STEVE RAMON
6.5 out of 10
The new team and the new Suzuki works bikes were both interesting stimulus for the ex MX2 world champion. It should have been a big year for Steve, but instead he's collected various mistakes and he's seemed more docile than ever. Take for example the second moto in the GP of England when he was in the lead, but when in the last lap he saw Everts' blue shadow getting near, he let "the king" pass him with extreme ease. Steve needs more personality. In spite of all this, the shy and quiet Belgian finished the season in third, which gave his Team Manager Geboers and Team Suzuki the honor of the 2nd and the 3rd place overall in the world championship. As opposed to his team mate Strijbos, Steve has a nice and clean style of riding.
The only doubt that comes to mind is he might have not ended his season so well if Coppins, Tortelli and Pichon had not been out with injuries.
KEN DE DIJCKER:
7.5 out of 10
The fourth place rider is also Belgian like the three riders already mentioned. This says a lot on how highly this sport is considered in this Nation. Keeno (his nick name), a big pilot with a big heart, at the height of his 189 cm, looks as though he's on a Pit Bike when he's on his Honda CRF450R.
His style is a little retro and sometimes dirty but definitely effective. With Coppins out with injury Ken had the role of leader within the CAS team and with excellent results. So much so that if he keeps growing (in competitiveness and not in height) we will find him amongst the circle of the possible contenders for the title.
TANEL LEOK:
6 out of 10
This season should have been the good one to pick up some decent results for the spectacular Estonian rider on his Suzuki. An excellent beginning of the season, so much that he was even battling with Everts and Tortelli during the Flanders GP and the Spanish GP, but the Portugal GP left him with an injury to his shoulder from the practice on Saturday.
This injury troubled him throughout the whole season; despite the pain Tanel didn't give up but his performance level decreased also due to bad starts which always forced him into tiring recoveries.
Tanel reacted in the last GP of the season and he was second after Everts, but it was too late and he was relegated to 5th place. Maybe from a tough guy like him we can expect a little more: he'll have the whole winter to heal his shoulder and bring himself into next season in excellent shape.