MCNEWS.COM.AU - The ultimate in motorcycle news World MX 2002 - Round 1
 Mar 24th, 2002		 MCNEWS.COM.AU - The ultimate in motorcycle news
 
Reigning 250cc Motocross World Champion Mickael Pichon carried his winning momentum on from 2001, when he won 10 out of 14 races, by taking victory in the opening Grand Prix of the season at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands.

The Frenchman riding for Team Geboers Suzuki defeated rival, pole position holder and early race leader Fred Bolley in front of 16,500 fans under sunny but cold weather at the circuit just south of Eindhoven.

Pichon shadowed Bolley for half of the event before making the only passing manoeuvre for the lead and then went on to win by 12 seconds.
'I didn't think I could win that race,' the 26 year old said. 'I was pushing really hard and just sitting there in second after 20 minutes. Frederic didn't exactly give me the race but he made me believe in it again when he made a mistake. He gave me an opportunity so I took the chance and it's a nice victory for me and Team Suzuki.'

Team Berni Honda's Pit Beirer was third just ahead of current 125cc World Champion Jamie Dobb who guided the new KTM 250 to a first-ever race result of fourth.

500cc World number two Joel Smets turned the 'one second a lap' speed advantage he enjoyed during qualification into an authoritative race victory for the second consecutive year in Valkenswaard. Smets, riding a factory KTM, led a familiar trio of Belgian riders in the top positions with Marnicq Bervoets capturing second and World Champion Stefan Everts securing third. Andrea Bartolini scored fourth place giving the new Honda four-stroke it's debut GP appearance.

Smets crossed the line a mammoth 16 seconds ahead of Bervoets, re-enforcing the good run of form the four times 500 Champion has enjoyed in the build-up to the first Grand Prix.

'I've had a good pre-season period after my operation in December and the hard work is paying off,' the 33 year old commented. 'I'm in great physical shape from winter training and I hope it will take me through the season. Although I had a big crash last week in the Belgian Championship so this result is better than I expected. I think I was the only one of us who was keeping up the same speed all the way around the circuit.'

The 125cc event was a race of 'firsts'. Official KTM rider Steve Ramon led from start to finish, brushing of the threat of team-mate, local rider and winner in 2001 Erik Eggens to take his maiden victory. Ramon finished runner-up last season without managing to win an GP. 17 year old sensation Ben Townley snatched second position ahead of Eggens, one of the first times the New Zealander, riding for the Vangani KTM team, has scored points let alone won any silverware.

 
500
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 J. Smets KTM BEL 39' 18.092
2 M. Bervoets Yamaha BEL +16.302
3 S. Everts Yamaha BEL +52.266
4 A. Bartolini Honda ITA +1' 4.760
5 F. Garcia Vico KTM ESP +1' 11.192
6 J. Karlsson Husaberg SWE +1' 20.948
7 J. Rodriques VOR PRT +1' 24.845
8 A. Leok Honda EST +1' 43.843
9 C. Burnham Honda GBR +1' 48.048
10 M. Nilsson Husaberg SWE +1' 49.049
11 R. Jelen Honda SVK +1' 50.423
12 A. Nilson KTM SWE +1 lap(s)
13 O. Vromans Yamaha NLD +1 lap(s)
14 J. Noble Honda GBR +1 lap(s)
15 M. Aaltonen Husaberg FIN +1 lap(s)

Championship standings MX GP500
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points
1 Joel Smets KTM BEL 25
2 Marnicq Bervoets Yamaha BEL 22
3 Stefan Everts Yamaha BEL 20
4 Andrea Bartolini Honda ITA 18
5 Francisco Garcia Vico KTM ESP 16
6 Joakim Karlsson Husaberg SWE 15
7 Joaquim Rodriques VOR PRT 14
8 Avo Leok Honda EST 13
9 Chris Burnham Honda GBR 12
10 Mats Nilsson Husaberg SWE 11

Manufacturers standings MX GP500
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1 KTM 25
2 Yamaha 22
3 Honda 18
4 Husaberg 15
5 VOR 14
6 Husqvarna 1  

250
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 M. Pichon Suzuki FRA 40' 16.995
2 F. Bolley Yamaha FRA +12.019
3 P. Beirer Honda GER +32.921
4 J. Dobb KTM GBR +34.639
5 J. Coppins Honda NZL +37.425
6 J P. Vehvilainen Honda FIN +40.194
7 P. Cooper Honda GBR +1' 1.587
8 K. Gundersen Kawasaki NOR +1' 16.570
9 G. Crockard KTM IRL +1' 30.681
10 L. Freibergs Honda LVA +1' 31.624
11 M. Kovalainen TM FIN +1' 53.490
12 J. Aubert Yamaha FRA +2' 2.441
13 M. De Reuver Yamaha NLD +2' 9.205
14 A. Chiodi Yamaha ITA +1 lap(s)
15 A. McFarlane Kawasaki AUS +1 lap(s)

Championship standings MX GP250
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points
1 Mickael Pichon Suzuki FRA 25
2 Frédéric Bolley Yamaha FRA 22
3 Pit Beirer Honda GER 20
4 Jamie Dobb KTM GBR 18
5 Joshua Coppins Honda NZL 16
6 J P Vehvilainen Honda FIN 15
7 Paul Cooper Honda GBR 14
8 Kenneth Gundersen Kawasaki NOR 13
9 Gordon Crockard KTM IRL 12
10 Lauris Freibergs Honda LVA 11

Manufacturers standings MX GP250
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1 Suzuki 25
2 Yamaha 22
3 Honda 20
4 KTM 18
5 Kawasaki 13
6 Husqvarna 5

125
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Total Time
1 S. Ramon KTM BEL 39' 57.442
2 B. Townley KTM NZL +8.706
3 E. Eggens KTM NLD +10.330
4 B. Metcalfe KTM AUS +29.538
5 M. Maschio Kawasaki FRA +44.319
6 T. Vohland Kawasaki USA +55.363
7 P. Caps KTM BEL +57.558
8 T. Rattray KTM RSA +1' 0.661
9 A. Puzar Husqvarna ITA +1' 9.020
10 R. Van Rees KTM NLD +1' 13.518

Championship standings MX GP125
Pos. Rider Manufacturer Nat. Points
1 Steve Ramon KTM BEL 25
2 Ben Townley KTM NZL 22
3 Erik Eggens KTM NLD 20
4 Brett Metcalfe KTM AUS 18
5 Mickael Maschio Kawasaki FRA 16
6 Tallon Vohland Kawasaki USA 15
7 Patrick Caps KTM BEL 14
8 Tyla Rattray KTM RSA 13
9 Alessandro Puzar Husqvarna ITA 12
10 Remy Van Rees KTM NLD 11

Manufacturers standings MX GP125
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1 KTM 25
2 Kawasaki 16
3 Husqvarna 12
4 Yamaha 9
5 Honda 8
6 Suzuki 1

 

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