Rockstar
Energy Suzuki World MX1 briefly forgot the anguish of the past week and
injury to Steve Ramon thanks to a superb display of riding by Clement
Desalle who posted his fourth victory of the season to win the Casino
Bonver Grand Prix of Czech Republic today.
The Belgian scored
second and first positions to earn the top step overall under cloudy
skies and watched by a weekend crowd of 21,000 for the 12th round of 15
in the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Rain throughout the
morning of race-day created two slick and muddy 35 minute and 2-lap
motos but on a greasy course that was difficult for overtaking, Desalle
was able to excel and record his first triumph since round six in
Portugal. In the first outing he hounded the rear wheel of Rui Goncalves
for the majority of what was a tense and entertaining battle for second
spot. After winning the duel, the 22-year-old Belgian went one better
in the second moto and, after finding an opportunity to demote leader
Tanel Leok, rode on to take the chequered flag by a comfortable
distance.
Kevin Strijbos stepped into the team to replace Ramon
and immediately found his speed on the factory RM-Z450 at the place
where he had tasted victory on two occasions (2005 and 2007; the '05
success was notable for being the first GP spoils for the four-stroke
motorcycle). The Belgian was a decent sixth overall and can look to a
positive ride in the first moto where he drew up to the back of the
gaggle of riders disputing podium positions and crossed the line in
sixth. He was eighth in the second race.
Desalle trailed Tony
Cairoli by 52 points at the top of the MX1 table prior to Loket but now
the gap has shrunk marginally to 48. Strijbos is 13th in the list and
will now attempt the three remaining races in the UK, Germany and Italy
from the confines of the Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 awning.
The
British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin will take place on August 21st
although the team will enter the Belgian Championship meeting at Mol
next Monday.
Clement Desalle:
"My
shoulder is getting better and better but this track was really
difficult, especially for passing. You had to fight really hard and be a
bit aggressive. It was not so cool but you had to show that you were
there to make a pass. It wasn't fun out there and if there were more
lines then that would have helped. For the Championship...we can only
look to the front and everything can still happen. I had to ride hurt
and this is a part of motocross that I don't like! But the team has
helped me deal with this situation and I have learned a lot."
Kevin Strijbos:
"I
feel pretty good. In the first race I hit Tanel just out of the gate
but the start was not too bad. I could push pretty good after that but
there was a gap to the group ahead and I needed to close up. I tried not
to go too crazy but I felt pretty tired afterwards. I was not great at
the beginning of the second moto and while everyone managed to pass
Boog, I struggled to do it. It was a shame because I lost the tow to the
others. Overall it is OK. This was my first race with the team and now
we have a bit more time to practice some more and test a few small
things."
MX1 Moto1: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 40:32.283; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), +0:05.506;
3. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), +0:06.272; 4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS,
Honda), +0:07.172; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Yamaha), +0:08.098; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), +0:11.839;
7. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:13.689; 8. Xavier Boog (FRA,
Kawasaki), +0:30.589; 9. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Kawasaki), +0:35.142; 10.
Shaun Simpson (GBR, Honda), +0:56.943.
MX1 Moto2: 1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 40:06.261;
2. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), +0:03.847; 3. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda),
+0:05.500; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:07.409; 5. Christophe
Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:08.391; 6. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM),
+0:10.341; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:19.581; 8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), +0:21.471; 9. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Honda), +0:48.590; 10. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawasaki), +0:54.398.
MX1 Overall result: 1. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 47 points;
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 43 p.; 3. Rui Goncalves (POR, Honda), 40
p.; 4. Tanel Leok (EST, TM), 31 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 29
p.; 6. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 28 p.;
7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 27 p.; 8. Steven Frossard (FRA,
Yamaha), 25 p.; 9. Christophe Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), 24 p.; 10.
Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawasaki), 21 p.
MX1 World Championship standings (after 12 of 15 rounds): 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 509 points; 2. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 461 p.;
3. Steven Frossard (FRA, Yamaha), 428 p.; 4. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS,
Honda), 387 p.; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 378 p.; 6. Rui Goncalves
(POR, Honda), 349 p.; 7. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 308 p.; 8.
Ken de Dycker (BEL, Honda), 268 p.; 9. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 262
p.; 10. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, Kawasaki), 254 p. 11. Tanel Leok (EST,
TM), 229 p.; 12. Steve Ramon (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 229 p.; 13. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1), 204 p.
8/7/2011 4:41pm
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