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/1542395
Raga Takes U.S. Round After finishing runner-up at the opening tlvo rounds of the FIM World Trials Championship Series held in Spain and Portugal, Adam Raga claimed his flrst wins ofthe season b),, toppint both days of competition at the GP ofAmerica, held at the Trials Training Center, in Sequatchie, Tennessee, on May 21. Both days of the event featured sections that were very long and extreme- ly slippery but that didnt seem to bother the Gas Gas-mounted defending World Champion as he easily outdistanced a wodd-class field that included seven-time World Champion Dougie Lampkin. On Saturday, Raga cleaned lhe openin8 section of the day. one that drew five-point penalties from many of the others, including Lampkin and hjs Montesateammate Takahim Fuiinami, and then steadily pulled away to take the win by six points over Lampkin. Ben-mounted Toni Bou finished third, anoth- er seven points back. On Sunday, RaSa again led from stan to finish, finishint the ls-section. t!vo- lap course with a total of 24 points, Lampkin aSain finished in the runner-up position, after dropping 4l points for the day, while Spanish Gas Gas rider Jeroni F4ardo finished thjrd with 46. After three rounds, Raga holds a l0-point advantage in the series over Lampkin, 74-64, with Bou (58), Fujinami (51) and Faiardo (50) occupying third throuth fifth in the standinSs. Rounds five and six of the AM!y'NATC U.S. National Trials Series were held in coniunction with the World Championship event in Tennessee and on Saturday, Califomian Cody Webb claimed his first-ever national win by toppin8 his Sherco USA teammate Bruce LeRiche for the win. Defending U.S. Champ Geoff Aaron had a day to forget about and ended the competition in third. On Sundax Aaron jumped out to a stronS early lead after the openint lap, but nearly blew it after posting an inflated second lap, however rhe nine-time champ held on to best Webb by a sintle point to take rhe win, his four-th ofthe year. LeRiche again linished (hird another l2 points back. Look for complete coverage in next week's Cycle News Shan Moore 2 a 2 Adom Rogo won the U.5. round o{ the World friob Chompionrhip. Dirt Biker Ripped Off Bike Suzuki Wins Albacete 8 Hour Suzuki Castrol won the Albacete 8 Horas Nocturnas round of the FIM World Endurance Championship and increased its series lead to 39 points alter three rounds. The GSX-R1000- mounted team of Keiichi Kitagawa, l,1a(!hieu Lagrive and Vincent Philippe ran a consisten! r?ce to score the win. The race staned wkh drama as a mechanic was hit by a bike, bringint out a pace care while they were beint attended to. When the race finally got under way, Kawasaki Bolliter led brietly from reigninS Champions Suzuki Castrol, Yamaha Phase One, Yamaha Austria and Yamaha Folch Number 3 L Yamaha Austria briefly took the lead at the end of th€ llrst hour, but Suzuki Castrol repass€d them, and were never headed f6r the rtrt of the ra.e The team completed 295 laps, three ahead of Yamaha Austria with Yamaha Folch on 290 laps and Yamaha Phase One Endurance on 290. "This was a Sood result for the team and for rhe championship," Philippe said. "The bike and lhe tires worked well so we are very happy." The New Ducati? Ducati wans the World Superbike rules bumped up to l200cc, so illustrator Damon Momn sent us what he thinks the new bike .ould look like. Check out the Ducati I l88R Desmocorsa DUCATT D DESMOCORSA I I88R Domon Moron Technicol llluslrolions 2006 E o E q Three Los Gatos, California, residents were arrested last week after alletedly stringnt a rop€ across a road and then pullin8 it when an off-road motorcyclist approached, causint the rider to be thrown from his bike and sustain serious injuries, accordinS to report in the l'4ay l7 edition of the Son Frcncisco Chtoni.le. On May 16, Santa Clara County Sheriff deputies arrested Donald Bryant, 62, Donna Olsen, 46, and Edward Anderson, 48, on suspicaon of assauk with a deadly weapon and battery with serious bodily injury The incident occurred around I p.m. on May 6, when a troup ofdirt bikers were returning home from a ride in the hills along Loma Chiquita Road, sheriff spokesman Deputy Serg Palanov told the Chronicle. Bryant, Olsen and Anderson had tied a rope to a lree on one side of the road and waited in bushes on the other side, he said. when the first rider approached the rope traveling at about 20-25 mph, the suspects alleSedly pulled the rope taut and the riderwas hit in the iaw and pulled off his bike. A second rider witnessed the incident and was able [o slow watching as the suspects again pulled the rope taot. The first rider was taken to Good Samaritafl Hospi(al in San Jose, where he remained in a coma for five da),,s, suffering b.oken bones, tissue loss and requirinS some 500 stitches and titanium plates to be inserted anto his face. CYCLE NEWS. MAY31,2006 I5 I I s u I a 1 i l,-j r, t,.- i 3 -i. .i .O I /