RAMON PODIUMS AT DUTCH MX
Team Suzuki's Steve Ramon opened the 2007 FIM MX1 World Championship
with third position overall this afternoon. Sunshine and balmy
spring temperatures graced 25,000 spectators crowded into
the Eurocircuit at Valkenswaard for Grand Prix of Benelux
and the opening race of 15 as team mate Kevin Strijbos completed
a decent weekend for the team with fourth overall.
The Belgian squad only had to make a short trip across from
their base in Lommel to Valkenswaard. The Eurocircuit delivered
the same shallow sandy but rough and energy-sapping terrain.
The only difference was seen with several new corners and
a layout run in reverse. The lap-times edged towards two minutes
and 10 seconds.
Ramon gave flight to the chasing duo of Josh Coppins and
Ken de Dycker in the first moto. Any hopes of victory evaporated
at the midpoint of the race as he slipped off around the far
side of the circuit. For a moment he was under pressure from
Strijbos who rode a mainly lonely race in fourth spot but
eventually regained his rhythm and surged after De Dycker
who was fading into the final 10 minutes. The former World
Champion made light work of passing his countryman before
the perilous 'roller' section and was unchallenged for the
runner-up placing. Strijbos made sure of fourth.
The second race saw Ramon again mounting pressure on the
leading group until another costly error - in what was a slightly
nervy performance - dumped the 26 year old on the ground.
He dusted himself down and took sixth to ensure a podium celebration.
Strijbos again lacked the speed to penetrate the trio of Barragan,
Coppins and de Reuver spaced out at the front but another
fourth position left the Belgian content with a weekend of
work somewhat against the odds.
Both riders retain the same places in the formative World
Championship points table.
Beursfoon Suzuki rider Erik Eggens deserves special mention
for giving the RM-Z250 its highest World Championship ranking
to-date with an impressive fifth position overall in the MX2
class.
Team Suzuki visit Neeroeteren next weekend for the second
round of the Belgian Championship and will have only a few
days rest before heading to the popular Bellpuig circuit for
the Grand Prix of Spain; site of Kevin Strijbos' sole moto
victory last year on the way to runner-up position in the
final series ranking.
Steve Ramon - 3rd overall:
"The first moto was going well and I wanted to go with
Josh once I had passed Ken but the front wheel slide away
and I crashed. It took me a while to get back and there was
a big gap to Ken but I kept working. The result was good and
gave me some confidence for the second moto. My start was
bad that time and I could not find my pace. The guys were
in front of me so there was still time to attack but I made
a mistake again just before the finish jump. I hit my hand
and it was difficult to ride. The second moto could have been
better for sure but third place today for the first GP is
ok because it will be a long season. There are many riders
going for the Championship and it will be important to stop
those crashes because the points disappear. I fell off twice
today but I am still on the podium so it is ok."
Kevin Strijbos - 4th overall:
"Today was tough! I got a good start in the first race
but then I had some arm-pump and felt stiff so I could not
follow the rhythm of the others. When Steve crashed I got
a second wind and followed him closely for two laps but I
just tensed up again and had to back off. The first few laps
of the second moto were so-so. I was finding it hard to follow
the leaders but then decided to ride my own speed and I am
happy with the final position. Fourth is ok; I'd prefer to
be on the podium of course but I believe that many people
would not have expected this result from me. I am happy for
the team also because they worked very hard."
MX1 Moto1: 1 Joshua COPPINS, (NZL) YAMAHA
41:01.884, 2 Steve RAMON, (BEL) SUZUKI 41:18.837, 3 Ken DE
DYCKER, (BEL) HONDA 41:27.106, 4 Kevin STRIJBOS, (BEL) SUZUKI
41:37.589, 5 Jonathan BARRAGAN, (ESP) KTM 42:00.153, 6 Marc
DE REUVER, (NED) YAMAHA 42:04.953, 7 Maximilian NAGL, (GER)
KTM 42:06.563, 8 Kornel NEMETH, (HUN) SUZUKI 42:08.376, 9
Billy MACKENZIE, (GBR) KAWASAKI 42:11.239, 10 James NOBLE,
(GBR) HONDA 42:13.223.
MX1 Moto2: 1 BARRAGAN 41:44.389, 2 COPPINS:54.775,
3 DE REUVER 42:05.831, 4 STRIJBOS 42:12.829, 5 PRIEM 42:22.963,
6 RAMON 42:36.973, 7 DE DYCKER 42:41.739, 8 NOBLE 42:45.845,
9 BROWN 42:48.222, 10 NAGL 43:22.691
MX1 Overall Classification: 1 Coppins 47,
2 Barragan 41, 3 Ramon 37, 4 Strijbos 36, 5 de Reuver 35,
6 de Dycker 34, 7 Nagl 25, 8 Noble 24, 9 Priem 19, 10 Brown
19.
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