Zolder MX GP of Flanders
by Roddy MacLeod
24 March 2004
Last weekend the new Grand Prix motocross season kicked off in Zolder, Belgium.
Home of the 2003 Motocross des Nations, Zolder was again honoured with the first GP of the 2004 season. This year the GP's have returned to the 2-moto format and riders and industry alike seem to appreciate the change.
Photos from the event are posted here.
Here's the top ten from each class:
MX1
(250cc 2-stroke and 450cc 4-strokes)
1 7 MELOTTE Cédric BEL FMB YAMAHA
2 31 COPPINS Joshua NZL MNZ HONDA
3 24 STRIJBOS Kevin BEL KNMV SUZUKI
4 11 RAMON Steve BEL FMB KTM
5 72 EVERTS Stefan BEL FMB YAMAHA
6 10 GUNDERSEN Kenneth NOR NMF
7 3 SMETS Joël BEL FMB SUZUKI
8 18 BERVOETS Marnicq BEL FMB YAMAHA
9 34 NOBLE James GBR ACU RWJ Honda HONDA
10 40 LEOK Tanel EST MUL SUZUKI
MX2
(125cc 2-stroke and 250cc 4-strokes)
1 30 TOWNLEY Ben NZL MNZ Champ KTM KTM
2 19 SWORD Stephen GBR ACU KAWASAKI
3 76 LEOK Aigar EST EMF KTM -Kosak-Racing KTM
4 17 DE REUVER Mark NED KNMV Champ KTM KTM
5 15 MC FARLANE Andrew AUS MUL Dixon Racing YAMAHA
6 16 RATTRAY Tyla RSA MSA Champ KTM KTM
7 71 MASCHIO Michaël FRA FFM KAWASAKI
8 22 FEDERICI Claudio ITA FMI YAMAHA
9 118 BOISSIČRE Anthony FRA FFM MX Team PSM Casola YAMAHA
10 56 PRIEM Manuel BEL FMB SUZUKI
Here's the press release from Youthstream:
GP1 2004 (Zolder, March 20-21)
The opening grand prix of the season was great for the new generation of riders, as Cedric Melotte (450 Yamaha) and Ben Townley (250 KTM) won this first round held under difficult weather conditions as the weather was rainy, windy and sunny all day long.
In the MX1 class Belgium’s Cedric Melotte and Steve Ramon got a win each, on a really rough track. Neither of them got any holeshot, but both were fast enough to come back to the lead. In the first moto Strijbos got the holeshot and led the race untill Pichon passed him in the opening lap. But Pichon crashed, offered the lead to Strijbos – who will crashed later and retired – and finally couldn’t resist to Ramon and Melotte. Involved in a pile up at the second start, Pichon started last while Coppins got the holeshot; Melotte took the lead in the eight lap and won the race, followed by Coppins and Strijobs, while Pichon came back in eleventh. Everts – twice fifth – and Smets – thirteen and seventh – both crashed in the first moto and secured points despite their recent injuries.
For their first appear on a GP aboard their new 250 four stroke KTM, Marc De Reuver and Ben Townley shared the success in the MX2 class. Young Italian teenager Cairoli got both holeshot, but De Reuver in the first race and Townley in the second one came pretty easily in the lead. Winner of the first moto – despite a broken rear brake – De Reuver crashed three times in the second race and let the heat and the GP win to his teammate Townley. It was another one “young” podium today, as Sword got his first career podium after a strong second moto, while his team mate Maschio had to do with a deficient rear brake.
Marc De Reuver (after the first MX2 moto). “It was going good all weekend, in qualifying I won my race and then got a good start in the first race.
But in the first lap I hit a stone and broke my rear disk so I was racing without rear brake and that’s pretty difficult here. Fortunately the suspensions worked great, thanks to the guy from my team”. Steve Ramon (after the first MX1 moto). “The race was not really easy as my start was not so good. The track is really rough and you have to be careful and choose your lines. I had really good lines and could come back to the front very quickly and could make a gap. Now the track will be rougher for the second race, I hope I can get another one podium”
Ben Townley (after the second MX2 moto). “It has been a great day for me, I was expecting this since my arrival here three years ago. I didn’t got a good start in the first moto but came back to second behind Marc. My start was much better in the second moto and I was leading before the end of the first lap. Then I had to rode consistent, and won with a good gap. I never rode two motos as it was the one moto format when I came in Europe, but I like it and today proved that I did a good preparation this winter”.
Cedric Melotte (after the second MX1 moto). “I had a lot of stress before this first GP, but after my crash in the first race I could take a good rhythm and came back on Pichon. Ramon was riding fast, and I preferred to secure my second position. The second race was almost perfect, except my start; I avoid the big crash in the first corner, and did my race. My goal this year is to be in the top five, and to be consistent during all the GP’s”.
Results are available on www.MotocrossMX1.com
