TEKA SUZUKI TEAM IN MX1 TOP EIGHT
 Team
Teka Suzuki WMX1 riders Ken De Dycker and Steve Ramon - who
are currently running first and second in the MX1 World Championship
- both qualified inside the top eight for tomorrow's GP of
Portugal, the third round of the series.
Conditions at the technical Agueda circuit were perfect as
great weather and constant grooming kept the red-soil surface
in prime condition for the official timed practise session.
Reigning MX1 World Champion Ramon set a great time in the
final few minutes of the half hour qualifying session that
was just over one second slower than pole setter Sebastien
Pourcel. Ramon held third position briefly but got knocked
back one position by Estonian rider Tanel Leok who bettered
Steve's time on the very last lap.
"It's really difficult to put a smooth fast lap in here
and you have to push hard and ride aggressive to get a good
lap," said Ramon. "Near to the end I was a little
bit more aggressive and I came to third. Leok pushed me back
a place but I'm really happy with fourth and it was a good
session for me.
"Tomorrow I will try the best I can; it's really hot
so I think that unless the weather changes the races will
be really tough physically. I knew it would be warm but this
is completely different to what I expected especially and
it will be important that I prepare well and ensure I'm well
hydrated.
Current MX1 championship leader De Dycker suffered with pain
from a throttle hand injury and could only finish the session
in eighth place on his RM-Z450 but is still confident of a
good result in tomorrow's races.
"It's a little bit painful because the grip is always
right there but I have to race through it and there will be
no problems with it tomorrow," he said. "I struggled
in the beginning of the day to find any good lines or to get
on the pace but in qualifying it just got better and better
and I was able to do many laps.
"I finished eighth but all the times were very close
and I know my bike will help me get a good start even if I'm
not in the best position on the line. Racing is also very
different to doing one fast lap and I know that if I get away
with the leaders I will be in a good position to do well."
The weather forecast for tomorrow's races is for bright sunshine
with temperatures in the region of 26 degrees Celsius.
MX1 Timed Practice: .1 Sebastien Pourcel
(Kawasaki - France) 1:47:643, 2 Billy MacKenzie (Honda - GBR)
1:48:133, 3 Tanel Leok (Kawasaki - EST) 1:48:387, 4 Steve
Ramon (Suzuki - BEL) 1:48:699, 5 Marc De Reuver (Honda - NED)
1:48:843, 6 Jonathan Barragan (KTM - ESP) 1:48:885, 7 Josh
Coppins (Yamaha - NZL) 1:48:922, 8 Ken De Dycker (Suzuki -
BEL) 1:49:025, 9 David Philippaerts (Yamaha - ITA) 1:49:057,
10 Manuel Priem (Kawasaki - BEL) 1:49:397
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