ST. JEAN D’ANGELY (FRANCE), 15 June 2008 – A very busy Grand Prix of France, hosting 30000 spectators throughout the sunny weekend, got underway today.
Home rider Sebastien Pourcel took victory in the MX1 class for the joy of the home crowd while Tommy Searle completed a clean sweep in MX2, winning both heats and taking the red plate eventually.
Steffi Laier got another double moto win in round three of the Women’s World Championship.
 Today’s MX2 podium with Searle on top for the second time this year. |
MX1
Despite starting from ninth on the grid, GPKR’s Sebastien Pourcel took two moto victories to win his first French GP. Joshua Coppins of Yamaha Monster Motocross came back to the podium courtesy of two runner up finishes while team mate and current series leader David Philippaerts had a bad day and ended 18th. AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jonathan Barragan rounded off the podium while Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Steve Ramon and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Max Nagl completed the top five.
Top five overall: 1. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 50 points; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 44 p.; 3. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 35 p.; 4. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), 30 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 29 p.
 Sebastien Pourcel won his first home GP in the MX1 class. |
MX1 RACE 1
Ramon took an early lead but crashed and left Coppins alone at the top; the Kiwi kept the lead until the final laps, when he made a mistake and let Pourcel by. The latter just pulled away to open up a gap and win the heat. Coppins settled in second place while Barragan finished third despite a crash which happened when he was running after Pourcel. Tanel Leok and Max Nagl rounded off the top five while Ramon finished 11th.
Top five: 1. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 40:09.573; ; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:01.852; 3. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:12.558; 4. Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki), +0:24.687; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:30.167
 Finishing twice runner up, Josh Coppins took second on the podium |
MX1 RACE 2
Pourcel dominated the final moto showing an impressive pace from the start to the flag; Ramon tried to close the gap but the distance in between him and the Frenchman –riding with a special kit featuring the home red/white/blue flag- increased until the 2007 MX1 Champion was overtaken by a hungry Coppins. Marc de Reuver was a positive fourth ahead of Steve Boniface, who was spotted in the top three in the opening laps. Barragan was sixth after a difficult start.
Philippaerts crashed and dnf’d after breaking the right footpeg of his bike.
Top five: 1. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 40:04.650; ; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:01.808; 3. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:03.113; 4. Marc de Reuver (NED, Honda), +0:05.073; 5. Steve Boniface (FRA, Yamaha), +0:25.684
MX2
A few days after his 19th birthday, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tommy Searle put together a dominant performance by taking both the overall victory and the red plate. Team mate Tyla Rattray was second on the podium despite being involved in a hard first moto crash, where Cairoli ruined his day. The Sicilian broke his fuel tank and dnf’d, compromising the overall result and ending tenth. A surprising KTM HDI MX’s Antony Boissiere completed the podium as he took his second career rostrum finish –the first podium came in 2005 at St. Jean. Boissiere took the Goldentyre tubeless rubbers to the podium for their first time. Suzuki Inotec’s Xavier Boog and AXO KTM Silver Action’s Jeremy Tarroux completed the top five.
Top five overall: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), 50 points; 2. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), 37 p.; 3. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, KTM), 35 p.; 4. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), 32 p.; 5. Jeremy Tarroux (FRA, KTM), 30 p.
 Tommy Searle dominated his home GP. |
MX2 RACE 1
While Rattray, Cairoli and Frossard got involved in a first moto tangle, Simpson and Searle started to open up a gap from the rest of the field, with Searle eventually taking the lead and riding to victory alone. Simpson crashed and handed second to Tarroux, who defended the runner up spot from the attacks of Boissiere and Boog. Boissiere ended third ahead of Boog and Aubin, who made up ground after a difficult start. Restarting from the back of the group, Rattray recovered until the sixth position.
Top five: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), 39:12.650; ; 2. Jeremy Tarroux (FRA, KTM), +0:05.359; 3. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, KTM), +0:07.497; 4. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), +0:09.622; 5. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:12.952
MX2 RACE 2
In the opening laps Searle, Simpson and Cairoli battled it out for the lead; as soon as Cairoli moved up to first he crashed and handed the lead back to Searle. The Brit rode safe to the chequered flag while Rattray made up ground until the second position. The South African closed in on his team mate but was an eventual runner up ahead of Cairoli. Simpson and Frossard rounded off the top five ahead of Boissiere.
Top five: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), 40:03.228; ; 2. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), +0:00.635; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), +0:14.234; 4. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:54.544; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:55.787
 Anthony Boissiere collected the first podium for Goldentyre. |
IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS
The MX1 points standings saw Philippaerts’ lead get smaller but the Italian is still on top of the game. Ramon is second while Coppins is back in third ahead of Pourcel. De Dycker dropped down to fifth. Mackenzie dropped down to eighth as he missed this GP due to yesterday’s shoulder injury.
Top ten: 1. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 231 points; 2. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), 225 p.; 3. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 212 p.; 4. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 201 p.; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), 200 p.; 6. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 185 p.; 7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 161 p.; 8. Billy Mackenzie (GBR, Honda), 159 p.; 9. Marc de Reuver (NED, Honda), 156 p.; 10. Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki), 151 p.
Searle stormed to the Championship lead ahead of Rattray and Cairoli, who dropped down to third and is now 20 points adrift. Aubin and Simpson round off the top five.
Top ten: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), 283 points; 2. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), 279 p.; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 263 p.; 4. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), 185 p.; 5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 178 p.; 6. Rui Goncalves (POR, KTM), 163 p.; 7. Stephen Sword (GBR, Kawasaki), 151 p.; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), 151 p.; 9. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), 133 p.; 10. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, KTM), 126 p.
WHAT’S NEXT
The next round of both the MX1/MX2 World Championship and the Women’s World Championship will be on in two weeks at Teutschenthal, Germany, on June 29.
THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE
The Grand Prix was broadcast live on:
• EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : MX1 Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• SPORT ITALIA (Italy): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• VRT (Belgium): MX1 Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• GALAXIE SPORT (Czech Republic): MX2 Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• ART (Pan Middle East): MX1 Race 2 at 14:00 GMT
• SPORT TV (Slovenia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
• MEDIAZONE (Worldwide): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
• TRANS 7 (Indonesia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
The Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on:
• EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : Sunday June 15; MX1 Race 1 at 15:00; Monday June 16, MX2 Class at 17:00 CET
• VRT (Belgium): Sunday June 15; MX1 Race 1 N/A CET
• EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): Sunday June 15; MX1 Race 1 at 19:30 and Race 2 at 20:15. Monday June 16; MX1 Race 1 at 02:00 and MX2 Class at 18:00. Tuesday June 17; MX2 Class at 00:00 and at 12:00 and at 22:00 GMT.
• AMERICA ONE SPORTS (USA): Second Tuesday after the GP; MX2 Race 2 at 21:00; MX1 Race 2 at 22:00 USA Eastern Time
• GAORA: MX2 Race 1 and Race 2; MX1 Race 1 and Race 2; N/A CET
LINKS
Youthstream
FIM
FFM-Fédération Française de Motocyclisme
Motoclub Angerien
Saint Jean D’Angely
Information, photos and results are online at www.motocrossMX1.com, the official website of the FIM Motocross World Championships.
MediaZone Moto is the leading global online broadcaster of Motocross and SuperMoto events. Fans worldwide can watch the thrills from this and every race of the 2008 FIM Motocross & SuperMoto World Championships LIVE and On Demand exclusively at www.MediaZoneMoto.com.
Youthstream is the company that manages the exclusive television, marketing and promotional world wide rights of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the FIM SuperMoto World Championship, the FIM SuperMoto of Nations, the FIM Snowcross World Championship, the UEM Motocross European Championship and the UEM SuperMoto European Championship.
6/17/2008 1:14pm
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