DE DYCKER 2ND IN BELGIAN MX1 QUALIFYING
 Team
Teka Suzuki WMX1's tenacious pairing of Steve Ramon and Ken
De Dycker both powered their factory Suzuki RM-Z450s to top
five qualifying positions at the team's home circuit of Lommel
ahead of tomorrow's Grand Prix of Belgium.
Currently sitting in fourth place in the FIM MX1 World Motocross
Championship rankings, De Dycker set the second fastest time
during the timed session just 0.138 seconds behind the pole
sitter Marc de Reuver. Gaining great confidence from his performance
today, De Dycker's more than mentally prepared for tomorrow's
points-paying races.
"The track was quite fast in qualification because it
was still quite smooth with not so many bumps going into or
coming out of the corners," he said. "It was hard
to put in a good clean lap without getting caught up with
slower riders or without making mistakes so to finish second
was okay for me especially because the rest of the day was
not going so well and I was feeling a little frustrated. Tomorrow
is going to be a tough day and it will be important to find
a good rhythm.
"More bumps and lines should form and that will make
the start less important than normal as it will be easy to
make up time, easy to pass on and people will get tired also.
I want to get two good starts and then I just need to stay
focussed and not burn up in the beginning - I'll be satisfied
with two moto victories."
Fifth in the timed session was the reigning MX1 World Champion
Ramon who looked relaxed and confident as he powered to a
great time just 0.789 seconds behind the first placed rider
around the rough and technical Lommel circuit.
Feeling fit and strong and aware that he's on good form at
present, Ramon is looking to turn his good qualifying result
into a pair of great race results and like his team-mate De
Dycker hopes to stand on the podium at the end of his home
GP tomorrow.
"The track is tough but it is how I expected it to be
as it got rougher as the day went on. I'm not sure if they
plan to flatten it overnight or not but we'll just have to
see. It was rough and heavy for the timed qualifying session
but my riding was going good and the times were all quite
close. I finished fifth which I'm satisfied with because it
gives me a good pick for the start gate and the start here
will be quite important.
"It's also going to be a tough race with two long motos
here. I feel good at the moment and I'm actually looking forward
to the races. If I can get good starts tomorrow I want to
win or at least be on the podium because it's my home GP and
many of my fans are here. I'm riding well, my bike is going
good and hopefully tomorrow I can ride a good race."
The weather for tomorrow's race is forecast to be partially
sunny with heavy thunder storms expected to dampen proceedings
- the temperature meanwhile is expected to be around 23 degrees
Celsius.
MX1 Timed Practice: 1 Marc de Reuver (Honda
- NED) 2:03:015, 2 Ken De Dycker (Suzuki - BEL) 2:03:153,
3 Sebastien Pourcel (Kawasaki - FRA) 2:03:578, 4 Tanel Leok
(Kawasaki - EST) 2:03:647, 5 Steve Ramon (Suzuki - BEL) 2:03:804,
6 Josh Coppins (Yamaha - NZL) 2:04:018, 7 Jon Barragan (KTM
- ESP) 2:04:089, 8 Max Nagl (KTM - GER) 2:04:109, 9 Kornel
Nemeth (KTM - Hungary) 2:04:660, 10 Aigar Leok (Yamaha - EST)
2:04:770.
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