STRIJBOS FIRED-UP FOR SPANISH MX1
 Team
Suzuki's Kevin Strijbos won all three of the motos at the
second round of the Belgian Championship at Neeroeteren last
Sunday and also claimed victory in the Wuustwezel International
race on Bank Holiday Monday to approach this weekend's Grand
Prix of Spain - and the second test of the FIM MX1 World Championship
- in fiery form.
The 21-year-old Belgian has recovered well from recent knee
surgery and flew out of the gate in all three races on Sunday
to stake overall honours ahead of team-mate and reigning Champion
Steve Ramon. He then beat his countryman as well as competitors
such as works KTM rider David Philippaerts again on Monday
at Wuustwezel.
"It was pretty easy actually and I felt good in at least
two of the motos but I had been suffering with some stomach
pain a couple of days before and I struggled in that last
moto," he said of Neeroeteren. "The international
takes place in my town each year so it is an important race
for me and was nice to win it again."
Ramon came through a busy holiday period with two runner-up
positions (2nd-3rd-2nd at Neeroeteren and 1st-2nd-3rd in the
three races on Monday) and was fairly satisfied with his riding.
"It was pretty good," he summarised. "Neeroeteren
was difficult because there was a lot of dust and it was not
easy to see the holes and bumps. I did not get good starts
in the first two motos. Kevin was strong and could make a
gap quickly. Second place overall was ok and I am still leading
the Championship."
"Wuustwezel might have been better, especially after
I won the first race, but I crashed in the second moto and
then had trouble trying to pass Philippaerts in the third,"
he added.
After taking third and fourth positions respectively at Valkenswaard
for the Grand Prix of Benelux two weeks ago Ramon and Strijbos
now face back-to-back World Championship events with a trip
to Catalunya and the Bellpuig circuit preceding the Portuguese
GP and a visit to Agueda.
"Bellpuig is a cool track and it has been getting rougher
for the last few years which makes it interesting," said
Strijbos, who was one of only four riders to claim an MX1
moto from 36 sprints in 2006. His chequered flag was earned
at the Spanish setting. "I won a moto last year, which
was not an easy thing to do with Stefan riding so well,"
he continued. "I hope to be on the podium at least. My
knee has not bothered me now since the Grand Prix last week
so I know that I will be ready to go for the win."
"It's a good track for racing but not one of my favourites,"
remarked Ramon. "Bellpuig has changed a little bit in
recent years and has become slower. I have heard that the
weather is not so good there at the moment so it could be
a mud race!"
The Bellpuig circuit has been a popular and consistent stop
for the World Championship every year since the start of the
millennium. The Grand Prix enjoys good support from the Catalan
'generalitat' and was last year voted 'best circuit and infrastructure'
by series promoters Youthstream.
The course itself is a quick 1600 metre, hard-pack test that
curls around a steep central hill providing a series of hefty
step-ups as well as some of the most breathtaking jumps seen
on the GP schedule.
The Spanish Grand Prix routinely enjoys a healthy attendance,
particularly in the off-road racing hotbed of north-eastern
region Catalunya. Despite a week of wet and dismal weather
over nearby Barcelona, the forecast for the weekend is slightly
better with scattered showers predicted near the city of Lleida.
World Championship Standings (after 1 round of 15):
1 Joshua Coppins (NZL) Yamaha 47, 2 Jonathan Barragan (ESP)
KTM 41, 3 Steve Ramon (BEL) Suzuki 37, 4 Kevin Strijbos (BEL)
Suzuki 36, 5 Marc de Reuver (NED) Yamaha 35, 6 Ken de Dycker
(BEL) Honda 34, 7 Maximilian Nagl (GER) KTM 25, 8 James Noble
(GBR) Honda 24, 9 Manuel Priem (BEL) TM 19, 10 Mike Brown
(USA) Honda 19.
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