Press Release

De Dycker Leads After Podium in Bulgaria

Teka Suzuki WMX1 rider Ken de Dycker is the leader of the FIM MX1 World Championship after taking third position and a moto victory at a hot Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria and the second round of 15 in the 2009 series.


After hours spent cleaning the bikes and gear in the wake of a weather-hit and ruined Italian Grand Prix last week, the Belgian team were saved more laborious work after some gloriously bright, sunny and splendid racing conditions in Bulgaria. The award-winning Sevlievo circuit is one of the best on the calendar, even if the fast layout and hard-pack terrain can be an acquired taste. 


De Dycker, who took his first pole position and the sixth of his career yesterday, flew to his first moto victory of the season in the opening sprint. The Belgian was in superb form to keep Josh Coppins and Max Nagl behind him for the entire duration of the race. In the second moto he couldn't find a slot in the top five around the first bends and then settled into a rhythm just behind the second group. Unable to unearth the same pace that had dragged him to the front earlier in the day, De Dycker motored to a safe eighth place to make sure of his podium spot and the red number plate as world championship leader.


Team-mate Steve Ramon showed some promising speed during practice and qualification but the former World Champion stalled his RM-Z450 in Moto1 that dropped him from fourth position into the lower top-10. In the second sprint, he couldn't find effective lap-times to move close to the first five and crossed the line with seventh place, collecting a ranking of eighth overall.


De Dycker holds an advantage of one point over Josh Coppins in the early championship table. Ramon is ninth and 24 points from his team-mate.


Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 had cause to celebrate as Xavier Boog gained his - and the team's - first podium trophy with third place on the RM-Z250.


The achievement marks the first time since the Grand Prix of the Netherlands in 2008 that two Suzukis were present on the rostrum of both classes. It is also only the second top-three result for the RM-Z250.


After heading east through Europe Team Teka Suzuki will continue their voyage beyond the continent this week as they travel to Istanbul for the first time and the Grand Prix of Turkey for round three in seven days time.


Ken De Dycker, 3rd:


"I had a good start and it really helps on this kind of track. If you can make a good rhythm and not many mistakes then it is not too difficult to maintain your speed. I don't think I was ready for the second moto and to do so well here in the first race, last year I was 12th and 14th so I may have pushed too much to get to the front.


Steve Ramon, 8th:


"The first race was OK. I made a good start and was fourth but then I made a mistake and stopped. I had to restart and lost my way a little bit because I was already pushing when I had the stall. It took a while to come up to speed so the result was not too bad considering. My start was disappointing in the second moto and from the first few laps I was struggling to keep smooth. I was fast in practice and qualification so this was a bad day because I want to do better than this."


Xavier Boog, 3rd (MX2):


"I am really happy; this was a good result. The track became really technical by the end and you could make time across the bumps and jumps. It is a really nice place and I was good here as well last year. Last season was not bad for me but now I want to take some more podiums and aim for a top-five slot in the championship. I feel that I will get better through the season."


MX1 Moto1: 1. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Team Teka Suzuki), 39:32.380; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:01.654; 3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:03.134; 4. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:04.667; 5. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:20.761; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), +0:24.429; 7. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), +0:34.633; 8. Steve Ramon (BEL, Team Teka Suzuki), +0:39.058; 9. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Honda), +0:40.287; 10. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), +0:53.605x


MX1 Moto2: 1. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 39:49.118; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:03.716; 3. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:04.672; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), +0:05.144; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:16.094; 6. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), +0:34.952; 7. Steve Ramon (BEL, Teka Suzuki), +0:45.789; 8. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Teka Suzuki), +0:53.790; 9. Billy Mackenzie (GBR, Honda), +1:00.398; 10. Gareth Swanepoel (RSA, Kawasaki), +1:04.942


MX1 Overall Result: 1. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 44 points; 2. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 43 p; 3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Teka Suzuki), 38 p; 4. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 36 p; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 36 p; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 32 p; 7. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), 30 p; 8. Steve Ramon (BEL, Teka Suzuki), 27 p; 9. David Vuillemin (FRA, Kawasaki), 20 p; 10. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), 17 p


MX1 World Championship standings (after 2 of 15 rounds): 1. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Teka Suzuki), 60 points; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 59 p; 3. Tanel Leok (EST, Yamaha), 55 p; 4. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 54 p; 5. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 50 p; 6. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 48 p; 7. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 48 p; 8. Clement Desalle (BEL, Honda), 37 p; 9. Steve Ramon (BEL, Teka Suzuki), 36 p; 10. Aigar Leok (EST, TM), 23 p.

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