Team Suzuki
SUZUKI MEN DOMINATE GEMERT

Team Suzuki's Ken De Dycker and Steve Ramon proved their pre-season preparation for their onslaught on the MX1 World Championship is perfectly on track by running 1-2 at the first round of the Dutch International motocross championship.

A full field of 57 international racers started the two motos, held in the deep sand going of the 1.765 kilometre Gemert circuit that's situated in the Dutch province of North Brabant.

Team Suzuki newcomer De Dycker was the most successful rider on the day starting it in fine fashion by qualifying fastest by almost three seconds before taking a pair of moto wins on the factory Suzuki RM-Z450. Working his way to the front from a fourth placed start in moto one, he waited until the very last lap before passing Max Nagl to take the win.

Race two saw a much more dominant display from the tall Belgian as he led every single lap to take the win by just over a second and a half ahead of team-mate Ramon.

Ramon qualified fifth on his electronically fuel-injected RM-Z450 on the very first lap of the session, setting his fastest time before the circuit deteriorated too much. Starting in third place in moto one, Ramon did what he does best and rode consistently and strongly to finish third after briefly running second until his team-mate De Dycker moved past on his way to the front.

Moto two saw the two Suzuki team-mates run 1-2 throughout the 35 minute race with De Dycker just edging Ramon out at the end.

With round one of the MX1 World Championship edging ever nearer, Team Suzuki's Belgian pairing will next be in action at the Wuustwezel International in Belgium on March 23rd.



Team Red Bull KTM Report
Dutch Open Fertile ground for KTM MX riders

Red Bull KTM factory MX riders overcame rain and heavy track conditions to perform well in Gemert at the Dutch Open on Sunday with Tyla Rattray and Rui Goncalves snatching 1-2 in MX2 and Max Nagl third on the podium for MX1.

The KTM result was further enhanced by a third place in the MX2 category by junior rider Jeremy van Horebeek of the KTM satellite team GP Juniors Team Champ. Shaun Simpson of the new Team KTM UK also had a creditable day finishing fifth and sixth in the two MX2 motos.
 
Tyla confident and performing well
Tyla Rattray's performance drew praise from KTM team boss Stefan Everts. "Today Tyla was very fast. He won the holeshot in the second moto and he dominated the race. He was on another level and it was a pleasure to watch him." Tyla too was satisfied although he admitted to a bad start in the first race. "But I was able to close the gap and managed to finish second. I got the holeshot in the second and stayed in front all the way. The track was very heavy and badly cut up because of the rain," he said.
 
Goncalves takes first moto
Rui Goncalves, who comes into the factory team for the first time in 2008 managed to recover well from a bad start in the first moto, overtake a lot of riders and secure the victory. The second moto was heavy going in the rain. Again he did not get away cleanly and was back in sixteenth place after the start. He managed to survive a lot of jostling on the badly rutted track to pick up his rhythm and even without goggles because of the rain and mud, finished fourth for overall second place. "I put in some good laps and I am happy with this result and the bike," he said.
 
Nagl outfoxed on last lap of first MX 1 moto
Max Nagl went out hard and fast in the first MX1 moto and lead the entire race before Ken de Dijcker slipped past him in the final lap. He crashed twice in the heavy conditions in the second heat but was quite satisfied with the result of this pre-season race. "I was on the podium so it was OK for me," said the German rider, also new to the Red Bull KTM Factory Team this season. Stefan Everts said he had been disappointed that victory had eluded Max after he had won the holeshot in the first heat and opened up a 20 second gap on the rest of the riders. "He held his position for a long time and had a good speed," Everts said. "We also found some good points to work on during training.
 
Factory team to train in sand
The riders now go with Everts to France for training in sandy conditions similar to those they will face in the season's first GP. Tommy Searle, the other MX2 factory rider did not compete in the Dutch Open as he is resting up after catching the flu.



SHANNON TERREBLANCHE
STRONG START IN DUTCH SERIES FOR TERREBLANCHE

With the first motocross GP of 2008 looming large, there is feverish activity in Europe as riders and teams are finalising their preparations for the world championship season. For many teams, the Dutch Championship series forms a cornerstone of their preparations, and seeing as the first GP of 2008 is scheduled to take place on Dutch soil, it was no surprise whatsoever that the first round of the Dutch Series attracted a world class field. As has become the norm, the series kicked off in Gemert, and the Wolfsbosch track resounded to the cries -not of wolves -, but of packs of highly tuned racing motorcycles.

Shannon Terreblanche had a heavy weight of expectation on his young shoulders. Although the spearhead of the Beursfoon team on this challenging sand track would always be all round sand master Erik Eggens, the bar was set high for Shannon as well. After having spent considerable time training with his experienced team-mate, the team expected him to be able to crack the top 10 in the results, even in illustrious company such as this. The South African responded to the challenge with verve on Sunday morning during the qualifying sessions, and stopped the clocks with the 8th fastest qualifying time, not a bad start to the day.

The weather prophets had predicted rain for the weekend, and this time round the prediction was spot-on. Just as the MX2 class lined up for the first race, the faucets opened up and a spitting drizzle turned into a full scale downpour. Couple this to a track that was already well carved up, reduced visibility, and the attentions of 39 other world class riders all vying for top honours, and it is not hard to figure out that a rather interesting 40 minutes lay ahead.

Shannon shot out of the gates into a leading position, and rounded the first corner in fourth spot. He maintained the pace, but as he came under pressure from top level GP riders such as Tyla Rattray, Gareth Swanepoel and Xavier Boog, he visibly tensed up, which led to the onset of some bad arm pump, and he consequently dropped a few positions. As the race progressed and the conditions were taking their toll, Shannon's focus on physical fitness during the off-season started paying dividends. He found a smooth rhythm, and as other riders seemed to struggle more and more in the energy-sapping, bike-swallowing, soul destroying ruts, he seemed to be able to up the pace just a little. He re-passed a couple of riders, and as the clocks started heading toward the red zone to indicate the end of the race, latched onto compatriot Gareth Swanepoel again for the second time in as many races. Swanepoel is an experienced campaigner and a top level GP rider, but Shannon had the bit between his teeth and wanted to draw all out of this experience. Fortune favoured him this time as Swanepoel crashed, and he advanced into sixth position, his best ever finish at Gemert.

With a good first race result in the bag, a decent overall result was always possible. Unfortunately, fate decreed otherwise. A spectacular first corner pile up ensnared a good number of riders, and Shannon and his Suzuki were literally and figuratively buried in the pack. He cut a lonely figure as he got going again, stone last, and reduced to having to play a catch up game in the heavy conditions. At the front, compatriot Tyla Rattray was exhibiting a sublime display of deep sand riding, and he would eventually win the race by more than a minute and a half over the second placed rider. Shannon, meanwhile, had his work cut out, but he stuck to the plan, and halfway through the race had moved into 20th position. He was racing in a group with Russian Evgeny Bobryshhev and Dutchman Pascal Brons, moving ever forward, but steam was pouring out of the bike, an ominous sign of what was to come. Shannon finally had no option but to coast to a halt. The crash at the start of the race had damaged the bike's radiator, and with no cooling capacity left, the wiser option was to stop rather than risk more serious engine damage.

The DNF in the second heat cost the young campaigner dearly. Whereas a top 10 overall result was well on the cards, he now had to be content with 21st position overall. Still, he could draw consolation from the fact that this was his strongest ever start in the Dutch Championship series, and the sixth place finish in the first race sets a good platform for the races to come.

"Overall I'm not too unhappy about how the day went," he said through mud-caked teeth. "The first race was really good, and it was just bad luck that the crash in the second race caused some damage. I am really happy with the new bike which is going really well, and I want to keep pushing to maintain steady top 10 results in the Dutch races. Next week we race in Oldebroek, and I will do my best for a good result there, which is also good preparation for the first GP at Valkenswaard."

The next race will be the second round of the Dutch series at Oldebroek on Easter Monday.



Grand Prix Kawasaki Racing
Fourth place for Kevin Strijbos in Dutch sand of Gemert

Kevin Strijbos and Grand Prix Kawasaki Racing team-mate Sébastien Pourcel both entered the opening round of the Dutch Championship this weekend in Gemert. It was only the second race of the season for the Belgian star who underwent surgery one month ago after a crash while practising in Spain. Kevin raced Mantova with this injury and then visited his doctor for further examination.

“I had a small piece of bone lost in my shoulder and the best solution was to have surgery, otherwise I could have troubles later this season. It was a minor surgery but then I had to rest for two weeks,” explained the GPKR rider who started practising again three weeks ago.

Gemert was Kevin’s first appearance since Mantova and the track was so demanding that he didn’t take any risks. 10th in qualification Kevin got a pair of decent starts and rode safely to fourth and third positions.

Sébastien Pourcel who had never raced in these conditions before retired in the first heat and then collected a 13th position after crashing several times but never giving up.

Kevin Strijbos: “The race was demanding with muddy sand and many ruts, so after the race my shoulder was pretty painful. It was difficult for me but I rode safely and didn’t take any risks, as it was only my second race of the season. Fourth and a third is not a bad result but I think that we need now to test more in the sand - we did some testing but not enough at the moment due to my injury. I will have an international race at my home town next weekend and then the Belgian championship opening round to prepare for the GP season.”

Sébastien Pourcel: “I never rode in these conditions before and it’s the first time that I race on such wet sand with deep ruts. I finished fourth in the timed practice period but it was not so important as there were 50 riders on this one line track so you just needed to be lucky to post a fast lap! I didn’t finish the opening lap of the first heat and in the second moto I crashed twice. Then I waited for the fastest riders and tried to follow them – I learned a lot and that was a good training even if it could have been better with less rain.”

Roger Pourcel: “It never stopped raining this weekend and it was the first time that we raced on this kind of track! Of course we practice a lot on sandy tracks but never this kind of sand – wet and heavy. Seb retired with a technical problem in the first race and in the second moto he tried to ride as he is used to. He was fast but crashed twice and then learned a lot from Ramon, De Dycker and Kevin who are used to these conditions. Kevin did two strong heats for his second race of the season – just one month after his surgery while Alex Rouis didn’t qualify.”

Sebastien Pourcel will race at the second round of the French series with Alexandre Rouis next weekend while Kevin Strijbos will stay in Belgium for an International race.



Kawasaki Racing Team
Priem progresses at Gemert

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Manuel Priem continues to gel with the factory KX450F-SR at round one
of the Dutch championship in Gemert.

Returning to the championship that he won in 2006 as a privateer, Kawasaki Racing Team’s Manuel Priem continued to improve and gel with the KX450F-SR in the deep soft sand of the Gemert circuit. Using the race as another chance to test in race conditions Manuel’s riding improves throughout the day even if his results don’t show it.

After qualifying in eighth place amongst many sand track specialists Manuel’s first moto didn’t get off to the best of starts. But by using the awesome power and handling traits of the KX450F-SR along with his own incredible fitness Manuel is able to push hard through the 35-minute moto to finish 7th after starting outside the top-20.

Moto two is not so enjoyable for Priem. After getting a better start than in moto one. Manuel’s scythes through the pack to seventh once more before a pair of crashes ended Manuel’s race early.

KRT team manager Martin van Genderen remains positive about Manuel’s progress: “Results at these races aren’t so important, it’s much more important that Manuel gets more used to the bike and finds the correct set-up for himself. He’s getting better and better on the bike each and every week and I expect him to reach full form in time for round one of the World Championship at Valkenswaard in a few weeks time.”

Meanwhile Manuel’s KRT team-mate Tanel Leok is recovering from the shoulder injury he sustained in Valence several weeks ago and is on target to be fully fit for the season opener on April 6. Able to ride his bicycle already it’s expected Leok will be behind the bars of his factory KX450F-SR later this week.



Results by: Steven van Kempen/KEMCO

MX1
1st moto
1 Ken de Dycker B Suzuki
2 Maxi Nagl B KTM
3 Steve Ramon B Suzuki
4 Kevin Strijbos B Kawasaki
5 Marvin van Daele B Suzuki
6 Bas Verhoeven NL Kawasaki
7 Manuel Priem B Kawasaki
8 Dennis Schroter B KTM
9 Lauris Freibergs Let Yamaha
10 Aigar Leok Est Yamaha

2nd moto:
1 Ken de Dycker B Suzuki
2 Steve Ramon B Suzuki
3 Kevin Strijbos B Kawasaki
4 Maxi Nagl B KTM
5 Marvin van Daele B Suzuki
6 Aigar Leok Est Yamaha
7 Patrick Roos NL KTM
8 Marcus Schiffer B KTM
9 Dennis Schroter B KTM
10 Bas Verhoeven NL Kawasaki

MX1 Podium:
1 Ken de Dycker B Suzuki 100
2 Steve Ramon B Suzuki 86
3 Maxi Nagl B KTM 83

Championship JUMBO ONK MX1 after 1 race:
1 Ken de Dycker B Suzuki 100
2 Steve Ramon B Suzuki 86
3 Maxi Nagl B KTM 83
4 Kevin Strijbos B Kawasaki 79
5 Marvin van Daele B Suzuki 72

* Marc de Reuver injured himself during the time practice, he is out with an ankle injury!

MX2:
1st moto
1 Rui Goncalves Por KTM
2 Tyla Rattray Z-A KTM
3 Jeremy Vanhorebeek B KTM
4 Erik Eggens NL Suzuki
5 Shaun Simpson GB KTM
6 Shannon Terreblanche Z-A Suzuki
7 Rob van Vijfeijken NL Yamaha
8 Gareth Swanepoel Z-A Kawasaki
9 Frederik Carlsson S Suzuki
10 Martin Leok Est Suzuki

2nd moto
1 Tyla Rattray Z-A KTM
2 Jeremy Vanhorebeek B KTM
3 Erik Eggens NL Suzuki
4 Rui Goncalves Por KTM
5 Mike Kras NL Honda
6 Shaun Simpson GB KTM
7 Rob van Vijfeijken NL Yamaha
8 Xavier Boog F Suzuki
9 Gareth Swanepoel Z-A Kawasaki
10 Dennis Dierckx B Honda

MX2 Podium:
1 Tyla Rattray Z-A KTM 95
2 Rui Goncalves Por KTM 88
3 Jeremy Vanhorebeek B KTM 86

Championship JUMBO ONK MX2 after 1 race:
1 Tyla Rattray Z-A KTM 95
2 Rui Goncalves Por KTM 88
3 Jeremy Vanhorebeek B KTM 86
4 Erik Eggens NL Suzuki 79
5 Shaun Simpson GB KTM 71

85cc
1st moto:
1 Dave Versluis NL KTM
2 Jeffrey Herlings NL Suzuki
3 Donny Bastemeijer NL Honda
4 Lars van Berkel NL Honda
5 Jens Getteman B Yamaha

2nd moto:
1 Jeffrey Herlings NL Suzuki
2 Donny Bastemeijer NL Honda
3 Jens Getteman B Yamaha
4 Daniel Hutchinson GB KTM
5 Petar Petrov Bul Yamaha

85cc Podium:
1 Jeffrey Herlings NL Suzuki 95
2 Donny Bastemeijer NL Honda 86
3 Dave Versluis NL KTM 79

Championship JUMBO ONK 85cc after 1 race:
1 Jeffrey Herlings NL Suzuki 95
2 Donny Bastemeijer NL Honda 86
3 Dave Versluis NL KTM 79
4 Jens Getteman B Yamaha 77
5 Lars van Berkel NL Honda 72