The 2007 FIM Motocross Grand Prix Of Germany - Dirt Rider Magazine

PHILIPPAERTS AND CAIROLI MAKE IT AN ITALIAN ONE-TWOTEUTSCHENTHAL, 13 May 2007- The 2007 FIM Motocross Grand Prix of Germany was one of the best rounds the crowd ever saw at the Talkessel.With some showers naturally watering the track, and the temperature staying around 20 degrees Celsius, each of the 32000 spectators enjoyed a spectacular view of the bowl of Teutschenthal.David Philippaerts won his maiden MX1 Grand Prix, and was imitated by countryman Antonio Cairoli in the MX2 class, with the Sicilian winning his fifth event in a row.The opening round of the FIM Women's Motocross World Cup was won by German rider Larissa Papenmeier.MX1
A brilliant David Philippaerts of KTM Red Bull grasped his maiden MX1 GP victory after just five races in the class, leaving a very consistent Steve Ramon of Suzuki behind in second overall. Yamaha Motocross' Joshua Coppins won the opening moto but was third on the podium, as his Dutch team mate Marc De Reuver was fourth. Suzuki's Kevin Strijbos completed the top five.MX1 GRAND PRIX RACE 1
Josh Coppins and Maximilian Nagl battled for the holeshot in turn one, but the Kiwi jumped soon to the lead of the pack. Also his team mate Marc De Reuver had a quick start, and once he passed in front of Nagl, he kept Coppins company for all the 19 laps, but never overtook him.After the Yamaha's one-two, the fight for third was hard stuff. Nagl progressively dropped down because of his broken collarbone, and handed third to David Philippaerts.Steve "the Bomb" Ramon waited behind the Italian for a few laps, to pass him at half race distance. Also Belgian Ken De Dycker studied the Italian's lines for a while before moving past him, and riding to a safe fourth place behind countryman Ramon.Philippaerts ended the top five ahead of Kevin Strijbos, whereas local hero Nagl ended ninth.MX1 GRAND PRIX RACE 2
The final moto started with Mike Brown leading the group into the first turn, but the American was soon passed by Coppins. The Championship leader was pulling away from the rest of the field, when he crashed and handed first to De Reuver.Both the Dutchman and Philippaerts moved in front of Brown after his crash, but De Reuver's moment of glory -he was the virtual GP winner on the track where he won his maiden GP- lasted just six laps. Marc crashed, and Philippaerts automatically jumped to the to spot.Ramon was smelling victory while lapping behind Philippaerts, and he tried his hardest to find an open door and move past the Italian.But there was no way to pass the MX1 debutant, and Ramon had to bring the bike home with a third place, after he was passed by Sebastien Pourcel. While the Frenchman was closing in on Philippaerts, Kevin Strijbos was coming up until he reached team mate Ramon's tail. Both duos arrived very close, but no one of the many overtaking manoeuvres went through.Philippaerts owned the chequered flag, ahead of Pourcel, Ramon and Strijbos. Gordon Crockard of PAR Honda made it to fifth, after he passed Coppins in the final lap.Coppins was sixth, as previous race leader De Reuver finished eighth.MX2
For the fifth time this season, Yamaha De Carli's Antonio Cairoli was unstoppable and won another GP. But defending Champion Christophe Pourcel of GPKR finally showed speed and consistency today, and looked ready for his first victory of 2007. He was second on the podium, ahead of KTM Red Bull's Tyla Rattray, who raced another solid GP. Fresh Martin Honda rider Pascal Leuret finished fourth overall, ahead of Ricci racing's Davide Guarneri.MX2 GRAND PRIX RACE 1
Tony Cairoli banged his Yamaha out of the gate to get the holeshot, and begun a successful series of laps. He never lost the lead, even if a very fast Christophe Pourcel came up from third with victory ambitions.But the Frenchman lost three laps behind Kenneth Gundersen, and once he passed the Norwegian for second, he was already five seconds away from the leader.Pourcel put so much pressure on Cairoli, that the Italian turned the last lap into the fastest lap; with Cairoli owning the chequered flag, Pourcel brought the bike home with second ahead of Kenneth Gundersen, who was back to the top three after a long absence.Tyla Rattray made up ground from seventh, and grasped fourth place with a final lap overtaking manoeuvre on Davide Guarneri, who completed the top five.Ten seconds behind the Italian, Pascal Leuret rode his bike to a final sixth place.

MX2 GRAND PRIX RACE 2
After feeling Pourcel's pressure in the opening moto, Cairoli knew he had to open up another early gap and so he did. After he lead the pack into the first corner, Tony flew away from runner up Pourcel, who once again came closer and closer from half race distance.The duo was separated by two and a half seconds once they made it to the finish line, as they left a consistent Tyla Rattray in third, forty seconds behind.The South African lost vital time fighting first with Leuret, then with Guarneri; once he got rid of them both, Leuret begun to chase Guarneri for fourth, and made to pass at lap twelve.With the Frenchman in fourth, Guarneri had to settle for a safe fifth ahead of team mate Nicolas Aubin, who moved in front of Tommy Searle with five laps to go.IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
Even with a third place on the podium, Josh Coppins made to add seven points to his MX1 Championship lead. Kevin Strijbos is still second, and Steve Ramon is still third, but he reduced his gap from 42 points to 35. Also Ken De Dycker kept his fourth place in the standings, but Sebastien Pourcel is dramatically close, and there is only one point between the two now. David Philippaerts jumped up to seventh, but he is tide in points with Marc De Reuver, eighth.In MX2, Antonio Cairoli is followed by a new runner up, Christophe Pourcel, but the Frenchman has 66 points less then the Italian. Tyla Rattray dropped down to third, but he is just one point behind Pourcel, and will try to close the gap in Japan. Pascal Leuret moved past Tommy Searle, to come back to fourth ahead of the British.FIM WOMEN'S MOTOCROSS WORLD CUP-SUCCESS FOR LARISSA PAPENMEIER
Larissa Papenmeier was starting from pole, and made the most of it by winning the opening round of the Cup on home soil, in front of Kawasaki Elf Team Pfeil's Maria Franke and GPKR's Livia Lancelot. Larissa raced her Honda to a thrilling victory in the opening moto, to settle down for fourth in the final heat, as the seventeen year old had some troubles in finding her lines.Maria Franke rode to a safe fourth in moto one, but made up for it with a second place in the last moto. KTM Germany's Stephanie Laier won it, after she had a mechanical failure in the first heat.A very consistent Livia Lancelot -who is still suffering from a collarbone injury she picked up in the winter- rode her new Kawasaki to two third places, but was aiming much higher this weekend.On the other hand, last year's World Cup winner Katherine Prumm finished fourth overall, with a fifth and a second place finishes, even if she crashed in both heats.Larissa Papenmeier is now leading the Cup's classification, and Maria Franke follows her with a three point gap. Livia Lancelot is third, tied in points with Franke, and Katherine Prumm is fourth. 2005 World Cup winner Stephanie Laier is eighth, as Marianne Veenstra completes the top five.SILENCE TO REMEMBER THE PEOPLE WE LOST
Today, before the start of the MX2 opening moto, all the FIM Motocross World Championship collective stopped for a minute of silence, as this week FIM President Vito Ippolito lost his wife Angela. Youthstream offers their sincere condolences to the Ippolito family.In this unfortunate week, also Impeco's Project Manager Pierluigi Matta passed away; the Motocross community lost one of their members, but he will always be alive in their thoughts.WHAT'S NEXT
After such a breathtaking GP, there is a week break for the whole series, that will then head to Sugo for the Japanese Grand Prix, scheduled on May 27. On the other hand, the FIM Women's Motocross World Cup will enjoy a longer break, and will restart in Uddevalla on July 1.The German Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on:
SPORT ITALIA: Monday May 14, MX1 Race1 14:00-15:00, MX1 Race2 15:30-16:30 CET
EUROSPORT WORLD: Sunday May 13, MX1 Race1 23:00, MX1 Race2 00:00 - Monday May 14, MX1 Race1 6:45, MX1 Race2 7:45, MX2 class 16:00, MX2 class 22:45 - Thursday May 17, MX2 class 17:30 GMT
AMERICA ONE: second Tuesday after the GP MX2 Race2 and MX1 Race2, N/A (check http://www.americaone.com)
GAORA: MX2 Race1 and Race2, MX1 Race1 and Race2, N/A (check http://www.gaora.co.jp)