MX1

MX2

KAWASAKI RACING

Frossard’s first GP win
Steven Frossard scored his and Kawasaki Team CLS’s first GP win in round 10 of the FIM World MX2 Championship at Uddevalla in Sweden today.

The 22-year-old Frenchman was in devastating form around the Swedish switchback; the  innocent victim of a hair-raising crash on Saturday, he rebounded to dominate the GP motos.

Only 14th to choose his start gate after being forced to charge back through the pack during the Saturday qualifying race, Steven quickly advanced from a fourth-placed start to lead by the ninth of 21 laps and resisted all efforts to dislodge him from first position. After Ken Roczen, his closest challenger, retired with mechanical problems, he won by 15 seconds. Inspired by his first race performance Steven scorched out of the gate in race two to lead from the word go and he quickly established a five second cushion over the chasing pack. Again Roczen was his only threat, and, when the German closed the gap, the Kawasaki Team CLS rider wisely let him pass, concentrating on securing the all-important overall GP victory without taking any unnecessary risks.

There had already been Kawasaki success on Saturday as team-mate Jeremy Van Horebeek scored a sensational victory in the qualification race, just six days after visiting hospital with a compressed vertebrae in his neck. Unable to train all week and with less than 100% movement in his neck, the Belgian battled stubbornly through both GP motos, joining Frossard in the first three of the first 40 minute race and gritting his teeth in the second race to move forward two places to sixth in race two.

American Michael Leib made it three Kawasakis in the first nine aboard his Kawasaki Bud Racing KX250F as he continues to feel more at home on the European tracks. He showed great conviction to advance from an initial 18th to finish 13th in the opening moto even though he had been forced to discard his goggles early in the race, and followed this up with the best race of his professional career to date as he stormed up the leaderboard from ninth to seventh in race two.

Steven Frossard: “I’ve been waiting for this first GP win for a long time, and finally it has arrived! I have been on the podium many times in the last two years, even won motos, but never on the highest step on the podium; it’s a great feeling! I expected it to be a tough GP after I crashed with Roczen at the start of the qualifying race yesterday, but I got two incredible starts from the fourteenth gate today! I wanted so much to win here, and I’m so happy for the team, my parents and all the people who have shown confidence and supported me. Even when Roczen got through to second place in the first race, I was confident that I would win as I was riding smoothly. He didn’t finish the race, so when he was pushing during the second moto I let him pass; I knew that a second position was enough to win the GP overall. I want to thanks my trainer Willy Linden; he told me earlier this season that we would see the results of his physical programme in July and that showed today; I feel in great shape.”

Jeremy Van Horebeek: “I took the decision to come to Sweden on Thursday after I had visited my doctor and with my father. I couldn’t do any training during the week after my injuries last weekend in Latvia so I was delighted to win the qualifying race on Saturday; I had a good start and could then control the race to win a qualification heat for the first time. This morning I had pain in my back and my neck when I woke up, but I didn’t want to give up and did my best in both races. I had a good start in the first moto and kept a good rhythm for most of the race, but the last five minutes were difficult. In the second moto I was only able to keep my rhythm for ten minutes; after that it was difficult so I’m so happy to finish in fourth overall. I’m seventh in the standings at the moment, but my goal is still top five and I know that I can do it with five more races to come.”

Michael Leib: “So far since I came to Europe I have scored points in every race that I finished so my goal here was to finish top ten in both races. I had to take off my goggles already on the second lap of the first moto, which made it hard work with all this mud flying but I still managed to move forward from 18th to 13th and that gave me confidence for the second race and I finally got a great start, the first one so far this season. I was riding really tight during the first few laps but finally got comfortable and I enjoyed that race a lot, making some great passes to finish the race 7th. It makes such a difference when you have a good start and with my first top ten results I feel more confident. I can’t wait for my next race at the French championship round. My mechanic Jeremy and the whole team are working so hard, and during the second race I could show how good our Rockstar Bud Racing Kawasaki is as I beat a several really fast riders such as Osborne, Roelants and Simpson.”

Boog sixth in the MX1 standings
Xavier Boog of the Kawasaki Racing Team proved once again that he is one of the fastest riders in the FIM World MX1 Championship and claimed the sixth position in the standings.

The 22-year-old Frenchman twice set the fastest time during practice sessions at Uddevalla in Sweden, and was easily the fastest rider on the track at the end of the first GP moto but indifferent starts after he stalled his engine during the Saturday qualification race left him with a poor choice of gate and cost Xavier the opportunity to turn his speed into a major haul of points.

Initially 11th in the first GP moto, he surrendered a couple of places as he struggled to find his rhythm and then found it hard work to pass on the damp one-lined track. Once he had passed Gonçalves and Boissière for 9th, the riders ahead were a long way ahead and he just failed to gain another place despite setting the second fastest lap of the entire race, several seconds faster than even the leaders were recording in the closing minutes of a gruelling race. Starting a little better in race two, Xavier advanced strongly from 9th but again found a gap to the front four after taking fifth place on the 15th of 21 laps. Nevertheless he never gave up and at the finish was just one second short of the rider in fourth position.

Nicolas Aubin of Kawasaki Bud Racing made a surprise comeback from injury after being given the all-clear by his doctor on Friday. Unable to train for several weeks, and still walking with the aid of crutches until Wednesday, Nicolas immediately showed great speed on Saturday to finish the qualifying race tenth, but rider and team both knew that the longer races on Sunday would be more difficult. After an uncharacteristically poor start in the first race Nicolas put his foot down whilst battling for 16th position and had to pull off the track in terrible pain. After an hour’s rest he felt able to take to the track again in race two, finishing a brave 13th after running in the top ten for several laps from a seventh placed start.

Xavier Boog: “I proved with the fastest time in both the pre qualifying practice yesterday and the warm up this morning that I was among the fastest riders here, so I was expecting better results in the races. Yesterday I stalled the engine in the second corner after starting really well and used a lot of energy to work hard to come back from last to ninth. My start in the first GP moto today was pretty bad, I recovered
many positions during the opening lap but the track was mainly one line; I didn’t find a good rhythm and
lost too much time behind Gonçalves and Boissière. I was disappointed to again only finish ninth even
though I posted the second fastest lap of the entire race right at the end of the race, but the second heat
was better with a fifth position. The track was rough but there were more lines in race two.”

Nicolas Aubin: “I spent the entire week near Marseille with Professor Delestre, and after the last consultation on Friday he told me that I could get back on a bike so I took a flight and arrived late in Uddevalla. The first practice session felt great; it was so good to be back on a bike ! For sure my physical condition was not the best; I didn’t do any training for three weeks and I was still walking with crutches until Wednesday so I knew it would be difficult in the races. I also didn’t start so well in the first race, then I was racing with Coppins for 16th place I put my foot on the ground; the pain was so bad that I was afraid it was broken again. I had to return to the pits but I felt better one hour later, and I had a great start in the second race in fourth position; of course it was impossible to keep this place, but I’m happy with my comeback. It was the first step and next week I will race the penultimate round of the French series.”


KTM RACING

Red Bull KTM's Tony Cairoli takes MX1 GP of Sweden in style
Red Bull KTM factory rider Tony Cairoli on Sunday took victory in style in the MX1 GP of Sweden at Uddevalla, winning both motos to secure his fourth outright MX1 GP win for the season on the new generation KTM 350 SX-F machine.

Cairoli retains the red plate as championship leader with 434 points, a handsome 67 points ahead of second placed Belgian rider Clement Desalle and can now enjoy his mid-season break before racing resumes on August 1.
 
Tony on the charge
Cairoli rode like a man possessed in the opening MX1 moto. He charged out of the gates, snatched the holeshot and was never threatened right up until he raised his fist in triumph going across the finish line. He was challenged in the first half of the second moto and rival Clement Desalle took the lead for some laps mid race. Tony said after he had some arm pump discomfort before he was able to go on the attack again but once he hit the front on the second moto he looked secure and was able to control the race. He went through the chequered flag 2.6 seconds ahead of the tight battle for second between the two Suzuki riders Desalle and Steve Ramon.
 
Tony Cairoli: "This is not really my favourite track but I've had some good races in all my years here so I wanted to win because now we'll have a long break. It was good for me to take victory in the GP and that's what I wanted to do. I was a bit nervous because I had some problems with my knee during the week and I felt something was wrong. But it felt better yesterday and today it was perfect."
 
Stefan Everts Red Bull KTM team boss: "I am very satisfied. Tony made the double today. He controlled the race and he made two good starts so he did what he had to do for the championship. 
 
Max Nagl, who won here last year but who is still riding with a cracked left collarbone finished sixth and Rui Gonçalves, the third member of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team and MX2 winner here in Sweden last year was tenth overall.
 
Max Nagl: Yesterday was going quite well with my lap times in the qualifying race but today I was a second too slow every lap and I couldn't keep up with the top five. It was not what I expected but the last five weeks have been very tough for me and I'm happy to have a longer break so I can build it up again for the next GP."
 
Rui Gonçalves finished tenth and fifteenth and said after the race he had struggled with consistency. "I can't say it was a bad GP but it could have better. Now we have a break and I will work hard to try to take the next step for the races left in the season," he said.
 
Red Bull KTM's Herlings second in MX2 GP of Sweden
Jeffrey Herlings, the power pack 15-year-old Dutchman enjoying his first season as a full factory rider with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team was on the podium in second place in the MX2 GP of Sweden in Uddevalla on Sunday after 2-4 finish in the two motos.

Reigning world champion, KTM's Marvin Musquin got caught in traffic at the starts of both motos but still picked up 34 championship points for overall fifth and moves ahead in the standings by a margin of 73 points going into the summer break. The KTM factory riders have won nine of the 10 GPs in the first half of the season with seven going to Musquin and two to Herlings.
 
Herlings "back on track"
Herlings, who won his second career GP in Latvia last weekend registered his intentions clearly in the first MX2 moto. He came out of the gates second only to factory team-mate Shaun Simpson, who not only grabbed the holeshot but led the race for the opening laps before being nudged off by Steven Frossard. But it was Herlings that hung on to the front runners, first in second and then in third place before rival Ken Roczen was forced to pull over on his Suzuki in the closing stages to bump Jeffrey up to second behind Frossard. He tried hard to stay with the lead group in the second moto but only finished fourth.
 
Jeffrey Herlings: "I've had my ups and downs this season, but now I seem to be getting back on track with the win last weekend and second today so I'm feeling good on the bike and I hope it keeps going like this. The track here is like half way between the tracks in Holland and those in France. It's a bit sandy on top but hard underneath. But I can say I like it."  
 
Unusual off day for Marvin
Musquin, who was denied a ride here in Sweden last season while issues concerning his transfer to the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team were sorted out, was a victim of a first corner close encounter in the first moto which left him some work to do to get back in the race. But the championship leader fought his way back with his well known determination to be fourth at the checkered flag. Nevertheless the factory team's French rider did admit that he didn't feel entirely comfortable on the track surface made slippery after heavy overnight rain.
 
Marvin Musquin: I had problems at the starts and if you make a bad start it's hard to come back into the lead. The track was very difficult and I didn't feel that comfortable. I was fast but I was riding tight and I made some mistakes. I'm disappointed with this weekend but I still made some good points and that's good for the championship."
 
Stefan Everts Red Bull KTM Factory team boss: "Jeffrey rode a smart race and that's great for him. He needs to learn how to be consistent. If he can do podiums every weekend, that's the way he will be champion next year. Marvin had a tough day. He was not riding 100% but he should not expect to win every race. He was smart enough to take a 4 and a 5 today and that's how we will win the title."
 
The factory team's Scottish rider Shaun Simpson finished with a 10-6 result and added 22 points onto his championship tally. With Musquin in the lead and Herlings in fourth place, Simpson is in a creditable sixth place.
 
Shaun Simpson: I had a good start in the first heat and got the holeshot… but after the contact with Steve (Frossard) I lost a lot of time. I had to spin the bike around to rejoin the race at around eighth and I finished ninth. I didn't have such a good start in the second heat and I missed the gate drop and I felt really tired during the race."
 
KTM rider Jordi Tixier continues to dominate EMX 125
French KTM junior rider Jordi Tixier put in another excellent day's racing winning both motos in the new EMX 125 class and take the GP victory in this category that offers young riders with 250 aspirations a perfect bridge to step up to the senior races. Tixier has now won 9 out of 10 motos in the five rounds so far held this season, the first time this class has been contested.
 
Riders were faced with tricky conditions following heavy overnight rain on the circuit and high humidity on race day that hung over the track in the form of mist. Visibility was an issue and a number of riders opted to discard their goggles during the races.


HONDA RACING
Crowd:  22,000 (weekend figure)
Weather:
Saturday – Sunny, humid 28C
Sunday – Rain, cloudy 16C

Bobryshev takes fourth overall at Swedish MX1 Grand Prix

An overcast Grand Prix of Sweden, the tenth round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship, was claimed by Tony Cairoli in the MX1 class while Steven Frossard claimed overall honours in the MX2 category. Honda’s stand-out rider was once more Evgeny Bobryshev as the Russian MX1 rookie guided his CAS Honda CRF450R to fourth position overall for the second race in succession.

Saturday’s hot, stuffy and dry conditions were replaced by rain on Sunday morning which added a slippery edge to the loose and stony soil and also forged a bumpier surface. Despite the climate switch a hefty 22,000 attendance scaled the adjacent rocky hillsides to support this staple and popular event on the MX GP calendar.

Bobryshev rode a lonely race to fifth at the flag in the first moto but was part of an exciting three-man chase for second place in the next sprint. The 22 year old crossed swords with Clement Desalle and Steve Ramon and when the trio began to trade track space ‘777’ suddenly found himself closed-off by the two Belgians and almost crashed. He lost valuable seconds at a late stage of the moto and crossed the line fourth for his second-best point haul of the season.

In ninth place overall with results of 7th and 12th Boby’s team-mate, Gareth Swanepoel,  enjoyed one of his better meetings and was Honda’s second highest runner on a day when misfortune befell the trio of Tanel Leok, Davide Guarneri and Jimmy Albertson.

LS Motors Honda rider Leok – winner of round five at Bellpuig in May – had a technical problem that caused him to stop four times on the first lap of Moto1 and eventually retire. At a slight disadvantage with regards to track acclimatisation in the second outing the Estonian nevertheless built-up his speed to take ninth (12th overall). Team-mate Guarneri had two very positive starts and was circulating in second place in Moto1 until a mistake led to a broken clutch lever and necessitated his withdrawal. Staking a claim to fifth in the next race the Italian again hit the dirt and damaged the same bike component, although he was able to continue and passed the flag in 14th. Martin Honda’s Jimmy Albertson stopped with a bike problem in the first moto and then had a crash in the second that led to a badly cut middle finger on his right hand.

Bobryshev has now moved up to eighth place in the MX1 world championship standings with a 46 point gap to Ken De Dycker in seventh. He holds a slender four point margin over Leok with Guarneri 10th and Swanepoel moving up to 12th in the table.

A summer break for the better part of July will now split the calendar with round eleven taking place on August 1st in the sand of Lommel for the Grand Prix of Limburg (Belgium).

Evgeny Bobryshev, CAS Honda:
“I had a bad start in the first moto because my gate seemed to drop slower than the others and I was also boxed-in on the second turn. I came from pretty far back to reach fifth but then I was on my own and just had to worry about Nagl who was ahead. We had the same lines but he was a bit quicker and I was making mistakes to stay with him. Anyway he crashed and I could take fifth. The second race was awesome. I was behind Cairoli and riding comfortably. He had great lines so I was just watching and learning. He made a few mistakes and I came close but then he disappeared and I had Desalle to focus on. I tried to pass at one point but Ramon was just behind me and I ended up being the sausage in the bread! Desalle slowed in a corner and looked across at me and I didn’t think his tactics were so nice, so Ramon was on the outside and I was squashed. My right leg went under the bike and I had to almost stop to get back on! If I had passed Desalle then perhaps I would have made the podium. Maybe next time, I am getting closer! Now some sand training before Lommel.”

Gareth Swanepoel, CAS Honda:
“I was really happy with the first race. I got a good start and fought on as hard as I could. I struggled a bit with the track all weekend but kept the pace up and hung with the guys for seventh, so I was pumped with that. In the second the start wasn’t quite as good and then there was a bit more to do in the pack. I did not ride as well but salvaged 12th. I have moved up a place in the championship and Lommel is next which should be pretty good for me. Both my parents will be there for that one and my mum has been a lucky charm in the past so I hope she can be again.”

Tanel Leok, LS Motors Honda:
“More crazy luck for me. The Heat race did not go well on Saturday and it meant that it was again difficult to get good starts. Anyway I must have been around seventh at the start of the first race, which wasn’t bad, but I crashed in a high berm of one of the first corners because the bike stopped. It was hard to come back from a worse start in the second moto and the track had changed quite a bit. The lines were different and it took me time at racing speed to find the best way. At the end I felt good.”

Davide Guarneri, LS Motors Honda:
“This should have been a race in which I made a lot of points on the others but I ended up losing them. I was really fast in the first moto and ran second for six or seven laps and then was fighting for a bit with Philippaerts. I made the fastest lap but then had a small crash that bent the clutch lever the other way. It was hard to restart the bike and I had to retire. In the second moto the start wasn’t as good as the first but also not so bad. I was fourth for many laps until I made another mistake and broke the clutch lever again but this time it was easier to get the bike into gear. For sure I was slower after that because riding without a clutch on that track was difficult.”

Jimmy Albertson, Martin Honda:
“In the first moto the bike lost power and finally quit but things went better in the second moto. I started in 18th and worked my way up to 12th and had a whole group of guys in front of me. I slid around coming out of one corner and I threw myself over a fence. I cut my finger up pretty good but I’m OK and the doctor cleaned it up; I should be ready to ride in about a week.”

Roger Harvey, Off-road Manager, Honda Motor Europe:
“A hard weekend all-round although Bobryshev again showed how much he has developed and it was a pleasure to see him attacking for second position in that second race. We have a bit of a break now at GPs but Boby should be able to take this confidence to the next round of the British Championships in three weeks where he has been really strong. Swanie did a good job and can take heart from better speed while Guarneri really should have been looking at a podium but his mistakes were costly. Tanel left himself with a lot to do but also had some misfortune and the same can be said for Jimmy. A tough Grand Prix is next at Lommel but the guys have a few weeks to prepare for it.”


STEVE RAMON
Ramon scores Swedish podium

The 10th round of the FIM MX World championship has seen another positive podium result for Team Rockstar Teka Suzuki’s Steve Ramon. ‘The Bomb’ used his super smooth riding technique to notch up a 4-3 score in front of an enthusiastic Scandinavian crowd.

With sunny skies  and warm conditions for Saturday’s qualification Race, Ramon qualified 3rd giving him a good inside gate pick for the Sunday program. A change of weather, with morning rain, altered the track conditions making the Uddevalla circuit rough and slick. Ramon got a decent start in moto 1 but made a mistake on the first lap, losing two positions as he rounded the in 5th. He quickly settled into his rhythm and went after David Philippaerts who was closing in on Clement Desalle. With the race coming to an end Ramon put in a last minute charge to catch the Italian but ran out of time and crossed the finish line in 4th.

Another mistake on the opening lap left Ramon with some work to do. Choosing some good racing lines he put in really quick lap times and closed down Russian Evgeny Bobryshev and fellow Suzuki team-mate Desalle. The three riders came together in a scrap for second place with the Russian getting the short end of the stick. Ramon tried his best to make a pass stick on Desalle but had to settle for third as he hounded Desalle to the chequered flag.

“I enjoy this track and have been on the podium every time over the last four years. It was really exciting racing today and Clement and I had a good battle in the second moto. My arm is still not 100% but is improving all the time so I will be looking forward to my home GP in three weeks time,” commented Ramon.


SHAUN SIMPSON
Simpson struck down by mystery condition

Red Bull KTM factory rider Shaun Simpson struggled for the third Grand Prix in a row as his body finally succumbed to a mystery condition that has haunted the twenty-two-year-old for most of the last month. Simpson will return immediately to Belgium for further tests tomorrow in an attempt to discover the cause of the condition that has left him constantly drained and suffering from severe fatigue each time he rides his bike. Despite absolute rest during the week prior to the Swedish GP, the fever like symptoms returned as the young Scot faded each time out and was frustrated as he showed great speed throughout the weekend.

"In truth I have probably made things worse by trying to ride whilst feeling like I do, but as a racer you just try to forget about it and all you want to do is to get out on the track and try and do your best. You expect to be tired after forty minutes of hard racing, but at the moment I can last for about fifteen to twenty minutes before I hit the wall. I have never felt like this before, so its difficult to say what is exactly wrong. Hopefully some more in depth blood tests tomorrow will point us in the right direction," said a dejected Simpson.

The famous Uddevalla circuit with its rocky backdrop was unusually dry and very fast as Saturday's programme got underway. Having not ridden all week Shaun used free practice to feel his way back to speed, knowing that the track would become slower and rougher as the day wore on. Confirming his speed the KTM teamster held fifth spot in pre-qualifying practice with just two minutes to go, and eventually ended the session in a respectable eighth position.

A good start in Saturday afternoon's qualifying race saw Shaun slot into second place, a position he looked very comfortable in until half race distance. However as in recent weeks Simpson was unable to maintain his charge and slowly faded as the race went on, crossing the line in a slightly disappointing sixth spot after such a strong opening five laps. This was the first sign, that the twenty-two year old had a major task on his hands with two forty minute encounters ahead of him on Sunday.

"After Saturday, I knew Sunday was going to be a case of damage limitation, two top seven places was perhaps the best I could hope for, but that could be top ten or top five depending how things worked out. All I knew was to give myself any chance I needed to make two good starts, as it would be tough coming through the pack on a track where there were not so many lines," explained Shaun.

After a short power nap, Simpson did exactly as he hoped and rounded the first turn of the opening turn with daylight between himself and the rest of the pack. Although his teenage team mate Herlings demoted him to second spot before the end of the first lap Shaun slotted behind him and looked in control on a track that had benefited from heavy rain during the morning. Six laps in Simpson made his move and hit the front again, a position he held before being forced off the track by Frossard two laps later. Shaun did his best to recover from this racing incident and crossed the line in an energy sapping ninth place.

Totally exhausted, despite having slept for nearly an hour between races, Shaun knew he had little to give for the second moto, and this was clear to see as he quickly dropped from an initial fourth place to eighth after twenty minutes and then down to eleventh as the flag was waved on the final MX2 clash of the day. Simpson's two gutsy performances netted him tenth overall and leave him in sixth spot in the general standings with five GPs remaining.

"I am really frustrated, as after coming back from injury I have just got fully fit and got back up to speed and now this happens. It could not have come at a worse time as the schedule has been non-stop over the last few weeks. Thankfully we have now got three weeks off, so I am hoping we can get to the bottom of what is wrong, so I can be in good shape for Lommel," Shaun ended.


TEAM SUZUKI

DRAMA-PACKED WEEKEND FOR TEKA SUZUKI MX2 AT UDDEVALLA
Ken Roczen grasped his second moto victory in the space of three Grands Prix in the second race at a gloomy and damp Uddevalla for the Swedish round of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The German should have been in contention for the overall victory at the 10th meeting of 15 in the 2010 campaign but a mysterious mechanical problem while he was on the rear wheel of leader Steven Frossard in the first moto forced his second DNF of the term.

The Uddevalla track conditions varied over the weekend as the dry and dusty terrain on Saturday was replaced by a softer and rougher surface on Sunday due to copious rainfall during the morning. Team mate Arnaud Tonus went to the gate fourth after a decent run in the qualification heat while Roczen was down in 13th after an unlucky crash exiting the first corner and needed to work his way back from the rear of the field.

For the first moto of 35 minutes and 2 laps, Roczen was superlative in his chase of Frossard and was set for a grandstand finish entering the final circulation until his '#94' machine rolled to a halt due to an unexplainable glitch just before the pit-lane. Tonus - who would only place 17th overall - fared little better with a crash and then goggle-less run to 14th by the finish.

Roczen rallied against his misfortune in the second race on drying dirt as he closed a five second gap to Frossard and took control to win his third moto of the year effortlessly and the 16 year old German took eighth overall for the GP. Tonus' second outing was a short one after a first corner crash led to a crumpled exhaust and broken rear brake.

The MX2 World Championship sees Roczen now tied on points in second place with Steven Frossard; 83 points behind Marvin Musquin. Tonus is eighth.

The Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 team can enjoy a small break from grand prix racing after a long trek that began with their home event three weeks ago. Their competitive duties will not slacken however in the three weeks before round 11 of the FIM series at Lommel in Belgium as rounds four and five of the German ADAC Master series at Prisannewitz and Tensfeld will keep Roczen and Tonus sharp.

Ken Roczen:
"It should have been another overall victory. My start was good and the race was good but two laps from the end, well, it wasn't to be. The second race was really good! The track was very rough and I enjoyed it. I finally won the moto and it is good for my confidence. We now have two races in Germany and will start to think about the sand and Lommel."

Arnaud Tonus:
"It wasn't a good day for me; I think that is easy to say. I had a crash and had to throw away the goggles in the first moto and then went down early in the second, which caused a lot of damage and ended the race. I will do the second of the two German events this month but will have a free weekend now after a lot of racing recently. Lommel will be tough but I'll be getting ready in the next few weeks with plenty of sand riding!"

DOUBLE PODIUM FOR ROCKSTAR TEKA SUZUKI MX1 IN SWEDEN
Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1 again filled two spaces on an FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship podium as Clement Desalle and Steve Ramon sprayed celebratory champagne for the second race in a row and for the second time in a week.

The two factory RM-Z450WS machines sat on either side of the Grand Prix of Sweden rostrum as Desalle went 2-2 in the two motos for second overall and Ramon scored 4-3 to take the bottom step at Uddevalla.

On a sunny and hot Saturday Desalle captured his third consecutive pole position and therefore had first pick in the gate for Sunday. Ramon was also quick during the qualification heat and secured third spot. Some 22,000 spectators looked on from the rocky hillside in markedly different weather conditions on Sunday as heavy morning rain created a spongier Swedish soil and overcast skies remained in place until early evening.

Desalle picked up his eighth set of silverware of the campaign and was one of the main protagonists of the meeting. A wet first race saw the Belgian jostling briefly with Antonio Cairoli and then pulling away from the threat of David Philippaerts once he had thrown away his goggles. Ramon closed up after an unsteady first lap and gave the Italian heavy pressure in the final stages.

Early leader Desalle - again thanks to the prowess of the RM-Z away from the start gate - was eventually powerless to Cairoli's speed in the second moto and then had to deal with an eager Evgeny Bobryshev. Ramon was in the thick of the action and the two Suzukis flew in the final two laps as the former World Champion pushed the Belgian champion to the flag. Ramon stretched his run of podiums at Uddevalla to four (2006, '07, '08 previously, having missed 2009 through injury).

The Belgian team have now accrued 10 podiums in total. Desalle is a strong second in the World Championship standings, 77 points behind Cairoli but 36 in front of Philippaerts. Ramon is fourth and 16 points from the top three.

Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1's international commitments now lessen with their home Grand Prix (Limburg) at Lommel not appearing on the horizon until the end of July. Two rounds of the German ADAC Masters series and one Belgian Championship meeting (at Tongeren, round three) will undoubtedly keep Ramon and Desalle occupied through the break.

Clement Desalle:
"For sure it is not a bad weekend but I want to win! I rode quite well and did not crash so I am pretty happy. In the first moto I had a problem with my goggles and I thought I had water between the tear-offs but when they were all gone I still couldn't see properly and lost concentration for a while. Once I threw away the goggles it was better but then I had some small stones in the eyes and had to slow down and think about second. I had a good fight with Antonio in the second moto but he was faster, so we will think ahead to try and beat him in the next GP."

Steve Ramon:
"It was a positive weekend. In the first moto my start was good but on the first lap I made a mistake and one or two riders passed me. It was not easy, the track was slippery and I spent a long time behind Philippaerts trying to overtake. In the second moto it was a similar at the beginning but later on I saw Clement and Bobryshev and I knew I had to pass Bobryshev to make the podium. I really pushed for that. I almost got Clement and had two or three chances but I did not want to make a block-pass and take both of us down. I was looking forward to this GP and this track; that's four podiums here now and maybe next year another one!"


YAMAHA RACING

Philippaerts scores another top five result in Sweden
Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team's David Philippaerts guided his works YZ450FM machine to 5th place overall at a dark and damp Uddevalla circuit for the Grand Prix of Sweden and the tenth round of fifteen in the FIM MX-GP World Championship. The determined Italian holds 3rd in the MX1-GP standings after the first two-thirds of the 2010 campaign came to a close across the swinging undulations of the Swedish venue.

The dry hardpack of Saturday - under a loose top soil - had changed significantly for Sunday after a sustained period of rainfall created a softer and rougher track. The 2008 world champion made one decent start and another mediocre launch in the two motos played out in front of 22,000 spectators. The first good getaway came in the opening race where he gave chase to Clement Desalle and vied for second position. Finally without goggles due to the slightly muddy conditions, the 25-year-old fought off Steve Ramon to take third spot and his ninth top three finish from the twenty motos held thus far.

Deep in the pack around the first turns of the second moto, Philippaerts could not set the same pace after his earlier exertions and struggled to make an effective rhythm. It was a performance that provided 8th by the flag and forged the final classification.

Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team's Ken De Dycker, winner two weeks ago at Teutschenthal, was unlucky to crash at one of the fastest points on the track during the first free practice session on Saturday. The Belgian needed a visit to hospital for stitches to a gaping wound on his right elbow and missed out on affecting the leaderboard at Uddevalla.

Philippaerts needs 36 points to close down Clement Desalle in the standings. De Dycker has dropped to 7th and is 7 points behind Xavier Boog.

The world championship will now pause for three weeks before the Grand Prix of Limburg (Belgium) in the sand of Lommel on the first weekend in August.

David Philippaerts, Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team:
"Not an easy day. I pushed hard in the first moto and was happy with third, especially because Ramon was close at the end. I think I paid for that race in the next moto because I felt a bit tired and could not get a good feeling on the bike. I made an awful start and then it was just a long time of trying to make as many positions as possible. A shame we could not think about the podium again but the points were not bad."

Ken De Dycker, Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci Motocross Team:
"Coming up to the jump by the pits the bike started to dip and I jumped off at the final moment because for a second I thought I would land OK. I think I hit my elbow with my helmet peak and it made a big hole. I wasn't able to ride because my arm felt very weak after the stitches. Luckily no bones were broken and I hope my muscles will be OK in the next week or two."

Fantastic first podium for Paulin in Sweden
Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team's Gautier Paulin rode superbly in the second moto of the Grand Prix of Sweden at a cloudy and cool Uddevalla circuit to take his first podium result with the team and on the agile 2010 YZ250FM. The Frenchman's 3rd position overall also represents the Italian crew's first trophy in the MX2-GP category since Cedric Melotte captured the same rank at Namur for the 2005 Grand Prix of Wallonie.

After a hot and humid day on Saturday, Uddevalla changed somewhat for Sunday with heavy rainfall in the morning creating a softer and more slippery terrain. The old-fashioned course, with many tight turns, did not permit an abundance of overtaking opportunities.

Paulin rode to a solid 5th position in the first outing of 35 minute and 2 laps but it was his charge past world champion and countryman Marvin Musquin and double GP winner Jeffrey Herlings in the closing stages of the second race that proved the talented and likeable youngster is coming back to top form after his early season leg-break. Number '21' took 3rd behind Ken Roczen and Steven Frossard for his first view from the podium in black and green colours.

Bike it Cosworth Yamaha's Zach Osborne was again one of the quickest riders throughout the weekend but an unfortunate incident on Saturday when he was landed upon by controversial Russian Aleksandr Tonkov meant the American went into the start gate in last position for Sunday. Rides to 7th and 9th against the odds (and even a brief slip meaning that he was virtually last in the second race) signified 7th overall.

Yamaha Monster Energy Gariboldi's Harri Kullas collected 11th in the final ranking and once more equalled his season-best moto finish with 6th in the initial sprint, in spite of stomach cramps. The abdominal problem affected his second moto in which he made the line in 15th. Team-mate Christophe Charlier had problems finding a decent rhythm on the track and was 13th overall, one place behind Yamaha Monster Energy Ricci MX Team's Alessandro Lupino. Loic Larrieu is likely to miss the rest of the season after breaking his right tibia last week at the Grand Prix of Latvia.

Osborne is Yamaha's leading rider in the championship standings with 5th place but is 51 points from 4th. Kullas is 10th, Charlier 12th and Paulin is now up to 13th.

After three consecutive races the world championship will now pause for a summer break for the majority of July. The Grand Prix Limburg at Lommel in Belgium will constitute round eleven and take place on August 1st.

Gautier Paulin, Yamaha Monster Energy Motocross Team:
"I feel that I have had the speed for a little while now for a result like this and I have been working hard to get back to my best race level. This is my first podium and now I have set myself a standard. I guess I have been missing a bit of confidence because of the injury. I know physically I am strong but needed a GP like this for things to come together and the way I rode in the final few laps of the second moto gives me a lot of energy. I will go to Belgium now to get ready for Lommel. I want more good results like this."

Zach Osborne, Bike it Yamaha Cosworth:
"What happened on Saturday was not my fault. Tonkov landed on top of me and I have the tyre marks on my back to prove it. Today was hard from the outside and it was maybe an extra 60 or 70 extra feet to the inside of the first turn. The first race was OK but I would say the second one was my better ride; the fact that I came from so far behind to ninth on a track that was not simple for passing was pretty good. In a way I am disappointed with a 7th and a 9th because my speed here meant I should have been better than that. It can't all be rainbows and butterflies though."

Harri Kullas, Yamaha Monster Energy Gariboldi:
"I almost had the holeshot in the first race but made third and then a few riders passed me but I found my speed and rhythm. When Musquin overtook me I was able to keep the same pace and did not lose too much time to him. Paulin came close and it was at that stage in the race that I started to have bad stomach cramps so I had to relax a little bit and thought about defending my position. I got lucky when Roczen stopped so I was back to sixth. In the second race Tonus crashed right in front of me and I was almost last. My stomach was still bad when I tried to push in the beginning but after a while I felt better and picked up the speed. I passed a few people but it was a bit too late. Overall 11th but I want to have more than one good moto!"


ZACH OSBORNE
Osborne rues Saturday clash to finish 7th in Sweden

Flying the flag for the USA in the FIM Motocross World Championship three time ‘podiumee’ in 2010, Bike it Cosworth Yamaha’s Zach Osborne, finished a creditable 7th in the Grand Prix of Sweden at Uddevalla on Sunday.

The flamboyant 20-year-old rode to 7th and 9th positions in the two 35 minute and 2 lap motos under grey skies, across a damp and bumpy terrain and watched by 22,000 spectators. Osborne’s speed at the natural and undulating layout was enough to expect a fourth set of silverware but an accident in Saturday’s Qualification Heat when controversial Russian Aleksandr Tonkov landed on the 2009 Turkish GP winner meant a DNF and last place in the gate for Sunday’s races.

Osborne defied the odds to make two mid-pack starts among the 38-rider throng and picked his way through the field with aplomb. His second outing may have resulted in a lower placing but it was an eye-catching performance after a first lap spill. Number ‘338’ attacked a group of seven riders in the last ten minutes and successfully reeled-past six.

“What happened on Saturday was not my fault,” he recounted. “Tonkov landed on top of me and I have the tyre marks on my back to prove it. Today was hard from the outside and it was maybe an extra 60 or 70 extra feet to the inside of the first turn. The first race was OK but I would say the second one was my better ride; the fact that I came from so far behind to ninth on a track that was not simple for passing was pretty good. In a way I am disappointed with a 7th and a 9th because my speed here meant I should have been better than that. It can’t all be rainbows and butterflies though.”

“I feel like I have missed a lot of good opportunities this season with falls and stuff but I am fifth in the championship and as long as I can stay healthy until the end of the year and get something out of 2010 then I will be happy,” he added.

Osborne is keen to keep his hat in selection contention for the 2010 Motocross of Nations US team and hopes his 5th position in the world championship standings and experience against some of Europe’s best might stand him in good stead. There are still five Grands Prix left on the calendar with trips to Belgium, Czech Republic, Brazil, Holland and Italy remaining. Osborne will also aim to increase his lead in the Maxxis British Championship with round five of eight in three week’s time at Foxhills.

“It is kinda disappointing that the result wasn’t better now that the Nations team is being considered,” he admitted. “I had the speed for a podium or win here this weekend which would have been good timing.”


LS MOTORS-HONDA
Davide Guarneri fast but erratic

A steel blue sky and summer temperatures close to 30° C awaited the GP riders in Sweden on Saturday. However conditions had changed dramatically in Uddevalla -in the south-west of Sweden - on a race day. The result was a gloomy look: grey, rainy and barely 15 degrees. So long for a fast and dry track and... bikini-clad fans.

Former Dutch and Italian MX1 champion Tanel Leok had posted the fastest time during free practice time. Tanel came incredibly close to repeating that feat in the pre-qualifying session, but he came up 5 (!) Hundredths of a second short on Xavier Boog. Unfortunately ‘the Estonian Express’ could not exploit his speed in the qualifying race because he already crashed at the start and pulled out of the race. After a mediocre start team-mate Guarneri made good progress and qualified as sixth.

In the first moto Davide grabbed a great start rounding the first corner second behind triple world champion Cairoli. Guarneri did a great job holding onto second but after seven laps he had to let Desalle by. Although Philippaerts put the pressure on for third after that, the LS Motors Honda rider responded perfectly by posting another fast lap. A mistake in the ninth lap would prove costly for Guarneri. He crashed and damaged his clutch lever and was forced to retire. Team mate Leok didn’t have Lady Luck on his side either. Gated on the outside Tanel still managed a good start, but electrical problems almost immediately after the start threw a spanner in the works. Leok’s bike cut out four times in the first lap and he was forced to give up.

As the gate dropped for the second heat Guarneri -author of the fastest lap in moto 1- again made a name for himself in the MX1 class. Davide was running at a strong pace in fourth chasing fellow Honda rider Bobryshev. On lap 14 Guarneri, who was 5th at that point- lost traction and hit the deck hard. In spite of a sore shoulder and a broken clutch lever he could continue. The CRF450R with the number 39 still managed to collect seven precious World Championship points.

Once again Tanel Leok had huge task ahead of him starting from the unfavourable 29th position on the grid. Step by step, however, the Estonian Express made his way through the pack. Tanel battled to 18th place after the opening lap and was circulating in 12th spot by half race distance. Leok finally ended up in ninth, finishing barely two seconds behind David Philippaerts.

Despite a disappointing Swedish GP the Honda Europe-supported LS Motors-Honda outfit enters the summer break with both riders firmly inside the top ten and one GP victory (Tanel Leok in Bellpuig) on their tally. In the Belgian MX Pro Series Davide Guarneri and Tanel Leok are respectively second and third.

Tanel Leok (12rd overall)
“More crazy luck for me. The Heat race did not go well on Saturday and it meant that it was again difficult to get good starts. Anyway I must have been around seventh at the start of the first race, which wasn’t bad, but I crashed in a high berm of one of the first corners because the bike stopped. It was hard to come back from a worse start in the second moto and the track had changed quite a bit. The lines were different and it took me time at racing speed to find the best way. At the end I felt good.”

Davide Guarneri (17th overall)
“This should have been a race in which I made a lot of points on the others but I ended up losing them. I was really fast in the first moto and ran second for six or seven laps and then was fighting for a bit with Philippaerts. I made the fastest lap but then had a small crash that bent the clutch lever the other way. It was hard to restart the bike and I had to retire. In the second moto the start wasn’t as good as the first but also not so bad. I was fourth for many laps until I made another mistake and broke the clutch lever again but this time it was easier to get the bike into gear. For sure I was slower after that because riding without a clutch on that track was difficult.”


GAUTIER PAULIN
First podium of the season  for Gautier Paulin

Gautier Paulin has scored his first MX2 podium of the season after a successful Swedish GP in Uddevalla. The twenty-year-old Frenchman  impressed a strong crowd of 22.000 with his speed and determination on a difficult and slippery circuit as he pulled through two difficult starts to score a 5-3 result.

A crash in the qualification race on Saturday meant that Paulin had to race from the back of the pack to salvage 18th spot, inevitably placing him wide on the starting grid for Sunday’s race.   With morning rain making track conditions even more technical, Paulin rolled onto the start for moto 1 knowing that he would have no advantage in the first turn.   Keeping out of trouble while he jostled for positions on the opening lap, he came from outside the top ten and started to pick off rider after rider.  As the race drew on, Paulin got stronger and stronger and started to close in on series leader, Marvin Musquin.  With one lap to go he closed to within 1 second of his fellow countryman and chased him home to end 5th.

A little better luck in the start of moto 2 meant that Paulin was inside the top ten as he completed the opening lap.  Once again he found himself chasing Musquin as the duo caught Dutch youngster Jeffrey Herlings around the 25 minute mark.   Paulin seemed to find an extra burst of energy as he rocketed past both Musquin and then Herlings to move into third spot.   His efforts were rewarded with an overall podium, Paulin’s first of the season.

“It’s great to be on the podium and this what the Team and I work for.  Every GP we get stronger and improve and people see that my speed is there and that I am capable of running up front.  I have been living in Belgium for the past few weeks and I will return there to prepare for Lommel.  I proved in the pre season races that I can race in the sand and I want to be strong at the Belgian GP and hopefully be on the podium.” said a content Paulin.


JOSH COPPINS
Coppins enjoys Swedish MX GP

Factory Aprilia racer, Josh Coppins, has scored two positive results in front of 22.000 enthusiastic spectators at round 10 of the FIM MX World championship. The Uddevalla circuit set at the foot of a picturesque rock face enables spectators prime viewing of the technical circuit.

Coppins qualified in 12th during the Saturday 20 minute moto.  As the gate dropped for moto 1 Coppins did not get the jump he expected and was back in the pack left with loads of work. He put his head down and climbed the ladder to finish 11th coming from outside the top 20 at the start of the moto.

A better start in the second moto saw Coppins up in the top ten. He seemed to have 9th spot secured until a fuel pump glitch lost him valuable time and he had to relinquish two positions.

“I’m pretty pleased with the day,” explained Coppins. “My riding was good in both motos and I enjoyed racing in these conditions. The circuit was quite tricky after the morning rain and it was difficult to get grip and drive in most places. I love racing in front of the Swedish fans as they are really passionate about MX. I have some good memories from Uddevalla,” explained Coppins.

TEAM SUZUKI - QUALIFYING

DESALLE TAKES 3RD CONSECUTIVE MX1 POLE IN SWEDEN
Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1's Clement Desalle registered his third MX1 pole position in a row by grabbing the chequered flag in the qualification heat for the Grand Prix of Sweden at a sweltering Uddevalla on his works RM-Z450WS.

The Latvian GP winner took advantage of a crash by Max Nagl on the hardpack course with shallow and loose top soil to move to the front of the MX1 pack and his third pole elevates him to the status of being the best qualifier so far in 2010.

The short bumps and tight corners of the Swedish layout some 130km north of Gothenburg saw rapid lap-times and both Desalle and team-mate Steve Ramon placed sixth and seventh in the pre-qualifying practice as less than two seconds covered the top 14 riders. In the heat race Desalle - who only changed his tyre profile in the set-up configuration from Latvia - moved past three riders to give chase to Nagl and won comfortably after the German's mistake (although he clipped the fallen rider and took an impact to his mid right arm).

Ramon set a steady pace to head off Tony Cairoli and earn a creditable third position putting the two Suzukis among the best places on the start line for the two 35 minute and 2-lap motos on Sunday.

Clement Desalle:
"I was chasing Nagl for the win and I thought it might have been possible to catch him. When he crashed he picked up the bike and I caught his handlebar with my arm and it was hurting for a while. For sure a second GP win in a row is possible tomorrow but it won't be easy. I feel good on the bike and my shoulder is strong so I will do my best for the motos."

Steve Ramon:
"It is really fast out there. Timed practice went well, but with the top ten split by a second it was really difficult to find that little bit more to go for pole position. My start was not so good in the heat race but my riding was OK. I came up to third and Cairoli was behind me but I could control it when he pushed. It was a good day and third is perfectly acceptable for the gate."

TONUS 4TH FASTEST IN SWEDISH MX2 QUALIFYING
Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2's Arnaud Tonus rode a decent Qualification Heat in the stuffy and humid conditions at Uddevalla to finish fourth and take the same slot in the gate for the Grand Prix of Sweden tomorrow.

The Swiss started brightly on the hard and rippled track and kept consistent times for one of his better qualifying performances of the season.

Tonus will be the first rider to the line for the German crew at this 10th round of 15 in the FIM MX2 World Championship as Ken Roczen could only place 13th due to a dramatic crash out of second position exiting the first corner. The teenager lost traction while on the gas alongside the pit lane and in an effort to avoid holeshotter Christophe Charlier veered into the path of Steven Frossard and both riders fell. Initially groggy, the German cut a path back through the field and was unharmed from his unlucky spill.

Both riders hardly altered the set-up they had refined on their RM-Z250s for the GP of Lativa last week with some powdery and hardpack sections of the Uddevalla course bearing some similarities to Kegums.

Rain showers are forecast for the evening and early morning.

Arnaud Tonus:
"Today was pretty good. I was really happy with my start and was right up there. I made a couple of small mistakes which meant I lost the back of Herlings but overall it was a decent race and I'm happy with my speed."

Ken Roczen:
"Charlier went a bit wide and cut back in and there was no room for me. I touched Frossard and pretty much went down together with him. I hit my back and my head and was a bit dizzy for a while and then just rode back to where I could manage. Not ideal for tomorrow's start but I'm lucky I did not pick up a big injury."