GP Win Number 88 for Everts in World Championship Opener

Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team rider and reigning MX1 World Champion Stefan Everts left the opening round of the 2006 series having increased his record-career total of GP victories to 88 and proved his rhetoric concerning the new aluminium frame YZ450FM was completely founded. 16,000 spectators flocked to the Zolder circuit in Belgium for the Karcher Grand Prix of Flanders, the first race of fifteen in this season's campaign. Teammate Cedric Melotte managed tenth position overall. Rainfall in the days leading up to the event meant that the fine Belgian dirt at the former Formula one circuit was soft and sodden, and throughout practice churned into a demanding and difficult prospect. Following through on his excellent pre-season form Stefan Everts did not put a foot wrong on Saturday to clinch his first pole position since the 2005 Grand Prix of South Africa. 33-year-old Everts began the opening moto behind former rival Sebastien Tortelli and although he tried to pressurise the Frenchman, drawing close on several occasions, he was unable to seize the lead and lost any chance of victory in the last third of the heat when he was held up by backmarkers. The pair surprisingly lapped everybody up to fifth position. Melotte, who is still coming back to full fitness after a wrist problem limited his pre-season preparation, finished in ninth. The 27 year old, who was an overall winner at the first ever MX1 GP - also at Zolder - in 2004, made a mistake two laps from the chequered flag which cost him sixth place. Spanish sponsors Intur Sports were announced as the new backers for the Rinaldi team in an entertaining function on Saturday evening and they must have been pleased as Moto2 saw a dominant performance from Everts as he broke away from Sebastien Tortelli in a role-reversal of the first sprint. The Belgian has been raving about the handling and performance of the new YZ450FM and gave a large section of his fans an ample demonstration of his synergy with the Rinaldi-fettled machine. He would win by almost 40 seconds and his 2-1 scorecard gave him a familiar top step of the podium. Cedric Melotte had a problem with his goggles that affected his eyesight and he was close to crashing on several occasions but was able to steer his Yamaha past the chequered flag in eighth spot for tenth in the final classification. The second round of the series will take place in two weeks time, on Easter Sunday, at the Bellpuig circuit in Catalonia, Spain. The Grand Prix of Portugal will occur just one week on from the trip to the Iberian Peninsula. Stefan Everts, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross team: "I was making a lot of mistakes in the first race and was not riding smooth enough to really catch Sebastien. After that though the ice was broken and I knew I had one more moto to make things 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 Sebastien was with me for a while but I focussed on my own riding and it worked. I was happy with the bike. We changed a few little things with suspension but the performance was great today and I felt comfortable. It is very early for the Championship. Sebastien is right there but Pichon missed a lot of points today, Josh is out and I expected the Suzuki boys to be closer, but there is still a long way to go."   Cedric Melotte, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross team: "I was struggling over the weekend with my wrist and my condition. Everything is improving but to come here and do 40 minutes with a weak wrist was unbelievable. The track was so difficult. If I had not crashed in the first race I would have been fifth and this was OK. After a few minutes of the second moto I got some dirt in my goggles and I could not see or concentrate on my lines. I am happy enough with the result because at least twice I thought that 'I should stop otherwise I will crash' because I could not see. The ruts were really deep and to come away with a top ten in the conditions is satisfying." Race classification MX1 Round: 1 - 2006 GP of Flanders, Belgium Circuit: Zolder Race: 21 Laps  Pos.  Rider Manufacturer  Nat. Total Time  1   S. Tortelli KTM  FRA  39' 22.213  2   S. Everts Yamaha  BEL  +11.063  3   T. Leok Kawasaki  EST  +1' 5.994  4   S. Ramon Suzuki  BEL  +1' 33.493  5   K. De Dycker Honda  BEL  +1' 54.790  6   J. Barragan KTM  ESP  +1 lap(s)  7   P. Leuret  Honda  FRA  +1 lap(s)  8   K. Strijbos Suzuki  BEL  +1 lap(s)  9   C. Melotte Yamaha  BEL  +1 lap(s)  10   S. Sword Kawasaki  GBR  +1 lap(s)  11   J. Garcia Vico Honda  ESP  +1 lap(s)  12   B. Verhoeven Kawasaki  NED  +1 lap(s)  13   A. Pyrhonen TM  FIN  +1 lap(s)  14   W. Avis KTM  RSA  +1 lap(s)  15   D. Theybers Suzuki  BEL  +1 lap(s)  16   M. Van Daele Honda  BEL  +1 lap(s)  17   J. Noble Honda  GBR  +1 lap(s)  18   M. Hucklebridge Kawasaki  GBR  +1 lap(s)  19   C. Federici Kawasaki  ITA  +1 lap(s)  20   E. Eggens Kawasaki  NED  +1 lap(s)  Race 2: 22 Laps  Pos.  Rider Manufacturer  Nat. Total Time  1   S. Everts Yamaha  BEL  40' 9.339  2   S. Tortelli KTM  FRA  +38.639  3   K. Strijbos Suzuki  BEL  +1' 15.573  4   T. Leok Kawasaki  EST  +1' 23.799  5   S. Ramon Suzuki  BEL  +1' 30.347  6   S. Sword Kawasaki  GBR  +1' 39.574  7   K. De Dycker Honda  BEL  +1 lap(s)  8   C. Melotte Yamaha  BEL  +1 lap(s)  9   J. Barragan KTM  ESP  +1 lap(s)  10   P. Leuret  Honda  FRA  +1 lap(s)  11   J. Noble Honda  GBR  +1 lap(s)  12   M. Priem Yamaha  BEL  +1 lap(s)  13   B. Jorgensen Honda  DNK  +1 lap(s)  14   M. Van Daele Honda  BEL  +1 lap(s)  15   A. Pyrhonen TM  FIN  +1 lap(s)  16   B. Verhoeven Kawasaki  NED  +1 lap(s)  17   J. Dobes Suzuki  CZE  +1 lap(s)  18   L. Freibergs Suzuki  LVA  +1 lap(s)  19   M. Hucklebridge Kawasaki  GBR  +1 lap(s)  20   M. Norlen Suzuki  SWE  +1 lap(s)  Championship standings MX1 Pos.  Rider  Manufacturer  Nat. Points  1   Stefan Everts Yamaha  BEL 47  2   Sebastien Tortelli KTM  FRA 47  3   Tanel Leok Kawasaki  EST 38  4   Steve Ramon Suzuki  BEL 34  5   Kevin Strijbos Suzuki  BEL 33  6   Ken De Dycker Honda  BEL 30  7   Jonathan Barragan KTM  ESP 27  8   Stephen Sword Kawasaki  GBR 26  9   Cedric Melotte Yamaha  BEL 25  10   Pascal Leuret  Honda  FRA 25  11   Bas Verhoeven Kawasaki  NED 14  12   James Noble Honda  GBR 14  13   Antti Pyrhonen TM FRA 14 14   Marvin Van Daele Honda  BEL 12  15   Javier Garcia Vico Honda  ESP 10  16   Manuel Priem Yamaha  BEL 9  17   Brian Jorgensen Honda  DNK 8  18   Wyatt Avis KTM  RSA 7 19   Danny Theybers Suzuki BEL 6  20   Mark Hucklebridge Kawasaki GBR 5  Manufacturers standings MX1 Pos. Manufacturer Points  1  Yamaha 25  2  KTM 22  3  Kawasaki 20  4  Suzuki 18  5  Honda 15  6  TM 2  MX2 : Gundersen marks Yamaha debut with podium result Round: 1 - 2006 GP of Flanders, Belgium Circuit: Zolder Date: 2 April 2006 Crowd: 16000 Temp: 11ºC Weather: Overcast Ricci Racing's Kenneth Gundersen scored an emotional podium in his debut for the team and on the formidable YZ250F at Zolder, Belgium today for the first round of fifteen in the 2006 FIM World Championship. The Karcher Grand Prix of Flanders occurred in front of a decent 16,000 attendance considering the cold and wintery conditions.  Gundersen notched results of second and sixth to place third overall in his first top three appearance for over two years and his first in the MX2 class since 2001. The Norwegian has battled back from multiple knee and cartilage operations in the last 18 months. The 25 year old showed promising form despite some less than perfect starts on the wet and rough Belgian terrain. He had to ditch his goggles early in the first moto but was still able to pass the KTMs of Rattray and De Reuver. In the second race he ensured his fresh silverware as the highest placed Yamaha rider. World Champion Antonio Cairoli, who dislikes the Belgian circuit, fell on the first lap of the first moto and with the track at its wettest throughout the weekend he rode well to break into the top fifteen and collect six points. The Italian crashed on Saturday and received a blow to his left leg but was able to show his true colours in the second moto as passed he title rival Marc de Reuver and crossed the finish line with the runner-up position behind eventual overall winner Tyla Rattray. The De Carli rider's mishap earlier in the day meant that he placed seventh overall. Alessio Chiodi showed decent speed and all the experience of a three times World Champion to take sixth spot in the first moto in the soggy conditions. The Italian was however fighting the debilitating effects of an illness and after slipping down the order and out of the points in the second race retired to the pits. Billy Mackenzie, who is 22 years old next week, wasn't able to get the set-up on his YZ250F correctly dialled for the conditions and it cost the Scot in the first race as he registered a disappointing twenty-fourth position. Adjusting several aspects of the machine for the second moto he managed a more creditable ninth after passing British Championship rival Carl Nunn on the last lap. Kenneth Gundersen, Ricci Racing: "This feels unbelievable. I have been out for so long. Last year I did some GPs but my leg was not good enough to ride. I trained a lot this winter and the way that this team have supported me is incredible. Yamaha and so many people have helped me and this came out today. In the first moto I felt like I could have won if I didn't have to throw away my goggles on the first lap; second place was good though. It took me a little while to get going in the second race and finally I ran out of time to take any more positions." Antonio Cairoli, De Carli Yamaha: "The first heat was not so good because I crashed on the first lap and I lost a lot of time and positions to get going again. I was totally last and had a lot of work to do. I finished 15th and it was OK for training because I do not like this track so much! In the second race I started well but in the first corner someone touched me and it cost me a few places. I caught and passed many riders like De Reuver and Pourcel. Tyla is always very good at this track. My leg was OK and is only stiff when I am resting." Alessio Chiodi, Ricci Racing: "The first part of the first moto was pretty good but after about 25 minutes I started to feel bad and my stomach was really bothering me. I finished the race but I could feel that a fever was coming. I was in the gate before the second moto and I thought that I would try to see what I could do but the bumps on the track just made it worse. When I saw I was down in 27th I thought it was better to stop."    Race classification MX2 Round: 1 - 2006 GP of Flanders, Belgium Circuit: Zolder Race: 21 Laps  Pos.  Rider Manufacturer  Nat. Total Time  1   D. Philippaerts KTM  ITA  40' 20.154  2   K. Gundersen Yamaha  SWE  +8.667  3   T. Rattray KTM  RSA  +10.029  4   M. De Reuver KTM  NED  +14.091  5   S. Pourcel Kawasaki  FRA  +26.399  6   A. Chiodi Yamaha  ITA  +35.053  7   C. Pourcel Kawasaki  FRA  +43.876  8   C. Nunn KTM  GBR  +50.949  9   T. Searle Kawasaki  GBR  +1' 6.716  10   A. Meo Honda  FRA