World Motocross Championship, Grand Prix Of Spain, Bellpuig

[Andy]

FIM MX1 / MX2 World Motocross Championship

Round 2 of 15 - Sunday April 15th 2007

Grand Prix of Spain, Bellpuig

Crowd: 22,300 (weekend figure)

Weather: Cloudy, sunny, warm

Saturday - Persistent rainfall, dark, cold, 9 deg C

Sunday - Clouds, sunshine, 19 deg C

De Dycker sixth for CAS Honda in Spanish weather reversal

CAS Honda's Ken de Dycker raced to sixth position overall today at a

surprisingly sunny and warm Bellpuig venue for the Grand Prix of

Spain, the second round of the 2007 MX1 World Championship.

After the near perfect conditions at the series opener in Holland two

weeks ago the April rains fell hard over Catalunya as the event

opened. Saturday's practice and qualification schedule were scraped

after heavy downpours on Friday evening washed out the venue and

flooded the track. On Sunday morning the sky was again ominous but

the clouds dispersed and warm spring sunshine rapidly dried the

course creating a rough, rutty and predominantly one-line track.

For the second meeting in succession Josh Coppins owned the MX1

class, on this occasion from Kevin Strijbos and Max Nagl; the latter

becoming the first German rider to take a podium since 2002 and the

maiden silverware for his country in the MX1 class.

De Dycker suffered with starts that placed him in the mid top ten on

the first lap of each moto. The Belgian held fourth at one stage in

race one but dropped back to sixth after a spill, he then pushed up

to third in Moto2 but again struggled with arm-pump and his lap-times

dropped away to leave him down in ninth place.

His team-mate Mike Brown led the opening sprint after a lively start

but, like De Dycker, felt the affects of the bumpy mud and was struck

by arm-pump, he completed the 35 minute plus 2 lap race distance back

in twelfth. The American was luckless later in the afternoon after he

ran off the track on the first lap and had to work his way back into

a point-scoring position; he managed 13th by the chequered flag. The

veteran walked away with an overall ranking of 12th..

It was an unfortunate Grand Prix for Martin Honda. Antoine Meo, still

nursing a weakened left knee, pulled out of both races after a crash

in the first moto left the Frenchman with an even more painful joint

that he could barely move after the lunch break. The Italian quads

MX2 representative Ryan Mills was unable to qualify after failing to

register a lap-time quick enough in the wet morning Timed Practice

and was outside of the top thirty cut-off mark.

Multitek Honda's James Noble - after rushing to post twenty-first

position in the morning Timed Practice - was 14th overall and claimed

a best moto finish of tenth. He was running within the first eight in

the second race but a crash approaching the step-ups dropped him to 16th.

Coppins heads the young MX1 points table by nineteen points from

Strijbos who in turn holds a four point advantage over Barragan..

Antonio Cairoli won an excellent MX2 Grand Prix by defeating

Christophe Pourcel on the last lap of the second moto. The Sicilian

leads Tyla Rattray, who was third overall by 15 points in the world

championship standings, Pourcel is a further point behind.

The third round of the 15 round series takes place next weekend,

April 21 - 22 with the Grand Prix of Portugal at the Agueda circuit.

Ken de Dycker, CAS Honda: "The first heat was pretty good until I

fell, and then I could not get going again. I still took sixth which

was OK. In the second heat my start was good and I made some

positions but after 15 minutes I could not hold the bike anymore. The

track was difficult but it was the same for everybody; I just

struggled with the pain today."

Mike Brown, CAS Honda: "I got a good start in the first moto but got

arm-pump really bad. I worked my way back but couldn't hold onto the

clutch. All week I practiced hard-pack and ruts but we get here and

there was so much rain and the track was really rough. I got tight in

the first one and then in the next I had a crash when I ran a little

wide and into the fence. I rode my hardest after that, back to 13th.

It was not the best. It was hard to pass out there. It took me two or

three laps just to get around the guys who were slower in front of

me. I think this was one of the ruttiest tracks I have ever ridden."

Antoine Meo, Martin Honda: "It was difficult for me today with the

state of the mud and my weak knee.In the morning I did not really get

a good time and then the track was so rutty when it started to dry.

In the first moto I crashed and caused more damage to my knee. I

tried to continue but it was too painful. I attempted the second moto

and did not start too badly, in twelfth but my knee had swollen and I

could hardly bend it so I could not finish. Now I will try to find a

solution so that I can compete next week nearer to my normal condition."

Ryan Mills, Martin Honda: "It has been a difficult road so far. I am

not making any excuses but I have not had much luck. I got hurt a

while ago, came back and then got hurt again. I had to take another

two weeks off and missed Valkenswaard. It all took its toll. I flew

back only four days before this race and did not get to ride or

train. I feel that it is coming around though. I went out there this

morning and in those muddy conditions anything can happen. I could

not get my head straight. My trainer and I and my mechanic Marcus as

well as Team Manager Paolo, we are all working very hard and things

are going to come around for sure. This is a learning year for me and

I am getting to grips with the tracks, just like it would be for any

Europeans to come to America. I am definitely disappointed about this

weekend but I am looking forward to Portugal."

James Noble, Multitek Honda: "I got a mega start in the first race

and was in seventh but got held up by backmarkers and struggled to

pass them because the track was so 'one-line'. A few people nipped

past me and I ended up tenth which was a little bit disappointing. I

had another good launch in the second moto, especially from my

position in the gate, but slipped off just before the step-ups and

had problems with my arms trying to come back from that."

Results Motocross

MX1 Race 1 (18 laps = 27.828 Km) )

Pos / Rider / Nat. / Bike / Time

1 / Coppins, Joshua / NZL / Yamaha / 39:57.248

2 / Strijbos, Kevin / BEL / Suzuki / 40:17.131

3 / Ramon, Steve / BEL / Suzuki / 40:18.683

4 / Barragan, Jonathan / ESP / KTM / 40:18.973

5 / Nagl, Maximilian / GER / KTM / 40:41.518

6 / de Dycker, Ken / BEL / Honda / 40:46.859

7 / Nemeth, Kornel / HUN / Suzuki / 40:47.150

8 / Philippaerts, David / ITA / KTM / 41:04.680

9 / Leok, Tanel / EST / Kawasaki / 41:09.771

10 / Noble, James / GBR / Honda / 41:10.676

11 / Pourcel, Sebastien / FRA / Kawasaki / 41:35.474

12 / Brown, Mike / USA / Honda / 41:35.841

13 / Coulon, Cyrille / FRA / Honda / 41:42.120

14 / de Reuver, Marc / NED / Yamaha / 41:55.085

15 / Allier, Thomas / FRA / Kawasaki / 42:00.720

MX1 Race 2 (19 laps = 29.374 Km )

Pos / Rider / Nat. / Bike / Time

1 / Coppins, Joshua / NZL / Yamaha / 40:24.251

2 / Nagl, Maximilian / GER / KTM / 40:36.736

3 / Strijbos, Kevin / BEL / Suzuki / 40:39.703

4 / Pourcel, Sebastien / FRA / Kawasaki / 40:42.620

5 / Mackenzie, Billy / GBR / Kawasaki / 40:46.408

6 / Barragan, Jonathan / ESP / KTM / 40:54.814

7 / Leok, Tanel / EST / Kawasaki / 41:07.362

8 / Philippaerts, David / ITA / KTM / 41:12.034

9 / de Dycker, Ken / BEL / Honda / 41:16.143

10 / de Reuver, Marc / NED / Yamaha / 41:18.513

11 / Allier, Thomas / FRA / Kawasaki / 41:20.161

12 / Priem, Manuel / BEL / TM / 41:26.395

13 / Brown, Mike / USA / Honda / 41:56.888

14 / Leok, Aigar / EST / Yamaha / 41:59.672

15 / Ramon, Steve / BEL / Suzuki / 42:00.808

Fastest Lap: COPPINS Joshua in 2:04.826 on lap 6

MX1 World Motocross Championship Standings

Pos Rider Total

1 Coppins, J. 97, 2 Strijbos, K. 78, 3 Barragan, J. 74, 4 Nagl, M.

63, 5 Ramon, Steve 63,

6 de Dycker, Ken 61, 7 de Reuver, M. 53, 8 Leok, Tanel EST 43, 9

Noble, James 40,

10 Brown, Mike 36, 11 Pourcel, S 36, 12 Mackenzie, B. GBR 29, 13

Priem, Manuel BEL 28,

14 Nemeth, Kornel HUN 27, 15 Philippaerts, D. ITA 26.

MX2 Race 1 (18 laps = 27.828 Km))

Pos / Rider / Nat. / Bike / Time

1 / Pourcel, Christophe / FRA / Kawasaki / 41:28.206

2 / Cairoli, Antonio / ITA / Yamaha / 41:29.127

3 / Eggens, Erik / NED / Suzuki / 42:22.015

4 / Rattray, Tyla / RSA / KTM / 42:31.945

5 / Leuret, Pascal / FRA / Honda / 42:55.454

6 / Searle, Tommy / GBR / KTM / 43:01.620

7 / Monni, Manuel / ITA / Yamaha / 43:09.096

8 / Schiffer, Marcus / GER / KTM / 43:16.863

9 / van Horebeek, Jeremy / BEL / KTM / 43:17.231

10 / Seistola, Matti / FIN / Honda / 43:23.278

11 / Church, Tom / GBR / Kawasaki / 43:28.732

12 / Gundersen, Kenneth / NOR / Yamaha / 43:39.148

13 / Frossard, Steven / FRA / Kawasaki / 43:42.660

14 / Nunn, Carl / GBR / Yamaha / 43:44.667

15 / Dougan, Jason / GBR / Suzuki / 43:46.024

Fastest Lap: CAIROLI Antonio in 2:13.137 on lap 15

MX2 Race 2 (19 laps = 29.374 Km))

Pos / Rider / Nat. / Bike / Time

1 / Cairoli, Antonio / ITA / Yamaha / 40:54.529

2 / Pourcel, Christophe / FRA / Kawasaki / 40:55.413

3 / Rattray, Tyla / RSA / KTM / 41:32.255

4 / Searle, Tommy / GBR / KTM / 41:35.842

5 / Aubin, Nicolas / FRA / Yamaha / 41:40.247

6 / Leuret, Pascal / FRA / Honda / 41:48.343

7 / Bonini, Matteo / ITA / Yamaha / 42:07.500

8 / Monni, Manuel / ITA / Yamaha / 42:14.845

9 / Boog, Xavier / FRA / Yamaha / 42:17.209

10 / Seistola, Matti / FIN / Honda / 42:22.640

11 / Frossard, Steven / FRA / Kawasaki / 42:27.274

12 / Simpson, Shaun / GBR / Kawasaki / 42:31.176

13 / Schiffer, Marcus / GER / KTM / 42:44.023

14 / Gundersen, Kenneth / NOR / Yamaha / 42:46.873

15 / Church, Tom / GBR / Kawasaki / 42:58.519

Fastest Lap: CAIROLI Antonio in 2:06.141 on lap 18

MX2 World Motocross Championship Standings

Pos Rider Total

1 Cairoli, A. 97, 2 Rattray, Tyla 82, 3 Pourcel, C. 81, 4 Eggens,

Erik 54, 5 Leuret, Pascal 53,

6 Gundersen, K. 50, 7 Schiffer, M. 48, 8 Searle, Tommy 44, 9 Aubin,

Nicolas 44,

10 Swanepoel, G. 41, 11 Seistola, M. 39, 12 Monni, Manuel 34, 13

Boissiere, A. 26,

14 Frossard, S. 25, 15 Boog, Xavier 25.