It was an unfortunate Grand Prix for Martin Honda. Antoine Meo, still nursing a weakened left knee, pulled out of both races after a crash in the first moto left the Frenchman with an even more painful joint that he could barely move after the lunch break. The Italian quads MX2 representative Ryan Mills was unable to qualify after failing to register a lap-time quick enough in the wet morning Timed Practice and was outside of the top thirty cut-off mark.
Multitek Honda s James Noble - after rushing to post twenty-first position in the morning Timed Practice - was 14th overall and claimed a best moto finish of tenth. He was running within the first eight in the second race but a crash approaching the step-ups dropped him to 16th.
Coppins heads the young MX1 points table by nineteen points from Strijbos who in turn holds a four point advantage over Barragan.
Antonio Cairoli won an excellent MX2 Grand Prix by defeating Christophe Pourcel on the last lap of the second moto. The Sicilian leads Tyla Rattray, who was third overall by 15 points in the world championship standings, Pourcel is a further point behind.
The third round of the 15 round series takes place next weekend, April 21 - 22 with the Grand Prix of Portugal at the Agueda circuit.
Ken de Dycker, CAS Honda:
“The first heat was pretty good until I fell, and then I could not get going again. I still took sixth which was OK. In the second heat my start was good and I made some positions but after 15 minutes I could not hold the bike anymore. The track was difficult but it was the same for everybody; I just struggled with the pain today. “
Mike Brown, CAS Honda:
“I got a good start in the first moto but got arm-pump really bad. I worked my way back but couldn t hold onto the clutch. All week I practiced hard-pack and ruts but we get here and there was so much rain and the track was really rough. I got tight in the first one and then in the next I had a crash when I ran a little wide and into the fence. I rode my hardest after that, back to 13th. It was not the best. It was hard to pass out there. It took me two or three laps just to get around the guys who were slower in front of me. I think this was one of the ruttiest tracks I have ever ridden. “
Antoine Meo, Martin Honda:
“It was difficult for me today with the state of the mud and my weak knee. In the morning I did not really get a good time and then the track was so rutty when it started to dry. In the first moto I crashed and caused more damage to my knee. I tried to continue but it was too painful. I attempted the second moto and did not start too badly, in twelfth but my knee had swollen and I could hardly bend it so I could not finish. Now I will try to find a solution so that I can compete next week nearer to my normal condition. “
Ryan Mills, Martin Honda:
“It has been a difficult road so far. I am not making any excuses but I have not had much luck. I got hurt a while ago, came back and then got hurt again. I had to take another two weeks off and missed Valkenswaard. It all took its toll. I flew back only four days before this race and did not get to ride or train. I feel that it is coming around though. I went out there this morning and in those muddy conditions anything can happen. I could not get my head straight. My trainer and I and my mechanic Marcus as well as Team Manager Paolo, we are all working very hard and things are going to come around for sure. This is a learning year for me and I am getting to grips with the tracks, just like it would be for any Europeans to come to America. I am definitely disappointed about this weekend but I am looking forward to Portugal. “
James Noble, Multitek Honda:
“I got a mega start in the first race and was in seventh but got held up by backmarkers and struggled to pass them because the track was so one-line. A few people nipped past me and I ended up tenth which was a little bit disappointing. I had another good launch in the second moto, especially from my position in the gate, but slipped off just before the step-ups and had problems with my arms trying to come back from that. ”
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