The factory KTM Motocross team were able to celebrate podiums in both the MX1 and MX2 classes today at a very warm and bright Loket circuit for the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic and round 11 of 15 in the FIM World Championship. 23,000 fans watched David Philippaerts win his fourth meeting on the 250 SX-F while Jonathan Barragan secured his second career top three result and second of 2006 with 3rd on the 450.
The Loket circuit was teeming with spectators and, once more, hot sunshine made a now-customary appearance after clouds, humidity and rain showers had coated the venue on Saturday. The terrain was slippery and veered between fast curves in places and tight hairpins in others, creating a curious mix. It was not easy to pass and the small stones in the dirt and differing levels of traction meant a tricky test for the riders. 
 
The first MX2 moto produced an excellent sight as four 250 SX-Fs ran in line and the quartet did not drop out of the top five for most of the race. Marc de Reuver grabbed the holeshot and was pursued and eventually passed by Tyla Rattray. Philippaerts made a mistake that saw him lose fourth to Alessio Chiodi (after earlier crashing on the first lap and damaging his front brake) but then he rallied in the second half of the sprint to pass Carl Nunn for second spot after De Reuver had fallen with less than five minutes to go.
With KTMs filling the first three positions the cast was set for a decent podium haul later in the afternoon. Surprisingly it was Rattray who would not be a part of the ceremony after the South African crashed out of the top five and a heavy impact bent the right side of his handlebars beyond repair. It was a day of contrasting opposites for the 2004 Vice Champion who had taken his first moto win since Portugal in April but then sank to a new low with his fourth retirement of the season. De Reuver again led for the first third of the race but could not match the pace set by his pursuers who eventually dropped the Dutchman to fourth. Philippaerts earned overall victory with third and survived some close skirmishes with Christophe Pourcel and Antonio Cairoli, while Carl Nunn rode to a lonely fifth place, which was enough to gain the Briton his second podium in as many Grand Prix.
Jonathan Barragan produced two decent motos in the MX1 class with results of 3rd and 4th. The Spaniard gained his fifth top-three finish of the season with 3rd position in the first race. He followed winner Stefan Everts and Josh Coppins closely but by mid- distance dropped back into a lonely but consistent third spot. In the second outing he led the first four laps but was no match for the speed of Everts and Kevin Strijbos and was also caught by Coppins in the last third of the 35 minutes and 2 laps. The youngster was trying some new small engine adjustments to aid power delivery at the bottom end.
The Championship standings reveal that Philippaerts is third and 11 points from Cairoli in second. Rattray, De Reuver and Nunn follow in the MX2 table as the KTM collective fill places 3-6. Barragan is sixth in MX1 but some 80 points away from further promotion.
The Grand Prix of Belgium and round twelve will take place in just one week at the special setting of Namur and commence the final seven weeks left in the 2006 campaign.
David Philippaerts: 
“It was a really good weekend, without winning a heat! The first moto was very difficult because my front brake broke. I passed Chicco and Nunn but then crashed and had to do it again, so second position was OK. In the second heat I attacked Pourcel but 
I lost three or four seconds in a close battle with him and Cairoli and did not know that Tyla had crashed until I was directed to the podium. It is now difficult to win the Championship but to win the rest of the races would be great.”
Jonathan Barragan: 
“It was a long time ago that I took my first podium so I am very happy to be back. I made two good races today. We are working hard on the 2007 bike and making a lot of tests; we have really improved. I was leading that second moto but dropped back because I could feel that my lines were not strong enough and I started to get tired. Some mistakes and crashes have stopped me getting on the podium earlier than this but I am learning.”
Carl Nunn: 
“The result in South Africa boosted my confidence a lot. I didn’t have the best race last weekend in the British Championship with some bad luck but I woke up yesterday morning and felt good. I came to the track very early with my Dad and had a look around and just felt alert and awake; ready for the GP. My times were good on Saturday, always in the top ten and I was confident for the races, especially as I knew I could make decent starts. I rode the best I could. I must have had a couple of bad lines were people were making time on me but I also had some good lines also! The second race was hard because I lost the back of the guys in front of me so I could not see what they were doing and the lines they were taking. I was on my own for most of it and just tried to keep my pace up. I did not see the pit-board telling me I was on the podium but I kind of figured it out.”
Marc de Reuver: 
“Two holeshots! I think it must be more than five years since I managed that. I have not finished many races recently so I just did not have the race fitness to lead right to the end but I showed them that I have the speed again and things should be better for the next GPs. In the first moto as I headed into the corner I went to put my foot on the peg again I got my leg stuck on the radiator plastic and lost my balance and boff! I crashed. I picked the bike up but I stalled it. I am pretty happy with the GP though, especially if you look at South Africa and the other races. In Sweden I did not even have the speed to get up the front but today I could even pull away a little bit.”
MX1 Moto1
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL YAMAHA
2. COPPINS Joshua NZL HONDA
3. BARRAGAN Jonathan SPA KTM
4. RAMON Steve BEL SUZUKI
5. DE DYCKER Ken BEL HONDA
6. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL SUZUKI
7. NOBLE James GBR HONDA
8. LEOK Tanel EST KAWASAKI
9. LEURET Pascal FRA HONDA
10. AVIS Wyatt RSA KTM
MX1 Moto2
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL YAMAHA 40:35.004
2. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL SUZUKI 40:40.774
3. COPPINS Joshua NZL HONDA 40:50.620
4. BARRAGAN Jonathan SPA KTM 41:00.453
5. RAMON Steve BEL SUZUKI 41:10.811
6. DE DYCKER Ken BEL HONDA 41:14.907
7. CROCKARD Gordon GBR HONDA 41:20.964
8. MELOTTE Cedric BEL YAMAHA 41:30.619
9. LEOK Tanel EST KAWASAKI 41:33.648
10. PRIEM Manuel BEL YAMAHA 41:38.428
MX1 Overall result
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL YAMAHA 50
2. COPPINS Joshua NZL HONDA 42
3. BARRAGAN Jonathan SPA KTM 38
4. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL SUZUKI 37
5. RAMON Steve BEL SUZUKI 34
6. DE DYCKER Ken BEL HONDA 31
7. LEOK Tanel EST KAWASAKI 25
8. NOBLE James GBR HONDA 23
9. PRIEM Manuel BEL YAMAHA 21
10. AVIS Wyatt RSA KTM 21
MX1 World Championship standings after 11 of 15 rounds
1. EVERTS Stefan BEL 542
2. STRIJBOS Kevin BEL 393
3. RAMON Steve BEL 368
4. LEOK Tanel EST 355
5. DE DYCKER Ken BEL 353
6. BARRAGAN J. SPA 273
7. LEURET Pascal FRA 202
8. MELOTTE Cedric BEL 190
9. PRIEM Manuel BEL 189
10. GARCIA VICO J. SPA 172
MX2 Moto1
1. RATTRAY Tyla RSA KTM 38:56.828
2. PHILIPPAERTS David ITA KTM 39:05.195
3. NUNN Carl GBR KTM 39:06.543
4. CHIODI Alessio ITA YAMAHA 39:07.327
5. SEARLE Tommy GBR KAWASAKI 39:08.202
6. POURCEL Christophe FRA KAWASAKI 39:08.810
7. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA KAWASAKI 39:15.736
8. CAPS Patrick BEL HONDA 39:19.095
9. DE REUVER Marc NED KTM 39:34.169
10. SEISTOLA Matti FIN HONDA 39:35.355

MX2 Moto2
1. CAIROLI Antonio ITA YAMAHA 40:30.754
2. POURCEL Christophe FRA KAWASAKI 40:38.900
3. PHILIPPAERTS David ITA KTM 40:56.476
4. DE REUVER Marc NED KTM 41:05.860
5. NUNN Carl GBR KTM 41:10.288
6. MACKENZIE Billy GBR YAMAHA 41:13.824
7. SEARLE Tommy GBR KAWASAKI 41:16.104
8. POURCEL Sébastien FRA KAWASAKI 41:19.504
9. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA KAWASAKI 41:21.388
10. MONNI Manuel ITA KTM 41:34.393
29. RATTRAY Tyla RSA KTM 14:57.777
MX2 Overall result
1. PHILIPPAERTS David ITA KTM 42
2. POURCEL Christophe FRA KAWASAKI 37
3. NUNN Carl GBR KTM 36
4. CAIROLI Antonio ITA YAMAHA 35
5. DE REUVER Marc NED KTM 30
6. SEARLE Tommy GBR KAWASAKI 30
7. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA KAWASAKI 26
8. CHIODI Alessio ITA YAMAHA 26
9. RATTRAY Tyla RSA KTM 25
10. CAPS Patrick BEL HONDA 22
MX2 World Championship standings after 11 of 15 rounds
1. POURCEL C. FRA 416
2. CAIROLI Antonio ITA 382
3. PHILIPPAERTS D. ITA 371
4. RATTRAY Tyla RSA 330
5. DE REUVER Marc NED 314
6. NUNN Carl GBR 277
7. SEARLE Tommy GBR 254
8. MACKENZIE Billy GBR 246
9. SWANEPOEL Gareth RSA 236
10. POURCEL S. FRA 225
7/30/2006 6:00pm
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