DESALLE RACES TO 5TH PLACE IN CATALAN MX1
The Grand Prix of Catalunya took place in hot and sunny conditions and was watched by 17,000 spectators as Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1's Clement Desalle took fifth position overall on the factory RM-Z450.
The fifth round of 15 in the 2010 FIM Motocross World Championship occurred in a 'typically Spanish' climate with no threat of the rain showers that created a difficult and slick Bellpuig terrain on Saturday.
The rough Catalan mud was carved into deep ruts that pushed suspension performance to the limit. The many jumps and fast leaps of the course meant similar lap-times and overtaking was not a simple affair. Portuguese GP winner Desalle went 3-6 in the two races and missed his fourth podium of the season by only two points.
The Belgian had a solid first race when he climbed from seventh to third; his fifth top-three finish from the nine motos held in the season until that point. The second moto proved to be a more frantic outing as the 20 year old (21 on Wednesday) battled for fourth with David Philippaerts, Xavier Boog, Max Nagl and team-mate Steve Ramon. He ended up sixth but satisfied with his points tally as he is still recovering from his right shoulder dislocation.
Ramon was luckless to finish 11th overall. The former World Champion was an unwilling member of a first corner pile-up at the beginning of the first moto and then lost places from 11th to 15th when a backmarker fell in front of him on the final corner of the race. A noticeable start in the second moto saw him in the dice for lower top ten slots and he ended the 35 minute 2 laps with seventh.
Beursfoon Suzuki rider Kevin Strijbos - pole position holder for the first time since Sweden in 2007 - finished 10 overall.
In the points table, Desalle is fourth and 13 points behind Philippaerts in third place. Ramon is sixth and just 14 points from his countryman.
All thoughts will now turn to round six with the Grand Prix of USA at Glen Helen in two weeks and representing the first non-European trip for the team.
Clement Desalle:
"My start was not so good in the first moto but I fought through to the first seven and then rode to third, which was pretty good considering my recent shoulder injury. In the second moto I was in fourth place and I was trying to look for a way to take third but it was very difficult. The track was hard for me in the second race and I had to lower the speed and dropped back. Not great but better than staying at home! At least I took some points. I will have a few days off now and start riding again before the weekend."
Steve Ramon:
"No luck in the first moto. I had a pretty good start but I was behind Cairoli when suddenly he braked and I had to also and then someone knocked a few of us over. I tried to recover the best I could and take as many points as possible. My riding was not so bad but in the last corner by the pit-lane I was behind a lapped rider and he crashed in front of me so I went down also and lost four positions. I was annoyed but had to accept it because there was nothing I could do. The second start was better. It was hard to pass and I was trying some different lines, however it was difficult because we were all running the same speed and only possible to go through when someone made a mistake. A hard GP and not enough points. I will take it easy this week because I am still sore after Portugal and also knocked my shoulder in the first corner crash."
MX1 Moto1: 1. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 40:45.406; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:08.082; 3. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), +0:15.097; 4. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, TM), +0:17.617; 5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUUUS, Honda), +0:19.920; 6. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:22.043; 7. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), +0:24.025; 8. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Yamaha), +0:42.355; 9. Nicolas Aubin (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:43.148; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Honda), +0:49.322. 15. Steve Ramon (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1).
MX1 Moto2: 1. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), 39:32.274; 2. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:01.651; 3. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), +0:06.265; 4. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Yamaha), +0:09.584; 5. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), +0:13.111; 6. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), +0:15.946; 7. Steve Ramon (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), +0:19.924; 8. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), +0:20.609; 9. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), +0:24.243; 10. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), +0:44.403.
MX1 Overall Result: 1. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), 39 points; 2. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 38 p.; 3. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 37 p.; 4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 35 p.; 5. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), 35 p.; 6. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Yamaha), 31 p.; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 30 p.; 8. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 27 p.; 9. Anthony Boissiere (FRA, TM), 25 p.; 10. Kevin Strijbos (BEL, Suzuki), 23 p.; 11. Steve Ramon (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), 20 p.
MX1 World Championship standings (after 5 of 15 rounds): 1. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 214 points; 2. Maximilian Nagl (GER, KTM), 198 p.; 3. David Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha), 171 p.; 4. Clement Desalle (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), 158 p.; 5. Ken de Dycker (BEL, Yamaha), 145 p.; 6. Steve Ramon (BEL, Rockstar Teka Suzuki World MX1), 144 p.; 7. Xavier Boog (FRA, Kawasaki), 136 p.; 8. Tanel Leok (EST, Honda), 135 p.; 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS, Honda), 106 p.; 10. Davide Guarneri (ITA, Honda), 84 p.
