Sebastien Pourcel brings home Spanish GP pole
The qualifying session of this second Grand Prix of the season in Bellpuig took place on a dry course despite the expected rain. Frenchman Sebastien Pourcel took pole in the MX1 class, handing the Green Team their third consecutive qualifying success in Bellpuig after the 2006 and 2007 poles from Tanel Leok.
 Tyla Rattray, Anthony Boissiere and Sebastien Pourcel (f.l.t.r) / Photo by: Youthstream In the MX2 class the qualifying moto’s were a KTM affair with fellow riders Tyla Rattray and Anthony Boissiere winning the first and the second heat respectively. In this opening round of the Veterans Motocross World Cup Belgian Peter Iven took the pole from last year’s World Cup winner Dave Thorpe.
MX1
Winning the Lovemytime Pole Position Award, GPKR’s Sebastien Pourcel was impressive in the MX1 qualifying session as the French GP winner was the only rider capable of lapping under the 1 minute 51 second barrier; Pourcel, who won both moto’s in the second MX3 World Championship round at Castelnau (France) last weekend, clocked his best lap with 15 minutes to go, sealing the pole from the closest rival Maximilian Nagl of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. The latter ended the 2007 Spanish GP with a positive third overall, collecting his maiden podium to clinch his second one at the latest Grand Prix at Valkenswaard. Reigning World Champion Steve Ramon of Teka Suzuki WMX1 brought home a solid third place right ahead of team mate and current series leader Ken de Dycker.
Last year’s poleman Tanel Leok of Kawasaki Racing completed the top five, more than one second away from Pourcel. Yamaha Monster Motocross team mates David Philippaerts and Joshua Coppins - winner in Bellpuig last year- were respectively sixth and eighth, sandwiching British factory Honda rider Billy Mackenzie of CAS in seventh. Home rider Jonathan Barragan of AXO KTM Silver Action and Martin Honda’s Julien Bill ended the top ten. Kevin Strijbos of GPKR ended a bitter 21st due to an injury to his right thumb from the free practice sessions.
MX1 - Time Practice Classification:- Pourcel, Sebastien (FRA, Kawasaki), 1:50.659
- Nagl, Maximilian (GER, KTM), 1:51.398
- Ramon, Steve (BEL, Suzuki), 1:51.527
- de Dycker, Ken (BEL, Suzuki), 1:51.833
- Leok, Tanel (EST, Kawasaki), 1:51.863
- Philippaerts, David (ITA, Yamaha), 1:52.105
- Mackenzie, Billy (GBR, Honda), 1:52.249
- Coppins, Joshua (NZL, Yamaha), 1:52.560
- Barragan, Jonathan (ESP, KTM), 1:52.758
- Bill, Julien (SUI, Honda), 1:52.896
- de Reuver, Marc (NED, Honda), 1:53.246
- Brown, Mike (USA, Honda), 1:53.353
- Melotte, Cedric (BEL, Aprilia), 1:53.483
- Desalle, Clement (BEL, Suzuki), 1:53.525
- Leok, Aigar (EST, Yamaha), 1:53.634
- Schiffer, Marcus (GER, KTM), 1:53.658
- Nemeth, Kornel (HUN, KTM), 1:53.835
- Siegl, Daniel (GER, Suzuki), 1:53.842
- Chiodi, Alessio (ITA, TM), 1:53.932
- Priem, Manuel (BEL, Kawasaki), 1:53.983
- Strijbos, Kevin (BEL, Kawasaki), 1:54.223
- Noble, James (GBR, KTM), 1:54.295
- Salvini, Alex (ITA, Suzuki), 1:54.401
- Church, Tom (GBR, Kawasaki), 1:54.612
- Renet, Pierre A. (FRA, Suzuki), 1:54.767
- van Daele, Marvin (BEL, Suzuki), 1:54.849
- Freibergs, Lauris (LAT, Yamaha), 1:54.957
- Campano, Carlos (ESP, Yamaha), 1:55.041
- Leonce, Loic (FRA, Yamaha), 1:55.043
- Pyrhonen, Antti (FIN, Suzuki), 1:55.657
MX2
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tyla Rattray and KTM fellow rider Anthony Boissiere of KTM HDI MX won today’s qualifying heats to pick the best gate positions for tomorrow’s Grand Prix and to bring home the glamorous Lovemytime Qualifying Awards. This was Boissiere’s maiden qualifying heat win, confirming his choice to move to the orange machinery at the end of 2007. Other Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Tommy Searle finished second in moto one, ahead of an ill Tony Cairoli of Yamaha Red Bull De Carli. CLS’ Frenchman Steven Frossard rode to a solid second in heat two in front of 3C Racing’s Manuel Monni.
MX2 Qualifying Race 1
Right when the gate dropped, the trio Searle, Rattray and Cairoli pulled away from the rest of the pack; with the Brit taking the holeshot, Rattray took the lead throughout the opening lap to be then robbed of his leadership by Cairoli, passing on the outside of the first corner after the start straight. Cairoli made a first mistake to drop down to third, then slipped and restarted his chase from eighth. In the meantime leader Rattray and runner up Searle pulled away from the rest of the field to arrive at the flag in first and second place respectively. Cairoli, riding with a strong flu that affects him since Thursday, worked his way up to third ahead of Shaun Simpson and Davide Guarneri, with the latter suffering from a broken ligament in his right collarbone.
MX2 - Qualifying Race 1 Classification:- Rattray, Tyla (RSA, KTM)
- Searle, Tommy (GBR, KTM)
- Cairoli, Antonio (ITA, Yamaha)
- Simpson, Shaun (GBR, KTM)
- Guarneri, Davide (ITA, Yamaha)
- Paulin, Gautier (FRA, Kawasaki)
- Rodrigues, Joaquim (POR, KTM)
- Musquin, Mickael (FRA, Honda)
- Roelants, Joel (BEL, KTM)
- Lupino, Alessandro (ITA, Yamaha)
- Avis, Wyatt (RSA, Honda)
- Aranda, Gregory (FRA, Kawasaki)
MX2 Qualifying Race 2
Jeremy Tarroux took the holeshot and lead until he crashed; with the Frenchman retiring, countryman and fellow KTM rider Boissiere took the lead and stayed a comfortable first for the remaining laps. A fast Erik Eggens followed Boissiere until he was passed by a fast Frossard, collecting the runner up position. Eggens progressively slipped down to an eventual sixth, with Monni, Rui Goncalves and Marvin Musquin also moving past the Dutch sand specialist. Crashing out during the opening laps, fastest lap setter Nicolas Aubin could not finish the qualifying moto but gained his access to tomorrow’s GP via the last chance. Stephen Sword crashed during the first laps, rejoining the race from the very back of the group to work his way up to tenth.
MX2 - Qualifying Race 2 Classification:- Boissiere, Anthony (FRA, KTM)
- Frossard, Steven (FRA, Kawasaki)
- Monni, Manuel (ITA, Yamaha)
- Goncalves, Rui (POR, KTM)
- Musquin, Marvin (FRA, Honda)
- Eggens, Erik (NED, Suzuki)
- Bobryshev, Evgeniy (RUS, Yamaha)
- Nunn, Carl (GBR, Suzuki)
- Vanni, Julien (FRA, KTM)
- Sword, Stephen (GBR, Kawasaki)
- Banks-Browne, Elliot (GBR, Suzuki)
- Dougan, Jason (GBR, Suzuki)
MX2 - Last Chance Qualifying Practice Classification:- Leuret, Pascal (FRA, Suzuki), 2:11.452
- Musquin, Marvin (FRA, Honda), 2:13.513
- Bobryshev, Evgeniy (RUS, Yamaha), 2:14.000
- Seistola, Matti (FIN, Honda), 2:14.488
- Rodrigues, Joaquim (POR, KTM), 2:14.501
- Avis, Wyatt (RSA, Honda), 2:14.717
FIM Veterans MX Cup
Belgian Peter Iven was the poleman in this opening round of the FIM Veterans Motocross World Cup, the series hosting the most legendary Motocross riders of the past such as today’s second fastest Dave Thorpe. The three time 500cc World Champion and last year’s World Cup winner was almost two seconds off Iven’s pole. Scott Eastwood took the third fastest time ahead of CCM mounted Greg Hanson. The latter has been the last Grand Prix rider of the British manufacturer back in 1989 and this result represented an historic comeback for both. Freddy Verherstraeten rounded off the top five ahead of 2006 World Cup winner Thierry Godfroid, who was back to action after last year’s injury at Donington Park. Former GP winner Charles Sun ended eleventh after a day he spent to get to know the track of Bellpuig, where the Cup comes for the first time since its opening edition in 2006. Last year’s World Cup winner Tony Cooksley was right behind in 12th.
Veterans MX Cup - Time Practice Classification:- Iven, Peter (BEL, Kawasaki), 2:00.143
- Thorpe, Dave (GBR, Honda), 2:02.130
- Eastwood, Scott (GBR, Honda), 2:03.030
- Hanson, Greg (GBR, CCM), 2:03.344
- Verherstraeten, Freddy (BEL, Kawasaki), 2:03.605
- Godfroid, Thierry (BEL, Kawasaki), 2:04.740
- Simon, Regis (FRA, Honda), 2:04.864
- Blancquaert, Jan (BEL, Kawasaki), 2:04.948
- van Dijk, Toine (NED, Suzuki), 2:05.455
- Krestinov, Andres (EST, KTM), 2:07.054
- Sun, Chuck (USA, Honda), 2:07.357
- Cooksley, Tony (NZL, Yamaha), 2:07.427
- Kahro, Valdur (EST, Honda), 2:07.890
- Krajkovic, Ervin (CZE, Kawasaki), 2:08.315
- Jacobs, Chris (BEL, Suzuki), 2:08.969
- Imbert, Frank (FRA, Yamaha), 2:09.189
- Mironovs, Janis (LAT, KTM), 2:09.477
- Ducis, Normunds (LAT, Yamaha), 2:09.608
- Dokoupil, Petr (CZE, Yamaha), 2:10.258
- Casas, Leandre (ESP, Kawasaki), 2:10.259
- Bartoll-Loiselet, Philippe (FRA, Yamaha), 2:10.761
- Ravenet, Gerard (FRA, Yamaha), 2:11.015
- Silvester, Maek (GBR, Yamaha), 2:11.246
- Dijkstra, Koos (NED, Honda), 2:11.452
- Bergsma, Peter (NED, KTM), 2:11.805
- Feldmanis, Maris (LAT, Kawasaki), 2:12.481
- Rus, Andrej (SLO, Honda), 2:12.488
- Vall, Agusti (ESP, KTM), 2:13.355
- Aerts, Johan (BEL, Yamaha), 2:14.386
- Kermavner, Bostjan (SLO, Suzuki), 2:14.791
Source: Press release Youthstream
|
