The French Motocross Grand Prix started today with the qualifying sessions of the MX1 and MX2 classes and the Women’s World Championship.
Riding with sunny weather conditions, Steve Ramon took his first pole of 2008 while Tony Cairoli and Tommy Searle added other two qualifying heats to their winning bag.
Maria Franke took her first season’s pole in this third round of the Women’s Motocross World Championship.
MX1
Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Steve Ramon took his first Lovemytime Pole Position Award with just one minute before the end of the session. The Belgian, who won a moto last year at St. Jean, was the last of the only five riders who could go under the 1.47 minute barrier.
Second fastest was Kawasaki Racing’s Tanel Leok, who remained at the top from mid session until Ramon took the eventual record.
Teka Suzuki WMX1’s Ken de Dycker was third after he moved up the time sheets with two minutes to go while Suzuki Inotec’s Clement Desalle put in another solid qualifying performance to end fourth quickest.
Martin Honda’s Julien Bill took the fifth spot courtesy of another lap under the 1.47 minute mark.
Yamaha Monster Motocross’ Joshua Coppins was sixth with Marc de Reuver, Jonathan Barragan, Sebastien Pourcel and Championship leader David Philippaerts rounding off the top ten.
CAS Honda’s Billy Mackenzie ended the day with a disappointing 35th fastest time as he crashed at the beginning of the qualifying session and hurt his right shoulder. He will not ride tomorrow.
Top five: 1. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), 1:46.418; 2. Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki), +0:00.016; 3. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Suzuki), +0:00.395; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Suzuki), +0:00.573; 5. Julien Bill (SUI, Honda), +0:00.578
MX2
Like in the latest two Grand Prix’s, Yamaha Red Bull De Carli’s Tony Cairoli and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tommy Searle took today’s qualifying heat and brought home another Lovemytime Qualifying Award. Cairoli is now alone at the top of the Lovemytime standings courtesy of five qualifying heat wins. In heat one NGS’ home rider Marvin Musquin rode to a solid second ahead of countryman Anthony Boissiere while in heat two Molson Kawasaki’s Stephen Sword took the runner up spot from Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray.
MX2 QUALIFYING RACE 1
Steven Frossard took an early lead but Cairoli eventually passed him and Boissiere to lead the remaining 12 laps and win. Boissiere tried to defend the runner up spot from Musquin, who attacked and eventually passed with Boissiere slipping to third. Courtesy of a successful overtaking move on Frossard, Xavier Boog took fourth ahead of Frossard who had actually broken his rear brake at lap two.
Gautier Paulin crashed after the start while entering the third corner; he broke his left collarbone and will be probably out for three weeks.
European Championship star Loic Larrieu qualified by taking eighth in the opening moto.
On the other hand Elliot Banks Browne failed to qualify in the heat but rode the last chance until he crashed and injured; he was brought to the hospital for a further check.
Top five: 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, Yamaha), 24:29.759; ; 2. Marvin Musquin (FRA, Honda), +0:05.311; 3. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, KTM), +0:07.662; 4. Xavier Boog (FRA, Suzuki), +0:15.702; 5. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:20.483
MX2 QUALIFYING RACE 2
Searle took a dominant win of the second qualifying moto despite Sword tried to follow his British countryman right from the opening lap; Sword eventually settled for second ahead of Rattray. The latter battled it out with Matteo Bonini in the early stages; the Italian was an eventual sixth after he was passed by Yamaha fellow riders Monni and Aubin, recovering from a bad start to the heat and even clocking the lap record during the race.
Top five: 1. Tommy Searle (GBR, KTM), 24:24.869; ; 2. Stephen Sword (GBR, Kawasaki), +0:02.955; 3. Tyla Rattray (RSA, KTM), +0:06.230; 4. Manuel Monni (ITA, Yamaha), +0:13.202; 5. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:21.251
CIRCUIT DU PUY DE POURSAY AND SAINT JEAN D’ANGELY
The French hard pack course played host to the Motocross of Nations in 2000 and was back in the GP calendar last year after Ernée hosted to the 2006 French GP. Last year some sand has been added to the race track, where some obstacles were reshaped to offer new riding lines. In 2007 Yamaha completed a clean sweep at a sweltering St. Jean, with Coppins winning the MX1 class and Cairoli topping the MX2 podium.
Saint Jean D’Angely is a French town surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape, characterized by the river Boutonne that flows through the town. St. Jean is 150 kilometres North of Bordeaux and the border to Spain and it has got a population of about 7500 inhabitants (data from 2006). Among the town’s most interesting and historical buildings are the Abbaye Royale (Royal Abbey) and the Fontaine du Pilori (Fountain of Pilori) which can be watched while walking through the traditional St. Jean d’Angely’s market which is on every Wednesday and Saturday.
THE EVENT’S SCHEDULE
Sunday June 15: KTM Trophy Warm Up at 8:30 am; Women’s World Championship Warm-up at 9:00 am; MX2 Warm-up at 9:30 am; MX1 Warm-up at 10:00 am; KTM Trophy Race 2 at 10:25 am; Women’s World Championship Race 1 at 11:10 am; MX2 Grand Prix Race 1 at 12:10 am; MX1 Grand Prix Race 1 at 1:10 pm; Women’s World Championship Race 2 at 2:10 pm; MX2 Grand Prix Race 2 at 3:03 pm; MX1 Grand Prix Race 2 at 4:03 pm; KTM Trophy Race 3 at 5:00 pm (local time).
The Grand Prix will be broadcast live on:
EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : MX1 Race 2 at 16:00 CET
MOTORS TV (Pan Europe): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
SPORT ITALIA (Italy): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
VRT (Belgium): MX1 Race 2 at 16:00 CET
GALAXIE SPORT (Czech Republic): MX2 Race 2 at 15:00 CET
ART (Pan Middle East): MX1 Race 2 at 14:00 GMT
SPORT TV (Slovenia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00 CET
MEDIAZONE (Worldwide): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
TRANS 7 (Indonesia): MX2 Race 1 at 12:00 and Race 2 at 15:00; MX1 Race 1 at 13:00 and Race 2 at 16:00 CET
The Grand Prix will be broadcast delayed on:
EUROSPORT 2 (Pan Europe) : Sunday June 15; MX1 Race 1 at 15:00; Monday June 16, MX2 Class at 17:00 CET
VRT (Belgium): Sunday June 15; MX1 Race 1 N/A CET
EUROSPORT WORLD (Pan Asia): Sunday June 15; MX1 Race 1 at 19:30 and Race 2 at 20:15. Monday June 16; MX1 Race 1 at 02:00 and MX2 Class at 18:00. Tuesday June 17; MX2 Class at 00:00 and at 12:00 and at 22:00 GMT.
AMERICA ONE SPORTS (USA): Second Tuesday after the GP; MX2 Race 2 at 21:00; MX1 Race 2 at 22:00 USA Eastern Time
GAORA: MX2 Race 1 and Race 2; MX1 Race 1 and Race 2; N/A CET
www.MotocrossMX1.com
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- Daniele RIZZI, Youthstream-
