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Team Suzuki
 Team Teka Suzuki WMX1 dominated proceedings in front of 26,000 spectators during round one of the FIM MX1 World Motocross Championship at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands.
Team riders Ken De Dycker and Steve Ramon finished first and second overall on their aluminium-framed, Electronically Fuel-Injected RM-Z450s to lead the individual rider and manufacturer title chases after the first of 15 rounds.
Moto one was a dream start to the season for De Dycker who led every lap on the way to victory. Dominating the race from the front, he set his fastest lap of the race on lap three, which was just under 1.3 seconds quicker than any of his opponents. Easing off the pace in the closing laps, De Dycker allowed the second place rider Max Nagl to get no closer than seven seconds behind on his way to victory.
Ramon started the defence of his MX1 World Championship with an eighth placed start and steadily eased his way through the pack by using some very innovative race lines and consistently great lap times to snatch third place at the finish from David Philippaerts.
Moto two saw De Dycker dominate from start to finish once more while Ramon battled to fourth after an which meant the Suzuki men were able to place first and second on the podium.
"It was a really good day for me. In fact it couldn't have been any better," claimed De Dycker. "It's the first time I've taken a double victory and it's the first time I've ever had the lead in the World Championship. I've got to thank the team because they work hard but I also work hard too and this win today is the result of our joint efforts. I had no problems in either race except on the last lap of the second race when I was thinking about winning maybe a little bit too much and my arms pumped up."
Despite finishing second on the day, Ramon was far from happy with his own performance. "I've been sick all week with flu and I struggled to concentrate out on the track," he said. "I didn't get a good start in the first race and I found it difficult to pass because I couldn't find a good rhythm, I wasn't riding smooth and I was fighting against the track. So I finished third after I passed Philippaerts on the very last jump.
"The second moto was even worse for me. I was riding badly but I finished fourth in the race and second overall. Being on the podium is a good result for me and the team even though I'm not so happy with my riding."
The second round of the Motocross World Championship will take place on April 20 at Bellpuig in Spain although Team Teka Suzuki WMX1 will participate in the next round of the German National ADAC MX Masters series at Furstlich Drehna on April 13.
KTM Racing
Rattray in top form at season’s opening MX2 GP
 Red Bull KTM factory rider Tyla Rattray sent a strong signal to the opposition about his confidence and mental strength when he clearly won both motos to take first blood in the MX2 season.
Racing on the heavy wet sand of the Valkenswaard circuit in the Netherlands, the South African rider underlined the form he has shown in pre-season racing by twice coming home in front of title holder Antonio Cairoli. He registered fastest lap time in both of the 17-lap races. Rattray has thus made a stunning comeback to international racing after having been denied a shot at the MX2 world championship title last year when he had to undergo reconstructive knee surgery in the closing stages of the season.
Red Number Plate for Tyla
The South African said he felt great about taking possession of the coveted red number plate as championship leader, even if it was only the first race of the season. “I did very good work with my trainer during the winter and when I was home in South Africa I worked a lot on my physical and mental strength. I feel I am on the right track but it’s only the first GP so there’s a long way to go.”
Great expectations
KTM factory team boss Stefan Everts said it had been a great weekend. “I have seen how well Tyla has been doing in the last month and how strong and fast he is. I have great expectations for him and I want him to do such a good job in all the races.”
Searle fourth
It was a disappointing day for team-mate Tommy Searle who finished fourth overall. In the first heat he was out in front but crashed and lost the rhythm then he did not recover from a bad start and failed to make the podium. “It was tough today and the (wet, sandy) track was not easy. Now we go to some hard tracks and they are my favourite.”
Goncalves fifth
Rui Goncalves, the third factory rider of the Red Bull KTM team finished fifth despite a crash in race two which left him with a sore leg. “I was in the top five so now I have to do a good job in Spain for me and the team,” he said. Everts said the Portuguese rider, new to the team in 2008 needed to relax and not put too much pressure on himself.
KTM supported teams
Riders from the new KTM supported teams also made an impression. Shaun Simpson (KTM UK) was fourth and ninth in the two motos and Jeremy van Horebeek was seventh in the first race and GP Juniors Team Champ and team-mate Joel Roelants was tenth in both motos.
 Max Nagl makes podium in first MX1 GP of season
Red Bull KTM factory rider Max Nagl exceeded expectations to finish third on the opening GP at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands. The German rider had said he hoped to be in the top five.
“We have been working hard and have done a lot of training in the sand and this is the result of that hard work,” Nagl said. Team boss Stefan Everts said he was “super happy” with Nagl’s race weekend. The 10-times world champion said he had been working hard with Nagl in the run up to the season. I have been giving him tips and he listens and works hard on them. Today Max had a good start and rode a smart race. He really showed his fighting spirit.”
Holeshot
Nagl took the holeshot in the first moto but was overtaken before he regained his composure and pushed again in the second half to finish second behind the Belgian de Dyker. He had a goods tart in the second moto but braked too early going into the corner and tangled with Philippaerts. he then tucked i behind Steve Ramon and finished in fifth place.
Barragan third in second moto
Jonathan Barragan of Spain, who has KTM factory rider status for Team Silver Action made a good recovery after a crash in the first moto to finish third in the second heat for overall tenth. In the first race Barragan came unstuck in the sand made heavy and difficult by rain on Saturday night. He was nevertheless philosophical about the day’s result and looking forward to the next races. “The season is long and much can happen,” he said.
CAS HONDA
MACKENZIE CLOSE TO PODIUM AT FIRST GP
The opening weekend of the Motocross World Championship in the Netherlands saw mixed fortunes for the CAS Honda team.
Reigning British MX1 champion, Billy MacKenzie, narrowly missed out on a podium position as he finished in fourth place overall after two gruelling motos at Valkenswaard, in southern Holland.
Heavy rain on the Saturday gave local riders the advantage on the deep sand circuit, yet MacKenzie achieved a creditable fourth place in the qualifying session.
He hoped to do better on race day and, in the first race, he forced his way to second place on the opening lap and held it for eight laps. He then slipped back to fifth place and, after 25 minutes, crashed and eventually came home in 10th place.
Team-mate Mike Brown, who qualified in 19th place, had a poor start, running in 15th place for most of the first race, but worked hard in the wet conditions to finish 11th.
In the second race, MacKenzie gated poorly but recovered on the first corner and following straight to grab second place after which he rode a superb race with Barragan. Pushing hard behind him, Billy kept his cool and held second place through to the chequered flag. Brown gated in the top 20 and steadily worked his way through the field to 12th place.
CAS Honda team manager, Neil Prince, was upbeat about the weekend and is looking forward to the rest of the campaign.
“Both riders worked hard in tough conditions and Billy’s lap speeds were very good. The set-up of both bikes was excellent. We must now continue to improve,” said Prince.
The team now travel back over to the UK for the third round of the British Championship this weekend at Torrington in Devon.
Billy Mackenzie
Mackenzie enjoys positive HRC debut with fourth position
The first round of fifteen in the 2008 FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship witnessed 26,000 people brave a cold wind at the Eurocircuit in Valkenswaard, close to Eindhoven, for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands and Britain’s top works off-road racer in the premier MX1 class, Billy Mackenzie, obtained a decent fourth position overall and a sterling runner-up finish in the second of two races.
The Scot, who turned 24 yesterday, made his debut as a full Honda factory rider in only his second season in the MX1 division (450cc four-stroke motorcycles). The Edinburgh-born racer was immediately on the pace through the rough and rutted Dutch sand – that normally favours the Benelux select of the paddock fraternity. Mackenzie showed his quick and potent adaptation to the CAS Honda CRF450R with the fourth best lap-time in qualification.
In the first moto of 35 minutes and 2 laps he started well from the gate and was running second behind dominant winner, Belgian Ken de Dycker before the nerves of the occasion caused the 2007 Japanese Grand Prix victor to tighten up and struggle to maintain the same pace. He lost two places to fourth and made a mistake that briefly dumped him in the sand and down to tenth. Determined to make amends, Mackenzie again grabbed second position in the second moto and held off the attentions of Spaniard Jonathan Barragan for the entire distance of the sprint for his highest ever finish in the sand and his best result since the history-making trip to Sugo last May.
“I was getting faster through each qualification session and to get fourth in the sand, and with being British up against all the riders here based in Belgium, I thought was pretty good,” commented the current British Champion. “I knew I was not far off the pace but in the first race I was pretty nervous, like most people here for the first GP. I settled into second place and let Ken get away when I should have tried harder to keep with him. I got some arm-pump and came up behind a backmarker who stayed in my way for half a lap and that put me off. When I tried to get by I made mistake and crashed. The throttle was pinned on the ground and it took a while to kick it back into place and get going again. I was not happy with tenth.”
“In the second moto I had a couple of awesome first laps and even though I went down again briefly I was able to concentrate on my lines and lap-times to stay ahead of Barragan,” he continued. “He kept close but there was a time near the end when I thought ‘right, I will go now’ and made a small break and he gave up after that. I’m really happy with that final race and although we could and should have had a podium that was one of my best starts to a world championship yet.”
Fourth overall means that ‘Mac’ carries the same standing in the provisional championship table.
Mackenzie now travels to Torrington in Devon for the third round of the Maxxis British Championship and attempts to maintain his 100% record with four moto victories so far and a commanding lead already in the eight event series.
The second Grand Prix of the season will occur at the Bellpuig circuit in north-eastern Spain in two weeks time. The fast layout was the home of Mackenzie’s very first world championship moto victory (MX2 class) in 2005 and he also obtained an overall MX2 podium result there in 2006.
Yamaha Racing
Top six finishes for YMMT pair
The opening Grand Prix of the 2008 FIM MX1-GP World Championship has been a busy but positive outing for the Yamaha Monster Motocross Team as David Philippaerts and Josh Coppins took fifth and sixth positions respectively through the deep, dark and technically challenging sand at the Eurocircuit in Valkenswaard today.
After unveiling the new all-black liveries for the YZ450FMs in front of an extravagant fire display on Friday evening for a group of international media, Philippaerts and Coppins encountered cold, rainy conditions and negotiated a flooded and heavily rutted track on Saturday. After working their way through two free practice sessions the Italian was able to set the third fastest time while Coppins - using padding in his boot to protect his damaged toes and feeling somewhat unprepared after spending more than two weeks inactive - was content with eighth place in the gate.
Sunshine blessed the Grand Prix of the Netherlands, the first round of fifteen in the 2008 campaign, but a cold wind was also present and the terrain provided a very physical test over the two 35 minute and 2 lap motos.
 In the first race Philippaerts started well and was running as high as second before he survived a big 'moment' that caused him to drop to fourth behind Coppins who was steadily making consistent laps and producing an excellent performance in the conditions. The two team-mates circulated together on the works YZ450FMs for several laps until Philippaerts tried an audacious manoeuvre to grab third and clipped the side of Coppins in the process, causing the Kiwi to briefly fall to sixth. Philippaerts' moto was not quite finished as he was slowed by a backmarker on the last two laps and Steve Ramon was able to pounce and obtain third.
The eventful first race was followed by calmer set of laps for Moto2 as Ken de Dycker won once more and Coppins and Philippaerts were again together for a long periods. Towards the end of the duration the 24 year old moved past to take sixth leaving a satisfied Coppins in seventh.
The overall standing also formulates the early championship table and Philippaerts lies just 5 points from second while Coppins is 21 points from leader De Dycker.
Utag Yamaha.com's Kenneth Gundersen was dealt a hard blow on Saturday after an awkward landing on the sand caused the Norwegian to damage his left knee. The 26 year old flew back to Scandinavia on Sunday for further examination on a suspected ruptured ligament. An initial x-ray at the track revealed a chipped piece of bone in the joint but it is still not clear whether it is the rear or frontal ligament at this stage.
Van Beers Yamaha's Aigar Leok was eleventh overall on the YZ450F with finishes of twelfth and tenth.
The world championship will head south through Europe to the Bellpuig circuit in Catalunya for the Grand Prix of Spain in two weeks time.
David Philippaerts, Yamaha Monster Motocross Team, 5th:
"I have to say that I am happy. For my first GP I had good speed and also a nice feeling on the bike. The first moto was not great because I made some small mistakes and was quite nervous but I was glad to see that I could go at the front. In one corner I almost crashed and was completely off the side of the bike; that caused me to lose a lot of time. I pushed hard again but had a problem with my goggles and that was a hassle with the sand. It was because of this I hit with Josh. I wanted to go on the outside but I ran out of room. It was not something I meant to do and just one of those racing incidents. I wanted third position but Pyrhonen blocked me and I lost speed, so Ramon passed me starting the last lap. I was frustrated by this but after I calmed down I was actually content because my goal had been top five and I had taken fourth. In the second heat I started well but lost a lot of positions by getting blocked in the second corner. I came up behind Josh and it took a lot of energy to pass him. I was being extra careful because I did not want to touch again. When I got through I was physically finished. I am happy with the points I took this weekend. I am not far from second place and the championship has started quite well for me."
Josh Coppins, Yamaha Monster Motocross Team, 6th:
"I did not feel comfortable coming to this GP. I pride myself on being one of the best prepared and hardest working riders out there and the difficult part for me was arriving to this race knowing that I wasn't ready and hadn't done the work; for me that was unacceptable but I had no choice because of the injury. If you had told me at the team launch if I could have sixth position overall on Sunday then I would have taken that result with both hands, especially here in the sand. You know that if you are sitting looking at the bones sticking out of your feet then you have something serious, so to be able to be here and have those finishes is great.
I was disappointed after the collision with David in the first moto. I did not have the energy to recover from that. I saw Mackenzie, David and Nagl fighting ahead and I thought 'you just get on with it!'. I was riding my own pace and staying out of trouble. I lost five points there, but anyway, you have to accept these things. Spain should be easier in two weeks and by the time we get to Portugal I should be near the level I want to be."
Massimo Raspanti, Team Manager:
"For Josh I am really happy, until one week ago we did not know if he would race or not. He could have had third and the collision with David was an unfortunate incident. The second moto was also positive for him and to be honest it is a little bit like a win because he has hardly ridden in the last three weeks. David was quite nervous in the first moto and seemed to tire when he passed Josh but it was not a bad GP for him. I think the next few tracks will be better for both riders and we will be looking at the top three in Spain."
Kenneth Gundersen, UTag Yamaha.com:
"Obviously I am so disappointed but I have experienced things like this before to know that it is part of racing and you have to accept it. I did not even crash, I just landed at an angle but I knew straight away that something was wrong. The x-ray shows some damage but I don't know how bad it is yet. If it is only the back ligament then this will not be such a disaster."
Cairoli launches title defence with runner-up position
 Yamaha Red Bull De Carli's Antonio Cairoli, the defending MX2-GP World Champion, took the second step of the podium at the Grand Prix of the Netherlands on his YZ250F at a sunny but cold and breezy Eurocircuit in Valkenswaard, a short distance from Eindhoven.
Watched by 26,000 spectators Cairoli duelled with title rivals Tommy Searle and eventual winner today Tyla Rattray in both motos after going to the gate in third position. The dark Dutch sand was considerably rough and penalised small mistakes. It provided a harsh physical and mental test for many riders both excited and nervous at the first round of fifteen on the six month calendar.
Cairoli had to be content with two second positions today as Rattray proved to be a worthy opponent. The lead changed frequently in the early stages and the first half of the opening moto was particularly riveting as six riders tussled for control. The Sicilian was encouraged by a strong late charge in the second race as he hunted the rear wheel of Rattray on the last two laps; with just one more circulation he might have seized the lead and the GP win.
Yamaha Ricci Racing's Nicolas Aubin was one of the protagonists but the Frenchman crashed in the first race when he lost control of the front-end descending one of the heavily rutted hills. He was edged off-line by Searle and fell again in the second race but results of ninth and sixth helped him to seventh overall and the second highest Yamaha representative.
Team-mate Davide Guarneri had a tough time through the rutted sand and a first lap crash meant he could do no better than fifteenth in Moto1. He improved this to eleventh in the second sprint and was content to leave Holland with points as he has faced injury problems for the last two seasons.
UTag Yamaha.com were unlucky on Saturday. Both Martin Barr and Carlos Campano crashed in their heat races and were not able to make the qualification cut negotiating a wetter and boggier terrain.
The 2008 Grand Prix of the Netherlands was a small landmark for new Yamaha Van Beers racer Evgeny Bobryshev as the Russian scored his very first world championship point with a hard-fought twentieth place in Moto2.
The next round on the 2008 schedule will take place at Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Spain in two weeks time.
Antonio Cairoli, Yamaha Red Bull De Carli, 2nd:
"I am happy with this result because we have been making a lot of tests and effort towards MX1 during the pre-season. I still need a bit more time on my 250, particularly in the sand. At the beginning of the first moto I was not so sharp and Tyla got away. He is really fast on this kind of track I just tried to be as fast as I could without making mistakes. Overall I am feeling good with the bike though and I know much better is to come, especially because I like the next few tracks in Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria and Mantova."
Nicolas Aubin, Yamaha Ricci Racing, 7th:
"I did not race at my real level today. The bike is good and I am very happy with the engine because I took two very good starts but I could not find a good feeling on the sand. I took some good points for the championship. Tommy went past me and I did not close the gas, I touched his rear wheel and went down but it was one of those things. I like Bellpuig and I am hoping for the podium there."
Davide Guarneri, Yamaha Ricci Racing, 11th:
"It is not a great day but I really do not like the sand so it is not a disaster. There were so many ruts out there and I found it hard to go quickly. I tried to get good starts but my gate position was not great I took some points in the first moto after the crash. I fell again in the second race but could recover for more points. I know that on more 'normal' tracks I can do much better."
HONDA RACING
Crowd: 26,400 (weekend figure)
Weather:
Saturday - Overcast with light showers, 8 deg C
Sunday - Bright sunshine with cloudy spells, 6 deg C
Billy McKenzie (CAS Honda CRF450R) takes fourth at Valkenswaard
 Billy MacKenzie's CAS Honda MX1 grand prix debut saw the Scotsman - who will celebrate his 24th birthday tomorrow - just miss out on a podium position as he finished in fourth place overall at the opening race of the MX1 season after two gruelling 35 minute plus two lap motos at the Valkenswaard circuit situated 10 kilometres from the Dutch city of Eindhoven.
MacKenzie started his weekend as he meant to go on as he posted fourth place in Saturday's qualifying session - a session dominated by local Dutch and Belgian riders who excel in the deep sand conditions found at the Valkenswaard circuit.
Gating well on the factory CRF450R Honda MacKenzie ran second in the early part of the first moto until a few small rider errors and an unlucky encounter with a lapped rider saw him slip to 10th place. Keen to make amends in moto two, MacKenzie forced the CAS Honda through the battling pack and into second place on the opening lap which is where he stayed for the remainder of the race finishing behind the Belgian rider Ken De Dycker who took a double victory on the day.
Team-mate Mike Brown had a tougher time of it in Valkenswaard eventually finishing 11th overall after posting a 15-13 scorecard in the deep sandy conditions he considers to be amongst his least favourite.
After setting second position in timed qualifying Martin Honda's flying Dutchman Marc De Reuver struggled to get off the line in moto one and found himself having to battle through the pack from just outside the top-10. Reaching seventh De Reuver who, by his own admission, was riding a little tight slipped off in a tricky left hand corner and lost several places as a result. After battling back to eighth in moto one De Reuver was fired up for a better result in the second race but bad luck struck and a freak chain breakage on the second straight ended his race somewhat early.
Martin Honda's Swiss rider Julien Bill struggled in the sandy conditions ending the day pointless but he battled hard throughout both races and progressed immensely during the day.
 The world championship now pauses for one free weekend before continuing at Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Spain on April 20
Roger Harvey - Honda Off-Road co-ordinator: "Qualifying went well for the riders and that was a very encouraging start to the weekend. Marc De Reuver was a little bit nervous in the first race but he was under a tremendous amount of pressure with this being his home grand prix and he rode reasonably well considering. I'm very disappointed with the second race though when his chain broke.
"We already knew that Julien Bill doesn't like sand and he never rides in it so he did well to just keep plugging along all day and he kept going to the finish in both races which was okay.
"Billy MacKenzie made some silly mistakes in the first race and was lucky not to get nailed by Ramon when he crashed on the finish line jump. In the second race he was excellent even though he made some small errors that lost him time. I'm quite happy that he's joint fourth overall in the world championship and he's got something to build on in Spain and Portugal.
"Mike Brown plugged away and scored points in both motos - a good consistent start to the series for him."
Billy MacKenzie - CAS Honda: "Qualifying was good and there were four or five of us all on the same second and the of other riders are considered to be sand specialists so I was pumped with that. I knew fourth place was good and so I was pretty confident going into the races.
"I rode a bit tight in the first race but was running well in second. I was riding tight and the guys were catching me because I was riding tensely and so I got a bit nervous and made a few small mistakes and ended up down in fifth.
"I caught up to Chiodi who I was lapping and he held me up for a about half a lap so I got a little impatient and tried to pass him in a silly place and crashed. The throttle tube got pushed down the handlebars and when I restarted the bike the throttle was sticking wide open so I had to sort that out before I could carry on. I got arm pump after that and ended up 10th, which I wasn't so happy about but I knew my second races are always better.
"I didn't get a great start but moved up into second place by the end of the lap seven though I lost the front end and crashed. I could see Ken De Dycker ahead of me so I pushed hard and was able to put in very consistent lap times all through the race. At the end I was only eight seconds behind Ken, which I'm pumped with considering it's a sand race. To get fourth place at Valkenswaard is pretty good for a British rider."
Mike Brown - CAS Honda: "Considering the conditions it went pretty well - I usually struggle in stuff like this a little bit. It was only the first race and there are still a lot of races to go, it went about as well as the first race last year except this time I didn't get any arm pump so that's a good sign. Overall it went alright but of course I'm not happy unless I win but I did the best I could and that's all anyone can ask for."
Marc De Reuver - Martin Honda: "Everything was going so well on Saturday and I was so relaxed and almost took pole position and finished second after only doing three laps. This morning in warm-up I was fastest and I felt ready for the races.
"At the start of the first race I was sleeping a little bit at the start gate and I was very nervous in the early part of the race which meant I was riding very tight. My arms were very pumped up so I had to ease my pace because I thought I might have a big crash if I did not back off.
"I was more relaxed for the second race but after two straights the chain broke and that was it! I thought I had hit a false neutral but I clicked up and still no drive I looked down and saw no chain, man I was gutted, the last time I broke a chain was when I was riding in the 60cc class, its such a freak thing to happen. That's motocross though and now I have to look forward to Spain because today was not my day."
Julien Bill - Martin Honda: "I didn't have such a good lap time in Saturday's qualifying time and I was only 16th but I knew that with a good start I could get a good result. Unfortunately I didn't get such a good start in the first moto and then I crashed on the second lap and twisted my handlebar. I couldn't ride as I wanted to and I didn't finish in the points.
"In moto two I started right on the outside and I got a great start but I had a problem with my tear-offs - I couldn't pull them - and I was struggling to see the ruts so well. I was actually riding better than in the first race but still not fast enough. I crashed a couple of times and finished out of the points again. Next time will be much better, I'm a better hardpack rider and I'll be up with the front guys in Spain for sure."
Josh Coppins
Josh Coppins shows heart at 2008 FIM GP Motocross debut
 The 2008 FIM Motocross world championship kicked off at a demanding Valkenswaard sand circuit in the Netherlands this weekend. Factory Yamaha Monster racer, Josh Coppins, showed true courage by posting a 6-7 result, only two weeks after recent surgery to repair two broken toes . The injury sustained while practising, threatened to put the New Zealander out of contention however Coppins put the pain and discomfort aside and salvaged valuable championship points in his quest for the MX1 world title.
Having qualified 8th in the Saturday timed session, Coppins had a reasonable pick at the start gate and used that to his advantage as the first heat of the Sunday program got underway. ‘Lizzard’ just missed out on the all important ‘holeshot’ but emerged 5th on the first lap. He set consistent lap times and moved into a podium spot when team-mate David Philippaerts miscalculated a passing move, putting Coppins down in the dirt with only a few minutes left on the clock. Coppins quickly restarted his machine to finish 6th after a gutsy performance.
A well-executed jump and start in the second moto had Coppins entering the first turn in front of the pack however a small slip saw the Kiwi having to give away the lead. With track conditions deteriorating lap by lap, Coppins settled into 7th and rode his own pace to finish the gruelling 35 minute moto safely.
Josh Coppins: “All in all this has been a pretty good weekend under the circumstances. Qualifying went well with 8th place. My starts were good in both motos however I went a bit wide in the first one and slid out in the second but was up there. This weekend was just damage control really and I rode the best I could within the pain, trying not to damage the foot at all. I haven’t been able to do the work to be best prepared for this race. I am quite happy with the result which is a relief after what I have gone through in the last two weeks. I’m sitting in 6th overall now whereas two weeks ago I was looking at the bones sticking out of my toes so I’m happy with the position I am in. I have the stitches removed from my toes tomorrow and then I plan to get some more time on the bike later in the week. We’ll head to France for some guaranteed better weather and hopefully with that time in the saddle I’ll be able to build back some strength for Spain and aim to be strong in Portugal.”
There will be a week break before round 2 takes place at the spectacular hardpack circuit of Bellpuig in Spain on the 19-20 April.
Kawasaki Racing Team MX1
Priem packs a punch in MX1 GP season opener
 Kawasaki Racing Team’s Manuel Priem and Tanel Leok battle it out in very tough and testing conditions at round one of the MX1 World championship at Valkenswaard in Holland.
Large amounts of rain and snow in the weeks leading up to the opening round of the FIM MX1 World motocross championship at Valkenswaard made the going deeper and more difficult than almost everybody anticipated.
Luckily come race day the sun broke through the clouds and a large crowd of 26,000 keen spectators crowded into the circuit to catch the opening race of this year’s 15 round series. Hopes were high for the Kawasaki Racing Team at their home grand prix as Belgian rider Manuel Priem qualified sixth on his full factory KX450F-SR while Estonian star Tanel Leok - who’s still regaining strength and confidence after his pre-season shoulder injury - qualified in 18th suffering intense amounts of pain after riding without a pain killing injection.
Making sure to have an injection before Sunday’s race one an over-excited Leok hit the start gate and had to battle through the pack for an 11th place finish. Meanwhile team-mate Priem was having a much better time of it.
“In the first race I started well but I was very nervous in the early laps and made too many mistakes and dropped from fourth to ninth,” claimed Manuel. “Then things just got better and better, some guys crashed and I passed a few riders including Strijbos and also Coppins on the last lap so that was a good race for me and I finished fifth.
“In the second race I made a mistake in the start and had to come through the pack to eighth. Although the result was okay I didn’t feel so good on the bike and couldn’t push as hard as I wanted too. Overall I was joint sixth with Coppins which is a good start to my season.”
Leok’s day ended early when he suffered engine gremlins in moto two and was forced to retire from the race before the finish meaning he had an early end to a painful weekend.
“The pain in my shoulder was so bad during the qualifying session that I couldn’t ride properly,” explained Tanel. “I decided that if I was going to race I would have to have a pain killing injection and also tape my shoulder up.
“In the first race I hit the gate at the start and came through the pack to 11th so I think that was good. I rode very well in the second half of the race, doing consistent lap times and not doing crazy things or crashing.
“In the second race I had some bike problems and my shoulder was so bad also. I need to see my doctor now and hopefully I can come back strong in Spain in two weeks.”
Molson Kawasaki Racing
Tough start to GP season for Molson Kawasaki
 In deep and difficult conditions Molson Kawasaki teamsters Stephen Sword, Gautier Paulin and Tom Church all score points at Valkenswaard GP season opener.
The opening round of the MX1 and MX2 FIM World motocross championships was a real test of both man and machine as the Valkenswaard circuit was even deeper and trickier than normal due to the large amounts of rain and snow the Brabant region of the Netherlands has suffered in the last few weeks running up to the season opener.
The damp conditions didn’t stop a massive crowd of 26,000 race fans from venturing to the Valkenswaard circuit though on a surprisingly sunny but chilly Sunday afternoon.
With Gareth Swanepoel recovering from a recent wrist operation it’s up to his full factory team-mates Stephen Sword and Gautier Paulin to fly the team’s colours in the MX2 class on their KX250F-SRs while satellite rider Tom Church represented the Molson outfit in MX1 on his KX450F.
All three Molson team riders qualified for Sunday’s point’s paying races with Sword finishing ninth in his heat, Paulin 12th in his and Church 26th in the timed MX1 session.
Moto one saw both the Molson MX2 riders struggle as Sword and Paulin got gathered together in an opening lap pile up which also affected at least five other riders. Coming from the back is never easy at world championship level and with an abundance of roost and a severe lack of good lines available due to the very boggy conditions both Sword and Paulin had to work overtime to first catch and then work their way through the pack.
While Paulin hung tough for the entire duration – unfortunately missing out on scoring points by two places – Sword was forced to withdraw after a mid-race fall left the Scotsman feeling dizzy. Regrouping for moto two Sword started a superb sixth with Paulin 16th this time in much drier conditions which made for much more entertaining race action. Sword battled briefly with fellow Brit Tommy Searle on his way to a seventh place finish while Paulin hung in there for 15th.
“Track conditions were very difficult this weekend which meant you had to get everything just right if you weren’t going to make mistakes,” explained Sword. “In the first race I got a mid-pack start but got caught in a pile-up with Gautier Paulin and a couple of other riders just before the whoop section. I was coming through quite well and setting some good lap times, so I kept going but then had a big crash on one of the step-downs and banged my head pretty hard. I was feeling dizzy so I figured it was best to pull in.
“I had a reasonable start in the second race after choosing to start on the very right hand side of the start gate where the ground was quite a bit firmer. I came out of the corner in around sixth place and I just stayed consistent through the whole race because I knew I had to leave with some good points. I finished seventh in the end, which puts my championship total to 14 points.
“I’ve just got to work hard now and concentrate on next weekend’s British championship round and then the next GP in Spain.”
Paulin agreed with his team-mate about the tough track conditions. “Qualifying was difficult because the track was so one lined and I’m not so used to riding in these conditions,” said Gautier. “To finish 12th was okay but meant I didn’t have such a good pick for the start gate.
“On lap one of the first race I crashed with about five other guys including my team-mate Swordy and was a long way behind but I kept going for the whole race because I need the experience in these conditions. Moto two was a tough race for me too but I managed to keep pushing for a 15th place finish and to get some points for the championship.
“I’m really enjoying riding the Molson Kawasaki, it’s a very nice bike to ride and the set-up is good. I’m now looking forward to the next two GPs in Spain and Portugal because the tracks should suit me a little bit more than this one has.”
Mirroring his team-mates’ non-scoring performances in moto one, the Molson team’s MX1 pilot Tom Church realised that an improvement must be made before race two. After spending plenty of time scouting for lines between races Church put together what was probably his best ride of the season so far to finish 15th after chasing GPKR factory rider Kevin Strijbos across the line.
“I was nearly last out of the gate because I hit a soft spot but I managed to fight through to about 12th on the first lap which was a bit of a surprise because normally first lap charges are not my strong point,” said Tom. “I fought as hard as I could but a few of the sand specialists like Van Daele and then Verhoeven passed me but then he crashed and Leok pulled out and I could see Strijbos ahead. I was trying my hardest to catch him but I ran out of time. My goal before today was to put in a pair of top-15 finishes and I suppose one is better than none and it’s nice to come away with six points.”
Grand Prix Kawasaki Racing
GP season starts for Team GPKR in Holland
Tough and testing conditions test the Grand Prix Kawasaki Racing Team to the limit in Valkenswaard at round one of the FIM motocross World championship.
The weather conditions affected the opening grand prix of the year and the sandy surface of the
Valkenswaard circuit was wet and heavy due to the many rain showers that hit the area for the last two weeks. On Saturday afternoon another shower ruined one part of the track which looked like an enduro section!
None of the three GPKR riders were able to give their best with Kevin Strijbos and Sébastien Pourcel finishing 9th and 13th in the timed practice period while Alexandre Rouis failed to qualify.
 One day later on a sunny day but with a still wet circuit the GP took place. Kevin started the opening race in the top 10 while Sébastien had to make a pit stop after one lap to repair a gear level damaged in a collision. Coming back on the track last and far behind everyone else he crashed twice during the 35-minute moto and finished 16th while Kevin took the seventh spot right behind Manuel Priem and Joshua Coppins.
The second start was not great for the GPKR riders either as Kevin was 16th after one lap and Sébastien last after a big crash in a fast section. Neither Kevin or Seb found a good rhythm in the second race and Seb retired before half distance after a pretty big crash while Kevin scored 14th position. For sure these results are not what the riders and the team were expecting and everyone will work harder to show much improvement before the Spanish GP in two weeks time.
Kevin Strijbos: “The conditions were very different to last weekend and on this wet sand I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike. We worked on the suspension last week but my main problem here came from the engine. We are late in our testing program but we now have two weeks to prepare the following round of the championship.”
Sébastien Pourcel: “It’s a weekend that we must forget promptly and on Monday I will work harder to prepare for the other GPs. I practised this winter on sandy tracks but I never found such wet sand as we had here in Valkenswaard. On Saturday I was unable to post a good time and in both races I crashed in the opening lap. I scored some points in the first race but that’s not enough and I retired in the following one after three crashes. I’m of course disappointed but I will never give up and I will work hard to be ready for revenge in Spain.”
Alexandre Rouis: “It was my first experience on a track like this one and it was really difficult for me. On this circuit you must open the throttle and not think too much but I was too stressed for my first attempt in a GP. It was a good experience and I will use it for Spain in two weeks.”
Patrick Geladé: “Unfortunately we did not do so well at this race. We have to work hard in the next two weeks, we know what we have to do and in Spain you will see another GPKR team on the track. As I already said we lost valuable testing time with Kevin’s shoulder injury as we postponed several testing sessions.
“Early in the season we fixed the settings of the engine that we use on hard tracks but we have some development to do for the sand. For example we have in the workshop two engines that Kevin has never tested and only he can do this as he doesn’t ask for the same characteristics as Sébastien.”
Roger Pourcel: “The weekend was difficult despite the fact that we worked more than in the past on sandy tracks to be ready. In the future Sébastien will have to compete more in Belgium and race on tracks like this one. I was expecting better results from Kevin even if I know that we have to work to adapt the bike to his riding style. The mechanics worked hard in the past few weeks and they will continue, we’ll be racing next weekend at the French MX3 GP in Castelnau de Lévis and that will be another testing session. Alex was way off qualifying here because he didn’t ride enough on sandy tracks yet but this qualifying experience will help him for the future.”
Wyatt Avis
Avis scores first World Championship points in Valkenswaard
 LS Honda rider Wyatt Avis has scored his first World Championship points of the season at the first Grand Prix in Valkenswaard, Holland last weekend. Despite the fact that he only had ridden the bike on Thursday, because of a wrist injury, he qualified himself for the race and finished in eighteenth position in the first moto. In the second moto he crashed in the middle of the race and had to retire with a sore shoulder and some bruises.
Three weeks before the Grand Prix in Valkenswaard Wyatt crashed at the first round of the Dutch Open Championship in Gemert and injured his wrist. On Wednesday before Valkenswaard he got the green light from his doctor to start riding again. On Thursday he travelled to Lommel and rode two times ten minutes on the wet sand track.
On Saturday the track in Valkenswaard was really wet and muddy because of the overnight rain. In his qualifying heat Wyatt crashed twice in the beginning of the race and had to come back from the back of the field. He finally crossed the line in fifteenth position and this wasn’t good enough to qualify himself directly for the race on Sunday. In the last chance Wyatt tried several times to put a descent lap together and he finally set the sixth fastest time which was good enough to qualify himself for the race on Sunday.
First moto:
The start of the first moto was good and just outside the top ten he came out of the first corner. Due a crash in the beginning of the race he lost several positions and dropped back to sixteenth position. During the rest of the moto Wyatt had some nice battles inside the top twenty and finally crossed the line in eighteenth position.
Second moto:
The start of the second moto was again good but in the second corner he made a mistake and lost several positions there. At the end of the first lap he came by start/finish in 25th position. With some consistent lap times Wyatt worked himself back up to nineteenth position. Just after the middle of the race things went wrong for the South African rider. After a jump Wyatt lost his balance and went down hard. With a sore shoulder and some bruises he retired from the race.
Wyatt finished in 23rd position overall in Valkenswaard. Round two of the World Championship Series will be held in Bellpuig, Spain on April, 20th.
Team Suzuki - Qualifying
 Team Teka Suzuki WMX1's new boy Ken De Dycker took pole position during qualification for round one of the FIM MX1 world championship at Valkenswaard, Holland on his aluminium framed, Electronically Fuel Injected Suzuki RM-Z450 in deep and difficult conditions.
After holding pole position early in the session De Dycker's time was bettered by another rider so the 23-year-old Belgian returned to the track to ensure he took the fastest time of the session.
"I had a good lap in the beginning of the session but then a few riders went a little quicker than me so I had to go out again," said De Dycker. "It was maybe not until the last lap that I took pole because I crashed and made some small rider errors. It was a tough session, the track was difficult today and it was easy to make mistakes so I'm very pleased to be fastest.
"Now that I'll have first pick of the gate that will be a big help because the start will be very important here. I hope the weather will be good because the track is not so much fun like this. If I can do two 40-minute motos at full speed and without any problems then the result will be there I think."
Reigning MX1 world champion Steve Ramon qualified fifth fastest on his RM-Z 450 and remains confident of a good result going into tomorrow's points paying races.
"I took fifth time which is good for the start gate tomorrow," said Ramon. "The track is difficult and there are many long deep ruts on the face of the jumps. These caused me to crash on the finish line jump when my front wheel took one rut and my rear wheel took another.
"The start will be very important tomorrow because there were nearly five guys who were very close on times during qualification today. I'm feeling confident, my riding is going good at the moment and I hope to win or at least be on the podium."
KTM Racing - Qualifying
What the Red Bull KTM MX 2 Factory riders are saying in Valkenswaard
Red Bull KTM MX 2 Factory riders were in good form in the qualifying races for the first Grand Prix race of the season.
The three team members all performed well on the sandy track at Valkenswaard, the Netherlands on Saturday and are looking good for Sunday's GP.
Tyla Rattray topped the results list in the first MX2 qualifier coming in ahead of Antonio Cairoli, the 2008 title holder.
"I already thought I could beat Toni (Cairoli) today when I was third after the start and he had taken the holeshot. The track was not so good after all the rain but I have been training a lot in these types of conditions so I am quite used to it. The engine and the bike are both very strong and I am really confident for tomorrow. I think I have a good chance to be in the front but Tommy (team-mate Tommy Searle) and Cairoli will be pushing. But I am confident both in the bike and mentally."
Tommy Searle was first in the second qualifying race putting him in second slot on the grid after Tyla's pole position.
"The track was not so good. There were lots of ruts and at times it was quite hard going and slow. It was good to win the second race even though it was not the strongest heat. We must have a good setup for the race tomorrow, because if these wet and muddy conditions so we will work on the bike tonight. I am not a sand specialist like Tyla and Cairoli but I have been training a lot in sand lately and that gives me confidence."
Rui Goncalves was fourth in the second qualifying heat which was a solid result for the Red Bull KTM Factory Team rider.
"I had quite a good start today but I tried to overtake in the first part of the race and I lost a lot of positions. Towards the end I got my rhythm back and made some good lap times. Tomorrow I am hoping for a good start and we will see what happens."
Shaun Simpson of Team KTM UK did well to finish in third place in the second MX2 qualifier as did Jeremy van Horebeek riding for the KTM supported GP Juniors Team Champ who was fourth in the first qualifier.
More rain and even the possibilities of some snow is forecast for Sunday's race on the Dutch circuit.
What the Red Bull KTM MX 1 factory rider is saying ahead of Valkenswaard.
Red Bull KTM Factory rider Max Nagl was in confident form in timed practice for the first MX1 Grand Prix race on the sandy track at Valkenswaard, the Netherlands on Saturday.
Nagl said he was satisfied with his seventh position in timed practice o Saturday and was looking forward to Sunday's race, his first as a full factory rider with the Red Bull KTM Team.
Max Nagl: "I have a very good feeling. With such a difficult track conditions I am happy to be seventh, because I am not usually so good in qualifying. Tomorrow I would like to take the holeshot, to stay up with the front riders and to finish in the top five. I used to prefer hard tracks but I have been training a lot on sand and now I think I am even faster on sand."
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