Everts wins MX opener

Stefan Everts took the overall win at the opening round of the Motocross World Championship on Sunday, April 2, 2006, taking his career total to 88 victories.

The 33-year-old Belgian had to settle for second place in the opening moto at his home round, in front of 16,000 spectators at the Zolder circuit, as Sebastien Tortelli led from the start on his KTM. Despite pressure from Everts, Tortellin was able to keep the lead until the chequered flag. Third place went to Tanel Leok. Britain’s Stephen Sword was tenth.

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The second moto saw a role-reversal, as Everts led from the start on his Yamaha Intur Sports YZ450FM. Tortelli settled for second, which saw Everts take the overall win at the first round, but both riders share the MX1 title lead. Sword finished sixth, with fellow Brit James Noble taking 11th.

“I was making a lot of mistakes in the first race and was not riding smooth enough to really catch Sebastien,” said Everts. “After that I knew I had one more moto to make thigns better. I changed my position on the start line and got into the first corner ahead. I pushed really hard in those first few laps and it worked. I was happy with the bike. We changed a few little things with the suspension, but the performance was great today.”

MX1 Moto 1:

1. Tortelli.

2. Everts.

3. Leok.

4. Ramon.

5. De Dycker.

6. Barragan.

7. Leuret.

8. Strijbos.

9. Melotte.

10. Sword.

17 Noble.

18. Hucklebridge.

MX1 Moto 2:

1. Everts.

2. Tortelli

3. Strijbos.

4. Leok.

5. Ramon.

6. Sword.

7. De Dycker.

8. Melotte.

9. barragan.

10. leuret.

11. Noble.

19. Hucklebridge.

MX1 championship: 1. Stefan Everts/Sebastien Tortelli 47. 3. Tanel Leok 38. 4. Steve Ramon 34. 5. Kevin Strijbos 30. 6. Ken De Dycker 30. 7. Jonathan Barragan 27. 8. Stephen Sword 26. 9. Cedric Melotte 25. 10. Pascal Leuret 25.

In MX2 Tyler Rattray took the championship lead with a third and a first place. Britain’s Carl Nunn took eight and tenth, with Tommy Searle ninth and 11th. Billy Mackenzie finished 24th int he first race, but recovered to ninth in the second.

MX2 championship: 1. Tyler Rattray 45. 2. Marc De Reuver 38. 3. Kenneth Gundersen 37. 4. David Phillippaerts 33. 5. Christophe Purcel 32. 6. Sebastien Pourcel 28. 7. Antonio Cairoli 28. 8. Antine Meo 25. 9. Carl Nunn 24. 10. Rui Goncalves 24.