MX1

MX2

EMX2

YAMAHA RACING

Landmark victory for Frossard in France
June 5th 2011 will live a long time in the memory of Steven Frossard as the 23-year-old Frenchman clinched victory at his home Grand Prix at St Jean D’Angely and celebrated his maiden success in the premier MX1-GP class in just his fifth appearance on the works YZ450FM. The fifth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship took place in cloudy but hot conditions near the west coast and in front of 32,000 spectators.

The shallow valley setting of St Jean was blessed by sunshine, bashed by a torrential thunderstorm and stifled by humidity in the space of forty-eight hours, which meant that the terrain varied in terms of grip and the density of the dirt. The riders had to carefully judge the surface that became increasingly bumpy through race-day.

Frossard leapt out of the start gate in Moto1 and took part in yet another gripping bout of action in the MX1 category as he led and withstood pressure from Tony Cairoli and team-mate David Philippaerts. Cheered on by an animated crowd Frossard was nevertheless coming under pressure from DP entering the final phases of the sprint until the Italian was caught out by the collapse of a berm entering a downhill corner and crashed. Philippaerts was able to remount for third but Frossard swept onwards for his second moto win of the year.

Number 183 needed more than half of the second moto to pass the Hondas of Bobryshev and Gonçalves and reach 2nd position but his controlled performance confirmed his dominance on the day. Philippaerts was unlucky to suffer two early falls and was disappointed with 18th for 9th place overall.

Also at his home Grand Prix and at the site where he triumphed for the first time riding the YZ250F in 2005, Anthony Boissiere was 16th and 13th for 14th by the close of the afternoon.

Frossard has moved up to third place in the world championship standings and recovered some of the ground he lost after a turbulent U.S. Grand Prix last month. He is just 20 points from Clement Desalle at the top of the table. Philippaerts is fifth with Boissiere in fourteenth.

Monster Energy Yamaha now head for a two week stay in southern Europe where Grands Prix in Portugal and the staple venue of Agueda, some 80km south of Porto, and Spain (at the facility in La Bañeza, north of Valladolid) will fulfil rounds six and seven of the 2011 schedule.

Steven Frossard, 1st place:
I was really focussed on my riding and for sure my goal was victory today. I was smooth and didn’t take many risks. This is my first year in MX1 and to win here at St Jean is something so good for me. I want to thank my sponsors, my parents and everybody. It has been a really great day, especially because I haven’t ridden for three weeks. It is good to be third in the championship but I am still counting the cost of those mistakes in Glen Helen. I have to concentrate more and get back what I lost.

David Philippaerts, 9th place:
I felt good here today but I’m not happy. We still have trouble with the starts but I was pleased with my speed and physically I am in good shape. The first moto was going well until I slipped. I then had another crash later when I touched a rider on a fast line and it was a big one. I had another problem in a corner and lost a lot of time to restart and was far behind. Eighteenth position is not good enough and bad news for the championship. Luck was not with me today but we have two more races close together now and a chance to recover quickly.

Double podium joy at French MX-GP
A packed St Jean DAngely and the Grand Prix of France saw two Yamaha motorcycles scale the MX2-GP podium at the fifth round of fifteen in FIM Motocross World Championship. 32,000 people was thrilled to see Monster Energy Yamahas Gautier Paulin take third position his first podium result at his home GP on his works YZ250FM and Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Zach Osborne lift his first trophy of 2011 as runner-up.

Warm weather across the weekend was briefly interrupted by a torrential shower on Saturday night that served to soften and churn the French mud. The track was a difficult prospect; all drops, climbs, tight turns and large jumps carved out of a terrain that was soft in places and rock-hard in others. In short the surface was demanding and saw many skilled pros making mistakes throughout two hard races.

Osborne was a protagonist on his YZ250F in both 35 minute and 2 lap sprints and fronted the pack briefly in the two outings despite confirmation of a small fracture on his right radius last Wednesday. The fit and fast American repeated his podium appearance at St Jean from 2010 thanks to two 3rd positions.

Paulin was able to defeat his brand-mate in the first moto and rode quite isolated in second spot behind Ken Roczen. The German crashed on the first lap of the second race and a four way dispute for the lead (and rostrum steps ) began. GP21 was just off the pace of the trio in front. He demoted Osborne to fourth but the 21-year-old fired back (setting the fastest lap) and Gautier had to be content with being close, but not enough to disturb the lap chart order.

Osborne’s team-mate Arnaud Tonus was 7th overall and slightly disappointed by mistakes in the second race that meant he could not improve on his Moto1 finish of 5th. The Swiss was 7th and just adrift of the front-runners. 9th in the MX2 classification was Monster Energy Yamahas Harri Kullas who rued two mediocre starts on a layout that was risky for clear-cut overtaking chances. Team-mate Christophe Charlier had decent speed on home turf and was even haunting the top five before a crash ended the first moto and dropped him to 8th in the second.

In the story for the championship Osborne holds fourth place but needs 37 points over Tommy Searle to reach the first three. Paulin is fifth and just 2 in arrears. Tonus (6th) and Kullas (9th) ensure four YZ250Fs in the top ten.

Grands Prix of Portugal and Spain now follow hard upon the French spectacle. The visits to Agueda and La Bañeza will be rounds six and seven of the series and precede only a one week break before the northern-European trek to Sweden, Germany and Latvia.

Zach Osborne, 2nd:
I have had the speed all season but I just haven’t had the results so it feels good to turn it into a podium today. I didn’t feel so comfortable in the lead but by mid-race I had picked it up again and passed Gautier. I had a few bad laps in the beginning and had to recover from that. By the time I was around Gautier, Tommy had already caught Jeffrey and was away. I was doing the maths with the points in my head. I haven’t ridden during the week since the U.S. Grand Prix but I knew I could take it the distance with my fitness. In the end I was close. I have to get a run of podiums going again now and the next track in Portugal is good for me.

Gautier Paulin, 3rd:
I feel much better than I did in Brazil. I am enjoying my riding now and can play around with the bike a lot more. It was bad that Ken had a crash but it meant a change for all of us. I was feeling fast but I made some mistakes in the second moto and couldnt make the passes I wanted. I was close but not in touching distance. Zach was really fast and the lap-times were coming down. It was great out there. I think a lot of riders were making mistakes. The track was slippery and in some parts very hard and it was tough on the up-hills with the 250 because a mistake at the bottom would ruin a whole section. Anyway things are getting better for me. This was my first podium in France and Im really happy about that. In the end another good result to push on and keep being consistent.

Arnaud Tonus:
Today started well with a good rhythm and lap in the warm-up. My start was not so great in the first moto and I finished fifth. There was nothing really that special about the race. I was pretty much on my own. I don’t know what happened on the straight of the next start because my jump from the gate was really good but it was like I missed a gear or something. I was riding well and was looking to pass Charlier but had a big crash and I was mad about making another mistake. When you go down all that good rhythm you have built just goes. Anyway this race was better than Brazil and I hope for more in Agueda.

Harri Kullas:
I think this is one of the worst tracks of the season for me. When it was raining yesterday everyone said oh no but I thinking yes!. The ground was a bit softer in the first race and I lost too many places on the first lap. It was an OK moto. I had not such a good start in the second moto and I was close to Roelants at the beginning. We are next to each other in the championship so I knew it was important to pass him. I overtook a few more guys and found the top ten again. I’m quite happy for the weekend here and for how it worked out for the championship points.

KAWASAKI RACING

MX2 - French GP victory for Tommy Searle
Tommy Searle gave Kawasaki Team CLS Pro Circuit their first victory of the season in the team's home GP at St Jean d'Angely to step up his challenge for the FIM World MX2 Championship.

The British rider had also taken victory at the hillside track on his last visit three years ago, but was still seeking the optimal suspension settings for the rugged track until the CLS team found the solution on Sunday morning to send Tommy full of confidence to the start gate.

A couple of early errors on a track made unpredictable by overnight rain restricted Tommy to 4th in the opening moto, but he had consistently set the fastest lap times throughout the second half of the race to offer great promise for race two. Starting third, Tommy saw early leader Roczen crash spectacularly on the opening lap and he quickly moved past the new leader Osborne as he sensed the opportunity of victory. A few laps later he surrendered the lead temporarily to a hard-charging Herlings, but the new leader was clearly riding over his head and it was only a matter of time before Searle pounced to regain the lead and race away for a clear cut victory which also ensured the overall win on the day. Tommy remains third in the championship but reduced his deficit to the leader by eight points and now trails by just 27 points with two-thirds of the season still to run.

Searle's CLS team-mate Max Anstie was racing at St Jean d'Angely for the first time and took some time to settle down, but he charged hard from an awkward start gate in both motos. In the opening race he was already challenging for a top ten placing when he made a mistake on the tricky track which dropped him to 17th at the chequered flag, and the second race showed what might have been possible but for that single error as he again charged through the field to cross the line 6th.

Tommy Searle: “The team is doing a great job to give me a winning bike; we made some changes to the suspension this morning and it worked. I made a couple of mistakes early in the first race but I was the fastest at the end of the race. When I saw Roczen rolling about on the ground on the first lap of race two I felt bad for him, but I had to take full advantage. I said to myself "This one is mine now." I went past Osborne for the lead, but then Herlings came up fast. He was making mistakes and I knew I would be able to get him again before the end; he went wide in a corner, I was able to go under him and just put my head down. I've been consistent so far but we're all picking up the pace; I'm so happy to give Jean-Jacques, Gael and the rest of the team this victory in their home GP but we are getting stronger every week and I now need to win more races if I'm going to win this championship."

Max Anstie: “I’m learning with every GP I race; it was a new experience for me this weekend as I never raced at St Jean before. I was unlucky in the first race; I didn't make a good start and then I crashed but I was moving forward well until I had another crash. I can’t explain why my starts weren't so good this weekend and in race two I was in twentieth place or something like this but I managed to move through and eventually got sixth place after a strong ride. I had a little battle with Roczen until he went down which was good for my confidence. We have some more tracks which I don't know coming up, so it will not be easy, but with such a great team behind me I am sure we will continue to achieve good results.

MX1 - Boog just misses the podium in his home GP
Xavier Boog of Kawasaki Racing Team Europe gave the 2012 KX450F-SR a stunning debut in the French GP at St Jean D'Angely as he narrowly missed the podium after two strong rides.

The 23-year-old made a good start in the opening moto and was soon putting pressure on the rider in 4th place, but the first three had already made good their escape before he could dispose of the other rider initially ahead of him. Hopes of an even stronger showing in race two were dented in the chase to turn one when he found himself the first ten and after quickly charging to 9th, Xavier took a tumble which cost him four places, a slip which undoubtedly cost him a place on the podium as he remounted to again show his re-found speed as he advanced six places again before the chequered flag.

Team-mate Jonathan Barragan had also shown good speed during the practice sessions, but the Spaniard never settled into a rhythm after a poor start and could finish a mere 15th. He proved his own potential and that of the 2012 Kawasaki in race two as he held down a solid 6th place at the finish of the second gruelling 40 minute race.

Ben Townley of Kawasaki Team CLS had spent the last month rebuilding from serious injury, and although still far from 100%, the New Zealander gave two great displays of his fighting spirit. In the first race he crossed the line a hard-fought 8th, but an unlucky incident with another rider at the start of the final lap of race two cost him the chance of an even better result in 6th place.

The Kawasaki Bud Racing duo of Gregory Aranda and Davide Guarneri continue to suffer misfortune. Aranda battled defiantly to finish 14th in the second race, even though the 21-year-old has been diagnosed as suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome and is encountering great difficulties in holding on.
Together with the Bud team he has now decided to bring forward the date of his operation so he will miss the next two GPs in Portugal and Spain as he endeavours to be ready for the second half of the GP season. Guarneri also showed his bravery in the wake of a heavy crash a few weeks ago, but was finding it more and more difficult to concentrate as the races wore on and inevitably lost places in the closing stages of each to finish 19th and 16th.

Xavier Boog: “A crash cost me the overall podium, but it was a good weekend. I found a good rhythm and rode two strong races; in the first one I had a good start; maybe I didn’t believe enough in myself to stay with the first three riders. My second start was not quite as good, then after ten minutes I had a crash which cost me four positions; my lap times were good and I managed to come all the way back from thirteenth to seventh, which was pretty good. I had a good feeling on the 2012 model which we used this weekend and I feel I showed my real speed for the first time in a GP this season.”

Jonathan Barragan: “The first race was difficult for me, as I had a bad start and then didn’t find the good lines. The second one was much better; I had a good speed and after a good start I got a top six result, which is my best performance since Bulgaria. I enjoyed riding the new model, and I hope to come closer to a podium in Portugal or Spain.”

Ben Townley: "The team found better settings and my riding improved every time I went on the track all weekend. It was a building exercise and it’s just disappointing that I missed one vital lap, the last one of the weekend. The result was a lot better than what you see on paper, and I’m pretty happy with the progress. Starting the last lap of the second race Nagl passed me at the finish line; I kept my line but he crossed it and we collided. I still have a long way to go concerning my physical shape, so I was pleased to achieve what I did this weekend and know what will be possible.”

Gregory Aranda: “Last Wednesday I went for a medical check and the doctor confirmed that I am suffering from the carpal tunnel syndrome in my right arm. The plan was to go for surgery after Spain, so I wouldn’t miss any more GPs, but this was again a difficult weekend for me. I can’t hold the bike and that’s frustrating and dangerous, so we’ve decide together with the team to have the operation already next week.”

Davide Guarneri: “After my big crash in Brazil I haven’t been able to train so much, and that showed when I didn’t qualify so well on Saturday so my position on the grid was not so good. I was thirteenth for most of the first race and tenth for 20 minutes of the second race, but I started to feel a headache and dropped back in the closing laps of both races.”

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev top five at French GP

Evgeny Bobryshev took a top five overall position at one of his least favoured tracks on the calendar, the tight and technical hard pack of St Jean d’Angely, proof of how he has developed as rider since switching to the official Honda World Motocross Team for the 2011 season.

The first moto was not what was required for either Bobryshev or team-mate Gonçalves. Although Bobryshev got out of the gate well and moved in the top three, he never looked like he found a comfortable rhythm and began to fade out of contention for the top spots early on. A late challenge from Honda counterpart, Ken De Dycker would see him shuffled back to 6th come moto end. Gonçalves struggled off the gate and found it hard going making any progress on the difficult to pass, one line, St Jean track, eventually finishing in 14th.

The second moto would bring better fortune off the start for both Honda World Motocross riders. Bobryshev quickly positioned himself in 2nd with Gonçalves 3rd at the end of lap one. As they found the groove, they began to distance themselves from the chasing pack, posting similar lap times to race leader, Clement Desalle. At half distance, Bobryshev was sitting in a virtual podium position but needed to hold on to 2nd position in the moto. Unfortunately it was too much to ask as the hard-charging home favourite, Steven Frossard, would catch and pass on lap 13, on his way to the 2nd in the moto and the overall GP victory.

Bobryshev would fade even further in the hot French sun and succumb to the challenge of Cairoli and team-mate Gonçalves in the closing laps. It was a much-improved ride from Gonçalves in the second outing, taking 4th position from his team-mate as the Honda riders came across the line 4th and 5th. The result handed Bobryshev and overall GP classification of 5th position with Gonçalves taking 8th overall.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross:
“I am disappointed to miss out on the podium as I was in that position half way through the second moto but I just couldn’t hold on. The first moto was not quite good enough with the result and this cost me in the overall. It was tough conditions out there, hot and humid and I struggled a bit towards the end of each moto. Top five is a much better result than I made here last year, so I can take some good feeling out of that.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross:
“The big difference between the motos was the starts. In the first moto I did not get a good start and was in like 20th place. It was hard to ride my race from there and my finishing position was not so strong. The second moto was a totally different story. When you get the start you have more space to get on to your pace and I felt like I was getting stronger as the moto went on and even made a pass on my team-mate Bobryshev in the last lap. This gives me confidence.”

HONDA RACING INFORMATION

Weather: Cloudy, bright, warm
Temperature: Ambient 19 degrees C
Attendance: 32,000

BOBRYSHEV BREACHES TOP FIVE AT FRENCH MXGP

In front of 32,000 spectators Steven Frossard claimed the first MX1 victory of his career under hot and bright conditions at St Jean D’Angely for the Grand Prix of France. Honda World Motocross Team’s Evgeny Bobryshev was the top CRF450R runner at the fifth round of fifteen in the FIM Motocross World Championship with a decent fifth position across a rough and rutty track that offered varying degrees of grip.

The venue that will host the 65th Motocross of Nations in September still welcomed a hefty attendance with the French public enjoying the intense breaks of sunshine. In spite of a violent rain storm on Saturday night the French dirt was reasonably dry, but pretty bumpy and caused the Grand Prix elite to count the cost of their mistakes.

Bobryshev again led the four-rider Honda collective in the premier class and sixth position in the first race of 35 minutes and 2 laps was bettered by fifth place in the second sprint. The Russian formation-flew with team-mate Rui Gonçalves in second and third spots for more than half of the second moto and although the heat caused the American GP ‘podiumee’ to tire in the closing stages his consistent riding in the mid top ten helped towards a decent points haul.

In sixth place overall was LS Honda’s Ken De Dycker who recovered from a bad start in the first moto to rally his way to fifth. The tall Belgian was not quite as efficient in the second outing and collected eighth, but the meeting was still a positive step forward for the former GP winner.

Eighth position in the final ranking and the third CRF450R in the top ten belonged to Gonçalves who experienced contrasting motos. A glitch with his ‘starting device’ meant the Portuguese had to dismount and reset the forks only seconds before the launch of the first race and disrupted his getaway. After a long trawl to fourteenth, Gonçalves chased Bobryshev in the second affair and looked comfortable in the leading pack. Finally he was able to take advantage of the Russian’s fatigue on the last lap and crossed the line in a creditable fourth.

After reaching the heights of second position for a segment of the qualification heat, Shaun Simpson did his best on Sunday for thirteenth and twelfth (thirteenth overall).

In MX2 Swian Zanoni was pushing back to fitness after the hand injury sustained in the USA and used the Grand Prix motos to record twenty-fourth place on both occasions. A worthy mention must go to Pulse DB Racing Honda’s Elliot Banks-Browne who took the CRF250R to twelfth position overall. A bright start and ninth place in the first moto was the highlight of the Briton’s wildcard appearance and represented the highest classification for the motorcycle in the category this season.

In the world championship standings Bobryshev and Gonçalves are sixth and seventh with De Dycker in twelfth and Simpson in fifteenth. Grands Prix in Portugal (at Agueda) and Spain (La Bañeza) will take place in the next two weeks as a busy period of the calendar will keep the riders and team occupied until the end of July.

Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 6th/5th Championship position: 6th
“Many times my second race is always better than the first and I don’t know why. The track here has always been very difficult for me; it is not my kind of track. Those banked corners where I cannot slide are very tricky. Many ruts with big bumps. I had a good start in the first race but could not really find my speed and I nearly had the holeshot in the second and tried to stay with Desalle. Near the end the sunshine got me. I was sweating from everywhere and was counting down the laps when Rui passed me. This is where I have gained some experience and we must look forward now and do our best again.”

Rui Gonçalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 14th/4th Championship position: 7th
“Two different races for me because of two different starts. I messed the first moto up. My fork clip went off just as the fifteen second board went up. I had to jump off the bike and put it back on and then there was just five seconds so I couldn’t focus and missed the gate. It was an awful start. I wasn’t feeling 100% with the lines and not riding my best. I couldn’t do better than fourteenth. The second race was definitely different. I could ride the pace at the front and when I’m there I can hold the speed; it must seem like a different rider to you guys! The track was not easy for passing, but I still managed a move on Bobryshev on the last lap. Fourth was OK and now the home GP is around the corner.”

Ken De Dycker (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 5th/8th Championship position: 12th
“I’m quite happy. The starts weren’t great, but I felt much better than before out there. I passed so many people and found a good rhythm, even if the first race was better than the second. We have improved the bike in the last week and hopefully we can get closer to the front guys.”

Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 13th//12th Championship position: 15th
“I think yesterday my speed was OK and I showed with a start I can be near the front, perhaps not with the leaders, but certainly best of the rest. The second moto was rough as hell, I was tired and I didn’t really know what was happening I wasn’t that much slower than Bobryshev, Rui and Cairoli as I could see that I was holding the distance to them. Two bad starts today. In the first moto I was running in eighth and had some pressure from behind. The track wasn’t easy, the roost was pretty bad. I did the best I could as always and there have been worse days so far. I can build on this next week and then again for Spain. I want to get in the top ten, then the top eight and see if I can go further. If we can improve the bike a bit more then I can get those starts and prove what I’m capable of.”

Swian Zanoni (Honda Brazil)
Race Result: 24th/24th Championship position: -
“I haven’t ridden because of my hand injury and on this track with the steep hills and jumps it was hard going. I gave it my best out there and I’m quite happy with how I felt in the motos.”

Roger Harvey, Off-road Manager, Honda Motor Europe:
“It was a good weekend for Honda and with the schedule we set ourselves things are going more or less to plan. It would have been great if Evgeny and Rui could have finished second and third like they were running in that second moto but it was still a good enough set of results. Ken De Dycker was also very combative in fighting back from a bad start. It was good to see.”

YAMAHA VAN BEERS RACING TEAM
Three World Championship points for Petar Petrov in the Grand Prix of France

Petar Petrov of the Yamaha van Beers Racing Team scored three World Championship points at round five of the World Championship Series at St. Jean d’Angely in France. In the first moto Petar took a bad start and collided with another rider in the second lap and crashed. He came back strong but didn’t score points in the first moto. In the second moto he crossed the finish line in 18th position and scored three World Championship points. Herjan Brakke finished in 23rd position in both MX1 motos and didn’t score points today.

Petar qualified himself in 19th position on Saturday. Because of a lot of overnight rain the track changed a lot compared to the circumstances on Saturday. In the first moto Petar didn’t took a good start and went into the first corner around 30th position. He started a charge back trough the field but in the second lap he collided with another rider and crashed. He dropped back to 34th position and had to fight back again. Petar gave everything he had and made a lot of passes but just missed out on the points because he crossed the finish line in 21st position. In the second moto he took a better start and came out of the first lap in 21st position. It didn’t took him long before he had worked himself up into the points. He was riding in 19th position for a long time but in the closing stages of the race he started to put the pressure on the eighteenth place rider. With a nice pass he took over this position and finished the race in 18th position. Petar finished in 20th position overall and sits in 16th position in the championship.

Herjan Brakke qualified himself in 25th position in the MX1 class. In the first moto he started just outside of the points. He found his rhythm straight away and worked himself up into the points. Unfortunately in the following laps he lost several positions and because of a mistake he dropped back to 25th position. Herjan tried to come back and managed to pass two riders in the closing stages of the race to finish in 23rd position. In the second moto he was riding around the points scoring positions as well. Herjan was riding a consistent race and finished the moto again in 23rd position. Overall he finished in 25th position and after five rounds he sits in 35th position in the World Championship Standings.

KTM RACING

Dramatic weekend in Saint Jean d’Angely for KTM’s MX2 riders
The MX2 GP of France at Saint Jean d’Angely produced some characteristically brilliant riding from the Red Bull Teka KTM teenage factory riders and while both Ken Roczen and Jeffrey Herlings shone in the first and the second moto respectively, neither of them finished on the podium at the end of the day.

Roczen who despite his mixed day on the French track still has a firm hold of the red plate as championship leader was out of the gates like a rocket in the first moto. He took the holeshot, relinquished the lead for a brief time during the first lap then systematically built up a massive advantage, taking the chequered flag almost 14 second ahead of his nearest rival.  Relaxed and confident at the end of the moto, Roczen said: “I had an awesome start and I was able to take control of the race and save some energy for the second moto.” Despite this, Roczen admitted after the race that he had struggled with the track and had arm pump problems the whole weekend.

Meanwhile sand specialist Jeffrey Herlings had his share of problems in the first moto. He was fourth going into the opening corner then crashed, fought his way back through the field, crashed again and finally scraped through at seventh at the flag.

But the tables were turned in the second moto. Again Roczen charged to the front but his chances of domination were cut short when he had a huge off that sent him cartwheeling high above the track. He scrambled to get back into the race but shortly after was in the dirt again on a track that had been made slippery and heavy after a big storm on Saturday night. But while Ken was locked in combat with the track at the French venue, Herlings had taken control of the second moto and right up to the final three laps he looked set to dominate. But the 16-year-old Dutch rider had knocked his ankle in the heat of the battle and in the final laps had to relinquish the lead to Tommy Searle.

Jeffrey Herlings: “I was leading the race right up to the last three laps but then I was overtaken so I wasn’t on the podium. But I closed one point on Ken in the championship so while I didn’t win, I didn’t lose either.”

Ken Roczen: “I had two amazing starts, like I was two bike lengths ahead, it was unbelievable but then in the second moto I made a mistake in the first lap and went down hard. I kept going but then I had another small crash and ended up eleventh. Now I am 13 points ahead. I lost one point but that’s not too bad. I’m not badly injured. I have a little pain but I think it’s going to be worse tomorrow because I’m going to be stiff.”

In the final shakeout the two riders escaped with their two leading places in the standings intact and had to settle for fourth (Herlings) and fifth (Roczen) on the score sheets of the French MX2 GP.

MX GP of France yields podium second for Cairoli
Reigning MX1 champion Toni Cairoli continued to work his way back into contention for the MX1 season’s honours this weekend picking up a useful second place in the GP of France after a hard fought two motos that yielded him 42 points from his 2-3 score card for the weekend.

Riders had a hard day on the track that had been made heavy by an overnight thunderstorm.  Tony however took the day’s outing on the difficult track in Saint Jean d’Angely in France in good spirits and said while he can no longer feel any pain from his earlier knee injury that he had lost physical condition because he had not been able to run or cycle for more than a month.

“Now its time to get back in shape and go after the red plate,” he said.

“I am looking forward to the two GPs in Portugal and Spain and I would like to use them to close the points gap in the championship.”

Red Bull Teka KTM team-mate Max Nagl of Germany unfortunately was not able to convert a good result in Saturday’s qualifying into a podium but still left with a useful 26 points from his 7-9 result. Tony is now just six points shy of championship leader Clement Desalle while Max is currently in equal third with 179 points.

Max Nagl: Both my starts were quite okay but each time I messed it up in the first corner. I wasn’t riding aggressively enough in the first heat so I went out very aggressive in the second. I crashed in the second lap, I managed to come back but then I got stuck behind Townley and then I crashed again. Now we go to Portugal and Spain. I like these two GPs and I hope to get good results there.”

TEAM SUZUKI

DESALLE AND SUZUKI PODIUMS IN FRANCE
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1's Clement Desalle exercised decent damage-control at a sweltering St Jean D'Angely for the Grand Prix of France and the fifth round of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Belgian finished third overall for his fourth trophy from five events on the works RM-Z450 Suzuki even though he had to recover from several falls in the first moto across a difficult track to score 11th. A frustrating race was quickly forgotten with a dominant performance later in the afternoon for his fourth chequered flag of the season.

Starting from Pole Position for the second time this year after his exciting Qualification Heat victory on Saturday, Desalle's first moto, in front of 32,000 spectators was swiftly interrupted on the second corner as his line was blocked by an early-braking Max Nagl. The 22-year-old hit the German's rear wheel, crashed and was lucky not to be hit by the chasing pack and restarted in last position. A frantic recovery was briefly stalled by another fall but the series leader spent the rest of the 35 minutes and 2 laps circulating up to 11th place.

Disappointed during the break, Desalle was the picture of determination in the second sprint and controlled the race from start to finish to rescue a spray of rostrum champagne.

Steve Ramon had a pretty average day of results but was happy with the set-up of his factory machine after some suspension modifications. A poor start in the first moto meant that he could not penetrate the top 10 (taking 12th) and then two crashes in the second affair cast him to 17th for 15th overall.

After the first third of the series, five GPs and 10 motos, Desalle leads many tables of statistics. Most pole positions (2), most wins (2), most moto-victories (4), most podiums (4) and importantly the World Championship standings by six points over Tony Cairoli. Ramon is 11th and six points from the top 10.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 now continues its busy racing schedule with a trip to the Iberian Peninsula this week: The Grand Prix of Portugal at Agueda lies in store next weekend and is followed immediately by the Spanish round at the undiscovered circuit of La Bañeza.

Clement Desalle:
"Max Nagl cut the line really early and I hit his wheel and crashed. I had to roll the bike back down the hill and was totally last. It was really difficult because in those situations you have to keep a bit calm, even when the rest of the riders are getting away. I fought as hard as I could but I made another mistake and landed in all the mud. After that I focussed on completing the race. Afterwards I was very disappointed because again more mistakes and I wanted more consistency but I am still learning about all the things that can happen in a GP. I had good speed here and at least was able to show that in the second moto. You had to be careful on the track. I think the ground is very typical of the region and can be very soft but then very hard in different places but as I always say it is the same challenge for all of us. We have done five races now and I will keep on doing the best I can. I lost some points today but I'm happier for the second moto performance."

Steve Ramon:
"Tough day. My riding was not so bad but I was a bit unlucky with some crashes. I had a bad start in the first moto and it is so difficult on this track to pass and try some different lines. There were many ruts. In the second moto my start was better and the first lap was good but I slid out in the waves section and I went down. The bike was still running but the throttle was full of mud so for a while it was hard to get good grip. I then went down again through a deep rut. After that I just looked to finish the race the best I could with some good laps. My speed was OK but I was not in the right positions. I'm disappointed with the results but we will have better days."

ZECCHINA SCORES FIRST MX2 POINTS
New temporary recruit Simone Zecchina had an encouraging debut at a stuffy St Jean D'Angely for the Grand Prix of France as Suzuki Europe MX2 tasted FIM Motocross World Championship action for the first time since April.

The young Italian took a break from leading the European 125cc two-stroke series to make his GP bow and picked up his maiden points with 18th position in the opening moto on the RM-Z250.

Some 32,000 spectators and a lively atmosphere guaranteed a large and adrenaline-pumping stage for the teenager who was able to taste the speed and intensity of grand prix racing for the first time. The demands of the series and the varying grip levels, deep ruts and many bumps of the St Jean circuit had to be swallowed by Zecchina and he made decent work of running in the points during the first moto but understandably tired in the second race and crossed the finish line in 26th. He was 21st overall.

Zecchina will again fill the saddle of the RM-Z250 for the next two weeks. The next appointment for the Italian and the team will be the Grand Prix of Portugal in the red dirt of Agueda, south of Porto.

Simone Zecchina:
"I had one very good race and one not so good. I started very well in the first moto and pushed as hard as I could for a long as I could. Near the end I was finished at that speed. The second race was very difficult. It was good to be at the GP and this is an important opportunity. It was fantastic to ride this bike and the team is really good for me. I go to Portugal now. It will be my first time but I have seen the pictures and watched the races on TV."

BEN TOWNLEY
Townley shows fighting spirit in French MX GP

Ben Townley’s delayed return to GP racing saw an impressive turnout of over 30,000 motocross mad spectators line the St Jean d’Angely GP hillside circuit for round 5 of the 15 round FIM Motocross World championship in France.

The CLS Pro Circuit Kawasaki team were excited to have Townley completing the three man team once again and the resilient Kiwi more than delivered on their expectations at their home GP.   Townley improved every time he went out on the KX450F and with his confidence growing he rolled onto the line for moto 1 of the talent packed MX1 class.  Grabbing a good start he was jus outside the top 5 and running a consistent pace, with a gaggle of riders hot his heels.  Townley defended his position well and only lost two spots to finish 8th, just behind Max Nagl and Russian youngster Evgeny Bobryshev.

An even better start in Moto 2 saw Townley challenging for the holeshot but he was pushed wide to the steep bank exiting the first turn. ‘BT 101’ turned in some impressive lap times and fended off challenges from Cairoli and then in the latter stages from Max Nagl. Going into the final lap Townley occupied 5th spot but then collided with Nagl as the two riders crossed lines and went down. Townley retired unscathed.

Ben Townley: “The team found better settings this weekend and my riding improved every time I went on the track. It was a building exercise and it’s just disappointing that I missed one vital lap, the last one of the weekend. The result was a lot better than what you see on paper, and I’m pretty happy with the progress. Starting the last lap of the second race, Nagl passed me at the finish line.  I kept my line but he crossed it and we collided which was unfortunate. I still have a long way to go concerning my physical shape, so I was pleased to achieve what I did this weekend and know that more is still possible.”

A heavy schedule awaits Townley as he heads to Portugal(Agueda) and Spain (La Baneza) which will complete the 3 back to back GP’s over the next two weeks.


GAUTIER PAULIN
Gautier Paulin close to victory at home GP

A massive 30,000 partisan crowd turned out to support their fellow countryman Gautier Paulin at round 5 of the FIM Motocross World championship at  the spectacular St Jean d’Angely circuit over the weekend.

The friendly and likeable Yamaha Monster Energy racer did not disappoint as he challenged championship leader Ken Roczen in the opening laps of Moto 1 and took the lead from the German much to the delight of the French spectators.  Roczen retaliated a lap later with Paulin chasing his challenger over the rutted and technical circuit and then had to settle for second position.

As track conditions dried up somewhat,  a nail-biting moto 2 was thrown wide open when Roczen crashed on the opening lap. Paulin initially completed a four man train of Searle, Herlings and Osborne and then he made his move on the American to move into 3rd spot which at that stage placed him as virtual GP winner.  He was setting his sights on Searle when Osborne retaliated and broke Paulin’s rhythm. With Searle taking over the lead from Herlings, Paulin put in a last minute spurt to challenge Osborne but it was too little too late however Paulin claimed his second consecutive podium of the season and his first ever in France.

Gautier Paulin: “I feel much better than I did in Brazil. I am enjoying my riding now and can play around with the bike a lot more. It was bad that Ken had a crash but it meant a change for all of us. I was feeling fast but I made some mistakes in the second moto and couldn’t make the passes I wanted. I was close but not in touching distance. Zach was really fast and the lap-times were coming down. It was great out there. I think a lot of riders were making mistakes. The track was slippery and in some parts very hard and it was tough on the uphills with the 250 because a mistake at the bottom would ruin a whole section. Anyway things are getting better for me. This was my first podium in France and I’m really happy about that. In the end another good result to push on and keep being consistent.”

LS HONDA RACING
De Dycker on the pace in France

LS Honda Racing rider Ken De Dycker started each moto from 15th on the gate and made an impressive improvement in each race, reaching fifth in the opening moto and eighth in the second moto. The 26-year-old Belgian placed sixth overall and moved up three places to 12th in the championship. Shaun Simpson rode to 13th and 12th on Sunday. He moves up in the Championship as well, and lies 15th now. Frenchman Frossard won the GP, ahead of Cairoli and Desalle.

It was hot and sticky on Saturday, while the hot temperature and excessive watering had created a treacherous track for the qualifying race. In pre-qualifying Simpson excelled with the second time only 0.032 second behind provisional polesitter Desalle! Moreover Shaun continued to impress in the qualification moto. After a great start only behind Nagl, the CRF450R mounted Scot hun into 4th, fencing off the challenges from Bobryshev and Ramon in the latter stages. Team-mate De Dycker was equally impressive, yet it didn’t show in the final result as Keeno went down in the second corner. From 32nd on the opening lap Ken pushed on to come home 15th.

In the first outing of the day De Dycker had his work cut out after a mediocre start. Still he managed a superb first moto, chasing through the pack from 17th to 10th in the opening lap. The rutted, demanded track was the perfect playfield for De Dycker to display his strength and persistence. Ken took the scalps of Simpson, Strijbos, Townley and Bobryshev to grab fifth. Simpson run as high as eighth, but the former British MX2 champ couldn’t confirm the speed he showed the day before. Shaun finished 13th eventually.

The track had dried out for the second race, but caution was still needed. Both De Dycker and Simpson had difficult starts, but Ken began a steady rise, from just inside the top-20 to 9th after eight laps. After 35 minutes and two laps De Dycker finished 8th, under 30 seconds behind race winner Desalle. The second moto didn’t see the improvement Simpson was aiming for. However he remained consistent and managed to take home 9 valuable championship points with 12th place.

Ken De Dycker: “Because of those bad starts I had two tough races on my hand. Luckily I found some good lines, I stayed consistent and I gave everything. All in all I am pretty satisfied with the results. The two races were similar, unfortunately my start in the second moto was even worse! Sadly, I lost valuable time behind Barragan but couldn’t make the pass. I feel we have taken a turning point here. With better starts I know I can challenge for top-five and more.”

Shaun Simpson: “The track suited me and I felt good on Saturday. It’s hard to tell why it didn’t work out on raceday. In the first moto Bobryshev cut across and after that I had a hard time to find my rhythm. For the moment it seems tough just to do my own thing and race my own race. Every time I get pressure from behind it reflects in my riding, that’s unacceptable. We keep on find and I draw strength from my strong result in qualification.”

ALEKSANDR TONKOV
TONKOV MOVES INTO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

When Aleksandr Tonkov shuffled up for the post race interview after the first round of the European Championships at Valkenswaard a few weeks ago, his dark eyes were lit up with irritation. Sure enough, he had started off his season with a podium finish, and he served up all the normal platitudes about being happy with his day, but it was clear that inside he was seething. He had come to the backyard of the sand specialists, and very nearly snatched victory from before the jaws of the far more experienced locals. A few errors cost him dearly, however, and after crashing a few times he gave a potential overall victory out of hand.

Aleksandr is driven by a fierce race passion, this much everyone knows, and everything less than victory at this level is bound to irk him. The objective observer would hand out kudos for his performance, though. He had come to a terrain that was not his strong suit, took on the experts, and came to within a hair's breadth of the victory. None of those who finished ahead of him would have the goods to unsettle him at the next round of the series at St Jean D'Angely in France, though. This much was gospel. The French track offers a stony, rutted surface that mixes the best of typical French hardpack with some challenging sand sections. Couple this to nosebleed elevation changes, and you have a track that is a different challenge altogether.

The Russian teenager wasn't going to have it all his own way, however. Where the local Dutch – and Belgian riders had the edge in Valkenswaard, there was a swathe of fast French riders, fired on by a rabid, jam-packed crowd at the French Event. The Russian has never been one to let reputations faze him, however, and he laid his cards on the table early on. He rocketed to the fastest qualifying time in his group, a healthy two seconds clear of second placed Dylan Ferrandis who was carrying the French flag. In an exciting qualifying race, he again headed Ferrandis home, this time by less half a second, after several changes of the lead.

In race one, Aleksandr got away in third position. He had the determination taps wide open, and within a few laps, he took over the lead. He tried all he could to make a break, but he had a couple of very determined French riders in tow. Local hero Romain Febvre was the sleeper here. He skulked around in third, but waited till the last few laps to pounce. His timing was impeccable, for just then, the rain started bucketing down, which turned any effort at re-passing into a risky affair. Coupled to this is the fact that Aleksandr was burdened with a goggle roll-off system that refused to co-operate in the rain and mud, and gave him about as much clear vision as a steel plate. When Aleksandr realised the risks, he fixed his mind on his championship run and followed the Frenchman home by three seconds.

In race two, Aleksandr fired into another third position off the start, but a mistake in the early stages saw him lose some time and relinquish a position to Frenchman Arnaud Aubin. Some heavy overnight rain had turned the track into a treacherously-rutted, slippery affair. Ferrandis revelled in the conditions, and surged into the lead. Aleksandr closed the gap on Aubin, and looked posed to regain third spot, but his roll-off film was streaming behind him again like a jet trail. Apart from the irritation value, this meant that he could again not clear his vision, and with championship in mind, he accepted the fourth spot finish.

Aleksandr's patience paid off, for when the points were tallied, he had booked the second spot on the podium for himself, one better than at the first round of the series. More significantly, the officials came up to him and handed him a red number plate, which could only mean one thing – he was the new series leader, moving into an 11 point lead. Of great import to remember, is that two of the races where local experts could be expected to rule the roost, are now done and dusted (or mudded), and from now on the series moves onto more “neutral” territory for the top protagonists. Having come away from two of the tough “backyard” rounds with the series lead in hand, Aleksandr has dealt himself good cards for the rest of the championship run.

SHANNON TERREBLANCHE
TERREBLANCHE NINTH IN FRENCH ROUND OF EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

A new breeze of enthusiasm is blowing through Shannon Terreblanche's racing career. After an injury-riddled 2010, the outlook was bleak for the likeable South African, but like many-a blue-blooded racer, he picked himself up by the bootstraps, and bit by encouraging bit, the muse is returning. An expensive world championship campaign was out of the question for 2011, but such was his enthusiasm that team owner Coen Van Haut made the decision to enter him for the second European Championship race at St Jean D'Angely in France.

Shanter had a busy week leading up to the French event. Last weekend he made a sudden decision to participate in an ADAC MX Masters event in Friesing, next to Munich airport. There were no technical staff available to assist him, so this was a man-alone effort in the good old tradition of the blue-bearded hard men of motocross. With just a training 250cc bike against the 450cc thunder of most of the opposition, Shannon was always going to be outgunned, and but for the kind assistance of a few other riders' crews he would have had an even harder time of it. Be that as it may, the event served as a good training outing for him, and as soon as the dust had settled, he was on his long, lonesome way back again to Holland.

On Thursday there was a whole different focus on the racing. The Dutch Championship round of Rhenen traditionally takes place on Ascension Day, and as this is the team's domestic series, the team's rig, mechanics, equipment, dogs, chicken and goldfish all descended on what is in all probability Holland's most hilly and hard(ish)-pack track. Shannon guided his Honda to a handy 9th place in the qualifying session. He used his favourable gate to good effect, and joined the fray well inside the top 10 in heat 1. Two crashes spoiled the party somewhat, but nonetheless he finished ninth in the first race.

The team made a frenzied effort to fix the bike for race two, but in the rush the adjustment of the clutch was overlooked. This made for some rather … shall we say .. challenging ,,, clutch work in the second race, but despite this, Shannon kept the plot on the boil and crossed the line in eighth position. This slotted him inside the overall top 10 for the day, and despite him having missed the first two rounds of the series, has now hoisted him to 15th in the championship standings.

Time was pressing, and the team tent was hurriedly tackled down for the long trip to France and round two of the European Championships. Shannon has had ample world championship experience at this venue,and the experience came shining through. He piloted his red machine to the sixth-fastest time on the qualifying session, but the result did not come without any sacrifice. During the session, the hub of his bike broke, which sent the chain flailing about. This particular kind of moving metal has never been known to be kind to engine cases, and the race motor developed a hole where none was originally designed.

The team hurriedly fitted the training motor into the race bike in time for the qualifying race, but the power delivery was of course not the same. Shannon was held down to 17th in the start, but he rode like a seasoned veteran, and forced his way through to fifth before the French flagman did his duty, thus ending a very satisfying premier qualifying race in the European series for the year. With all in fine fettle again, he started off well in the first heat, and slotted into the top 10. He kept the pressure up, and was involved in a tussle that included the riders placed 6th to 8th in the race. He looked for all the world like the fastest and most comfortable of the group, but all his efforts came to naught when his front wheel slid out and he bit the stony dust. He remounted in time to save his position, and when the rain came bucketing down towards the end of the race, any further progress up the rankings was a nigh-on impossibility. Shannon was happy to collect a bagful of points fro crossing the line in ninth.

In race two, the South African had a bit of a lesser start, settling into thirteenth spot. He immediately made his way forward, and the lap chart showed linear progress through the field. The progress gave his team lots to cheer about, and with one lap to go, he was in sixth position and headed for fifth spot. A fellow rider then donned the less-than-sporty suit of armour and slammed into him at full throttle, in a clear attempt to unseat him. Shannon went down, and it took him a seeming eternity to restart his bike. He finally crossed the line in fifteenth position, more than a little miffed, and entered into diplomatic negotiations with the rider concerned to avoid a repeat of the incident. Despite being massively disappointed at how it turned out, Shannon could still derive a measure of cheer at his ninth place overall in a European Championship event. Even though he did not participate in the first round of the series, he has vaulted to 18th position in the championship standings.

PROPPA.COM KTM
French GP proves tough going for Proppa.com KTM

St Jean d'Angély is one of the most popular tracks on the world championship circuit and with both MX1 riders entered into the round, Proppa.com KTM made the long trek into the south of France to take part in what was to be a tough event. Riders and spectators alike woke to scorching sunshine on Saturday morning, temperatures remaining high throughout the day until late afternoon when heavy rain cooled things down.

The Saturday sessions proved to be tough on both Martin Barr and Nathan Parker. During the qualifying race, Barr got off to a good start in eighteenth and looked to impress, but a crash in the third lap dropped him to the back of the field. A hard charge returned him to twenty-fourth by mid-race, where he fought off Herjan Brakke to the end. Parker found himself in thirtieth after the first lap, keeping sight of and pace with GP veteran Loic Leonce throughout the race, ending in twenty-eighth.

An epic thunderstorm soaked the track through properly on Saturday evening, and on Sunday morning, the track was still wet when the first MX1 race went to the gate. Barr didn’t have the best of starts but was making good progress holding a tight line up the inside of the first hill when Clément Desalle went down in front of him, causing him to take evasive action and dropping back down the field. A hard-fought, valiant effort brought him back into the points to nineteenth, only to be pipped to the post in the closing laps and ending twenty-second. In the second race, Barr found himself within a hair's breadth of twentieth again, but without a rear brake for a portion of the race, he dropped back several places before recovering to twenty-sixth for a disappointing twenty-eighth overall and nil points.

Parker on the other hand found himself making good progress throughout both his races. In race one he looked tentative and was at the back of the field as he completed the first lap, however he soon settled down, learning quickly to make hard passes where necessary and make the most of arising opportunities to win more positions. His efforts gained him a twenty-eighth place by the end of the race. In race two he looked much more like himself and although he again made a poor start he rode aggressively throughout the whole race progressing to twenty-seventh by the finish, crossing the line just 1.7 seconds behind his team-mate, ending the weekend in twenty-ninth overall.

Team principal Steve Turner commented, "It's been a tough weekend on a tough track, and it's the kind of track we're not used to riding. Martin struggled to find his rhythm all weekend, and today he looked like he would score points in the first one, only to get passed by a few people in the last few laps and missing out on a point-scoring ride.

"This weekend was a good test for Nathan, and he got his first GP under his belt. He really struggled in his first race; it's the first time he's raced at this level and he was too cautious and too polite when he was getting passed by the front runners. But he learned and in the second race he rode a lot better and was much more aggressive.”

“Both riders suffered from poor starts and at this level if you don’t get way with the fast guys it’s very tough to come back through the pack. The MX1 field is stacked with good riders and they’re all fast. I suppose that’s the biggest difference when you step up to this level. I mean, look at David Philippaerts who finished 3rd in the first race, but after falling off on the first lap in the second race even he could only get back to 18th."

Martin Barr: "I'm pretty disappointed this weekend. All day Saturday I struggled with the track, I was just not riding the way I normally can and just couldn't get a good rhythm. In the first race I didn't get the best of starts, tried to cut round the inside but Desalle went down in the second corner and I got caught up in that. When you don't get the start, with these guys it's hard to come through again because they are just so fast, and I ended up in 22nd. In the second race, I had another reasonable start, then got tangled up with a few people. I got going again, put my head down and then without a back brake stalled the bike a couple of times coming down the big downhill sections. I ended up 26th in that, and that's not where I want to be. It's a weekend to forget, and I'm just looking forward to Whitby at the Red Bull Pro Nationals this weekend."

Nathan Parker: "Yesterday wasn't as enjoyable as today, even though I had longer races today. Yesterday I struggled with my confidence more than anything, just nerves and riding tense. I qualified 28th in the heat race, which is better than what I'd been doing previously in the day. Today I felt a lot less pressure. I got a bad start in the first race and didn't realise I was dead last in the first lap, so pulling back to 28th was a good ride. I didn't get too tired, which was a good sign. In the second race I had an alright start, dropped quite a few places in the first lap and started pulling through and got to Martin. I think I pushed that much that I knackered myself out and looked and there was still 17 minutes and two laps to go! So I slowed down a little bit, got my breath back and then charged again towards the end and ended 27th. So two strong rides and the first GP ever out of the way with no drama and no injuries, I'm happy with the way it went."

QUALIFYING

TEAM SUZUKI

SUZUKI RM-Z450 ON FRENCH MX1 POLE
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1's Clement Desalle produced an exciting and accomplished performance in the 'sauna' of St Jean D'Angely to capture his second pole position of the year on the factory RM-Z450. The Belgian will enter the start gate first for the Grand Prix of France and the fifth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The sun-baked course near the west coast of France was excessively watered during the first part of the day and the practice sessions became more about exercises in caution. Come late afternoon and the rough and drier mud offered varying degrees of grip. Desalle excelled during the 20 minute and 2 lap qualification heat where he chased down Max Nagl and enjoyed a brief battle with the German and Antonio Cairoli in the closing stages.

Team-mate Steve Ramon was a steady sixth. The Belgian - a former moto winner at St Jean D'Angely - still wants to refine the set-up of his RM-Z450 and was also struggling with a painful right thumb after a rock smashed his hand.

As the Saturday programme came to a close the forecasted rain for the evening started to coat the venue. More showers are predicted tomorrow for a likely wet race.

Clement Desalle:
"I saw that I could take a different line to Max entering the start straight with three laps to go and took the chance. It is a hard track for overtaking so you really have to make the most of any opportunities. It could be wet tomorrow but it will be the same conditions for everyone to deal with; you have to be good everywhere! In Brazil I made too many mistakes and I don't want this to happen again."

Steve Ramon:
"The race was OK but the track was difficult with the one line. I didn't push too hard but I know I can ride faster and smoother. We will work a little bit on the set-up of the suspension just to find a bit more traction. Whether it is wet or dry tomorrow the start is going to be so important."

ZECCHINA MAKES PROGRESS IN FRANCE
Suzuki Europe MX2 were back in action at St Jean D'Angely for the Grand Prix of France and the fifth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship as Simone Zecchina flighted the RM-Z250 around the Gallic hillside during practice and qualification in hot conditions.

The Italian teenager enjoyed his maiden outing on the factory-backed machine in what is the first of three appearances for the team in the continued absence of Valentin Teillet as the Frenchman recovers from his shoulder injury.

Zecchina was composed on well-watered and slippery terrain and showed no signs of his rookie status as he set lap-times that placed him mid-pack of the forty-strong entry. During the 20 minute and 2 lap Qualification Heat a strong opening period was scuppered by a small crash. The current leader of the European 125cc two-stroke championship then focussed on finishing the race.

After a stuffy and humid climate throughout the day, rain fell during late afternoon at St Jean D'Angely and a wet Grand Prix could lay in store tomorrow.

Simone Zecchina:
"It was difficult out there. For 10 minutes I was OK but then I had a small crash and after that I mentally couldn't get going again. Physically, no problem, and the track is pretty good, not too tricky. The Suzuki is great, the suspension is unbelievable. The bike is good enough; the rider needs to be better!"


Honda World Motocross
Bobryshev forced to settle for 5th in St Jean qualifier

Evgeny Bobryshev appeared to have learned from his disastrous qualifying last time out in Brazil, to bring it home in a solid 5th place in St Jean d'Angely, France. The result sets him up well for tomorrow's motos, with team-mate Gonçalves not far behind in 8th.

Despite having voiced concerns over the tight and technical St Jean track, Bobryshev got the start he needed and set off with the lead group. team-mate Rui Gonçalves also got the drop, and appeared on the fringes of the top 5 after the first corner melee. As the moto developed a couple of small mistakes crept in for Gonçalves, who swapped positions with team-mate Bobryshev on lap two, before being pulled into a dogfight with Ben Townley and David Philippaerts, eventually splitting the difference and settling for 8th position come moto end.

Out front, the top six had pulled away, with Bobryshev hunting down Steve Ramon for 5th position, a position he would take on lap eight. He then set about chasing down Honda counterpart, Shaun Simpson, who was occupying a season’s best qualifying position of 4th. The LS Honda man in front was riding well and although Bobryshev had caught up to the back wheel of the young Scot, he was finding it difficult to position for the pass. A last lap spill for Bobryshev would be a warning shot, forcing him to back off and settle for 5th. Clement Desalle would take the victory in front of the enthusiastic French crowd.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“I crashed on the last lap. Nothing big just a small one but I thought not again. I managed to get going and didn’t lose a position and then I just thought 5th is good for qualifying, I will settle for that. I didn’t want to do what I did last time out.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“I made two small mistakes and stalled the bike twice, locking the back wheel under braking. If I had done that it could have been a different story but I am happy with 8th for qualifying and I will look forward to the racing tomorrow and hope to iron out these mistakes.”