Everts closes on Motocross GP title

Stefan Everts took his sixth consecutive win in the Motocross GP class on Sunday, August 10, increasing his series lead to 10 points over Joel Smets.

Everts lead from the start, building up a lead of almost 40 seconds over the battling duo of Smets and Mickael Pichon. Smets finished second, with Pichon relegated to sixth place after two crashes. The Frenchman was lucky to escape injury after first smashing his chest on the handlebars, and then departing from his bike in midair. The final podium spot was filled by Josh Coppins.

It was a bad weekend for Brit Jamie Dobb and Irishman Gordon Crockard. Dobb crashed heavily on the second lap, dislocating his shoulder. Crockard meanwhile was fighting hard with Coppins until the final 10 minutes, when he started to slow. The Irishman had spent the previous week on antibiotics battling a cold. After falling with two laps to go he was forced to retire. It was later revealed he was suffering from heatstroke and ligament damage in his wrist. Paul Cooper finished seventh on his Honda, with Carl Nunn 15th.

With only three races to go, Pichon’s chances are looking slimmer on 188 points. Smets is second on 190 points, with Everts leading on 200.

MX GP race results:

1) Everts. 2) Smets. 3) Coppins. 4) Gundersen. 5) Strijbos. 6) Pichon. 7) Cooper. 8) Atsuta. 9) Noble. 10) McFarlane. 11) Leok. 12) Freibergs. 13) Nemeth. 14) Kovalainen. 15) Nunn. 16) Van Drunen. 17) Eliasson. 18) Jones. 19) Monni. 20) Crockard.

Everts also dominated the 125 MX GP class. For the fifth time this season he won both the MX GP and 125cc races on the same day. Everts led from start to finish with fellow Belgian Steve Ramon taking second and Ducthman Erik Eggens taking third.

British 125 GP champion Stephen Sword finished in 11th place.

Everts has now moved up to fourth in the championship, 39 points behind leader Steve Ramon. Ramon is on 182 followed by Andrea Bartolini on 159, Mickael Maschio on 152, and Everts on 143.

125cc MX GP race results:

1) Everts. 2) Ramon. 3) Eggens. 4) Townley. 5) Van Daele. 6) Leok. 7) Chiodi. 8) Maschio. 9) Rattray. 10) Bartolini. 11) Sword. 12) Vromans. 13) Barragan. 14) Seguy. 15) Goncalves. 16) Cherubini. 17) Roos. 18) Leok. 19) Guarnieri. 20) Thain.

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