SEPT 4–GRAND PRIX OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC
SEPT 4–GRAND PRIX OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC |
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ROUND 11 OF 12
The trail of broken records started in Namur August 2001 when a popular home victory equalled Joel Robert’s total of 50 career Grand Prix wins. Second position in Austria over a month later delivered Everts’ first 500cc title and made him only the second man to win Championships in all three classes. Teutschenthal in 2002 yielded more silverware; Everts was officially the most successful rider in history with his 51st Grand Prix. Today in Loket, by finishing in front of Marnicq Bervoets and Javier Garcia Vico and just behind Smets, Everts picked up his sixth number one plate (1 in the 125, 3 in the 250 and 2 in the 500) and tied Joel Robert’s haul. Ignoring the nerves, which only gave him a qualifying position of ninth on Saturday, Everts pushed Smets for most of the race and after coming close to colliding with his countryman settled for second (continuing his 100% top three finish this term) a healthy distance in front of Javier Garcia Vico, who earned his fifth podium of the year beating off threats from Jussi Vehvilainen and Yves Demaria. Vehvilainen, straight from his fourth place efforts in the 250 class, rode an excellent race on the Honda 450 eventually taking fifth behind Marnicq Bervoets. Demaria slipped back to seventh on the KTM being passed by Andrea Bartolini by the flag. The Everts family now have 10 crowns between them with father Harry having won four; one in the 250 class and three in the 125s. Stefan was emotional in the press conference when he begun to speak about his latest landmark. ‘I wanted to win today and was really going for it at one stage but I had to slow down at the end because Joel was too strong this afternoon and I’m happy with second. I slept OK last night but was having strange dreams about not making the start or the bike not being ready! The feeling is different to my other titles but when I think about having won six Championships it means so much to me and I have come a long way to gain this achievement. Finally I have the sixth in my hands and I am so happy to be at the same level as Joel Robert, ‘ he said. 500 Results 500 Standings 250 CLASS Pichon has now racked up 10 wins from 11 races this year, the same as he managed in 2001 and has equalled the all-time record for most victories in a row with eight; Joel Smets also holds the distinction having taken eight races in the 500cc 2000 season. Coppins and Dobb finished on the podium and their performances this morning was significant for both riders. Coppins sipped Cava for officially the seventh time this season and arrived back to second position in the Championship standings thanks to his former Honda team-mate Pit Beirer crashing on the first lap and only managing to capture 15th place. The New Zealander now heads the German by 11 points with only one race, in Moscow, remaining. Dobb, heavily relived and relaxed, stepped on the podium for the first time this year; a long over due appointment for the 125cc reigning World Champ. The KTM rider had spent the week testing in Austria and the benefit of his continuing development work on the new 250 two-stroke showed with a ride of renewed confidence. Even a small slip that allowed Jussi Vehvilainen to catch up briefly wasn’t enough to deter the tough Brit from his first top three prize. With the top four fairly spread out it fell to Carl Nunn and Gordon Crockard tussling for fifth to provide the close racing thrills; the latter triumphed by the flag. Fred Bolley twisted his ankle in morning warm-up and was forced to retire five laps from the end of the moto. With Dobb’s 20 point haul, the Briton is now 12 ahead of Kenneth Gundersen and 14 in front of Bolley in the standings in the battle for fourth, trailing Pichon, Coppins and Beirer. 250 Results 250 Standings
40 photos of the 125cc:https://www.gol.at/mx/2002/wmloket/mxcom/125/seite1.html 125 Results 125 Standings |
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