MX1

MX2

YAMAHA RACING

Frossard superb for second victory of 2011
Monster Energy Yamahas Steven Frossard scored his first shut-out of the season by taking the factory YZ450FM to victory in both motos at Uddevalla for the Grand Prix of Sweden. The Frenchman celebrated his second triumph of what is becoming a standout 2011 maiden campaign in MX1-GP.

The visit to Scandinavia and round eight of fifteen reactivated the series after a one-week break and started another intense spell of three races in three weeks. Uddevalla was covered by cloudy but bright skies and the track benefited from natural watering of showers on Saturday and early Sunday morning. The layout boasted several small alterations and the terrain was partially loose with the topsoil barely covering a hard and slippery surface. Frossard was competing at the site of his very first career success in 2010 in the MX2-GP class and his decent feeling with a tricky track was assisted by two decent starts. The 23 year old watched by 24,000 spectators - was lucky not to become a victim of Antonio Cairoli’s second corner crash (even if he was caught on the left shoulder by the incident) at the beginning of the first moto and then bided his time for virtually the entire race distance behind Evgeny Bobryshev before moving past the Russian with two laps to go before the chequered flag. Frossard led the field from start to finish in the second outing and comfortably controlled a gap over Cairoli.

Team-mate David Philippaerts was unfortunate. The Italians front brake was rendered useless by a flying rock in the first moto and the former world champion had to endure a large phase of the race using only the rear stopper. Philippaerts was able to enjoy a run-free in the second race (after an excellent launch alongside Frossard from the gate) and beat three other riders to claim third position and give the team two machines inside the Moto2 winners circle.

Third MX1 representative Anthony Boissiere was twelfth overall. His first moto position of eleventh his better finish of the day compared to the fifteenth of the second.

In the points table Frossard has firmly pushed himself back into contention for the world championship. He is third but only 22 points (the previous gap was 35) away from the red plate he previously wore at round three. Philippaerts is sixth and 25 points from the top four while Boissiere is fourteenth. Yamaha are second by just nine points - and vying for the lead in the manufacturers standings.

The Grand Prix paddock will now head south to Teutschenthal in Germany and then east across to Kegums in Latvia. The eastern European jaunt will bring the series to round ten and complete two-thirds of the calendar.

Steven Frossard:
It feels really good to win again. I like this track even if it is slippery and difficult! I tried to stay focussed and ride calmly and my good starts helped a lot with this. It wasnt easy out there but it was easier thanks to that. I was lucky at the start of the first moto because I almost crashed with Antonio and I actually hit my shoulder when it happened. It has been difficult to keep consistent because of my hand injury but it is getting better all the time. We made a couple of small changes on the bike this weekend but I felt really good on the YZ450FM. Cairoli was fast in the second moto but I pushed hard in the beginning because I knew he would be strong towards the end.

David Philippaerts:
The second race was good. De Dycker passed me for third at one point but I kept patient because I knew he wouldn’t have the condition for the full forty minutes. Today was not really my day. This is not really my track and I struggled to find grip all weekend. In the first moto the problem with the brake meant that it was a very hard to complete the race. I feel that a podium would have been possible today but motocross can be like this. We will hope for better in the next race.

Fifth consecutive podium for Paulin
Gautier Paulin captured third position on his prototype YZ250FM at Uddevalla and the Grand Prix of Sweden to toast his fifth consecutive podium result of the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship after eight rounds of fifteen.

The Frenchman was a strong runner-up behind eventual GP winner Ken Roczen in the first moto and rode another lonely race to third spot in the second outing for his spoils in Scandinavia. Uddevalla was slippery and deceptive and the snaking layout once again placed emphasis on achieving a good start. Paulin’s launches from the gate allowed him to jump into positions inside the top three, even though he was unable to match Roczen on the day. GP21 was pushed to the third step on the rostrum courtesy of the second moto classification - even though he had tied on overall points with Jeffrey Herlings.

Fifth in the MX2-GP Swedish ranking was friend and fellow Monster Energy Yamaha Christophe Charlier for a personal best finish in just his second season at world championship level. The Frenchman had recovered from the broken bones in his left hand and took out his recent injury frustration on the pack and his mid-top ten rivals. The former European Champion scored a pair of seventh positions and showed good resilience to climb the leaderboard.

In sixth was Bike it Cosworth Wild Wolf Yamahas Arnaud Tonus. The Swiss rued some ineffective starts and a second moto mistake that should have meant a result better than eighth. His recovery and sixth position from the first moto helped towards a haul of 28 points and continues the stylish riders run of consistency. British Champion and team-mate Zach Osborne had the speed across the Uddevalla bumps, evident through his lap-time at the very top of the timing screens in Saturday practice, but a crash on fifth corner of the first moto ruined a potential top three score. He recovered to eleventh but the American complained of a lack of energy and could do no better than tenth in the second race. Monster Energy Yamahas Harri Kullas left Sweden frustrated with bad starts and a lack of rhythm that produced only twelfth place overall.

Paulin has closed the gap to Tommy Searle and third place in the MX2-GP standings from 34 to just 10 points. Osborne is now 42 behind his brand-mate while Tonus is sixth. Kullas is eighth while Charlier sits in eleventh.

The FIM Motocross World Championship now rolls onto Germany and Latvia in successive weekends.

Gautier Paulin:
Getting on the podium again feels great and even though I want to be leading I am having a lot of fun on the bike. I think they made a good job with the track and also the blue flags as we went through the backmarkers. I started in second place in the first moto and pushed hard to keep the rhythm with Ken even though he was too strong for us today. I thought I had a problem with my footpeg in the second moto but it was actually my gear-shifter that was a bit bent. Third overall is good for me and we will work to be better. We actually did some tests recently and will have a few new parts for Teutschenthal. The team are working hard and we want a holeshot! We want to progress and reach the top of that podium.

I had good speed in the motos. I had a terrible start in the first race but pushed hard to come back. I didn’t take too many risks in the beginning to make positions because the track was still wet, very slick and virtually one line. After that I had a good rhythm and my lap-times got better. I got close to Van Horebeek and Anstie at the end; overall it was a strong moto. The track had been watered for the second race and I used all my tear-offs at the beginning. My speed was good at first but then my lap-times went off with a few mistakes. I'm a bit disappointed with how the GP finished but considering this race has rarely gone well for me I'm content with two top ten results.

Zach Osborne:
I really struggled today. I was fast yesterday but today was a different story. I'm having a bit of trouble with my energy levels and I don’t know really what is going on. I'm just getting over my wrist injury. I made a dumb mistake in the first moto. I came into the turn a bit too hot, caught the bale and went down. I threw away a good chance. In the second race I rode as hard as I could but it wasn’t good enough. It is a hard schedule this year but I knew that coming into it.

Christophe Charlier:
I had to be a bit careful here because of my hand. It is only at about 80% at the moment but I think it will be stronger in the next week and I am looking forward to training more. I didn’t take any risks this weekend so to come away with two seventh positions and fifth overall is a good result.

KTM RACING

Roczen supremo in Swedish MX2 GP
Ken Roczen once again put his own stamp on the MX2 class at the GP of Sweden on Sunday when he pulled off two overwhelming victories in both motos to pick up more silverware for his trophy cabinet.

The younger of Red Bull KTM Teka’s two teenage riders Jeffrey Herlings also put in two solid rides for a 3-2 moto result and second overall. While the Dutch teenager got out of the gates well and put in two good races he was unable to keep pace with his German counterpart who completely shut out all opposition on the tricky Uddevalla track.

Roczen’s performance in the opening moto on the Swedish circuit was pure copybook. Starting on pole as the fastest qualifier, Ken took the holeshot, led the race right to the checkered flag and crossed the line 18 seconds in front of second placed Gautier Paulin. To the delight of his team and the many KTM fans at the Swedish circuit, the young German went out and repeated the performance again in commanding style in the second moto to give him is eighth career GP win since he started racing MX2 mid season in 2009. Roczen can now look forward to going to his home GP in Teutschenthal Germany next weekend where he will be supported by a huge number of local fans.

Also impressive on his return to the track after a prolonged injury break was the third member of the Red Bull Teka KTM squad, Jeremy van Horebeek of Belgium.  He finished 5-9 for overall seventh place in the GP to send a strong signal that he is back and ready for good results. Jeremy said he was quite stressed returning to racing after such a long break and this cost him some strength. He said he was a disappointed not to have done better in the second moto but was pleased to be back on what he described as his ‘awesome’ bike.

Ken Roczen: I had two good starts and that helped me. I rode really smooth and I didn’t even have the feeling that I was pushing hard but I was still making the fastest lap times. It was definitely a great feeling. I didn’t make any big mistakes. I just tried to get better and I want to do it again next weekend. It’s all about riding smooth and smart.”

Jeffrey Herlings: Today I didn’t want to make any mistakes. My strongest point has been consistency and to keep up with that I knew I had to finish second or third. So I was second today and I am really happy about that. I had good starts this weekend and that was what I was looking for so the hard work is paying off.

Jeremy van Horebeek: “The first heat was good. I came from the back and finished fifth. I was on the wheel of the fourth rider but I just didn’t have the reserves to pass him. I missed the start of the second moto and I crashed at the beginning of the race so I had to come back from the last place. I got back to ninth and I did some good lap times.”

Ken Roczen now has a commanding lead in the championship standings with 351 points, followed in second place by Jeffrey Herlings with 337. Jeremy van Horebeek has collected 59 points to be at 19th place even though he has completed in only two GPs this season because of his injuries.

Cairoli takes third in MX1 of Sweden: wins back red plate
Red Bull Teka KTM MX1 factory rider Tony Cairoli finished third in the GP of Sweden at the Uddevalla circuit on Sunday but even more important than the podium, the Italian reigning world champion secured enough points to take the coveted red plate as championship leader for the first time this season.

Cairoli has had some minor but debilitating injuries that have at times hindered a full training program but has been slowly but surely been picking up points.

The Italian had a spectacular ride in the first moto after crashing in the chaos of the first corner. With dozens of bikes and riders descending on him he crouched low an amazingly came out unscathed, dusted himself off, checked the levers on the handlebar and took off in pursuit of the rest of the field. Trailing right at the back of the field, Tony then put his head down and picked of riders one by one until he was up with the leaders. With only two laps to go he was up to challenging championship leader Clement Desalle, admittedly riding with an injured shoulder this weekend. He finally slipped past the French rider and went on to finish the first moto in fifth place, but still had taken enough points to claim the provisional red plate. The stage was set for thrilling second moto.

Tony had a better start in the second moto and spent most of the race in third place, however Desalle, who is his toughest rival for the title was locked back mid field. In the end the KTM rider powered his 350 SX-F into second place but by his own admission, no longer had the strength to close the gap on eventual winner, Steven Frossard of France.

Cairoli’s team-mate Max Nagl, who was a spectacular second fastest in qualifying on Saturday was unable to convert this good performance into a podium result in the GP. He crashed while in third place in the first moto and had another encounter in the second. He finished with a 7-10 result in the two motos and is still fourth in the championship standings.

Tony Cairoli: “I had a good start in the first race and I was following Rui Gonçalves on the downhill then I didn’t expect his move. He braked hard and I braked. It was very slippery and a lot of mud so the front wheel slipped away and I crashed. Everyone was hitting me but when I stood up I realised I wasn’t injured, just a few scratches and the bike was okay. In the second heat I was very tired from having to pass so many people in the first race. But this is a good GP, I like the track, its one of my favourites and now I won back the red plate so it was a good weekend.”

Max Nagl: “The start was not so perfect in the first race but I came from tenth to third and my lap times were really fast but then I had a small crash. After that I couldn’t find my rhythm. I finished seventh but I wasn’t riding well. I was already tired before the second race and I was again going well at the beginning but I crashed again and it was the same as in the first race. This is not where I want to be at the moment but I need to sort out some problems.”

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev superb second in Sweden

Honda World Motocross rider, Evgeny Bobryshev, took a superb 2nd position in the overall classification at the Grand Prix of Sweden in Uddevalla, a career best finish.

In the first moto, the powerful Russian led from the very early stages and stayed out front for 30mins of the 35 minutes +2 laps moto duration. Both he and team-mate Gonçalves got the drop and led 1-2 for the opening laps, with Gonçalves taking the Lovemytime Holeshot award.  As Bobryshev took over the lead from his Honda counterpart, he began to stretch the distance from the chasing pack. However, as the moto developed Frossard began to charge and started to pile on the pressure. Bobryshev resisted for several laps and the gap between them yo-yoed back and forth. With less than three laps remaining, Frossard squeezed past and Bobryshev was narrowly denied his first career moto victory. Team-mate Gonçalves would cross the line 9th.

In the second outing, Bobryshev did not make it easy for himself. A first corner slide dropped him back to 19th position, swamped within the pack. By the end of the first lap he had improved to 13th and began the charge. As the laps counted down, he picked off those in front with metronomic precision, one by one. By lap 15 he was in a four-way fight for 3rd position, on the back of Ramon, De Dycker and Philippaerts. By the moto finish, he would elevate himself to 4th and with this got the news that he was in a virtual 2nd position overall.
 
Not wanting to jeopardise the podium position, he would slip into a comfortable rhythm behind Philippaerts, finishing 4th and stepping onto the second step of the podium. Team-mate Gonçalves would take 8th to earn 9th in the overall classification.
 
Both motos were won by Steven Frossard who took the overall.
 
Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“What can I say!? I am so happy to get second on the podium. I have had good speed all weekend and was really happy with 2nd in the first moto. I thought I had screwed things up with my start in the second moto but really put my head down and came back through the pack to 4th. This was a great feeling to pass so many riders. I feel like I am improving every race and gaining more confidence and getting stronger as a rider.”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“I had good starts in both motos but struggled a bit with my race pace. The grip levels were low and this did not give me good confidence. Of course it is the same for everyone but this did not suit me particularly.”

HONDA RACING

Weather: Cloudy, bright
Temperature: Ambient 20 degrees C
Attendance: 24,000

FANTASTIC SECOND PLACE FOR BOBRYSHEV IN SWEDEN

After a short break the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship resumed with the Grand Prix of Sweden and the eighth round of 15 in the 2011 series. At a cool and cloudy Uddevalla circuit, in front of a 24,000 attendance (weekend figure), the MX1 class was won by Steven Frossard for the second time this season. Honda’s best representative on the CRF450R was Evgeny Bobryshev who finished as runner-up and rode superbly to earn his third podium of the campaign and also his career. LS Honda Racing’s Ken De Dycker was fourth, to place two Hondas in the top five of the overall GP ranking.

The Uddevalla circuit was slippery and littered with small braking bumps. Several new jumps and slight modifications to the layout provided a variation to the track that has been an ever-present fixture on the calendar.

Bobryshev shone on the factory motorcycle. The Russian led the opening moto for almost all of the 21 lap duration, but was powerless to defend his advantage from Frossard. After a long stint setting the pace earlier in the day ‘Bobby’ faced a different type of race at the second time of asking. A bad start when he was forced to the outside of the first turn meant that he inhabited 19th place on the opening lap. The 23-year-old determinedly gained positions and used no short amount of guile to find lines and overtaking opportunities. His climb to fourth was arguably one of his best performances of the year.

Slightly in contrast team-mate Rui Gonçalves started both races in bright fashion, but the former MX2 vice-champion is struggling with his stamina. The Portuguese finished ninth and eighth for ninth overall and will this week undergo a check with his doctor to identify a possible reason for the mid-race fatigue he has been suffering.

Ken De Dycker was a proactive force across the Uddevalla undulations. The Belgian narrowly missed out on his first podium this term after scoring fourth and sixth positions. The former GP winner buried the bad memory of his crash and garish elbow injury here in 2010 to be one of the main figures in the battle for rostrum places. De Dycker’s trawl to fourth in Moto1 was impressive after he had been heavily held-up by the second corner fall of Antonio Cairoli. The 26-year-old had been feeling ‘underpowered’ in the approach to the Grand Prix and the physical cost of his charge wore through in the second sprint as he was unable to win a tussle for third with David Philippaerts. De Dycker travels next to the venue where he was triumphant twelve months ago. Teutschenthal being the scene of his last victory.

LS Honda team-mate Shaun Simpson finished the second moto in sixteenth place. The Scot admitted that he was lacking speed to breach the top ten on race-day and his overall placement for the Grand Prix was ruined by a tangle with Davide Guarneri in the first moto that caused a hole in the water pump cover and saw the engine run dry and stop.

In the MX1 world championship standings Bobryshev has now closed to within six points of fourth position. Gonçalves is seventh with De Dycker in eleventh and Simpson sixteenth.

Swian Zanoni crossed the MX2 finish line in twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth on the CRF250R. A pair of crashes in the first race set the Brazilian back and another incident when a rider fell directly in his path during the second moto meant that any points were difficult to obtain.

The series now continues with consecutive races and visits to Germany and Latvia.

Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 2nd /4th Championship position: 5th
“My confidence is improving race by race and I am also gaining experience. I am making small steps all the time. I liked the track, even though it was gnarly, and I had good speed here. Steven passed me on the last two laps in the first moto. He was one or two second quicker than me at the end and I couldn’t fight back. I slid out a little bit and was getting pushed around at the start of the second moto, but I was able to find traction and lines and moved up to the top five. I was really happy with that race.”

Rui Gonçalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 9th /8th Championship position: 7th
“My starts were good, but today was a tough day. I’m not riding smoothly and obviously things don’t come too easily when you are racing like this. I don’t have much to say. I did the best I could, considering the condition I have. This week I will go to the doctor and try to sort out things for next weekend. I am feeling positive about sorting this out. Today I finished in the top ten twice, but this is not where I want to be. I hope we can get this fixed and it will be better in Teutschenthal.”

Ken De Dycker (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 4th / 6th Championship position: 11th
“The speed was OK, but I didn’t feel so good in the week and therefore didn’t have the best preparation or 100% condition for this race. I was pretty ‘finished’ in the second moto and I think coming all the way from the back in the first was too much. Anyway it was a good result, near the podium, and I’m sure we will be going for it again in Germany.”

Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: DNF/16th Championship position: 20th
“The first race wasn’t going too bad and I was on the edge of the top ten. Guarneri passed me and going down the first hill after the pit-boxes he went outside and stayed there. I went to show him my front wheel on the inside and there looked like there was room to pass as he kept far out. Anyway he then decided to cut in and we collected each other. I got going and was around fifteenth, but unknown to me there was a small hole in the water pump cover. I lost all the water and the bike started going slower and slower so I went to stop, but the engine conked out first going over the finish line. That was a shame because it meant another DNF on the score-card. I was unlucky at the start of the second moto because Steve Ramon made a kamikaze move on the first corner and it caused a bit of mayhem. I need to get back on top of my riding and I’m missing some aggression. Today I was a bit off the pace.”

Swian Zanoni (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 25th /26th
“The track was difficult and very bumpy. Physically I am in good shape and my hand does not bother me now but I need to pick up my speed a little bit. Two crashes in the first race meant I was far behind the others and then I couldn’t avoid a rider who had gone down right in front of me in the second. Anyway another new place for me next week.”

Roger Harvey, Honda Motor Europe Off-road Racing Manager:
“A great day for Evgeny and with such a strong performance. He came back superbly in the second moto and it was a big lift for the team as well as entertaining for all to see. Rui and Shaun are struggling a little bit at the moment and so is Ken De Dycker, but he is getting closer to that first podium of the season for the LS Honda boys. On Friday we had the Swedish Xtreme Academy day where more than 40 riders took some instruction from Brian Jorgensen – a former winner with the factory team – as well as Evgeny and Rui. It has been a positive trip to Scandinavia and we look forward to more celebrations in the coming races.”

YAMAHA VAN BEERS RACING TEAM
Petar Petrov scores 14 World Championship points in Sweden

Petar Petrov of the Yamaha van Beers Racing Team has scored fourteen points at round eight of the World Championship Series at Uddevalla in Sweden. The weekend in Sweden started not so well for the young Bulgarian rider on Saturday. In the free practice and pre qualifying session he set the 22nd and 23rd fastest time. In his qualifying heat he took a poor start and had to come from behind. A lot of riders were riding the same speed at the circuit of Uddevalla and because of this it was difficult to overtake. Petar had a lot of battles around 25th position and finally finished the race in 26th position.

Petar knew that it was important to take a descent start. In the first moto he started inside of the top twenty and managed to overtake some riders in the first lap. He came out of the first lap in 17th position and in the following laps he worked himself up to 16th position. Just after the middle of the race he passed two riders and moved up to 14th position. Petar held the pace high and managed to finish the race in 14th position. His start in the second moto was a little bit better and he came out of the first corner in 18th position. In the beginning of the race he worked himself up to 16th position. It took him some time to make some more passes stick but in the closing stages of the race he gave everything he had and overtook two more riders to finish the race in 14th position. Overall he finished in 13th position and after eight rounds he sits in 17th position in the World Championship Standings.

Herjan Brakke had bad luck on Saturday. He crashed in the first corner in his qualifying heat and was forced to retire from the race. In both motos on Sunday he had a bad starting position. When the gate dropped in the first moto he collided with the rider next to him and crashed. Herjan had to restart in last position and started a charge back trough the field. During the race he passed several riders but unfortunately he had to be satisfied with 24th position and didn’t score points. In the second moto he started in 23rd position and in the beginning of the race he worked himself up to 21st position. Herjan tried everything he could to close down the gap to the 20th place rider. Unfortunately he couldn’t make the difference and finished the race in 21st position. Overall he finished in 25th position and after eight rounds he sits in 33rd position.

Next weekend round nine of the series will be held at Teutschenthal in Germany. Marc de Reuver will make a comeback for the Yamaha van Beers Racing Team at this venue.
 

BEURSFOON SUZUKI
Beursfoon Suzuki consistent in Grand Prix of Sweden

After last weekend’s heat win in the Belgian Championship in Tongeren, the Beursfoon Suzuki team headed to round 8 of the World Championship in Sweden with its MX2 rider Mike Kras. The Saturday program and qualification session went well for Mike as he qualified in 21st position. Another 3 points for Mike Kras in this GP when he took the 18th and 20th position in the heats. An acceptable result showing that Mike is becoming a consistent rider on the hard pack Grand Prix tracks.

Heat 1:
A rain shower made the track pretty slippery before the first heat on Sunday. Mike could not push himself to a good start resulting in a 23rd position. He improved his speed lap by lap and got more confident on the slippery track. He caught up to an 18th position which gave him two extra GP points.

Heat 2:
The 20th position seems to be Mike's favourite place throughout the season when he again started of his race in this position. Mike was not able to put some pressure in order to make some passes to the front on this tricky race track of Uddevalla, Sweden. The focus and control in this second heat were converted into another World Championship point.

LS HONDA RACING
De Dycker battles to fourth in Sweden!

After strong results in the Belgian Motocross championship last week in Tongeren LS Honda Racing riders Ken De Dycker and Shaun Simpson resumed their GP campaign in Sweden where the eighth round of the series took place at the scenic Uddevalla track. At a cool and cloudy Uddevalla circuit, Ken De Dycker showed good speed to claim fourth overall. The best result of the season so far for the spectacular Belgian. Team-mate Shaun Simpson had an unlucky day, the former British MX2 champ only managed to score a 16th place in the second moto.

The Uddevalla circuit was slippery and littered with small braking bumps. Several new jumps and slight modifications to the layout provided a variation to the track that has been an ever-present fixture on the calendar. De Dycker had already made his marks on Saturday guiding his CRF450R to an impressive third place in the qualifying race behind Tony Cairoli and Max Nagl. Shaun Simpson ran as high as 7th at one stage, but Shaun lost some positions eventually to come home 10th.

Although De Dycker didn’t have the best of starts - he was held-up in the second corner by the the crash of Cairoli - the 26-year-old turned his luck around with a magnificent comeback ride. From 13th after the opening lap Ken pushed on to 10th four laps later. Keeno gained positions one after the other to cross the finish line only 3,4 seconds behind third-placed Xavier Boog. While

Shaun had a similar mid-pack start he climbed up to a credible 12th spot when he damaged his water pump cover after colliding with Davide Guarneri. Simpson saw the engine run dry and stop thus earning no marks for his efforts.

De Dycker’s lap times in the second outing not only confirmed his place among the fastest man on track, but the number 9 LS Honda rider was a strong rostrum contender running in third behind Frossard and Cairoli until five laps before the finish. That’s when Ken paid the price for his extraordinary energy expenditure in the opening moto. Keeno finished the moto in 6th.

LS Honda team-mate Shaun Simpson had a better start in the second moto. Unfortunately the likeable Scot was lacking the speed to hold on to the top ten place he was circulating in during the opening laps.

Ken De Dycker: “The speed was okay, but I didn’t feel so good in the week before the GP. Therefore I didn’t have the best preparation or 100% condition for this race. I was pretty ‘finished’ in the second moto and I think coming all the way from the back in the first was too much. Anyway it was a good result, near the podium, and I’m sure we will be going for it again in Germany.”

Shaun Simpson: “The first race wasn’t going too bad and I was on the edge of the top ten. Guarneri passed me and when I tried to repass him on the inside down the first hill after the pit-boxes he suddenly cut in and we went down. My water pump cover was damaged and that was it. I was unlucky at the start of the second moto because Steve Ramon made a kamikaze move on the first corner and it caused a bit of mayhem. I need to get back on top of my riding and I’m missing some aggression. Today I was a bit off the pace.”

SUZUKI RACING
RAMON 5TH AS DESALLE LIMITS MX1 DAMAGE

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 saw both of their riders finish in the top seven of the Grand Prix of Sweden at a busy and warm Uddevalla circuit for the eighth round of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship today.

Steve Ramon collected fifth overall while Clement Desalle defied discomfort from both shoulders, his knee; and a cut on his left hand to claim a heroic seventh in the final classification.

Some 24,000 spectators came to the venue and scampered up to find a lofty vantage point on the vast rocky hillside that overlooks the circuit. The fans would have had a bird's-eye view of a twisty and greasy layout: The fine dirt barely hiding a hard ground underneath that demanded the most from the tyres and set-up.

Ramon, who was chasing his fifth podium in six appearances at Uddevalla, was ultimately denied another Swedish trophy. The Belgian was held-up by Antonio Cairoli's crash on the second corner of the first race and wasn't able to break away with the leaders at the beginning of the second. The former World Champion was part of an entertaining six-rider tussle for third spot in Moto1 and finally passed the chequered flag in sixth. He was fifth later in the afternoon.

Clement Desalle did not have any easy weekend seven days after dislocating his right shoulder: A first corner crash in the qualification heat and then another incident that jarred his left shoulder while making positions meant a conservative effort to 19th in the gate. Another slip in warm-up twinged his right knee. Despite the adversity, the 23-year-old was a fixture among the top 10 and even took part in the same battle as Ramon in the first race as he finished eighth. His smooth style and speed brought him up to seventh in the second moto.

After leading the FIM MX1 World Championship since round three, Desalle was finally forced to relinquish the red plate and now holds second position, 10 points from his former slot. Ramon is ninth and 11 points from further promotion.

Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 now has Grands Prix in Germany and Latvia in the next two weeks.

Steve Ramon:
"I feel quite good about today. It could have been a bit better but I am satisfied. I needed a bit more from my starts and the crash on the second corner of the first moto really pushed me outside and I lost some places. It was difficult from that point. At the front they go fast. I had a good rhythm and went deep in that race to come back as strongly as I could. In the second moto I felt good straight away on the bike and had a fight with a few guys. I was a bit tired towards the end but the speed was good. I think I am just missing that little bit to be closer to the podium but anyway I can take confidence from here for the next two GPs."

Clement Desalle:
"I was not sure if I could ride on Friday and the only plan was to see how it would go on Saturday. It felt strange in the first session but the next time I got on the bike I felt better. In the qualification I crashed on the same right shoulder and afterwards must have been riding a bit tense, trying to protect it, because I hit a big braking bump and hurt the other shoulder. I had more pain in the left than the right! I had another crash in the warm-up on Sunday and did something to my knee. After warm-up I couldn't understand what was happening to me; I think when things go wrong then they keep going wrong! I just went out to try my best in the motos and came away with eighth and seventh. I took some points but I'm really not happy because this is not where I should be. I had a bad time last week because I have difficulty accepting things like this and now before Germany I want to switch off a little bit and try to find a good approach."

KAWASAKI RACING

MX2 - Max Anstie comes back with a fourth
Max Anstie of Kawasaki Team CLS rebounded from injury to equal his best-ever GP performance in the 8th round of the FIM World Motocross Championship at Uddevalla in Sweden. The English teenager had been severely shaken two weeks ago when he crashed at the Spanish GP and was clearly still struggling to settle down during qualification on Saturday as he could only earn 14th choice of gate, but when the gate dropped for the start of the opening race he immediately showed the rugged determination which has already become his hallmark in this, his rookie GP season. Quickly established in 4th place, he never looked in danger of losing that place, indeed by the finish he had closed to within four seconds of the Dutch teenager Herlings who is currently running second in the points chase.

Another strong ride in race two, again starting fourth and only losing a place to team leader Tommy Searle, ensured Max of fourth place overall in the GP, equalling his previous best result at the US GP in May. This excellent performance has raised Max one place in the standings to seventh, and, but for that unfortunate Spanish GP, he would undoubtedly be ranked fifth, a great achievement in this, his first year of GP racing.

Searle meanwhile saw his title challenge suffer an unfortunate hiccup as another rider ran into his machine at the first corner of the opening moto, inflicting damage to the casings which led to a loss of engine oil and caused his subsequent retirement from the race. As always when a rider has failed to finish the opening race, it inevitably took Searle several laps to discover the best lines in the second race and, although he battled his way through to fourth place at the finish and was closing in on the first three, the early advantage they had gained proved just too great for him to catch them. He remains third in the standings, but the first moto misfortune means that the points gap to the series leader has increased slightly. However, with seven GPs - and thus 14 points-scoring motos - remaining, both rider and team remain undaunted in their chase for the crown.

Max Anstie: “I felt strong in both races today, and I was close to the podium with two top five positions. Yesterday I was struggling with the track and some other things, but today was different and I was stronger all day. I didn't expect to be so strong but I felt good this morning; in the first race I surprised myself, and finished just four seconds behind Herlings! Then in the second one I had another good race for fifth to get my best result since the US GP. The track was slippery and hard to pass, but it was the same for everyone and I got a good start on both motos; my thanks to the team who prepared me a perfect bike.”

Tommy Searle: “It’s so stupid to put gravel in the first turn, I don’t know why we have gravel on a motocross track at all! They do it this year in every first turn and there's always trouble; I slid a little bit and Van Horebeek hit me and made a hole in the engine casings. I made a small mistake later but anyway the bike stopped as there was no more oil in the engine. This is just bad luck I think. My second start was better, but I got caught with someone in the second corner and I was maybe tenth. It’s so difficult from there when riders such as Roczen, Herlings or Paulin get a good start; I was able to come back to fourth and even closed on them a little but the gap was too big and on a track as slippery as this you have to be very careful. I don’t think I had the best lines today, but for sure next week will be another story.”

MX1 - First podium this season for Xavier Boog
Xavier Boog showed the potential of the 2012 Kawasaki KX450F when he scorched to third place in the opening moto of the Swedish round of the FIM World MX1 Motocross Championship at Uddevalla.

The French member of the Kawasaki Racing Team ride a superb first moto at the difficult Swedish track, moving forward with great determination to third place in the opening moto to record his best result of the season. With the possibility of a podium finish beckoning Boog again rounded the treacherous first turn in the top six, but, taking longer to settle into a good rhythm this time, lost a couple of places before once again starting a drive forward until he came up behind the obstructive Gonçalves. In the end frustration caused him to crash and, despite setting excellent lap times towards the close of the race, that elusive podium was once again out of reach.

Spanish team-mate Jonathan Barragan suffered from a couple of crashes over the weekend. A slip in the qualification race on Saturday meant that he did not have a good choice of gate for race day, but the Kawasaki got him to the first turn near the front each time. He paid a heavy price for a small slip in the opening race as another rider hit his bike and caused damage which forced him to retire. Jonathan paid the price for the need to find the best lines in race two and lost a couple of place during the early laps before a late resurgence took him forward to 9th.

Unable to train for several weeks after needing an operation on his forearms, Gregory Aranda of Kawasaki Bud Racing amazed everyone with a stunning top ten finish in the opening moto but an early slip in the second race ended any hope of a repeat performance, the Frenchman forced to pull out after damaging the bike in the crash.

Team-mate Davide Guarneri continued his string of unusual incidents. Another rider caused him to crash in the opening moto as the Italian was moving purposefully through the pack. The bike was too badly damaged to continue and, like Barragan, he too needed several laps of race two to find the best lines; by the time he had done so, the pack was spread out and he had to settle for 13th position.

Xavier Boog: “At least I got a moto podium and that’s the positive point of this weekend but it was heartbreaking to miss out on the GP podium after making a mistake in race two ! I had good starts in both races here in Sweden, and in the first race I soon found a good rhythm. De Dycker and Cairoli were coming close in the last ten minutes, but I had enough energy to keep this third position. It was great for everyone in the team, they are all working so hard for success ! My second start was even better but it took me too long to find my rhythm and several riders passed me; Then, when I caught up to Gonçalves, I couldn’t find a place to pass him and finally I made a mistake. Then I woke up and posted my fastest lap times during the last ten minutes, which is most unusual. I have the speed but I need two strong motos in a row to get the podium result which we deserve.”

Jonathan Barragan: “I have had some good results on this track in the past, but this year I crashed twice, first in qualification and then in the first race. I was only sixteenth on the grid but my starts were not so bad; in the first race I was seventh when I made a small mistake and crashed; another rider hit my bike in a corner, and was forced to retire as the bike was damaged. Then in the second race I started ninth and I felt my speed was good, but that’s not enough as many guys go fast this year in the MX1 class and they knew where the good lines were after racing the opening moto. Germany is next up and that is a hard track; normally it’s a good layout for me and I need to get some podiums.”

Gregory Aranda: “After two weeks off I’m happy with the result, especially as all my rivals never stopped working when I went for surgery. I posted some good lap times on Saturday, and finished twelfth in the qualifying race ; my start was not so bad in the first moto; inevitably I did not have the speed to race in the top five but I stayed all race in the top ten and had no pain in my arm. It’s so nice to be able to do what you want with the bike ! The second race was not so good as I crashed and broke the drive shaft gearbox; I found several neutrals and finally had to retire, as it was dangerous to continue. Now I have to work on my starts, which are the key point of the races.”

STEVE RAMON
Ramon fifth in GP of Sweden

Steve Ramon has enjoyed a weekend of good form in Sweden as he put in two solid races to finish 5th overall. 26000 fans lined the hillside to watch their heroes perform on the spectacular circuit, and with close battles in both MX1 races they were not left disappointed.

In the opening moto Ramon grabbed a decent start, but a fall on the 2nd corner by Cairoli left Ramon being pushed wide, dropping him down the ranks and having to fight back hard. The ‘Bomb’ was in great form as he put in very fast lap times to climb up the leader board lap after lap. Within a handful of laps Ramon had climbed into the top 5 which he held until the final laps when he was edged out by Cairoli, putting Ramon in 6th position at the finish.

The second moto would see a top 5 start by Ramon as he glided around lap one. Once again the ‘bomb’ was putting in very fast laps as he sat right in the mix up with the leading bunch. Keeping his speed to the end Ramon crossed the finish in 5th, earning 5th overall for the Grand Prix.

Steve Ramon: "I feel quite good about today. It could have been a bit better but I am satisfied. I needed a bit more from my starts and the crash on the second corner of the first moto really pushed me outside and I lost some places. It was difficult from that point. At the front they go fast. I had a good rhythm and went deep in that race to come back as strongly as I could. In the second moto I felt good straight away on the bike and had a fight with a few guys. I was a bit tired towards the end but the speed was good. I think I am just missing that little bit to be closer to the podium but anyway I can take confidence from here for the next two GPs."

The MX1 stars and teams will now have a quick turn around as they prepare for the German GP taking place this coming weekend in Teutschenthal.

GAUTIER PAULIN
Five podiums in a row for Paulin!

Reaching the halfway point of FIM MX World championship series, Gautier Paulin has once again placed his Monster Energy Yamaha on the podium, this time at the picturesque circuit of Uddevalla in Sweden.

Paulin was fast all weekend on the slippery and technical track and set pole position in pre-qualifying on Saturday. He chased championship leader, Ken Roczen, to the flag in the 20 minute qualifying race for second gate pick on Sunday.

Moto 1 would be a carbon copy of the previous day as Roczen got the holeshot and early lead with Paulin chasing him hard. The two challengers pulled a gap on 3rd placed Jeffrey Herlings before Roczen extended his lead to win with Paulin in a strong second.

The deciding and final moto reversed the roles for Paulin and Herlings. Paulin had to fight his way past Aubin and Anstie  into third but by that time both Roczen and Herlings were out of reach. A bent gear shifter would also hamper Paulin’s charge so he had to be content with third spot and his fifth consecutive podium of the season.

Gautier Paulin: “Getting on the podium again feels great and even though I want to be leading I am having a lot of fun on the bike. I think they made a good job with the track and also the blue flags as we went through the backmarkers. I started in second place in the first moto and pushed hard to keep the rhythm with Ken even though he was too strong for us today. I thought I had a problem with my footpeg in the second moto but it was actually my gear-shifter that was a bit bent. Third overall is good for me and we will work to be better. We actually did some tests recently and will have a few new parts for Teutschenthal. The team are working hard and we want a holeshot! We want to progress and reach the top of that podium.”

QUALIFYING

HONDA WORLD MOTOCROSS TEAM
Bobryshev 8th despite big get-off in Uddevalla qualifier

Evgeny Bobryshev fought back to 8th position after a big get-off in Saturday’s Qualifying Race in Uddevalla, Sweden, to salvage a respectable starting gate position for tomorrow’s motos.
 
He had been running in 3rd position in the early stages of the qualifying heat and looked comfortable – as comfortable as is possible with his all out style – but then the front washed out during a fast drop-off downhill and he was left picking himself up and dusting himself off at the bottom.
 
He remounted and began the pursuit of those in front, starting with Xavier Boog. Towards the later stages of the heat he had caught Honda counterpart, Shaun Simpson and the pair exchanged blows for a few laps before Bobryshev got the better of the duel. Leok was next up for 7th position and although he closed to the back wheel of the Estonian, the laps ran out before he could make the pass, and he was forced to settle for 8th.
 
Team-mate Gonçalves had a fairly uneventful moto, finishing one position ahead of the position he started. Suffering with debilitating arm-pump from early on in the heat, the Portuguese rider struggled to put together his race rhythm and was stranded somewhat on the fringes of the top-10, eventually finishing 11th.
 
The moto victor was Antonio Cairoli, followed by Max Nagl and then LS Honda Racing’s Ken De Dycker in a strong 3rd.

Evgeny Bobryshev, Honda World Motocross
“Umm I make a big crash! What can I say, I was pushing hard and lost the front. I am still trying to find the feeling of the track and haven’t quite got it yet I guess. My speed is good though, I just need to not crash!”

Rui Gonçalves, Honda World Motocross
“I got massive arm-pump AGAIN! My arms are rock solid and I just couldn’t feel the bike. I am holding on too tight and not letting it flow. I need to change this for tomorrow.”

SUZUKI RACING

RAMON 6TH ON UDDEVALLA MX1 GATE
Steve Ramon was continually among the fastest guys on his works Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 RM-Z450 during today's practice and qualification at Uddevalla for the Grand Prix of Sweden and the eighth round of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Belgian placed fifth in Free Practice, third in Pre-Qualification and then started badly but was able to circulate with good speed to rise to sixth in the Qualification Heat. The Uddevalla track was slippery under the fine coating of topsoil and rough on some jump approaches which forced a hefty degree of caution. Even though the day started cloudy and rainy, the poor conditions brightened up considerably later in the afternoon. Ramon switched to a hardpack rear Pirelli model but otherwise was able to focus on his aim of being in a position to take a fifth consecutive podium at the venue.

Clement Desalle battled through the day despite a weakened right shoulder and a badly cut forefinger on his clutch hand. Tenderly completing the practice sessions Desalle then crashed on the first corner of the Heat race. The Belgian fought back to within reach of the top ten but jarred his left shoulder and then saw out the race, crossing the line in 19th.

Steve Ramon:
"My speed was good all day and I felt great on the bike. I had a difficult start in the moto because Frossard came out of the gate and right into my line so we both lost a few metres. The first turns were very crowded and I had to watch out that I didn't crash because a lot of guys were changing lines. I was able to get a good rhythm after that and I pushed a little bit to have a good position for tomorrow. If I want to go for the win or that podium then my start has to be right up there. So I will be focussing."

Clement Desalle:
"I don't feel good and I tried to do my best now but it is really difficult. I touched the rear wheel of Boissiere on the first corner and had another crash. I was coming back through when I hit a bump in a strange way and jarred my other shoulder. We will see for tomorrow. I will do the best I can."

TEILLET BACK IN SUZUKI SADDLE WITH 8TH
Suzuki Europe MX2's Valentin Teillet wasted no time in getting back to Grand Prix pace by taking eighth position in qualification for the Swedish round and the eighth meeting of 15 in the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The Frenchman attacked the shallow soil and hardpack of Uddevalla on his RM-Z250 and gated well to run within the top 10 and dispute seventh position at one stage. The weather conditions were true to the grim forecast in the morning but the large Saturday crowd were rewarded with their patience by brighter skies in the afternoon.

Teillet, who added a notch of stiffness on the front suspension to help ride-out the bumps, was encouraged by what was only his second qualification performance of the season since recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in Bulgaria in the first meeting of the year.

Valentin Teillet:
"It is so good to be back! I had a good start - top five I think - and because this is my first GP for quite a while it took me a few laps to find a rhythm. I was slow at the beginning but I stayed cool. I know my level at the moment is not enough for the top five so I found my position among the guys I want to be running with and concentrated from there. The track here is very difficult. It is different to previous years because they have ripped the terrain and it is hard underneath making it slippery. I think a top-10 place is possible tomorrow because I was not pushing out there and I don't feel tired. We will see."