The defending champion will start as the man to beat. Ryan Villopoto isn't always the fastest on the track, but crucially he does what he has to do, when he has to do it, in order to win championships. It is that ability to accept a defeat but win when the chips are down that makes him the favourite again for 2012. Villopoto gets the job done, he has that little chip on his shoulder and has 100% focus on his job.... and that is how Ryan sees motocross, it isn't fun or a hobby, it is something right now that he is paid to do. He doesn't care about celebrity or hype, he just wants to win, and Villopoto will give everything he has to accomplish that goal.
Chad Reed can never be counted out, he blew some peoples minds last year coming so close to a title on his own team, but it wasn't really a surprise. Reed is always there, he is smart, calculated, headstrong and always in control. This year Reed has a full factory Honda at his disposal, and with Mike Gosselar back in his camp, Reed will be able start the season stronger, and, if he gets his nose in front early he could be hard to stop. Chad forces riders to ride their perfect race to beat him, and it is hard to ride the perfect race seventeen times in a row in supercross.
Ryan Dungey could've have won the Supercross title last year, a mechanical arguably prevented his series win, but the truth is Ryan was always there, but never really there for the title. He one won race all year, and suffered bad starts for a large part of the season. This year is fascinating as Ryan is back with his trusted team manager DeCoster but on a brand new machine with KTM. The diacotemy of familiarity and change is the reverse of last season, but it seems Ryan places DeCoster as more important than the machine, and he has the belief that DeCoster can get this KTM to a place where he can win the Supercross title on it.
With the success DeCoster and Dungey have had in the past, and the success KTM have had in the World Championship it is a recipe for winning US titles - but will they discover the perfect mixture in their first season? Dungey showed he is already close with his performance in the Monster Energy cup, you can never count Ryan out, but he will need to show more aggression, and get better starts compared to 2011, even if the bike is ready to win.
This brings us to James Stewart. Let's start with the obvious, James Stewart's raw speed is absurd. No-one has the raw speed and explosivness out of the corners that James has, but right now the rest are closer to that pace than they ever have been. Stewart needs to ride at 110% to be faster than these guys now, and that is when he makes mistakes. When Stewart didn't ride at 110% the other guys were just as fast and could beat him, when he did ride at 110% to prove a point he crashed. Alot.
Stewart still won races when he found the right balance with himself (and the Yamaha). So he still has what it takes to win. For 2012 he has signed with JGR Yamaha, and is back with his former mechanic Jeremy Albrecht, with whom he had much success with Kawaski. He also has the vast resources of JGR to make the bike more suited to him, so maybe, just maybe, James will refocus 100% on the sport and restablish himself as the the best supercross rider there is. He has no more excuses with that team around him, he can do it, but the question remains, will he accept losing some battles in order to win the war?
The final member of the big five is Mr Trey Canard. The nicest guy in the sport, Canard had been a revelation in his debut season on the 450. A stunning style with memorable scrubs and blazing speed until injury stoppped him, essentially sums up his 2011 supercross season. This year Trey is coming back after his second broken leg, and, if he finds the speed from last year he will be a contender. Trey seems to perform better when the pressure is off, his two championships came when no-one expected him to win. If Trey can take the pressure off himself, just relax, believe, and ride like he can, there is no reason why he can't win this title. If he does there will be no better SX champion for kids to aspire to be.
It is hard to look past these five as the potential champion, but there are plenty of riders who, on their day, will be able to challenge for podiums and wins, especially Josh Grant.
Grant has the talent and speed of the top five, but as of yet he has never been able to put a consistent season together. Knee injuries ruined last season, and he is only now getting back on the back, which doesn't leave him much time to prepare himself or his Jeff Ward racing Kawasaki. Ward has expressed his belief in Josh and insists he is the man to steer Grant in the right direction and show him how to be a consistent top runner and championship challenger. Let's hope so, Josh has too much talent not to be up there.
Davi Millsaps falls into a similar category, this year he is team mates with James Stewart and again, everyone is wondering if this will be the year he can ride to his potential. Like Grant, Davi is coming of injuries, but, like Grant, if everything clicks he has the stuff to run with the top five.
Kevin Windham is always a threat to win races, and it is still great to be able to watch Mr Smooth racing with the latest generation of top riders. On talent alone Windham may be the best, but mentally he has always struggled under pressure, and with a family now, Windham isn't willing to hang it out when he isn't comfortable, but when he is on there is no-one better to watch.
Andrew Short was sixth last year on the 350 KTM, but this season has made the move back to his beloved Honda with the Larry Brooks/ Jeremy McGrath team. Short is solid, professional and consistent but has yet to win a supercross, and that will no doubt be his goal for 2012. However, it is hard to see him bettering his sixth position from last season if the top five stay healthy again, but, with Jeremy McGrath in his corner, Short will be determined to be more than best of the rest this year.
Jake Weimar is the big unknown, he was injured prior to last season and only rode the final few races, this season he is healthy and ready to do battle. Weimer wants to be a regular top five guy, he battled and beat Dungey and Canard in the lites Supercross racs and he believes he can do it again on the 450. He has a great style and technique for supercross, but the second year factory Kawasaki rider really has to prove he can do it this year.
The 2012 supercross season is so stacked, we never even mentioned the consistent and reliable Brett Metcalfe, but Supercross has never been his strong point and top tens and top five will be a success for him.
The two dark horses this year could well be Kyle Chisholm and Justin Brayton.Chisholm is the quiet achiever and is a good bet for top ten this year on Jeff Ward's Kawi team. While Brayton showed good speed last year on the JGR Yamaha, but with Honda he will be expected to be challenging the front guys regularly in the main events, can he step up and deliver? It remains to be seen, but Brayton will give 100%.
Other big names include the fast but fragile Austin Stroupe, Jimmy Albertson, Mike Alessi, Ivan Tedesco, Josh Hansen, Josh Hill, Nico Izzi, Nick Wey, Broc Tickle, Michael Byrne and Ryan Morais. With the series so deep it will be an achievement to make the main if the talent remains injury free, one thing is for sure - starts will be more vital than ever!
Supercross 2012 will be mega, only a month to go...
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Chad Reed - Inspiration
Chad Reed is one of the best motocross/supercross riders that has ever lived. We knew that before the events at Millville, but his ride to fourteenth after his frightening crash will cement his name forever in the annuls of motocross history and his status as a legend.
Chad Reed has never been out of the top three (except for injury in 2010) since the start of his professional career in the top tier of the sport. Since 2001, when Chad came second in the 250cc World Championship (still one of his most impressive achievements in my eyes), he has always been in the top three of the US mx or sx series, and indeed 10 years later he finished second in the 2011 Supercross Championship and is currently leading the US national outdoor championship.
Maybe only the two greatest riders of all time, Stefan Everts and Ricky Carmichael can boast of careers that have as consistently been at the top for that long, and that is the sort of company Chad Reed can keep, because he is that good.
Add in three major championships and an Eastern Region Supercross title in his debut season, Reed has the titles to back up his incedible consistency. He is also fourth on the all time supercross win list, and top of the all time podium supercross list. The numbers dont lie, but it is not only the statistics that make Reed one of the best ever it is the way he has done it.
Chad's style and technique on a motorcycle can be matched by maybe only a handful of riders, he can ride at the top level and do it while in complete control, and ooze style while doing it. His riding style is perfect to show a young rider how to ride a bike, but more than that his mental strength, intelligence and self confidence are perhaps equally as invaluable to his success.
Chad Reed just doesn't know when he is beaten. Reed can get smoked by 30 seconds multiple times and come out the next race and believe he is going to win, this has been shown time and time again, even in 2011. This mental fortitude and fight is perhaps the key to his success, as is his intelligence.
Chad Reed is smart, on the bike and off it. He doesn't use too much energy when he rides, he doesn't push himself to the point where he will crash every week trying to win. His "You have to be in it, to win it"attitude has allowed him to compete his entire career without too many injuries, he pushed his rivals to their breaking point, but doesn't push himself to same risk, he allows others to make mistakes and he reads race situations excellently.
2011 has maybe been Reed's most impressive season. Proving people wrong has been one of Chad's greatest motivations, and many wrote off the Australian's chances when he decided at the last minute to put his own team together without factory support and on a brand new motorcycle he had never ridden before.
Yet again Reed proved he was smart, he got the right people in and created the best environment to win, he also had a hand in designing his team graphics and riding gear - team two two is one of the best looking teams in the pits.
Both Jeremy McGrath and Jeff Stanton doubted Reed's ability to win coming into 2011, but Chad proved everyone wrong once more, only four points from the supercross champoinship including two wins, it proved once again just what a shrewd and talented guy Reed is.
His crash at Millville bore testament to just how tough and how much heart Chad Reed has. Every aspect of Reeds qualities were tested, and he pulled through like never before. He wants this outdoor title, and he wants it bad , if he wins the US motocross championship against Villopoto and Dungey, it would go down as his greatest title ever in my opinion.
Chad Reed has come a long way from Australia, he doesn't have home country advantage, he never has, yet he is taking it too his American counterparts year afer year on ambition, talent and self-belief. It should never be underestimated what Reed has had to do and the things he has sacrificed to get where he has, and it makes his achievements all the more remarkable.
Chad Reed was already a legend, but Millville has turned him into an inspiration. Never give up, always believe, that is Chad Reed.
Chad Reed has never been out of the top three (except for injury in 2010) since the start of his professional career in the top tier of the sport. Since 2001, when Chad came second in the 250cc World Championship (still one of his most impressive achievements in my eyes), he has always been in the top three of the US mx or sx series, and indeed 10 years later he finished second in the 2011 Supercross Championship and is currently leading the US national outdoor championship.
Maybe only the two greatest riders of all time, Stefan Everts and Ricky Carmichael can boast of careers that have as consistently been at the top for that long, and that is the sort of company Chad Reed can keep, because he is that good.
Add in three major championships and an Eastern Region Supercross title in his debut season, Reed has the titles to back up his incedible consistency. He is also fourth on the all time supercross win list, and top of the all time podium supercross list. The numbers dont lie, but it is not only the statistics that make Reed one of the best ever it is the way he has done it.
Chad's style and technique on a motorcycle can be matched by maybe only a handful of riders, he can ride at the top level and do it while in complete control, and ooze style while doing it. His riding style is perfect to show a young rider how to ride a bike, but more than that his mental strength, intelligence and self confidence are perhaps equally as invaluable to his success.
Chad Reed just doesn't know when he is beaten. Reed can get smoked by 30 seconds multiple times and come out the next race and believe he is going to win, this has been shown time and time again, even in 2011. This mental fortitude and fight is perhaps the key to his success, as is his intelligence.
Chad Reed is smart, on the bike and off it. He doesn't use too much energy when he rides, he doesn't push himself to the point where he will crash every week trying to win. His "You have to be in it, to win it"attitude has allowed him to compete his entire career without too many injuries, he pushed his rivals to their breaking point, but doesn't push himself to same risk, he allows others to make mistakes and he reads race situations excellently.
2011 has maybe been Reed's most impressive season. Proving people wrong has been one of Chad's greatest motivations, and many wrote off the Australian's chances when he decided at the last minute to put his own team together without factory support and on a brand new motorcycle he had never ridden before.
Yet again Reed proved he was smart, he got the right people in and created the best environment to win, he also had a hand in designing his team graphics and riding gear - team two two is one of the best looking teams in the pits.
Both Jeremy McGrath and Jeff Stanton doubted Reed's ability to win coming into 2011, but Chad proved everyone wrong once more, only four points from the supercross champoinship including two wins, it proved once again just what a shrewd and talented guy Reed is.
His crash at Millville bore testament to just how tough and how much heart Chad Reed has. Every aspect of Reeds qualities were tested, and he pulled through like never before. He wants this outdoor title, and he wants it bad , if he wins the US motocross championship against Villopoto and Dungey, it would go down as his greatest title ever in my opinion.
Chad Reed has come a long way from Australia, he doesn't have home country advantage, he never has, yet he is taking it too his American counterparts year afer year on ambition, talent and self-belief. It should never be underestimated what Reed has had to do and the things he has sacrificed to get where he has, and it makes his achievements all the more remarkable.
Chad Reed was already a legend, but Millville has turned him into an inspiration. Never give up, always believe, that is Chad Reed.
Monday, 4 July 2011
Christophe Pourcel - is he ready for GP racing?
Christophe Pourcel is an enigma. Many have tried and many have failed to understand the Frenchman on multiple levels, When it comes to riding a motocross bike, most can't understand how he can go so fast and make it look so as easy, he creates the percetion that he isn't trying...but the best are renowned for making it look easy.
On a personal level he has been described as aloof and arrogant or shy and misunderstand depending on who you talk too. But nothing was as confusing as his decision to join Motoconcepts Yamaha for the US motocross nationals.
As that deal reached it's inevitable problems, and subsequent contract termination, the blame game went between Pourcel having to deal with a sub par team or Pourcel not putting in enough effort on or off the bike. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between and it is better for both parties to go their seperate ways to achieve their own goals, their own way.
But now Pourcel has no more excuses, he is back on his beloved Kawasaki, he is back with a Mitch Payton backed team, he is back with some of the people that guided him to his world title in 2006, and he is back in the World Championship. This time it is MX1.
But can he win? On a talent level, there is no question.. even on the MC Yamaha he passed Reed and Villopoto. The main question is his comfort level and fitness. He has been riding the 450 Kawasaki since 2006, in fact, CP was still practicing on one during the US nationals after he didn't receive a Yamaha to his Florida home. So his adaption to the bike should be no problem. That just leaves the question of fitness, it is believed Pourcel had arm pump surgery after Freestone, and that, combined with feeling good on the bike, should alleviate some of his problems to complete a race riding a 100%.
Can he get fit enough however to ride two days of GP motocross everyday to challenge Cairoli and co? That remains to be seen, but his speed and talent are there and going by this video CP should be a contender for the MX1 podium in Germany this weekend... but he might be a little shocked at the depth of competition!
My guess is Pourcel wants to get his reputation back and have people talk about his talent and speed. Christophe will want to beat his GP rival Cairoli in the GPs and establish himself as the top French 450 rider by beating Frossard. If he does that he will get picked for the MXDN in his home country of France, and no doubt he motivation will be high to win the race individually and as a team. Pourcel will be motivated to put it to Cairoli, Desalle, Villopoto, Reed and Dungey to prove a lot of the naysayers wrong especially in America, who say he can't cut it on a 450.
Christophe Pourcel is back..and he looks good.
Don't write the mercurial Frenchman off, he has come back from much worse!
On a personal level he has been described as aloof and arrogant or shy and misunderstand depending on who you talk too. But nothing was as confusing as his decision to join Motoconcepts Yamaha for the US motocross nationals.
As that deal reached it's inevitable problems, and subsequent contract termination, the blame game went between Pourcel having to deal with a sub par team or Pourcel not putting in enough effort on or off the bike. Perhaps the truth is somewhere in between and it is better for both parties to go their seperate ways to achieve their own goals, their own way.
But now Pourcel has no more excuses, he is back on his beloved Kawasaki, he is back with a Mitch Payton backed team, he is back with some of the people that guided him to his world title in 2006, and he is back in the World Championship. This time it is MX1.
But can he win? On a talent level, there is no question.. even on the MC Yamaha he passed Reed and Villopoto. The main question is his comfort level and fitness. He has been riding the 450 Kawasaki since 2006, in fact, CP was still practicing on one during the US nationals after he didn't receive a Yamaha to his Florida home. So his adaption to the bike should be no problem. That just leaves the question of fitness, it is believed Pourcel had arm pump surgery after Freestone, and that, combined with feeling good on the bike, should alleviate some of his problems to complete a race riding a 100%.
Can he get fit enough however to ride two days of GP motocross everyday to challenge Cairoli and co? That remains to be seen, but his speed and talent are there and going by this video CP should be a contender for the MX1 podium in Germany this weekend... but he might be a little shocked at the depth of competition!
My guess is Pourcel wants to get his reputation back and have people talk about his talent and speed. Christophe will want to beat his GP rival Cairoli in the GPs and establish himself as the top French 450 rider by beating Frossard. If he does that he will get picked for the MXDN in his home country of France, and no doubt he motivation will be high to win the race individually and as a team. Pourcel will be motivated to put it to Cairoli, Desalle, Villopoto, Reed and Dungey to prove a lot of the naysayers wrong especially in America, who say he can't cut it on a 450.
Christophe Pourcel is back..and he looks good.
Don't write the mercurial Frenchman off, he has come back from much worse!
Friday, 27 May 2011
Kevin Windham - Poetry in Motion
While watching the first moto at Hangtown last weekend it occured to me yet again that it doesn't get much better than watching Kevin Windham ride a dirt bike. Silky smooth, with his trademark low elbows and leaning way over the front, Windham makes riding a motocross bike look effortless.
It is one thing to go as fast as anyone in the world on a motocross bike by trying hard, getting out of shape and riding on pure heart. However, it is another thing to beat the best in the world while in total control, with a fluid, technically perfect and yet nonchalent style. It is almost magical to witness and something that very very few guys in the world have the skill to perform. Kevin Windham is one of those guys.
Windham led the first fifteen minutes of race one at Hangtown, despite only riding the bike once prior to the race. Nothing has changed, the pace is still there, his style flawless. You could have been forgiven for thinking you were watching the 1999 Hangtown National, Kevin's first year on big red. The sheer riding talent Kevin has is unbelievable, his transfers during the supercross series are becoming stuff of legend, his performance in Las Vegas stunned even James Stewart, and everyone loves watching him ride including the great Ricky Carmichael. Windham oozes control, class and style on a bike.
Guys like Kevin Windham or Stefan Everts, Christophe Pourcel, Jeremy McGrath, JMB, David Bailey, Steve Ramon and Chad Reed to name a few aren't just motocross riders, they are artists on a motocross bike. Ignore the titles they have or have not won but look at their riding style, and when everything clicks there is no one better, smoother or faster on the track. These are the guys that make you want to ride, they turn motocross from a tough rough mistake strewn sport and make it beautiful. They float over bumps, and flow effortlessly round corners, they glide around the most treachorous track and make the difficult look easy.
For me these riders are worth the admission price alone, in the same way the Barcelona football team currently encapsulate the beatiful game played the perfect way, and Roger Federer has transformed tennis into a sublime artform, these guys encapsulate how everyone should want to ride a motocross bike. It is motocross the right way, the way it should be - motocross in the purest form.
Kevin Windham is a pleasure to watch and for any fan or aspiring rider out there, take some time to closely watch the way he rides a motorcycle, and enjoy the last couple of seasons of one of the smoothest most naturally talented riders the world has ever seen.
It is one thing to go as fast as anyone in the world on a motocross bike by trying hard, getting out of shape and riding on pure heart. However, it is another thing to beat the best in the world while in total control, with a fluid, technically perfect and yet nonchalent style. It is almost magical to witness and something that very very few guys in the world have the skill to perform. Kevin Windham is one of those guys.
Windham led the first fifteen minutes of race one at Hangtown, despite only riding the bike once prior to the race. Nothing has changed, the pace is still there, his style flawless. You could have been forgiven for thinking you were watching the 1999 Hangtown National, Kevin's first year on big red. The sheer riding talent Kevin has is unbelievable, his transfers during the supercross series are becoming stuff of legend, his performance in Las Vegas stunned even James Stewart, and everyone loves watching him ride including the great Ricky Carmichael. Windham oozes control, class and style on a bike.
Guys like Kevin Windham or Stefan Everts, Christophe Pourcel, Jeremy McGrath, JMB, David Bailey, Steve Ramon and Chad Reed to name a few aren't just motocross riders, they are artists on a motocross bike. Ignore the titles they have or have not won but look at their riding style, and when everything clicks there is no one better, smoother or faster on the track. These are the guys that make you want to ride, they turn motocross from a tough rough mistake strewn sport and make it beautiful. They float over bumps, and flow effortlessly round corners, they glide around the most treachorous track and make the difficult look easy.
For me these riders are worth the admission price alone, in the same way the Barcelona football team currently encapsulate the beatiful game played the perfect way, and Roger Federer has transformed tennis into a sublime artform, these guys encapsulate how everyone should want to ride a motocross bike. It is motocross the right way, the way it should be - motocross in the purest form.
Kevin Windham is a pleasure to watch and for any fan or aspiring rider out there, take some time to closely watch the way he rides a motorcycle, and enjoy the last couple of seasons of one of the smoothest most naturally talented riders the world has ever seen.
Monday, 23 May 2011
Herlings and Philippaerts take Brazil by storm!
The Brazilian GP brought fantastic racing to thousands of colourful and delirious local fans who fell in love with World Championship motocross racing at the very warm and sunny Indaiatuba circuit.
Phenomenal infrastructure and packed grandstands galore left the teams happy to deal with the huge logistical undertaking that has been the last two weeks of the Grand Prix series. Riders also appreciated the setting and the enthusiasm of the large turn-out of fans, which proved quite a contrast to the almost apathetic nature of the US motocross fans not at the poorly attended US GP just one week prior.
MX2
Jeffrey Herlings took his second GP win of the year and maybe the most important win of his career so far. It is two GP wins each now for Herlings and Roczen and they battle in what appears to be an exclusive KTM fight for the World Title.
Herlings tried to stay with leader Ken Roczen on the hard pack track in race one, but Roczen was just too strong and it looked like no-one would be able touch the German superstar yet again.
In race two just like in Glen Helen Roczen holeshot and put in a blistering couple of laps,(using the techniques he picked up in supercross during his stay in the US to good effect) but Herlings began to claw back the few seconds lead Roczen had opened up. The German started making a couple of mistakes as Herlings got the gap down to two seconds. He continued to put the pressure on and this time Roczen cracked! Down went Ken and he handed Herlings a six second lead, this time it was Roczen’s turn to play catch up and, forced to ride on the edge, Roczen crashed again! Herlings was left with a twenty second lead as Roczen had to fend off the attentions of Gautier Paulin who almost nabbed second from the KTM rider on the last lap.
An impressive Herlings insisted after the race, “I knew it! I knew if I stayed on his back wheel he would make a mistake - he is only human! I didn‘t have the speed of Ken in the first moto, but I always feel stronger in the second moto, we battled until ten minutes to go and Ken had a little crash and that basically gave me the victory.”
Paulin garnered his first podium of the year beating Tommy Searle into fourth and looks ready to challenge for regular podiums now he is fully healthy again.
Searle had great speed all weekend, benefiting from some special engine upgrades courtesy of Mitch Payton. However, after receiving outside assistance after a crash in his qualifying heat while running second, Tommy was disqualified and given last gate pick for the races on Sunday. Forced to come from outside the top ten Searle rode fantastic and nearly caught both Roczen and Paulin in the final moto to equal is fourth place in moto one.
Zach Osborne had two big crashes on Saturday and was still dealing with a painful wrist from the US GP, but it didn’t stop the American from running up front. Osborne held third in the first moto but was forced back into fifth after his wrist made it hard to hold on. It was a similar story in race two but Osborne still showed good speed on his way to fifth place.
Max Anstie was sixth overall with a 6-7 scorecard, and although insisting he wasn’t feeling well, the always smiling and friendly Brit needs to acknowledge he is still trying to find the speed to challenge for race wins and even podiums on a consistent basis over the course of a GP weekend on the varying styles of tracks.
MX2 overall: 1. Herlings 47pts, 2. Roczen 47pts, 3. Paulin 40pts, 4. Searle 36pts, 5. Osborne 32pts, 6. Anstie 29pts, 7. Charlier 27pts, 8. Tonus 27pts, 9. Roelants 23pts, 10. Kullas 22pts
MX1
MX1 delivered the best racing of the year so far. A three way battle in race one was initially led by Cairoli only for Frossard to take the lead, Philippaerts hovered right behind in third as Cairoli retook first position. Then, with a few minutes to go Desalle came from nowhere and passed both the Yamaha riders on one lap, then just as quickly he crashed and remounted back in fourth. Philippaerts regrouped from all the frantic action around him to try and get Cairoli but Tony held on to take his second moto win of the season.
Race two was more of the same, Cairoli holeshot again but Desalle moved his way to the front with Philippaerts second. Desalle tipped over yet again and dropped back to fifth. Ramon moved up to third and challenged Cairoli, but with three laps to go Cairoli dropped the hammer and put in the fastest lap of the race to get on Philippaerts back wheel on the last lap. But the 2008 World Champ responded and put down the fastest lap of the race on the last lap to keep Cairoli at bay and take the moto and the overall win!
An ecstatic Philippaerts was pleased to rebound after a poor US GP, “ I am very happy, the track was good, there where different types of corners and not every rider was fast in the same line. I had good lap times, but Tony was coming so I just focused on my lines and pushed to the last lap.”
Steve Ramon showed his best form of the year, to take third in race two and that gave him fifth overall as he continues his comeback from illness.
Former Championship leader Stephen Frossard was fourth after nursing an injured thumb in race two, while Desalle’s crash happy weekend still netted the Belgian Suzuki rider third on the podium and maintained his championship lead, but the rest are closing in!
Second in the championship Max Nagl had a poor weekend by his standards due to and ongoing back problem compounded by bad starts. A sixth place overall kept Nagl in the hunt and he will hopefully be fully fit for the next round in France where there are now five genuine contenders for the World title.
The Honda sponsored Brazilian GP was not Honda’s best showing with both Evgeny Bobreyshev and Goncalves suffering crashes during the day. Bobreyshv took best Honda with tenth overall and remains sixth in points but lost ground to the title contenders. Ken De Dycker showed the speed everyone knows he has in Brazil and got Honda’s best individual results with fifth place in race one.
MX1 Overall:
1. Philippaerts 47pts, 2. Cairoli 47pts, 3. Desalle 36pts, 4. Frossard 36pts, 5. Ramon 36pts, 6. Nagl 31pts, 7. De Dycker 26pts, 8. Boog 25pts, 9. Strijbos 24pts, 10. Bobryshev 23pts.
Phenomenal infrastructure and packed grandstands galore left the teams happy to deal with the huge logistical undertaking that has been the last two weeks of the Grand Prix series. Riders also appreciated the setting and the enthusiasm of the large turn-out of fans, which proved quite a contrast to the almost apathetic nature of the US motocross fans not at the poorly attended US GP just one week prior.
MX2
Jeffrey Herlings took his second GP win of the year and maybe the most important win of his career so far. It is two GP wins each now for Herlings and Roczen and they battle in what appears to be an exclusive KTM fight for the World Title.
Herlings tried to stay with leader Ken Roczen on the hard pack track in race one, but Roczen was just too strong and it looked like no-one would be able touch the German superstar yet again.
In race two just like in Glen Helen Roczen holeshot and put in a blistering couple of laps,(using the techniques he picked up in supercross during his stay in the US to good effect) but Herlings began to claw back the few seconds lead Roczen had opened up. The German started making a couple of mistakes as Herlings got the gap down to two seconds. He continued to put the pressure on and this time Roczen cracked! Down went Ken and he handed Herlings a six second lead, this time it was Roczen’s turn to play catch up and, forced to ride on the edge, Roczen crashed again! Herlings was left with a twenty second lead as Roczen had to fend off the attentions of Gautier Paulin who almost nabbed second from the KTM rider on the last lap.
An impressive Herlings insisted after the race, “I knew it! I knew if I stayed on his back wheel he would make a mistake - he is only human! I didn‘t have the speed of Ken in the first moto, but I always feel stronger in the second moto, we battled until ten minutes to go and Ken had a little crash and that basically gave me the victory.”
Paulin garnered his first podium of the year beating Tommy Searle into fourth and looks ready to challenge for regular podiums now he is fully healthy again.
Searle had great speed all weekend, benefiting from some special engine upgrades courtesy of Mitch Payton. However, after receiving outside assistance after a crash in his qualifying heat while running second, Tommy was disqualified and given last gate pick for the races on Sunday. Forced to come from outside the top ten Searle rode fantastic and nearly caught both Roczen and Paulin in the final moto to equal is fourth place in moto one.
Zach Osborne had two big crashes on Saturday and was still dealing with a painful wrist from the US GP, but it didn’t stop the American from running up front. Osborne held third in the first moto but was forced back into fifth after his wrist made it hard to hold on. It was a similar story in race two but Osborne still showed good speed on his way to fifth place.
Max Anstie was sixth overall with a 6-7 scorecard, and although insisting he wasn’t feeling well, the always smiling and friendly Brit needs to acknowledge he is still trying to find the speed to challenge for race wins and even podiums on a consistent basis over the course of a GP weekend on the varying styles of tracks.
MX2 overall: 1. Herlings 47pts, 2. Roczen 47pts, 3. Paulin 40pts, 4. Searle 36pts, 5. Osborne 32pts, 6. Anstie 29pts, 7. Charlier 27pts, 8. Tonus 27pts, 9. Roelants 23pts, 10. Kullas 22pts
MX1
MX1 delivered the best racing of the year so far. A three way battle in race one was initially led by Cairoli only for Frossard to take the lead, Philippaerts hovered right behind in third as Cairoli retook first position. Then, with a few minutes to go Desalle came from nowhere and passed both the Yamaha riders on one lap, then just as quickly he crashed and remounted back in fourth. Philippaerts regrouped from all the frantic action around him to try and get Cairoli but Tony held on to take his second moto win of the season.
Race two was more of the same, Cairoli holeshot again but Desalle moved his way to the front with Philippaerts second. Desalle tipped over yet again and dropped back to fifth. Ramon moved up to third and challenged Cairoli, but with three laps to go Cairoli dropped the hammer and put in the fastest lap of the race to get on Philippaerts back wheel on the last lap. But the 2008 World Champ responded and put down the fastest lap of the race on the last lap to keep Cairoli at bay and take the moto and the overall win!
An ecstatic Philippaerts was pleased to rebound after a poor US GP, “ I am very happy, the track was good, there where different types of corners and not every rider was fast in the same line. I had good lap times, but Tony was coming so I just focused on my lines and pushed to the last lap.”
Steve Ramon showed his best form of the year, to take third in race two and that gave him fifth overall as he continues his comeback from illness.
Former Championship leader Stephen Frossard was fourth after nursing an injured thumb in race two, while Desalle’s crash happy weekend still netted the Belgian Suzuki rider third on the podium and maintained his championship lead, but the rest are closing in!
Second in the championship Max Nagl had a poor weekend by his standards due to and ongoing back problem compounded by bad starts. A sixth place overall kept Nagl in the hunt and he will hopefully be fully fit for the next round in France where there are now five genuine contenders for the World title.
The Honda sponsored Brazilian GP was not Honda’s best showing with both Evgeny Bobreyshev and Goncalves suffering crashes during the day. Bobreyshv took best Honda with tenth overall and remains sixth in points but lost ground to the title contenders. Ken De Dycker showed the speed everyone knows he has in Brazil and got Honda’s best individual results with fifth place in race one.
MX1 Overall:
1. Philippaerts 47pts, 2. Cairoli 47pts, 3. Desalle 36pts, 4. Frossard 36pts, 5. Ramon 36pts, 6. Nagl 31pts, 7. De Dycker 26pts, 8. Boog 25pts, 9. Strijbos 24pts, 10. Bobryshev 23pts.
Thursday, 19 May 2011
US Nationals preview - 450 class
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| The bar banging action from Reed, Alessi and Dungey and more is set to continue in 2011 Pic. Paul McCready |
It is hard to know just who the favourite is for the 2011 450 National Championship. Ryan Dungey is the defending champion, Ryan Villopoto just won the Supercross championship, Chad Reed didn’t really get the chance to defend his 2009 outdoor title and moving up is Christophe Pourcel who arguably could have and should have won the last two 250 national titles.
Let’s start with Dungey. The defending champion did not enjoy losing his supercross crown and you can bet the very competitive but quiet Minnesota born Suzuki rider will have revenge on his mind. Dungey is fit, he is fast and he is consistent and smooth, all the ingredients are there but he needs to find good starts again and this year he needs to beat Ryan Villopoto.
Ryan Villopoto has the momentum coming into the outdoor series, and despite Dungey being the defending champion, Villopoto is many people’s favourite to win. Villopoto has just come off his biggest ever championship by winning the most competitive supercross series maybe ever. RV is full of confidence and thanks to Aldon Baker full of fitness. This should scare all his competition, because RV already has three 250 national outdoor titles and dominated in the only 450 outdoor race he has ridden - the opening race at Glen Helen in 2009. Now with Aldon Baker in his corner he is going to be even faster for longer and even more confident. That is a scary thought for any of his competition.
One guy who will not be the slightest bit worried is Chad Reed. Reed is very self confident and mentally strong… and he has the credentials to justify ever inch of his self belief. The Aussie came within four points of winning the 2011 Supercross title on his own team as essentially a privateer. Now with more help from Honda and fully healthy again after last season’s health issues, Reed will no doubt believe that his championship experience and smarts will have him in the hunt coming down to the final round. Count Chad Reed out at your peril, and don’t forget he won Hangtown last year despite all his problems, there is no reason a healthy Reed can’t do it again.
Many people are not counting Christophe Pourcel as a championship threat, but I am counting him as the fourth alien. Just because Pourcel did not race supercross does not mean he has lost the talent that gave him the World MX2 title in 2006, 2x Regional SX championships and the fastest rider in the 250 nationals the last two years. The super smooth and deceptively fast Frenchman won more motos than Dungey in 2009 and more than Canard in 2010 and engine failure and a broken arm are what kept the former World Champ from winning those titles despite still feelings the physical effects of the crash that left him temporarily paralysed in 2007.
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| Christophe Pourcel is moving up the 450s and should not be counted out. Pic. Paul McCready |
Now Pourcel claims the time off from supercross has allowed him to get his health issues fixed, so maybe the US fans will see a fully healthy Pourcel for the first time in his American career. Pourcel is very smart and has a beautiful style, he knows how to win and will be there every weekend. He has raced a 450 before and been very fast, the bike should suit his style even more than the 250. The biggest question mark is not Christophe Pourcel but whether the Motoconcepts team can give Pourcel the support and bike he needs to challenge for the title.
Mike Alessi as usual is going against logical thought. He went with the brand new 350 KTM last year when no-one was on it, but lost his confidence and has switched to the 450 KTM for 2011 again a bike no-one else is racing. But is that really the smartest choice? At time when every other factory rider in the KTM team both in the Gps and America have gone 350 because they believe it is the better bike especially with a years development under it‘s belt, Alessi is now riding a bike that has had no development this year and has no-one of his calibre riding it either, leaving Alessi no comparisons or testing back up. There is no doubt he rides the 450 very very well, but maybe his choice to be the lone 450 wolf in the KTM pack could hurt him. Still Alessi is fast and will give it everything he has, if he gets the starts he can never be counted out for the title and he may renew the Villopoto rivalry from the amateur days this season.
It seem unfair to both Brett Mettcalfe and Andrew Short that they havn’t already been mentioned since they finished second and third in the series last season. Both these guys are consistent, they world hard and get good starts, but that extra piece of magic is missing that they need to be a potential race winner every weekend. Both have yet to prove they can deal with the championship pressure when it really counts. But that isn’t to say this year won’t be the year and both of these deserving riders could potentially break out and deservingly win their first major championship.
Other riders who will be in the mix include Jake Weimer, Christian Craig, Justin Brayton, Davi Millsaps, Tommy Hahn and Kyle Chisholm. It is hard to see these guys as title contenders but on their day they could ruffle some feathers.
There are a few wild card riders who will not challenge for a title due to various circumstance but could challenge for wins at any stage. Trey Canard was in contention for the Supercross title in his rookie year and the 2010 250 outdoor champ would have been a certain title contender in the 450 outdoors but a broken leg has put an end to that dream for this year. Trey however is very determined and he will be battling hard to get some wins when he comes back halfway through the season.
Honda team-mate Josh Grant is another out with injury but again, like Trey, he has speed to burn and can be a threat to win a moto anytime, anywhere.
James Stewart is perhaps the biggest wild card of all - in every sense of the word. The stupidly fast but scarily fragile Floridian refused to compete in the US GP only to announce one week later that he wasn’t ready to race the first round at Hangtown. Surely racing two days at the US GP would have helped James get ready for Hangtown? Unless of course the problems are less bike based and more team based. It seems James is so afraid to lose after his crash happy supercross series that he doesn’t want to race unless in his mind he believes he is going to win.
Stewart has vowed to be a new rider upon his return..but no-one knows when that return will be yet. The problem is that outdoor specialist and teammate Kyle Regal is suffering because he is not able to race his favourite series until James decides James is ready. When these two come back the fans will be the real winners and both will give even more excitement to an already super competitive championship.
So sit back and enjoy what will be a fantastic 450 US National Championship while you can because, before long, you will be on the edge of your seat!
2011 US Nationals - 250 Class Preview
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| 2010 Hangtown winner Eli Tomac has everything he needs to win the 2011 US Nationals Pic. Paul McCready |
With last year’s championship winner Trey Canard and runner -up Christophe Pourcel moving to the 450 class for 2011, the 250 US National championship has been blown wide open with many contenders believing this is their year to win the championship.
The logical favourite based on last year’s third place would be Pro Circuit rider Tyla Rattray. The 2008 South African MX2 World Champion has taken his time getting used to the USA’s intense racing style however when the track is rough Rattray will is hard to beat. But in his third year in a class he is too old to race in the World Championship, Tyla will need to deliver in 2011 if he wants a decent ride in 2012 given his age and lack of supercross experience.
Putting extra pressure on Rattray to achieve will be the rider who took over his crown of World Champion in MX2. Marvin Musquin is the two time MX2 World Champion and it will be interesting to see how their pace has evolved by racing in two different series. Rattray will not want Musquin to come in and beat him in his first year in the US, but it could well happen and will be an interesting subplot during the championship.
Musquin is coming off a knee injury but had a pretty impressive return to racing last week at the US GP. However, it may take the Frenchman a couple of rounds to get back to his 2010 pace. He will also have to adapt to the one day format in the US that involves short practice sessions, shorter intense races combined with new tracks and oppressive heat. But the KTM mounted Musquin is a very special rider and with Roger DeCoster in his corner helping him adapt he should be in hunt for the title by the season end.
Dean Wilson signed off in the best way possible last year by going 1-1 in the final round of the series at Pala Raceway. Bad starts hampered his progress in the supercross series and with the field so deep Wilson will need to gate well in the Nationals to put his undoubted speed to good use. The Scottish born rider has all the tools and now the experience to go for the title.
Justin Barcia is entering his third year of national outdoor competition in America, and is coming in with more momentum than ever after winning the East Coast super cross title. Barcia still needs to prove he can be consistent over 24 motos however to be a serious title contender. Maybe the most exciting and definitely the most aggressive rider to watch, Justin is hard to beat on his day and if he can minimise his mistakes he should be a factor every weekend.
But maybe the real favourite is his Geico Honda teamate Eli Tomac. The Colorado native narrowly lost the West Coast supercross title in his first year and this potentially could leave him down and less motivated coming into the outdoors, or it could make him even more motivated to win. My guess is it will be the latter. Tomac is a clear thinker on the track and doesn’t get to up or down depending on his results, he has a great people around him and like Wilson has everything he needs to take the title, it is just a matter of executing now.
Mitch Payton’s two other riders Blake Baggett and Broc Tickle could be dark horses for the title. Tickle is always strong and consistent outdoors although has never been a title contender, but now with the confidence of his West coast supecross title and being on the best team in the class, Tickle has no more excuses not to challenge for the series or at least get some wins under his belt.
Baggett is in a similar position, he was very fast last year until injury thwarted his season and now in a better team, it is up to Baggett to go out there and perform like he can. If he does he will be a contender for race wins.
Other riders who will feature among the front runners at times will be Wil Hahn, Ryan Sipes, Cole Seeley, Travis Baker and Gareth Swanepole, but these guys will need to establish themselves week in week out against the main contenders to be really taken seriously and that is the aspect that they have not been able to show yet.
Jason Anderson and Malcom Stewart are rookies on the national tour and they have a lot of raw speed, but will their fitness and consistency throughout the year be where it needs to be to get among the front runners.
Only one thing is for certain, with so many potential champions and even more potential race winners, the 2011 series will not lack in excitement!
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