RAMON TAKES HIS 1ST RM-Z450 WIN
 Team
Suzuki's Steve Ramon scored his second career MX1 moto victory
and his first on the works RM-Z450 at a hot and spectator-packed
St Jean d'Angely for the Grand Prix of France today in front
of a crowd of 28,000.
Ramon and his works four-stroke tussled with championship
leader and race one winner Josh Coppins in Moto2 before pulling
away to toast his first chequered flag since the inaugural
MX1 outing at Zolder, Belgium in 2004. Combined with his first
moto result of third, the Belgian finished second overall
and also moved up to second in the standings.
St Jean returned to the FIM calendar after hosting a round
of the 2005 series. The track presented little difficulty
to the riders due to its fast and hard-packed terrain. There
were relatively few jumps and the small ruts and bumps were
a world away from the rough surface offered at Sugo two weeks
ago. However, the temperatures and stuffy air, along with
the demands on the rider's concentration - the smallest slip
affecting the leader-board due to the similar speeds of the
front running group - meant that the Grand Prix motos were
not an easy prospect.
Ramon was content with fourth in Timed Practice especially
with only two seconds dividing the top 20 riders. The former
World Champion didn't get the best of starts in the first
moto but found some effective lines and speed to work his
way through the top five to third position; his fourth appearance
in the top three this year. It was a preview to a similarly
forceful performance in the second outing. He caught and passed
Coppins and Billy Mackenzie and had to deal with a committed
challenge from the former before seizing on a break in the
last third of a sun-kissed moto to ease clear of his pursuer.
It was a long overdue success for the current leader of the
Belgian and Dutch Championships. "Today my riding was
going really well," said Ramon. "In the second moto
my start was better than in the first. I had to push hard
to come to the front and when I was behind Josh it was not
easy to follow his pace but I could see some places where
I was quicker. When I took the lead I was happy that I could
make a small gap. I need to work a bit more on my starts.
It will be hard to beat Josh in the championship because he
is so consistent; but today it was really close."
Despite a concentrated effort to set the eighth quickest
lap in Timed Practice, Kevin Strijbos tried to exercise a
degree of damage limitation to his world championship standing
but was not successful. The Belgian did not initially feel
any pain in his recently operated knee (removal of several
cartilage pieces) but had limited strength and movement in
the joint. The Portuguese Grand Prix winner circulated as
fast as he could in the first moto but finished outside the
points with 21st. Mentally drained by not wishing to worsen
the injury, Strijbos spoke with the team and a collective
decision was made not to start the second moto. The DNS has
virtually ended Strijbos's title aspirations for 2007. Due
to the close proximity of the next race, Strijbos could be
a doubt for round eight.
"My start was not so bad but by the end of the first
lap I was already dead last," he said. "I was afraid
that someone would clip my leg and on the corners I was hesitant
to put it out. I used it on the ground twice and felt a lot
of pain and after 15 minutes the whole leg felt really tired.
I was too slow. We spoke together afterwards and the team
said it was better not to do the second race. I am disappointed
of course because I want to be out on the track but if I am
not fit then what is the point? Especially if I am being lapped.
Two years ago I had problems with my shoulder and I tried
to carry on racing each week but it ended up affecting me
mentally and made a bit of a mess. I will see the doctor tomorrow
and we will make a plan. I don't know yet for Bulgaria. At
the moment we are draining blood out of the knee but after
one hour it is filling up again. In my mind I had to forget
the championship after Japan. Josh is simply too many points
ahead now."
Strijbos previously faced a 63 point gap to series leader
Josh Coppins but that total has now climbed to 110 and he
has dropped back to third in the championship behind Ramon,
who now has to chip at a 90 point deficit.
Team Suzuki will head back to their Belgian base tonight
and then begin immediate preparations for the Grand Prix of
Bulgaria next weekend at the impressive Sevlievo circuit.
MX1 Moto1: 1. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha),
39:07.170; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, KTM), +0:09.603; 3.
Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), +0:15.878; 4. Sebastien Pourcel
(FRA, Kawasaki), +0:22.818; 5. Billy Mackenzie (GBR, Kawasaki),
+0:24.787; 6. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:27.354; 7.
Mike Brown (USA, Honda), +0:28.635; 8. Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki),
+0:30.757; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:43.369; 10. James
Noble (GBR, Honda), +0:49.896. 21. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki),
-1 lap.
MX1 Moto2: 1. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki),
39:35.456; 2. Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), +0:04.252; 3.
Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki), +0:11.142; 4. Billy Mackenzie
(GBR, Kawasaki), +0:13.298; 5. David Philippaerts (ITA, KTM),
+0:13.914; 6. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), +0:22.373; 7.
Mike Brown (USA, Honda), +0:25.936; 8. Manuel Priem (BEL,
TM), +0:38.659; 9. Sebastien Pourcel (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:41.125;
10. Marvin van Daele (BEL, Honda), +0:41.899
MX1 Overall result: 1. Joshua Coppins (NZL,
Yamaha), 47 points; 2. Steve Ramon (BEL, Suzuki), 45 p.; 3.
David Philippaerts (ITA, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Billy Mackenzie (GBR,
Kawasaki), 34 p.; 5. Tanel Leok (EST, Kawasaki), 33 p.; 6.
Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM), 30 p.; 7. Sebastien Pourcel
(FRA, Kawasaki), 30 p.; 8. Mike Brown (USA, Honda), 28 p.;
9. Manuel Priem (BEL, TM), 22 p.; 10. Kornel Nemeth (HUN,
Suzuki), 19 p. 30. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 0 p
MX1 World Championship (after 7 of 15 rounds): 1.
Joshua Coppins (NZL, Yamaha), 321 points; 2. Steve Ramon (BEL,
Suzuki), 231 p.; 3. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 211 p.;
4. David Philippaerts (ITA, KTM), 186 p.; 5. Sebastien Pourcel
(FRA, Kawasaki), 184 p.; 6. Jonathan Barragan (ESP, KTM),
173 p.; 7. Mike Brown (USA, Honda), 169 p.; 8. Tanel Leok
(EST, Kawasaki), 159 p.; 9. Billy Mackenzie (GBR, Kawasaki),
154 p.; 10. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Honda), 150 p.
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