Hats off to Clement Desalle!!!

mumhra wrote:

You should read what i typed. Clement indeed is not racing your top guys but you seem to forget that Clement is not a top rider...

You should read what i typed. Clement indeed is not racing your top guys but you seem to forget that Clement is not a top rider in Europe either.

He turned pro at 16 because Suzuki gave him an offer. He had to ride 450 because the team he rode for could not give him a decent 250 cc bike. Most people here in Belgium said he was crazy. Said he wasn't good enough to turn pro. He was not the fastest amateur rider at all.
The first year he could hardly qualify. In his second pro season he finished around P20. In his 3rd pro season he finished around P15 with sometimes a P10. That was last year. Then Suzuki sacked him (for god knows what reason) and Honda picked him up. Everybody was expecting him to finish at around P10 with sometimes a P5.

Maybe the Honda suits him, or maybe he improved more then everybody expected, or maybe it is because of all the injuries but all of a sudden he's 4th in the world championship. Much higher then everybody expected. Everybody expected him at around P7 or P8 at the end of the season.

You may not like it but a guy that is far from the best rider in Europe all of a sudden finished 3rd in his 1st ever moto on US soil. Yep, some of the best of your riders are not at the gate, but that is not Clements fault. Just like it is not his fault that a lot op top riders here in Europe are injured and that Clement all of a sudden is 4th in the world championships standings. He just is 4th... and he just finished 3rd in his first ever moto in the USA. Get over it and stop whining abut that competition not being strong enough.

Goride333 wrote:

You missed my point. It is WORSE for us that he (not being very best of the GP's) can come and podium. But he would have...

You missed my point. It is WORSE for us that he (not being very best of the GP's) can come and podium. But he would have been 7-8 and over a minute back with our best guys racing. That's all Im saying. If the best GP guys raced against this field they would probably crush them. That is sad for us because it wouldnt be like that if we had a healthy field. Oh, and Tommy finished 2nd and was right there with a chance for the win. That ends the argument about the strength of the field.

jamma10 wrote:

I dont think the GP riders would crush them, Im pretty sure that bar Stewart & maybe Villopoto the top, say 6-8 riders in each respective...

I dont think the GP riders would crush them, Im pretty sure that bar Stewart & maybe Villopoto the top, say 6-8 riders in each respective championship are all capable of beating each other.

Rudicross wrote:

Don't forget to mention also Mc Kenzie and Melotte are potential GP winners who still are injured ! Melotte on the other hand will return in...

Don't forget to mention also Mc Kenzie and Melotte are potential GP winners who still are injured ! Melotte on the other hand will return in competition next week.

mumhra wrote:

agreed.. i missed your point. Looks like we both have the same problem... In Europe almost all riders in MX1 are injured and our best MX2...

agreed.. i missed your point.

Looks like we both have the same problem...

In Europe almost all riders in MX1 are injured and our best MX2 riders are moving oversees lol.

And btw... i'm not so sure yet if he can podium. There still is a 2nd race to come which sadly i can't watch live . So i can't wait for the torrent lol.

I just hope Clement can again finish inside the top 5. That would be awesome.

cpj36 wrote:

The easy tracks are more of a factor and more annoying than what may be a weak class, well more annoying unless you're one of the...

The easy tracks are more of a factor and more annoying than what may be a weak class, well more annoying unless you're one of the guys that can run with James on a straight but not that rhythm section that Washougal used to have.

Let's just have a rolling start like nascar if we're going to have tracks that make getting a win with anything less than about a top 6 start nearly impossible. At least then your race isn't decided in the first 10 secs.

DC wrote:

Give the kid a break, he came over and stepped up to the plate, and he did really well. No matter where he's from or not...

Give the kid a break, he came over and stepped up to the plate, and he did really well. No matter where he's from or not from, that's pretty damn cool. We as fans are lucky that guys like Desalle and Calimero last year and before that Townley and Smets and even Everts come over here from time to time.

I wish our guys would do likewise and go to a GP or two like Hansen and O'Mara used to in the early eighties. Our schedule is too long for a lot of guys to even consider that, but if I were a fast kid like Barcia and not in the title hunt, I would go over.

What an adventure that would be! And what an adventure for Clement DeSalle. This must be the first time in motocross history that #463 made the podium!

And I think he thanked his "poppy" and not puppy.....

DC
MX Sports

4QSA. wrote:

GP riders have every american rider covered except stewart.

clem wrote:

2004 1 4 02:25.874 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Honda CRF450R 2 14 02:27.613 Kevin W Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R 3 22 02:27.995 Chad Reed Menifee...

2004
1 4 02:25.874 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Honda CRF450R
2 14 02:27.613 Kevin W Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R
3 22 02:27.995 Chad Reed Menifee, CA Yamaha YZ450F


2006
1 4 02:21.204 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Suzuki RMZ450
2 7 02:21.767 James M Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
3 22 02:22.427 Chad Reed Tampa, FL Yamaha YZ450F

2007
1 7 02:23.358 James M. Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
2 14 02:25.580 Kevin W. Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R
3 15 02:25.796 Timmy M. Ferry Largo, FL Kawasaki KX450F

2008
1 7 02:18.232 James M. Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
2 29 02:19.391 Andrew T. Short Smithville, TX Honda CRF450R

2009( only could find practice laps)
1 22 Chad Reed Australia, AU Suzuki RMZ 450 2:11.449
2 29 Andrew Short Smithville, TX, US Honda CRF450R 2:11.673
3 463 Desalle Clement Courcelles, BE Honda CRF450R 2:12.107
4 26 Michael Byrne Australia, AU Suzuki RMZ 450 2:12.944

This is the fastest laps from the first moto's at Washougal. Looking beyond track changes over the years, I don't think that the pace or laptimes were really that far off enough to say that the field is lame. They're still haulin'.

rileymx wrote:

at least you got it dc......!!!!!!! to bad most of the us fans are not at your level...... clement is a privateer that is blowing up...

at least you got it dc......!!!!!!!
to bad most of the us fans are not at your level......
clement is a privateer that is blowing up this year........maybe cuz lots of top riders are hurt, and he got the hype from being up from....but still he is only a privateer.......
i saw lb and james say they were racing mxgp......but that was just bull....windham asked for a fortune just to ride a factory bike......looked like an excuse to not go......
most american even make fun of euro racing and racer.....

so the laugh is on them......the kid got the balls to come and race ......and gets a podium....so it would be a top 5 if rv and alessi were in......still great result.......!!!!!!!!!!
like dc says.....i would like to see some us riders do the same.....if they had the courage that clement just showed....!!!!!!!

4QSA. wrote:

GP riders have every american rider covered except stewart.

clem wrote:

2004 1 4 02:25.874 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Honda CRF450R 2 14 02:27.613 Kevin W Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R 3 22 02:27.995 Chad Reed Menifee...

2004
1 4 02:25.874 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Honda CRF450R
2 14 02:27.613 Kevin W Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R
3 22 02:27.995 Chad Reed Menifee, CA Yamaha YZ450F


2006
1 4 02:21.204 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Suzuki RMZ450
2 7 02:21.767 James M Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
3 22 02:22.427 Chad Reed Tampa, FL Yamaha YZ450F

2007
1 7 02:23.358 James M. Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
2 14 02:25.580 Kevin W. Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R
3 15 02:25.796 Timmy M. Ferry Largo, FL Kawasaki KX450F

2008
1 7 02:18.232 James M. Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
2 29 02:19.391 Andrew T. Short Smithville, TX Honda CRF450R

2009( only could find practice laps)
1 22 Chad Reed Australia, AU Suzuki RMZ 450 2:11.449
2 29 Andrew Short Smithville, TX, US Honda CRF450R 2:11.673
3 463 Desalle Clement Courcelles, BE Honda CRF450R 2:12.107
4 26 Michael Byrne Australia, AU Suzuki RMZ 450 2:12.944

This is the fastest laps from the first moto's at Washougal. Looking beyond track changes over the years, I don't think that the pace or laptimes were really that far off enough to say that the field is lame. They're still haulin'.

clem wrote:

2004 1 4 02:25.874 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Honda CRF450R 2 14 02:27.613 Kevin W Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R 3 22 02:27.995 Chad Reed Menifee...

2004
1 4 02:25.874 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Honda CRF450R
2 14 02:27.613 Kevin W Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R
3 22 02:27.995 Chad Reed Menifee, CA Yamaha YZ450F


2006
1 4 02:21.204 Ricky Carmichael Havana, FL Suzuki RMZ450
2 7 02:21.767 James M Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
3 22 02:22.427 Chad Reed Tampa, FL Yamaha YZ450F

2007
1 7 02:23.358 James M. Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
2 14 02:25.580 Kevin W. Windham Centreville, MS Honda CRF450R
3 15 02:25.796 Timmy M. Ferry Largo, FL Kawasaki KX450F

2008
1 7 02:18.232 James M. Stewart Haines City, FL Kawasaki KX450F
2 29 02:19.391 Andrew T. Short Smithville, TX Honda CRF450R

2009( only could find practice laps)
1 22 Chad Reed Australia, AU Suzuki RMZ 450 2:11.449
2 29 Andrew Short Smithville, TX, US Honda CRF450R 2:11.673
3 463 Desalle Clement Courcelles, BE Honda CRF450R 2:12.107
4 26 Michael Byrne Australia, AU Suzuki RMZ 450 2:12.944

This is the fastest laps from the first moto's at Washougal. Looking beyond track changes over the years, I don't think that the pace or laptimes were really that far off enough to say that the field is lame. They're still haulin'.

cpj36 wrote:

Fiolek ran a 2:28 today in practice, she'd be right there with RC, KW and CR in 2004. Something's different.

bollekke wrote:

would like to see all those US top riders like stewart and RV race against the toprider of Europe at this moment named Cairoli. Think it...

would like to see all those US top riders like stewart and RV race against the toprider of Europe at this moment named Cairoli. Think it would be a very close race.

bollekke wrote:

would like to see all those US top riders like stewart and RV race against the toprider of Europe at this moment named Cairoli. Think it...

would like to see all those US top riders like stewart and RV race against the toprider of Europe at this moment named Cairoli. Think it would be a very close race.

clem wrote:

I'm not saying Tommy is close to RC. If it wouldn't have been so smooth he wouldn't have been that close to Reed. I was just...

I'm not saying Tommy is close to RC. If it wouldn't have been so smooth he wouldn't have been that close to Reed. I was just trying to look a little deeper into this since some of the guy's that have set the bar in the past are not there. Chad seemed to always be close to the top lap times, Like in '06 he wasn't far off from the fast lap, although that could equal 15+ seconds in one moto. So do you think that Chad is that much slower now? Maybe no one like RC or James to make him push?

bollekke wrote:

would like to see all those US top riders like stewart and RV race against the toprider of Europe at this moment named Cairoli. Think it...

would like to see all those US top riders like stewart and RV race against the toprider of Europe at this moment named Cairoli. Think it would be a very close race.

cpj36 wrote:

That's what they said before Budds too

clem wrote:

I'm not saying Tommy is close to RC. If it wouldn't have been so smooth he wouldn't have been that close to Reed. I was just...

I'm not saying Tommy is close to RC. If it wouldn't have been so smooth he wouldn't have been that close to Reed. I was just trying to look a little deeper into this since some of the guy's that have set the bar in the past are not there. Chad seemed to always be close to the top lap times, Like in '06 he wasn't far off from the fast lap, although that could equal 15+ seconds in one moto. So do you think that Chad is that much slower now? Maybe no one like RC or James to make him push?