KTM’s MX Factory Teams Discover a Place In The Sun

KTM MX1 and MX2 factory teams have had a dynamic launch into their 2007 professional activities with a special training session in Spain. There they could enjoy temperatures of 20 degrees and get down to business on one of the best MX training facilities around.



The four factory team riders for 2007 – David Philippaerts and Johathan Barragan for MX1 and Tyla Rattray and Tommy Searle for MX2, along with mechanics and other team members gathered at Stephan Evert’s Motocross School 80 km north of Valencia for three weeks of activities. Everts, MX supremo and 10-times world champion, ended his amazing 18-year active career in 2006 and has now joined KTM as the Motocross Race Director.



Stephan said the pre-season gathering had been a good start to the season and that the team spirit was very positive. "Of course being the race director is still a learning experience for me after ending my active career," the MX maestro said. "I will try to give the team 100% and to help them as much as possible. I have some good expectations but I always take the down-to-earth approach at the beginning of the season. I am quite relaxed about it."



Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsport Director also said it was an excellent pre-season launch and one that KTM will pursue in the future. As well as creating the perfect opportunity for the entire team to get to know and work with each other, Evert’s facility presents everything they need to prepare for the racing season. Team members were not only able to get better acquainted with team boss Stephan; they could revel in the comprehensive facilities that include a training circuit, water systems, full fitness facilities, a pool and excellent accommodation.



"This was a perfect base for the pre-season," Pit Beirer said. "The guys could do their training but also relax, have fun and get to know each other. It was a great opportunity for riders and mechanics to work together and to learn more about each other’s responsibilities." This builds trust and team spirit, according to Beirer, both essential components of any successful KTM factory team.



The training session was also a perfect chill-out time before the season gets underway with the accompanying stress of continual travel and a demanding race program that Pit says is getting tougher and tougher.



"As always we set our sights on a world championship title," Pit commented looking ahead to the motocross season. "But it is a very tough competition. Let’s say we want to be competitive and we want to fight for the title."

HOME GP AWAITS SUZUKI MX1 TEAM

The daunting and historic setting of the Citadelle, located directly in the centre of the city of Namur in Belgium, awaits Team Suzuki and the RM-Z450 motorcycles this weekend in the squad’s home Grand Prix and the 12th stop of 15 in the 2006 FIM MX1 World Championship.

With Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon in second and third positions respectively, the team will now be focussing on securing those places in the ranking. Series leader Stefan Everts, who has won every event this year, needs only one point over Strijbos to confirm a record 10th world title at his favourite circuit.

What more can be said about Namur? The narrow, dark and very ‘enduro-esque’ path through the park, in-and-around the Citadelle fortress, is unique. Parallels can be drawn to the Isle of Man TT course for road racing or the Monaco F1 circuit for car racing. While spectacular, charismatic and steeped in tradition, the course also verges on being dangerous with the tree-lined layout and near vertical drops a formidable test for the modern motocross motorcycle.

Strijbos missed the 2005 edition of the event due to thrombosis but placed fourth in 2004. "I can’t say that I am a big fan of Namur. I don’t like the track," he asserted. "The event itself is a little bit special but the course is thin and dangerous being flanked by all the trees. I just hope that I can get a podium there and stop Everts from winning the title. It is a little bit out of my hands now because even if I win he only has to finish in the top 20. Even as a Belgian, I do not want to see Everts win in Namur!"

Ramon is a fan of the track and finished third in the first moto in 2004 as well as shining in the 125cc class. "It is a unique track and when you race there for the first time it is difficult to get your head around the course; local knowledge can really help," remarked Ramon. "I like it though. It is very technical and I have made some good results in past years so I am looking forward to it. There are a lot of trees and roots as the mud becomes worn and that makes it a little bit dangerous but the fans and atmosphere is unlike any other GP."

Said Team owner and director Sylvain Geboers: "As a team, going to Namur is another Grand Prix for us. We are on home turf and of course we are proud if we do well in front of our supporters but there are so many Belgians going for those podium places.

"It will be something special for Stefan Everts to win his 10th title there," he added. "It is unlikely that anyone will achieve what he has again and it gives us satisfaction to know that Suzuki were a part of his career. He was with us for five years and won his first title on a Suzuki, so to know that we set him on this path is a proud thing for the team and also the company.

"The season has been good so far," he summarised. "We would like to be a little bit more secure in second and third but the results have been positive. We always want to win first but this year it has been difficult. There are a lot of good riders behind Stefan and we understand what we have to do in order to be successful next season. We believe completely that the bikes are ready to win and that can also be seen by the success of Ricky Carmichael."

CARMICHAEL WINS IN COLORADO

Team Makita Suzuki’s Ricky Carmichael claimed his sixth-straight overall win of the year with a double victory at Sunday’s seventh-round AMA Motocross Championship at Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Lakewood, Colorado.
The victory was Carmichael’s 141st in AMA competition and gives him a 69 point lead in the series standings over Team Yamaha’s Chad Reed with five rounds to go. Said Carmichael: "It’s always tough coming here to Thunder Valley. There are a bunch of elements you have to contend with. Number one is the elevation, obviously, and that takes a toll on you and the bike, as far as power goes. And obviously fitness is a factor and I have to give it up to my trainer, Elden Baker. But it’s still fun to come to a new venue and the track is good. There are several different lines and it’s a good race track overall."

In the Motocross Lites class, Team Makita Suzuki Racing’s Broc Hepler improved his performance significantly. The young rider charged hard on his Makita Suzuki RM-Z250 in both 30-minute motos to take second position in Colorado to move from 13th position overall into eighth position in the points chase.

Said Hepler: "I got a poor start in the first moto, but I was catching the guys in front of me at the end. I felt pretty good and the Makita Suzuki RM-Z250 was running good so I started picking up my time and my last lap was my fastest. In the second moto, I got a good start. It was the best start I’ve had all year and then I took the lead. Unfortunately, Ryan Villopoto was faster through some of the rutted sections and he got past me, but I was able to keep second."

De Reuver Notches Second Career Win In Bulgarian Mud Bath

Marc de Reuver claimed only his second career Grand Prix victory at a wet and muddy Sevlievo circuit in Bulgariathis afternoon. The Red Bull Champ KTM rider went 6-1 in the two motos to tie on points with David Philippaerts and Christophe Pourcel but earn the top step thanks to his better ranking.

After some hot weather during qualification on Saturday, where Philippaerts won the second MX2 heat and Jonathan Barragan registered the second best time in MX1, grey skies greeted the 25,000 spectators (weekend figure) on Sunday. The first motos of each category took place on a dry and quick layout, but over an hour of intense rainfall turned the track into a greasy and difficult prospect. High speed was prevalent in the opening sprints while an element of luck, survival and caution applied to the final sections of the race programme.

The conditions did not suit MX1 representative Barragan who could not convert his second position in the gate into a pair of decent starts. The Spaniard had to chop through the pack and his attacking style carried him to 10th place and past countryman Javier Garcia Vico but he came unstuck on a very late challenge to Tanel Leok for 9th and crashed on the whoops. The spill gave the youngster a sore head and a painful right knee, both of which contributed to his early retirement in the second moto. He is currently 6th in the series and 27 points away from Steve Ramon.

De Reuver crashed in his qualification heat and took the best time in the Last Chance session. It is unlikely that another rider will win a Grand Prix by entering the gate down in 25th position.
Tyla Rattray was 4th overall and pushed De Reuver hard for the win in the closing stages after the pair had overtaken early leader Pourcel.

Carl Nunn finished the Grand Prix with 7th and was a steady performer. KTMs dominated the top ten in MX2 thanks to Manuel Monni and Rui Goncalves helping towards a total of six 250SX-Fs on the leader-board.
De Reuver now stands 2 points away from the top of the series table after an impressive period of consistent results. Rattray trails Pourcel by 17 points.


The Red Bull team will drive down to Italythis week for the seventh stage of the Grand series where the Montevarchi circuit, just south of Florence, will play host to the Italian round.


Tyla Rattray:
"In the first race I was riding a bit too cautious. I was pushing a little bit at the beginning to try and get a rhythm and by the time I got into a comfortable speed I had lost a little bit of ground. Those guys were riding really well and I couldn’t match their speed. I sat down and had a think before the second moto but my tactic went out the window because of the rain and it was a total mud race. I am really looking forward to these next few GPs. It is time that I started putting the hammer down a bit more and taking some wins. I also need to work on my starts and I will be doing that with the team this week so that we can get the best possible bike out of the gate."


Marc de Reuver:
"My start was amazing. I came from far on the outside and had a position inside the top ten. On the first lap I passed a lot of guys. I have the intuitions of riding on a sand track, meaning I take the berms and different lines where the dirt is tacky and has a bit more grip. I had to slow down a little bit halfway through the second race to catch my breath and relax. I attacked Pourcel near the end and passed him. I made a few mistakes when I was in the lead and Rattray came very close but I could keep first place, so that was good."


David Philippaerts
"The bike is now perfect for me. Claudio and Georges have helped with the suspension set-up and some other modifications and I feel good on the KTM. Today the races were really fast and I had two decent starts which helped. I enjoyed the muddier conditions more than the harder track."


Jonathan Barragan:
"I crashed twice in the first moto after a bad start. I saw that Leok was close so I pushed to pass him but it had started to rain hard and I was caught out by the ground and hurt my right knee. I had a bump on the head also and I wasn’t feeling too great for the second race. I made a small mistake because I wasn’t concentrating and stopped."

Double MX1 Podium For RM-Z450

The potency of the RM-Z450s in contrasting weather conditions was aptly demonstrated when Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon both finished on the podium today in front of 25,000 spectators at an overcast and very wet Sevlievo circuit for the sixth round of the 2006 FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship.

The Grand Prix of Bulgaria was a success for the Belgian team and the works RM-Z450s - carrying minor modifications in the wake of the Japanese round a fortnight ago - that had to negotiate dry and fast conditions in the first moto of 35 minutes and two laps race distance before torrential downpours flooded the track and created a slippery messy test for the riders in the second outing.

Kevin Strijbos walked away with his third set of silverware this season by finishing runner-up twice behind double victor and currently untouchable World Champion Stefan Everts. The 20-year-old Belgian was confident on the long hills and steep drops in both sets of track conditions and pulled through from mid-top 10 starts to secure the second step on the podium. Strijbos, now in his fourth season with the team, was particularly impressive in cutting through a four-rider tussle for second spot early in the first moto and was only really threatened in the closing stages of Moto two when Steve Ramon decided to make his presence felt from third place.

Ramon had earlier beaten Tanel Leok and Brian Jorgensen to follow his team-mate to the chequered flag and wanted a closer bite of the cherry in the second race despite having to ditch his mud-splattered goggles and traverse the slime with limited vision. The puddles and gunk meant that the smallest error could prove costly while also pushing the limits of the machines to the maximum.

The Suzuki-dominated podium represents the best overall result of the season for the Belgian crew and now brings the total of top three appearances to six from six Grands Prix. Strijbos is third in the World Championship standings and only two points from a now-familiar second place. Ramon is fifth and just six points from further elevation.

The seventh round of the series now follows hard upon in the most intense period of the campaign. Team Suzuki will head to the Montevarchi circuit near Florence for the Grand Prix of Italy next week before then making their way to Great Britain seven days later.

Kevin Strijbos:"In the first race my start was not so bad; I was around 10th but I could make up some places easily on the first few laps. When I reached second, Stefan had gone. I tried to close the gap but it was not easy and I had to be content with second place. In the second heat I messed up my start and was almost last. I pushed hard and when the rain arrived the track became even more rutted with large puddles everywhere. I was still able to overtake and again arrived to second. On the last few laps, Steve came pretty close and I had to pick my speed up to make sure of the result."

Steve Ramon:"Yesterday I was struggling to get a good lap in Timed Practice but already in the warm-up I felt better and that made me confident for the races. I started well in the first heat and was around fifth or something. I got into second and could follow Stefan but in the middle of the race Kevin passed me; third wasn’t too bad. In the second moto the rain came and I had to ditch my goggles. I almost had to stop a few times and clear my eyes because following people was very difficult. There was so much water but I was able to get into third and challenge Kevin. I almost got him. Kevin took four points on me but overall for the Championship I did a good job today."

Sylvain Geboers - Team Owner:"This is the kind of result we expect from these guys. They have the potential to do this race after race. Finally they are both settled with the bikes and with the dry and wet conditions in both heats those kinds of positions are very difficult. They were getting close to Stefan in both races and that was very encouraging. It seems like the small improvements have helped, especially mentally. We expect to continue this way. The Suzuki worked very well in those wet conditions which can really test the engine as well as the chassis."

Business as usual for Everts in Bulgaria

Career win number 93, six Grand Prix in succession, the third double on the trot and nine consecutive moto victories fell to Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross team's Stefan Everts at the fast Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria and the sixth round of fifteen in the 2006 FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship. 25,000 spectators (weekend figure) witnessed the 33 year old Belgian and absolute series leader own another two motos in vastly different weather conditions in which the YZ450FM excelled once more.

The wide expanse of the Sevlievo track, situated in the modern and impressive infrastructure of the circuit, was quick and dry for the first moto but then the heavens opened and dropped a plethora of rain onto the venue creating a difficult and technical test, as well as constituting the first wet race of the season.
Despite insisting that a repeat of his Japanese domination would be unlikely Saturday afternoon, Everts faced little opposition in both races after taking the lead within the first two laps of both sprints. He controlled the distance assimilated both times over Kevin Strijbos and his superiority has now translated into an 81 point advantage from Kawasaki's Tanel Leok in the World Championship standings meaning that he can afford not to finish three motos and still be in front.

Cedric Melotte completed only three laps today during the first outing. The Belgian fell heavily on Saturday and hit his head. Feeling dazed and unable to concentrate he elected to retire frustrated instead of risking further mishap. The 27 year old did not take to the line for the second race. Melotte has also been suffering from reduced energy and stamina possibly brought on by over-training. He had several tests after arriving back from Japan and his body was found to be lacking certain minerals. "Cedric had been training quite hard, as normal but has been feeling bad after the races, which is unusual for the condition he should have," said Team Manager Carlo Rinaldi. "The season has been up and down for him. Portugal was bad but then Teutschenthal was better after he had some rest. Japan was again not so good, so we rested him before this GP. The blood tests said he was low on iron and some B12 among other things in line with the symptoms of over-training. Cedric needs to rest and renew his levels and we should see an improvement."
The trip to Bulgaria represented the first of three consecutive meetings. The teams now travel directly to Italy and the Montevarchi circuit before then heading to Matterley Basin and the British Grand Prix.

Stefan Everts, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team: "Any race is a new race so anything can still happen but I have managed to keep the pace up and not make any mistakes. The second moto was difficult because of the conditions and I had to lose my goggles after a few laps. I had to slow down because of all the mud in my eyes but overall I am happy with the day. Coming here I was unsure because this is not the best track for me to try and win like Japan but I was consistent with my speed. The bike has been great on the starts and being able to push hard in the first ten to fifteen minutes really makes a difference."

Cedric Melotte, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team: "I had a big crash on Saturday and I found that I could not concentrate on my riding today. I tried to make some fast laps but it was getting dangerous so I decided to stop. I am having very little luck at the moment."

Carlo Rinaldi, Team Manager Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team: "It was two different races today because of the track conditions and Stefan proved that it doesn't matter what weather or demands he faces. He made two very consistent and error-free races. The rhythm was strong at first but he could deal with it. The bike came through very well because there was a lot of water and you can sometimes have a strange problem like with the electrics. We made some changes between the motos to cope with the changing terrain and they worked out fine."

Suzuki MX1 Men Head To Bulgaria

A trip to Bulgaria and the Sevlievo circuit awaits Team Suzuki and their works RM-Z450s this weekend in what will be the sixth round of the 2006 FIM MX1 World Championship.

The Belgian crew have seen one of their two riders finish on the podium at the last four Grand Prix including a runner-up position for Kevin Strijbos in Germany and then for Steve Ramon two weeks ago in Japan.

Suzuki are the only manufacturer with two riders in the top six of the series standings as Strijbos currently lies fourth and Ramon fifth. The Belgian pair banished the effects of jetlag returning from Sugo 10 days ago by claiming podium results at Kester for the fourth round of the Belgian Championship last weekend behind current World Champion and MX1 standings leader Stefan Everts.

Strijbos was second overall and Ramon was third.The impressive Sevlievo circuit has all the facilities and infrastructure required by a modern motocross venue. The fast and hilly course with 100% views for spectators has apparently been adjusted to comply with FIM rules and to lower the speed ahead of its third World Championship event this weekend.The inaugural Bulgarian Grand Prix took place in 2002 and was run again in 2003 before vanishing off the calendar for more than two years.

Prior to the ’02 edition at the regenerated Sevlievo location, the FIM competition had not visited the country for almost two decades. The course was popular with the riders but perhaps is notoriously remembered for being the track on which the career of 250cc Grand Prix winner Pit Beirer ended 36 months ago.

If the MX1 class can be counted as an evolution of the blue ribbon 250cc category then Suzuki have enjoyed past success in Sevlievo as Mickael Pichon owned proceedings in 2002 upon the potent RM250."The track is fast, maybe a little too fast," said Ramon who last competed at Sevlievo in his 125cc title-winning campaign of 2003 and scored sixth position after a first lap crash had left him down in 26th. "I have had some decent rides there on the 125 in the past and it will be different for sure this time around with the Suzuki. I am looking forward to it though. I enjoyed the track in 2003 although I am sure there will be a few changes for this weekend."I really need to start being consistent and close the gap in the standings.

The podium in Japan was good but I need to be there regularly," he added.Also concerned about the standings is Strijbos. "I don’t know what happened in that first moto in Japan but things were not working right for me," the 20 year old said. "I need to get back on the podium and take third position again in the Championship. I have to start chipping away at second and I can’t afford many more races like Japan."Sevlievo is not a bad track it is just an easy one," Strijbos, who claimed 12th position on the RM 250 in 2003 as a fresh-faced 17 year old, continued. "There are many up and downhill straights and some nice jumps.

It is fast but not that technical. The important thing is that in the past there have been quite a few passing opportunities." Warm but wet and stormy weather is predicted in the region for the weekend.MX1 World Championship Standings (after 5 of 15 rounds): 1 Stefan Everts 242, 2 Tanel Leok 181, 3 Ken De Dycker 168, 4 Kevin Strijbos 165, 5 Steve Ramon 151, 6 Jonathan Barragan 150, 7 Cedric Melotte 105, 8 Sebastien Tortelli 99, 9 Manuel Priem 99, 10 Pascal Leuret 93.

Double Win For De Dyker - Landrake 28th May 06

CAS Honda’s Ken De Dycker confidently increased his British Championship lead by 33 points at the half way stage of the Championship at Landrake on Sunday. With the unpredictable British weather no-one was sure of track conditions prior to this event however the rain stayed away on race day and the circuit had been well prepared for this event.

Ken took his time in qualification, getting familiar with one of the many British tracks that he has not previously seen. By the end of the session his fastest lap time put him in 4th position.

As the gate dropped for the first race Ken took the holeshot closely followed by Noble, Bill, Jones and Bradshaw. By the 6th lap he had pulled away from the rest of the pack with a comfortable 9.7 second lead which later increased to 10.6 seconds. Ken cruised to the chequered flag under no pressure whatsoever giving the crowd some excitement with a little freestyle over the table top by the finish to end the race.


Race 1 – Results
Ken De Dycker
James Noble
Julian Bill

Race two started out very differently when Ken found himself back in 9th position around the first corner. The CAS Honda rider pushed hard to take 4th place by the second lap, 2nd place by the third lap and into the lead by the 4th lap. Second place Julian Bill tried to keep up with the Belgian but Ken continued to increase his race lead lap by lap and after 22 minutes had a 9 second advantage.

Race 2 – Results
Ken De Dycker
James Noble
Mark Hucklebridge

On the podium at the end of the day Ken said that he had been working very hard every day to help with his speed and stamina and that he would be looking for more podiums both at the British and World Championships. He is also looking forward to team mate Josh Coppins getting back on his bike and going practising together where the Belgian can hopefully learn from the World number 2. The CAS Team are starting the long trip to Bulgaria for this weekends GP.

Overall Results on the day
Ken De Dycker
James Noble
Mark Jones

Championship Standings after 4 Rounds (4 Rounds to go)
1. Ken De Dycker 231 points
2. James Noble 198 points
3. Mark Jones 158 points

AMA National Motocross, Sacramento, CA: Round One: Alessi Flawless

The first round of the AMA Outdoor National Motocross Championship started out with a bang for Mike Alessi as the young Red Bull KTM rider collected a 1-1 in both motos.

In Sacramento, CA dark skies hovered over the track while the Red Bull KTM team prepared for the MX season opener. 40 riders lined the gates for moto one and as the gate dropped, Alessi grabbed the holeshot and checked out, while Zach Osborne, in his first pro motocross race showed maturity and determination, pushed his way to the front finishing a solid sixth. Nathan Ramsey was shoved to the back at the start but moved his way up to eighteenth where he finished. As the skies opened up and the rain came down, Jay Marmont was battling in the top ten until a rock smashed into his goggles, breaking the lens and giving him a severe black eye. Not one to give up he tried to continue but his eyesight was too poor, forcing him to pull off the track.

Moto two, Alessi was second off the line, closely trailing the leader to capitalize on any mistakes. That time came shortly when leader Josh Grant bobbled and fell at the end of the first lap and Alessi took over the lead, never to look back. On the wet and slippery track, Ramsey moved up to third place while Osborne was ninth and Jay Marmont was in the top twenty. With the rain now pouring down, the track was deeply rutted and treacherous. Ramsey crashed going up an uphill double, but continued on and finished ninth. Osborne ran into some bad luck as his clutch level broke off, forcing him to retire from the race.

"I had a perfect day today and led every lap in moto one," said an ecstatic Mike Alessi. "I’m trying to ride consistent and be patient because I learned last year that I have to be patient. It’s not smart to try to do it all in the first five laps."

RAMON TAKES 2ND PODIUM IN JAPAN

Team Suzuki rider Steve Ramon claimed runner-up position in the fifth round of the MX1 Motocross World Championship at a hot and sunny Sugo circuit for the Grand Prix of Japan this afternoon.

The Belgian lifted his second set of silverware for the squad after just five events and extends Suzuki’s podium streak to four successive races. He was fourth and second in front of 17, 500 sun-tanned spectators at another impressive Japanese Grand Prix.

23, 600 fans in total travelled to the venue located a few kilometres from the road racing circuit used in the past for World Superbike events and were treated to some riveting action facilitated by the excellent course. The Sugo soil had been meticulously prepared and the soft terrain soon carved into numerous racing lines. Rough and bumpy, the two MX1 motos were a fast but technical test in which speeds were similar and small mistakes ultimately costly.

Ramon was third at the end of the first lap after briefly passing Cedric Melotte for second spot but was reeled in by Ken De Dycker and Tanel Leok. The Belgian eventually managed to obtain fifth from Melotte on the last lap. After qualifying in fifth position, Kevin Strijbos had a nightmare start by getting boxed in around the first bend of the tight initial ‘S’ section. He then struggled to thread his way through the pack of riders ahead of him and finished a frustrated 12th.

Ramon tried to follow the escaping Stefan Everts in race two after having taking second position from KTM’s Jonathan Barragan but the World Champion proved superior in both events today. Ramon completed a fairly lonely ride but his second place represented his highest moto result of the year so far and assisted towards the same standing on the overall classification sheet. Strijbos was unlucky to get tangled with a falling Leok going through the tricky first corners but unveiled a completely contrasting performance to the first race by rising from last to fourth with an impressive rally. He emerged victorious from a spectacular four rider battle at one stage and sealed seventh overall with his efforts.

Strijbos has slipped to fourth in the World Championship standings and is only three points behind his team-mate. Suzuki is currently second in the Manufacturers points table.

Shinichi Kaga was 19th and a decent 11th, for 15th overall on the fuel-injected RM-Z 450.The team will visit the Suzuki factory on Monday before beginning the long trip back to Europe. The sixth round of 15 in the World Championship will take place at the Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria on June 4th.

Steve Ramon:"My start was not so good in the first moto but I made some good positions in the first two corners. My riding was not great after that because I could not get into a rhythm and I saw that Stefan was pushing very hard at the beginning. I lost two places in the middle of the race but towards the end I was improving and could close the gap to Ken and Tanel, although there was no time to attack. Fourth was ok but it could have been better. "In the second moto I was hanging third and the whole race was tough for me; I had to work hard on the bike. To finish second overall is a good result. Stefan was too fast today and we will try in the next GPs to beat him but at this moment it is really difficult. I want to give many thanks to Suzuki and the team because they worked very hard to give me the best bike they can. This runner-up position also feels a little bit special because we are here in Japan. It has been a nice trip."

Kevin Strijbos:"The day was good and bad. I had my worst and my best races of the season. In the first moto I could not find my lines and was too slow and I was not happy at all. My second moto start was pretty bad. Tanel fell in front of me and because I had my rear braking foot off the peg I could not turn the bike and I hit him. It was bad luck because I had a decent race after that and came back from last to fourth. My riding was better and the lines came to me whereas the first heat was just terrible."

Eric Geboers:"It is another podium for us but I am never enthusiastic until we are on the highest step. It is going to be difficult this year to get that win from what we have already seen so far! We had great support from Suzuki this weekend and the atmosphere around the team was much better after the second race compared to the first!"

Battle of the Champions

It was Polisport supported rider, Martin Barr Bike it / Dixon Yamaha who took the overall win at Round One of the Polisport / MCCNI Supercross series in Ireland on Wednesday evening.

The top rung on the podium was a hotly contested affair, with Wayne Garrett, Moto-One KTM, Gordon Crockard, Wulfsport Honda and Barr taking a win apiece.

The large crowd that was in attendance were treated to an evening of sunshine and handlebar bashing, highflying action, in both adult and youth classes.

The final race of the evening was the Russell’s Motorcycles Dash for Cash.

A La Mans style start saw local ace Phillip McCullough take the lead, the KTM rider held of Crockard and Barr for what equated to £100 per lap prize fund.

Round two of this series will be held at Tandragee Moto Park, on June 21st.

The full results will be posted on UlsterMotocross.com soon, although results alone will never relay the atmosphere, excitement and adrenaline fuelled racing throughout every class. Motocross recruited a large number of new fans on Wednesday evening at Ballymoney - well done each and everyone of you. Roll on Round two.

MX1 : Unstoppable Everts scores GP win 91

Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross team's Stefan Everts extended his run of victories at a hot and hard day of racing at the Talkessel circuit in Teutschenthal for the Grand Prix of Germany. The reigning number one boasts a perfect record this season and has now accumulated 91 career GP wins.

Everts had qualified in second position, only three tenths of a second away from pole position and used his decent pick in the start gate to make an effective start in moto1 and seized the lead on the opening lap. For the next 37 minutes the Belgian was unflinching and ignored pressure from Kevin Strijbos and his team-mate Cedric Melotte to record his fourth successive moto win. The Talkessel mud was dry and dusty after a long and sunny weekend. Overtaking opportunities were limited away from the main fast line but Everts had little need to worry as he showed his rivals the quickest route in front of 31,000 spectators.

The second moto was a similar affair and this time Tanel Leok was the challenger but Everts proved resolute. The 33 year old has now achieved four heat wins in a row and six Grands Prix. Cedric Melotte was unlucky not to confirm third position in the first race after holding the slot for eighteen of nineteen laps. The Belgian, who is still not 100% fit after a pre-season wrist injury, crumbled under pressure from Jonathan Barrgan and his gesture of frustration over the finish line, after losing his first top three finish five corners from the flag, aptly told the story. In the second moto he crashed on the second turn and another fall signalled the end of his afternoon. Special mention must go to Bike it Yamaha Dixon racing's Julien Bill who scored his best ever MX1 result after only four Grands Prix in the class with seventh position. Everts has extended his lead in the Championship by thirteen points and now heads Leok by forty. Melotte is currently 12th but only ten points away from fifth place.

The Grand Prix also represented the opening round of the FIM Women's World Cup. Yamaha's Livia Lancelot claimed second position overall after winning the first race and then taking the runner-up spot in race two. The French teenager claimed an exciting first moto of 20 minutes and 2 laps duration from main rivals Katherine Prumm and reigning Champion Stephanie Laier. Lancelot led the race from start to finish but endured bouts of sustained pressure from Laier and then Prumm. The 18 year old picked her way through backmarkers more efficiently on the last lap and took the chequered flag. Later in the day she had to follow a more ruthless Prumm but equalled the Kiwi's points total, only losing the top step due to the second race ranking.

The second and final stage of the Women's competition will take place at the Grand Prix of Sweden on July 2nd. The World Championships meanwhile will travel to Japan, Bulgaria, Italy and Great Britain before arriving in Scandinavia. The fifth round of the series will take place in two weeks time at the Sugo circuit in Sendai.

Stefan Everts: "I rode really fast today and I had to because Kevin chased me in the first moto and Tanel was right there in the second. It is better for me when I have some pressure and quick riders around. The young guys are getting better and physically stronger. They want to beat me for sure so I have to keep on working hard during the week. I am doing my best. It is good for the racing that we have these guys at the front and it makes it more interesting. The new Yamaha is so strong, not only for riding but also on the starts; I am making a lot of holeshots and this makes it so much easier to win the race."

Cedric Melotte: "The first moto was pretty good for me in comparison to the second. I took a good start and could keep the rhythm with Strijbos and Stefan. In the next race I crashed on the second corner and I tried to come back but the track was really fast. I fell again and hurt my neck. I stopped because I was not feeling too good. It is a pity because for the second GP I have made one decent moto and one bad. I am disappointed about this but I tried my best. I have to be more focussed for the next GP."

Carlo Rinadli: Team manager: "After the first moto we were optimistic of a good result for Cedric because we saw that he had the speed, even from Saturday's sessions. He was feeling good and proved it in that first moto so we were hoping for a strong result from both riders but unfortunately he crashed twice in the next race and he had to pull out. It is a pity for him because he needs some good results to get back his confidence. On the other hand, Stefan did very well again and established his pace over the other riders. It was difficult for him because the youngsters are pushing hard. He made two good starts and was very consistent with his speed; there is not much more to say! We made hardly any changes to the bike this weekend; just a few tweaks to the suspension and carburetion but nothing major."


MX2 : Mackenzie top finisher with fourth in Germany

The MX2 class of the Karcher Grand Prix of Germany was dominated by Christophe Pourcel who achieved his maiden overall success and Bike it Yamaha Dixon Racing's Billy Mackenzie was the top YZ250F pilot with fourth place after two hot and demanding motos.

The sunken-bowl landscape of the Talkessel circuit just outside of Teutschenthal presented a bumpy, sunshine baked and fast prospect for the Grand Prix stars. The track was typically rough and quick meaning that the starts largely determined the ranking and Pourcel enjoyed two holeshots that carried a significant advantage. 22 year old Mackenzie, from Edinburgh in Scotland, took results of sixth and fifth in the two 35 minute and two lap motos after battling with fellow Yamaha representatives Antonio Cairoli and Davide Guarneri in both heats.

World Champion Antonio Cairoli was fifth overall but his finishes of fifth and seventh hid a strong vein of courage. The Sicilian crashed in the warm-up and needed treatment for a sore back and neck. He could not maintain his usual pace and was effective only in fits and spurts. A poor start in the second moto prevented a better classification.

The Ricci Racing team were left lamenting their poor luck. Alessio Chiodi had taken his best finish of the year so far with a solid third in the first moto (after Tyla Rattray had crashed) and used all of his experience to make life hard for the works KTMs, who would eventually scale the podium. However a mechanical problem ten minutes from the chequered flag later in the afternoon meant a second DNF from eight motos run so far this season. His team-mate Kenneth Gundersen was seventh in race one. The Norwegian had recovered from the virus that affected him in Portugal but, like Cairoli, was restricted by bad starts. In the second race he was manfully diverting the attentions of Mackenzie from fifth position before a crash near the end of the moto, followed by another tangle one lap later, relegated him to 15th. The third member of the team, Guarneri - competing at the venue where he scored his first ever moto victory last year - was sixth in the same race where his compatriots foundered after an earlier DNF.

Mackenzie has finished in the top eight for the last six motos and this consistency has seen him rise to fifth in the World Championship standings just 14 points behind Cairoli.

The fifth round of fifteen in the 2006 FIM World Championship will take place at the Sugo circuit in two weeks time for the Yamaha-backed Grand Prix of Japan.

Billy Mackenzie, Bike it Yamaha Dixon Racing: "This is such a big improvement over Portugal and I am pleased to be the first Yamaha rider home. We have been testing a lot over the last few months and now we are at a place with the suspension whereby the bike is working really well. I have steadily moved up in the Championship and I really want to win a couple of races now; some of my favourite tracks are coming up."

Antonio Cairoli, De Carli Yamaha: "I had a lot of pain out there, especially in the second heat. My vision was also affected so I was taking a lot of risks. My neck and arms really hurt after a big crash this morning. Luckily for me nothing is broken and to take some points today was good."

Alessio Chiodi, Ricci Racing: "The bike started to make a funny noise with ten minutes to go and I suspected something was wrong. Three laps before the end it lost power and stopped. It is very disappointing to lose the podium because I was having a good race in that second moto. I also threw away some good points."

Kenneth Gundersen, Ricci Racing: "Today was crap. I was fifth in the second moto and made a stupid crash two laps before the end; it was bad luck again. In the first race I had a bad start and came back from 20th to seventh. At least my body feels better and I can only improve from here."

SUZUKI MX1 DUO ON FORM FOR GERMANY

Team Suzuki MX1 riders Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon head to Germany this weekend for round four of the FIM MX1 World Championships at Teutschenthal, both on form and set to improve on their top-seven positions.

A Suzuki rider has been present on the podium at the last two Grands Prix and both Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon have both collected silverware. Strijbos is currently fourth in the series, one point from third and 16 from second spot. With Sebastien Tortelli out injured for two months, there is a real possibility that the team could leave eastern Germany with a top-three berth prior to the trip to Japan in three weeks.

Strijbos is enjoying some good form at present after his runner-up position in Portugal and victory last weekend at a Belgian International in his home town of Wuustwezel with 1-3-1 scores in the three motos. "It was a good race. I had some arm-pump in the first moto and although I won, it was not easy," the 20 year old said. "We changed the suspension for the rest of the day and we did not have any more problems. I crashed at the start in the second race and came from last to third and then in the last moto I holeshotted and was gone. I was happy to win because I had a lot of fans there.

"After the podium in Portugal and the race in Belgium, I am feeling confident for this weekend," he continued. "Teutschenthal is a fast track and it is not that complicated. We should see quite a few riders grouped together and I don’t think it will be that easy for Everts this time. Again it will be important to take a good start to be with the front guys."Steve Ramon is back to full fitness after his high-speed crash in Portugal that caused him to DNF the second moto and leave the circuit with a damaged shoulder and bashed head.

"I had to rest for a week after hitting my head but I went practicing last Sunday and everything is fine now, " he commented. "I was disappointed about the GP in Portugal mainly because I lost a lot of points and dropped to seventh in the Championship. With Tortelli crashing out, I could easily have been third now."I want to be ready for Teutschenthal and take a good result to be right back up there. The track is nice to ride and there is more grip when it is a little wet. Everybody is fast around that circuit so the start is crucial again; we’ll see how it goes," he added.

The Talkessel circuit in the small town of Teutschenthal houses a grippy and fast course that features many undulations and inclines within its ‘bowl’ setting. The German circuit holds the rather unusual honour of hosting two Grands Prix for different countries; specifically the East German GP in 1971 (250) and West German 500cc race in 1993.The team gained a podium result at the venue 12 months ago thanks to Joel Smets but Strijbos missed the event due to injury. Steve Ramon was 10th overall but came third in the second moto.

The weather forecast for the weekend predicts sunny and warm conditions although there is a chance of showers on Friday.

MX1 World Championship standings (after 3 rounds of 15): 1. Stefan Everts, BEL 142, 2. Tanel Leok, EST 115, 3. Sebastien Tortelli, FRA 99, 4. Kevin Strijbos, BEL 98, 5. Jonathan Barragan, SPA 97, 6. Ken de Dycker, BEL 97, 7. Steve Ramon, BEL 83, 8. Cedric Melotte, BEL 66, 9. Pascal Leuret, FRA 65, 10. Manuel Priem, BEL 53.

DE DYCKER STRENGTHENS HIS GRIP ON MAXXIS BRITISH MOTO X CHAMPIONSHIP

CAS Honda rider Ken De Dycker scored a resounding double win this afternoon (30 April) at round three of the Maxxis British Moto X Championship at Matchams Park, Hampshire.

De Dycker, who now has a resounding 13 point lead over his nearest rival Stephen Sword, demonstrated his superior riding skills at the 1.4km track. In both races the Belgian rider got away with the top six and smoothly made his way through the pack to win both races.

Wulfsport Honda’s Gordon Crockard was unfortunate in the first moto of the day when he got tangled up with the pack on the opening lap, however Crockard rejoined the field and finished in sixth place. In the second moto Crockard got a clean start and finished on the podium in third.

James Noble finished on the podium in the first race with a third place finish, but was unable to duplicate the result in the second. He was knocked off his bike and landed the other side of the bales, however, undeterred the RWJ Honda rider fought back and finished in fifth place.

PAR Honda rider Mark Jones just missed out on a podium when he finished in fourth place in the first moto.

In the MX2 class Wayne Smith scored a well-earned fifth and sixth place finish at the demanding track and now lies in fifth in the Championship standings.

Honda Off-Road Manager – Roger Harvey: "We have had a good day today and we are delighted that Ken won both races. Hopefully we can now keep the results rolling and see another Championship come our way."

KTM Factory Rider Sebastien Tortelli confident despite serious injury!

Sebastien Tortelli faces a two month pause after his serious fall during the MX1-Grand Prix in Portugal. But despite his injury, the factory rider has still expressed confidence after the first world championship race and is looking forward to his comeback.

Sebastien Tortelli is currently being treated in the surgical department of the Lyon hospital. The Frenchman suffered a nasty fall and dislocated his hip while fighting for victory in the second run of the Portuguese Grand Prix. Despite receiving quick medical attention, the Motocross professional is out of competition for two months to allow the overstrained ligaments in the hip area to recover. A scan has indicated that there are no other ligament or bone injuries.

"Of course on the one hand I am bitterly disappointed — especially for the team. They’ve always give me their full support. They’ve protected me from negative situations and thanks to the unbelievable dedication of the technical staff, they’ve always supplied me with the best possible bike," said the 28-year-old Frenchman. "We were totally on track in Portugal and right up to my fall we were absolutely competitive. Fortunately I don’t have any pain and I want to get back to my team and racing as soon as I can," he added. Tortelli is scheduled to leave the hospital today.

Despite the setback, Georges Jobe, team boss for the KTM MX1 Factory Team also takes a positive view concerning the quest for victory in the world championships.

"Even though we were shocked about Sebastien’s accident and injury, working constantly to be up front and achieving a top result in Portugal means that we were right there where we wanted to be. Sebastien’s injury is a setback but the current situation will bond the team and make us stronger," Jobe explained. "Even after Sebastien’s accident, which can happen to any rider in any race, the whole KTM team still totally dedicated to the coming races. Jonathan Barragan made a huge improvement in Portugal on his new bike and celebrated his first podium place. In particular, the development of the new 450 SX-F delivered excellent results and this was a big success for the whole team.

Mickael Pichon, who unfortunately is out at the moment with some health problems is receiving full support from all the KTM team. Meanwhile the MX2 and MX3 Teams have more than demonstrated that we are on the right track and have been setting one record after another in their classes. And of course we are already looking forward to Sebastien’s quick return to the team and racing," the experienced team boss and five-times world champion reported.

The KTM MX1 team will hit the racing circuit next at the German Grand Prix in Teutschenthal on May 6-7

GP of Portugal, Agueda

Red Bull KTM rider Jonathan Barragan celebrated his first ever podium with an excellent second position taken in front of 15,500 fans (weekend figure) at Agueda for the Grand Prix of Portugal today and the third round of the FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship.

The Spaniard also gave a further excellent demonstration of the 2007 450 SX-F with 2nd position in the second moto, that complimented his 5th place from race one and afforded his first spray of champagne.
While one corner of the MX1 team had reason to rejoice the other half were shocked after Sebastien Tortelli’s second race crash resulted in a dislocated right hip.

The Frenchman had confirmed his first pole position since 1998 on Saturday and was looking strong in a reduced practice programme due to persistent rainfall Friday evening had threatened to flood the track. The weather conditions could not have been better for Sunday as hot sunshine and clear skies helped transform the dark orange Portuguese dirt into a fast and bumpy prospect.

Tortelli took part in one of the best Grand Prix motos in recent years after a fantastic duel with Everts in race1. The pair were never more than a second apart for virtually the whole 35 minutes and 2 laps. Tortelli was frustrated by Everts’ defensive strategy and made a mistake and fell on the last lap while all over the back of the Belgian. He slightly injured his left foot in the spill but was able to start brightly in the second moto until Everts attacked midway around the opening lap. Before another scrap could begin the former World Champion crashed and needed medical attention by the side of the track.

His hip was reset under general anaesthetic within an hour at the medical centre but he travelled to the local hospital soon afterwards. He will fly back to France tomorrow and further news of his condition and expected recovery will be announced soon.

Tortelli’s misfortune means that the gap to World Championship leader Stefan Everts lies at 43 points. Barragan is currently 5th and 2 points away from his team-mate in 3rd.

The Champ KTM team had a decent day within the MX2 class as Tyla Rattray scored his third consecutive Grand Prix win with 3rd and 1st positions. The South African has won two from six motos and has not finished outside of the top five.

Marc De Reuver was 4th and 5th and just missed out on a third podium of the season. The Dutchman maintains his 100% top five result record nonetheless after a determined fightback in moto 2 from a dodgy start.

David Phillpaerts suffered some mechanical trouble in each moto while Carl Nunn produced an excellent performance in race one to grab 5th spot despite a poor qualification position of 23rd.

Rattray, riding at the venue where he dislocated his shoulder twelve months ago, toasted win number three but also a 20 point lead over Christophe Pourcel and team-mate De Reuver in the series standings. Nunn is 6th (his highest World Championship standing since joining KTM) and Philippaerts is 7th.

The Karcher Grand Prix of Germany represents the next stop for the World Championship team and riders. The fourth round of fifteen will take place on May 7th at the Teutschenthal circuit.


Jonathan Barragan:
"I was close to the top three at Bellpuig but I am so happy to finally take my first podium. My start was not very good in the first moto but my speed and riding was strong and 5th position was a positive result. In the second race I was quickly into second behind Stefan and I was watching his lines. Behind me Strijbos was pushing hard but I was also going for it because I could see that podium. We are working hard with the new bike and it is going very well at the moment."


Tyla Rattray:
"Winning three in a row has given me a lot of confidence and I feel good at the moment. It is still a long season and with a lot of races to run but I am looking forward to racing the whole series. Last season I was injured and only did a few rounds so hopefully I can stay injury free and keep on winning some races."


Marc de Reuver:
"Yesterday I was 14th and I thought I was riding really well! I was only 1.3 seconds off the pace so it was very close. In the first heat I got a really good start but struggled a little bit in the first three laps. I was in eighth position and slowly came up to fourth behind Rattray. I was doing the same times as Tyla and I could not narrow the gap between us.
In the second moto I got out of the gate well but Guarneri came across a group of us and almost caused a big pile-up. Cairoli went down so I had to avoid him. It has been a while since I’ve had to come through the pack and I got unlucky because Goncalves’ bike stopped and so did Pourcel’s. I lost points to Tyla but there is still 12 GPs to go."


Kurt Nicoll, KTM Motorsport director:
"Sebastien’s right hip is dislocated and they put it back in here at the track. He will have a scan made at the local hospital and tomorrow he will fly to France. We can’t say anymore yet. A dislocated hip can mean anything from three weeks to three months. They did not give an indication at the track but the fact that it went back in quickly is very good. We came into this season with high hopes but we have lost Pichon to an illness and Sebastien to injury so it has been a bit of a disaster. The only good news is that Jonathan, with the 2007 bike, is riding well above expectations."

Open Letter from Philip McCullough:

Hopefully by now you have all made it home from Ballykelly after a very enjoyable 2 days of racing. As you will all have seen or heard the racing on Easter Monday and Tuesday was once again very aggressive in grade A between myself and Robert Hamilton. Unfortunately though there have been a lot of rumours floating around the paddock of a fight between myself and the Hamilton crew after the 1st race on Easter Monday whereby there was physical action taken. It’s for this reason I feel it necessary to put the record straight and to inform you ALL that this is totally untrue. Yes there where words said but that is where it ended. In Touch / Moto One Racing Ireland are a professional outfit and do not under any circumstance tolerate this kind of action.

Anyway guys I hope you all enjoyed the racing and I hope to see you all this weekend at Desertmartin for the 1st round of this years Irish Championship.

Pichon Withdraws From MX1 Title Chase

Red Bull KTM representative Mickael Pichon has pulled out of contention for the 2006 FIM MX1 World Championship after a virus has necessitated an indefinite break from the Grand Prix series.

The former double 250cc number one was unable to complete either moto at Zolder for the season-opener two weeks ago after a course of antibiotics failed to rectify his weakened condition. Demoralised by the news the 29 year old is taking his time to recover and regain his strength.

"Everything was great until a few weeks before the 2006 season started and then I fell ill with a virus that would not respond to antibiotics," he said. "I am really disappointed as this was my big chance being back in a factory team and for the MX1 crown. My health is the most important thing however and I have to be fit before starting to think about riding again. I will still do whatever I can to help KTM to win the MX1 title and also to develop the 2007 race bike," he added.

KTM will continue with Sebastien Tortelli, who won the first race and claimed second overall in Belgium, and young Spaniard Jonathan Barragan as their main spearhead for MX1 success.

"This is a big disappointment for Mickael and all the team," said Head of Motorsport Kurt Nicoll. "It has been a tough time for him because the medical advice to rest after Zolder would have meant missing another two Grand Prix and effectively losing any chance of the title he had worked hard for over the winter. It is obviously a blow for us to lose someone with Mickael’s calibre but we want to stress that he is very much still a KTM rider and will help with further development on our race bikes once he is ready to ride again."