraed (Kaw); 16. Olivier Perrin (Kaw); 17. Carlo Hulsen (Han); 18. Siegfried Bauer (Kaw); 19. Magnus Petterson (Kaw); 20. Mario Vincenzo (Kaw); 21. Mervyn Anstie (Han); 22. Eric Delannoy (Han); 23. Thomas Kneip (Kaw); 24. Omost Zemen (Kaw); 25. Jason Higgs (Kaw); 26.' Christian Vimon (Han); 27. Soren Mortensen (Kaw); 28. Giovanni Cavatorta (Han); 29. Gerald Delepine (Han). Time: 31 :23.05 MOTO 3: 1. Kurt Nicoll (K1M); 2. Georges Jobe -(Han); 3. Marcus Hansson (Kaw); 4. Billy UJes (Han); 5. Brian Wheeler (KTM); 6. Jorgen Nilsson (Han); 7. Siegfried Bauer (Kaw); 8. Dirk Geukens (Han); 9. Ronny Weustenraed (Kaw); 10. Olivier Perrin (Kaw); 11. Karl Sulzer (Han); 12. Johan Boonen (Kaw); 13. Gerald Delepine (Han); 14. Carlo Hulsen (Han); 15. Petr Kovar (Kaw); 16. Mario Vincenzo (Kaw); 17. Jo Martens (Han); 18. Darryl King (Kaw); 19. Eric Delannoy (Han); 20. Ornost Zemen (Kaw); 21. Marco Faussone (Kaw); 22. Bruno Salina (Han); 23. Stefan Larsson (Kaw); 24. Jason Higgs (Kaw); 25. Joel Smets (Han); 26. Giovanni Cavatorta (Han). . Time: 34:39.03 O/A: 1. Kurt Nicoll (KTM); 2. Marcus Hansson (Kaw); 3. Georges Jobe (Han); 4. Brian Wheeler (KTM); 5. Johan Boonen (Kaw); 6. David Thorpe (Han); 7. Jorgen Nilsson (Han); 8. Dirk Geukens (Han); 9. Karl Sulzer (Han); 10. Olivier Perrin (Kaw); 11. Billy Liles (Han). WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SOOcc MX SERIES I'OINI'S STANDINGS: 1. Georges Jobe (452); 2. Kurt Nicoll (428); 3. Billy Liles (393); 4. Joel Smets (228); 5. Johan Boonen (216); 6. Franco Rossi (207); 7. Jeremy Whatley (199); 8. Jorgen Nilsson (187); 9. Marcus Hansson (174); 10. Dirk Geukens (169).

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