Everts wins MX opener

Stefan Everts has won the opening World Championship Motocross GP of 2005 with a dominant display, claiming the 80th GP victory of his career.

A crowd of 14,000 attended the race at Zolder, Belgium, to see Everts move through the field from a slow start. After four laps the Belgian reigning world champion had moved up to third, before passing MX2 world champion Ben Townley and leader Mickael Pichon before the halfway stage. Everts was able to pull away to take an impressive first win of the season, with Pichon second, Townley third and Belgians Ken De Dicjker and Joel Smets fourth and fifth.

Everts was unable to repeat his sucess in the second race, as Joel Smets took the win, with Pichon second. Everts finished third, taking the overall victory. Jonathan Barragn and Ben Townley rounded out the top five.

The overall results saw Everts take the win, Pichon take second, and Joel Smetes third. Brits paul Cooper and James Noble finished eighth and ninth.

In MX2, KTM’s Tyla Rattray won both races, with Cedric Melotte twice the runner-up. Andrew McFarlane took third in the first race, while Sebastien Pourcel grabbed a podium place for Kawasaki. Brits Carl Nunn and Stephen Sword finished eighth and ninth overall.

MX1 Championship:

1) Everts 45. 2) Pichon 44. 3) Smets 41. 4) Townley 36. 5) De Dijcker 30. 6) Strijbos 29. 7) Coppins 25. 8) Cooper 24. 9) Noble 21. 10) Barragen 20.

MX2 Championship:

1) Rattray 50. 2) Melotte 44. 3) McFarlane 35. 4) Pourcel 35. 5) Cairoli 34. 6) Eggens 26. 7) Chidoi 25. 8) Nunn 23. 9) Sword 21. 10) Machio 20.