2006 FIM Motocross Word GP Belgium Race Report & Results - Dirt Rider Magazine

Namur, Belgium FIM Motocross World GPOver 30,000 people came to Namur in Belgium hoping to see their favorite rider win the Grand Prix and claim his 10th world title. Stefan Everts didn't let his fans down thanks to another smashing victory. The Yamaha/Rinaldi rider's accomplishments are astounding: 10 world titles, 99 GPs won in his career and 12 GPs won consecutively this year. Surely these records will stand for a long time.While on the podium Stefan let himself go and shed a few tears, releasing all the tension, the joy, and especially his gratitude toward the packed gathering of fans shouting his name. Winning a home GP is always very rewarding, and for this occasion Stefan got his helmet painted to commemorate two great Belgian pilots from the past: Eric Geboers and Andre Malherbe. The fans cheered wildly for him as he raced past on the track, and he rewarded them with a victory.Stefan needs only to win one more GP to reach the incredible statistic of 100 GPs won. There are only three GPs left in this, his final, season.MX1 Moto1Cedric Melotte, who lives only a few kilometers away from Namur, took the early lead but by the third lap Everts took over the front position.Further back in the pack, Steve Ramon and Joshua Coppins were both recovering from bad starts and had worked their way up to second and fourth place, respectively. On the eleventh lap Coppins attacked Ramon and secured second place, but Everts was already too far in the lead for Ramon to make a bid for the top spot.The factory Suzuki rider Kevin Strijbos, who was the only one who could have spoiled Stefan's party, was riding with bruised ribs after a bad fall on Saturday. He gritted through the pain for an eighth place finish.MX1 Moto2.Everts appeared to have a bad start initially, but it was his day and he wound up immediately in the lead.Cas/Honda rider Coppins started off in second and tried to attack Everts, but Everts was motivated to secure the championship in Namur. He set a fast pace and pulled a gap on Choppins and Ramon, who finished the moto in third. Stribos, bruised ribs and all, crossed the finishing line fourth.Stefan Everts: "What a great day. I never dared dream of becoming World Champion here at Namur. It has always been a very special place with a special atmosphere. It is a unique track that is hard and demanding. Both races went pretty good. At one point there was a difficult moment for me in each moto because the terrain was so bumpy, slippery and so rough. I had to be really careful because this is one of the hardest circuits in the world and you can only really appreciate it if you get out there and try (for) forty minutes. The motos worked out well though and I am so happy for my 99th victory and the Championship. I had such an exciting feeling going out on the track and unfortunately it is my last time here but I cannot think of a better way to go out. What else can I say?"Joshua Coppins:"We struggled with the clutch this weekend and had to use a new system I have never used before which meant I didn't get the best start in the first moto. After passing a lot of riders on the first lap I settled into the rhythm, got by Melotte and Ramon but by that time the race was done. The second moto I started much better but got pushed a little bit wide and was second behind Stefan and tried to keep a rhythm. He pulled away a little every lap and then I started to come back a bit and tried to push harder but then I had two scary moments so I backed it down and took second place. This track deserves a lot of respect and a lot of guys got injured yesterday and today because they didn't show it respect. I tried to keep smart and stay on the bike and finish the race,"Steve Ramon:"I started well in the first race and in the beginning I could follow Stefan through the first laps but then his speed was a little bit too fast for me. I had to slow it down and unfortunately that invited Josh to catch me. Leok shoved inside at the start of the next moto so I pushed really hard to come to the front. I got up to third and was keeping with Josh and Stefan but then I made a few little mistakes that separated me. My riding was not going how I wanted today but third place was OK and good for the Championship."MX1 MOTO 11, Stefan Everts, Yamaha2, Joshua Coppins, Honda3, Steve Ramon, Suzuki4, Cedric Melotte, Yamaha5, Ken De Dycker, Honda6, Gordon Crockard, Honda7, Pascal Leuret, Honda8, Kevin StrijbosMX1 MOTO 21, Stefan Everts, Yamaha 2, Joshua Coppins, Honda3, Steve Ramon, Suzuki4, Kevin Strijbos, Suzuki5, Cedric Melotte, Yamaha6, James Noble, Honda, GBR7, Pascal Leuret, Honda, FRA8, Manuel Priem, YamahaAFTER 12 OF 15 ROUNDS1, Stefan Everts, Yamaha, BEL, 592 WORLD CHAMPION2, Kevin Strijbos, Suzuki, BEL, 4243, Steve Ramon, Suzuki, BEL, 4084, Ken De Dycker, Honda, BEL, 3715, Tanel Leok, Kawasaki, EST, 3656, Jonathan Barragan, KTM, ESP, 2737, Pascal Leuret, Honda, FRA, 2308, Cedric Melotte, Yamaha, BEL, 224MX2 CLASSMX2 Moto1A smashing double victory for the defending world champion Antonio Cairoli allowed him to get eight points closer to the series leader, French rider Christophe Pourcel.As the gate dropped Cairoli was the fastest and after him were Philippaerts, C. Pourcel, Mackenzie and Conclaves.Philippaerts pushed hard and by the third lap he was ahead of Cairoli. The factory KTM rider (Philippaerts) was riding smoothly but during the eighth lap his back wheel got tangled with some green fencing which took out his rear brake.Cairoli didn't miss out on this chance and overtook his countryman. The French Kawasaki rider Cristophe Pourcel made the decision at that point not to get involved in the duel for the victory, as he has a big enough points lead to ride cautiously and watch the GP from a third place position.The moto ended with Cairoli in the lead, Philippaerts in second, and Pourcel in taking third. Factory KTM rider Tyla Rattray finished seventeenth after a crash on the first lap.MX2 Moto2A pile-up shortly after the start collected Mckenzie, Philippaerts and De Reuver.Cairoli soon got into the lead followed by Carl Nunn and C. Pourcel. C. Pourcel overtook the English KTM rider during the fifth lap and began hunting Cairoli. On the sixth lap he crashed, bent his bars, and started back in fourth position. He took a few laps to get back up to pace. His big brother Sebastien, who had managed by that time to get into third position, let him by without a fight.During the eleventh lap C. Pourcel overtook Nunn and grabbed the second position.Philippaerts retired from the moto after a fall on the third lap. The Dutchman Marc de Reuver was seventh overall after a bad start.Antonio Cairoli:"We have a good setting on the 250 for this track and I like it a lot since taking the win here in 2004. It felt great to win both heats and make (it) a double here. I rode better than I did last year and could change my lines very easily with the suspension set-up we had, so the track was not so hard for me this time. I have been struggling with my physical condition this year but things are getting better now. I am not thinking of the championship I just want to ride well and win more heats. Christophe is very young but he is controlling the class well; he does not make big mistakes and is finishing every race."Christophe Pourcel : "This weekend I struggled with the suspension since the first practice, and on this demanding and rough track it was a problem. We never stopped working on the settings Saturday and Sunday as well, and even after the first race we had to change something as I didn't (feel) comfortable on the bike. We also worked on the tire choice, and for the second race the bike was much more comfortable. In the first heat I had a good rhythm and raced in front with Antonio (Cairoli) and David (Philippaerts), we had a good speed but I had to slow down due to my problems with the suspension and secured a third position. I had a good start in the second race but Gonalves pushed me to the inside in the first corner and I was only fifth when we jumped from the Esplanade. I came back second behind Antonio, but did a mistake and crashed in the sixth lap. I was checking his lines and looking for a spot to pass him later in the race when I (slid) in the woods and crashed. I came back second, for sure I lost some points to Cairoli but I stay confident for the rest of the season."MX2 MOTO 11, Antonio Cairoli2, David Philippaerts3, Christophe Pourcel4, Sbastien Pourcel5, Marc De Reuver6, Maximilian Nagl7, Billy MacKenzie8, Rui GoncalvesMX2 MOTO 21, Antonio Cairoli2, Christophe Pourcel3, Carl Nunn4, Tyla Rattray5, Sbastien Pourcel6, Gareth Swanepoel7, Rui Goncalves8, Aigar LeokAFTER 12 OF 15 ROUNDS1, Christophe Pourcel, Kawasaki, FRA, 4582, Antonio Cairoli, Yamaha, ITA, 4323, David Philippaerts, KTM, ITA, 3934, Tyla Rattray, KTM, RSA, 3525, Marc De Reuver, KTM, NED, 3386, Carl Nunn, KTM, GBR, 3077, Billy MacKenzie, Yamaha, GBR, 2648, Sbastien Pourcel, Kawasaki, FRA, 259