RAMON FOURTH AT GEMERT
 Steve
Ramon finished fourth overall at a cloudy but bright Gemert
circuit for the opening round of the 2007 MX1 Dutch Championship
yesterday after taking second and fifth places.
The 27 year old steering the 2007-spec RM-Z450 chased German
Max Nagl in the first moto of a race programme that occurred
on a thick and rutted sandy terrain that had been coated by
morning rain showers.
"Nagl took the holeshot but I had also started well
and was inside the top four," said Ramon, who was using
the meeting as preparation and will not contest the full series.
"He got away quite quickly so that by the time I was
into second the gap was pretty big. I pushed hard to make
some time but it was difficult out there because there were
so many ruts and the sand was boggy in places."
Ramon led for the initial stages of the second moto ahead
of a charging - and eventual winner - Marc de Reuver. The
Dutchman's speed was a stretch too far for the former World
Champion so he preserved second position only to slip back
to fifth after his front wheel lost traction on the approach
to a jump and he crashed at relatively slow speed. Needing
some time to restart the bike Ramon lost touch with the leaders
and circulated for a top five placing.
"Marc was just too fast for me so I went for second
place and then made a small crash coming up to a jump,"
he reflected. "The front wheel just slipped away and
a few riders went past as I had to restart the bike."
"Overall it was not a bad meeting. My riding was ok
and better than it was in Hawkstone where I was sick. The
track was pretty heavy and I am pleased with my two good starts;
the day was good preparation for Valkenswaard and the first
GP."
Ramon will now continue his preparation in the sand this
week before heading to Mons and the first round of the Belgian
Championship. The Belgian goes into his last meeting before
the FIM Grand Prix series starts in Holland on April 1st as
defending number one.
"I am looking forward to Mons," he said. "I
definitely intend to win the Championship again this year.
Beforehand we will be riding in the sand again this week and
we will try some more settings on the 2007 Suzuki. We made
tests last week in France and have the bike ready for hard
surfaces so this will benefit us when we arrive to Spain for
round two of the World Championship."
Hawkstone Park International winner Kevin Strijbos was unable
to compete in Gemert after undergoing minor knee surgery last
week. The Belgian was told that he would need several days
rest before starting to ride again, although he is expected
to return and give the team a full-strength line-up in Mons.
MX1 Moto1: 1 Maxi Nagl (KTM), 2 Steve Ramon
(Suzuki), 3 Marc de Reuver (Yamaha), 4 Josh Coppins (Yamaha),
5 Tanel Leok (Kawasaki).
MX1 Moto2: 1 Marc de Reuver (Yamaha), 2
Tanel Leok (Kawasaki), 3 Maxi Nagl (KTM), 4 Marvin van Daele
(Honda), 5 Steve Ramon (Suzuki).
MX1 Standings (after 1 round): 1 Marc de
Reuver 91, 2 Maxi Nagl 91, 3 Tanel Leok 81, 4 Steve Ramon
81.
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