World MX GP 2001 - Round 1
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Team Corona Suzuki's Mickael Pichon climbed the podium after taking the win at the opening round of the 250cc world motocross championship at the Catalogna Circuit at
Bellpuig, Spain.
Pichon, who qualified in pole position, was the fastest ride on the track during Friday's qualifying session, but finished second during Saturday's session; "The track was starting to get very rough on Saturday and I knew that the times would not be anywhere near as fast as Friday, so I didn't really worry about going all out. I just wanted to check out the track and set my self up so I knew where I would able to pass if I didn't get that crucial good start," said Mickael Team mate Josh Coppins riding the #4 Suzuki machine qualified in 10th position, Friday and 12th on Saturday; "I was reasonably happy with 10th position. Normally anywhere inside the top ten and the starts are pretty fair. I used Saturday just to set the bike up and to try and find some fast race lines and set a race lap speed rather that a qualification speed lap time that I knew I would be comfortable with during the entire race." Overnight rain on Friday gave the track some much needed watering. This was to be the first of the new format races - Triple header Grand Prix combining all three classes in a single moto. "I don't like the new format, I think everyone prefers the two race format, but this is what we have to compete with. The track here at Bellpuig is a little short with lap times under two minutes. Everyone knows that a good start now is vital, one race means only one chance. You can't afford to make any mistakes otherwise you will loose out big time," said Pichon. Pichon was in confident mood for Sunday's 250cc Grand Prix, a 35 minute plus two laps format. A small crash in the early morning free practice didn't deter Pichon as he took the holeshot in the moto. Coppins was side-by-side with the world number 2. Pichon held on a to the lead while Coppins got boxed in and was forced back to 4th place. Pichon held on to the lead for three laps, but as he crested a steep hill he put his front wheel into a small patch of mud and crashed, handing over the lead to Gordon Crockard. Picking himself up he was back in 3rd position behind Federici; "I think everyone was feeling a little nervous here this weekend. A new championship with everyone hoping for their best result and nerves play a big part of the race," added Pichon. The Suzuki star set about clawing back the lead and soon his Corona Suzuki was all over Crockard and eventually the Frenchman forced Crockard into a mistake and he made the pass, holding the lead to the flag and a maximum 25 point score. Meanwhile Josh Coppins was struggling with nerves and slipped back from 4th to 8th position within a couple of laps; "I just wasn't riding loose enough. My arms were tight and the arm pump meant that I couldn't hold onto the handlebars. The bike almost jumped out of my hands a couple of times and I simply had to back off the gas or crash." It took Coppins several laps to get himself and his confidence back into a racing frame of mind; "I was feeling stronger near the end of the race. It's not often that I ask for more laps, but I think with maybe two or three laps more I could have got back within the top five. Many riders were feeling tired near the end." On reflection Coppins was happy; "Sixth position was OK for me. If I look back twelve months to last year in Spain I was 12th, but I still came back take the number four plate. A better start will hopefully mean a better season. I have good condition, but I am still not yet at 100% fit. That will take another few weeks. " Mickael Pichon has changed his training strategy over the winter; "Last year I started training too early and come the middle of the season I felt that my level of fitness was starting to drop. I started a little later this year and hopefully it will pay dividends, but on only time will tell that." Bolley's third place is all the more remarkable when you consider he had only one race under his belt on the CR250M Honda having changed team line-up just before the season opened. Bolley's PAMO Honda team was replaced by Team UFO Honda Martin for 2001. At the end of the first ever 35 minutes plus two laps Grand Prix Bolley said. "The Sunday before the Spanish GP I raced my only motocross of the pre-season. Regarding that I'm very happy with my third position. This gives me a lot of confidence for the next GP in Valkenswaard. I won the first moto there last year and was overall GP winner." The 125cc Spanish GP was won by Englishman Jamie Dobb (KTM) with another KTM, in the hands of Thomas Traversini second and Alessio Chiodi (Yamaha) third. American Scott Sheak, (UFO Honda Martin) was the best Honda finisher, with ninth place. It was a fairytale start for Stefan Everts with the new L&M Yamaha YZ500FM at the opening race of the 2001 Motocross World Championship, held at Bellpuig Spain. Everts put two years of injury frustration behind him after qualifying on pole followed by a stunning victory in the 500 race. Yamaha Motocross Team colleagues, Marnicq Bervoets and Aussie rookie Andrew McFarlane faired also well with fourth and ninth respectively. ‘This is beyond my wildest dreams,’ admitted the 29 year old Belgian as he was embraced by the entire Rinaldi team after his decisive win.’ Even after taking pole position in qualification, I would have been satisfied with a podium finish. But everything went right, just as it did in qualification. I didn't even feel I was pushing the bike to the limit - that is how good my new Yamaha is - but even after setting fastest time in qualifying I knew that the race could be a different story.’ But Everts gated well and soon held second place to defending champion Joel Smets. But Everts' rival made a mistake and from that moment on there was never any doubt that Everts was going to win the race: ‘I had to stay concentrated. I knew I would suffer with arm pump on such a demanding track and at the beginning stage of the season.’ It was Everts' first GP victory since August 1999, thus ending the longest win-less period in his career. It was his 44th victory, thus taking him to within six of the all-time record. Whilst Everts had headed qualification by more than one and a half seconds on the Yamaha, his compatriot Marnicq Bervoets was third fastest aboard the Chesterfield-sponsored sister flagship of the Yamaha range, while Australian newcomer Andrew McFarlane on the modified production YZ426F with 2000 factory spec engine, eased his way into his first full GP season with 12th best time as he got acclimatised to the art of flying laps in the qualification system. Neither of the men in white were to have a completely satisfying race. Bervoets lost the final place on the podium in the closing laps, but had not been happy with his performance all race; ‘I just never found my rhythm on this track. I was not comfortable in the whoops section. I would then spend the rest of the lap trying to get back into the groove and there they were again! I got so bad arm pump that I could hardly control the brake and clutch levers.’ At one stage it had looked possible that all three Yamaha Motocross Team
riders would finish in the first four, but crashes pushed European GP debutant McFarlane down to ninth; ‘I felt good in 4th until I crashed in a
turn, and then I needed several laps to find my lines again. Just when I
felt as though I could charge again and I went down again in a rut. It would
have been nice to finish higher, but ninth isn't bad for a start and I know
I can improve on that in the coming races.’ |
