Two-time World Motocross Champion Mickael Pichon dominated the Grand Prix of Sweden on Sunday, the Frenchman managing to pick up five points on series leader Stefan Everts after scoring 3 -1 results in Uddevalla, Sweden.
Pichon finished just ahead of his Martin Honda teammate Brian Jorgensen, who went 2-3 for second, while Stefan Everts came home in third place with a 4-2 tally after a crash in the opening moto ruled out any chance of victory.
Pichon was excited about his win, and now looks towards the upcoming Grands Prix to make up more ground on Everts.
“You know the championship will be difficult to win,” Pichon said. “I am enjoying my racing, I don’t have any pressure and today I could really race at my own pace. In the first race I didn’t really have the chance to race with Strijbos, but in the second moto I made a good start and got into the lead quickly. Brian Jorgensen and Stefan Everts were also quick, but I could put a little time between myself and them.”
In the MX2 class, Ben Townley picked up his second Grand Prix of Sweden. It was back in 2002 that Townley picked up his debut GP victory, and proved to the world he was ready to take the next step. This time around there was not doubt who was the boss as Townley went 1-1, and extended his lead in the championship points.
“After having some bad results in the last couple of Grands Prix I wanted to come here and really get a good result, I wanted to win both motos. With the rain it was difficult, but I could find some good lines and really push hard for the win. Obviously I like riding here, with the win in 2002. I gained some valuable points today and am now 77 points ahead of Tyla [Rattray] in second place in the points, so I can feel pretty happy about my results.”
Second place in the MX2 class was three time World 125cc Motocross Champion Alessio Chiodi. The Italian went 2-2 for the runner-up position, while another Italian Andrea Bartolini came home in third place with 3-4 results.
MX1 Moto one: 1. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 2. Brian Jorgensen (Hon); 3. Mickael Pichon (Hon); 4. Stefan Everts (Yam); 5. Antti Pyrhonen (TM); 6. Steve Ramon (KTM); 7. Ken De Dijcker (Hon); 8. Marko Kovalainen (Hon); 9. Sven Breugelmans (KTM); 10. Enrico Oddenino (TM); 11. Luigi Seguy (Yam); 12. Juss Laansoo (Hon); 13. Josh Coppins (Hon); 14. Josef Dobes (Suz); 15. Fabrizio Dini (Hon).
MX1 Moto two: 1. Mickael Pichon (Hon); 2. Stefan Everts (Yam); 3. Brian Jorgensen (Hon); 4. Steve Ramon (KTM); 5. Yoshi Atsuta (Hon); 6. Kevin Strijbos (Suz); 7. Tanel Leok (Suz); 8. Joakim Eliasson (Hon); 9. Josh Coppins (Hon); 10. Marko Kovalianen (Hon); 11. Mark Hucklebridge (KTM); 12. Fabrizio Dini (KTM); 13. Antti Pyrhonen (TM); 14. Lauris Freibergs (Hon); 15. Danny Theybers (Yam).
O/A: 1. Mickael Pichon (45); 2. Brian Jorgensen (42); 3. Stefan Everts (40); 4. Kevin Strijbos (33); 5. Steve Ramon (24); 6. Marko Kovalianen (24); 7. Antti Pyrhonen (24); 8. Josh Coppins (20); 9. Joakim Eliasson (18); 10. Yoshi Atsuta (16); 11. Fabrizio Dini (15); 12. Tanel Leok (14); 13. Mark Hucklebridge (14); 14. Enrico Oddenino (14); 15. Ken De Dijcker (14).
World Championship points: 1. Stefan Everts (483/5wins); 2. Mickael Pichon (386/3); 3. Josh Coppins (357/1); 4. Steve Ramon (350); 5. Kevin Strijbos (295); 6. Cedric Melotte (291/1); 7. Brian Jorgensen (246/1); 8. Tanel Leok (242); 9. Joel Smets (175); 10. Ken De Dijcker (174); 11. Yoshi Atsuta (145); 12. Chris Burnham (145); 13. Luigi Seguy (137); 14. Lauris Freibergs (135); 15. Kenneth Gundersen (133).
MX1 Moto one: 1. Ben Townley (KTM); 2. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 3. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 4. Patrick Caps (Yam); 5. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 6. Andrew McFarlane (Yam); 7. Claudio Federici (Yam); 8. Jeff Dement (Hon); 9. Anthony Boissiere (Yam); 10. Carl Nunn (Hon); 11. Pascal Lauret (KTM); 12. Tyla Rattray (KTM); 13. Rui Goncalves (Yam); 14. Jukka Pirinen (Hon); 15. Antonio Cairoli (Yam).
MX2 Moto two: 1. Ben Townley (KTM); 2. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 3. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 4. Andrea Bartolini (Yam); 5. Antonio Cairoli (Yam); 6. Patrick Caps (Yam); 7. Mickael Maschio (Kaw); 8. Manuel Priem (Suz); 9. Wyatt Avis (Suz); 10. Jeff Dement (Hon); 11. Tyla Rattray (KTM); 12. Pascal Leuret (KTM); 13. Rui Goncalves (Yam); 14. Anthony Boissiere (Yam); 15. Carl Nunn (Hon).
O/A: 1. Ben Townley (50); 2. Alessio Chiodi (44); 3. Andrea Bartolini (38); 4. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 5. Patrick Caps (33); 6. Jeff Dement (24); 7. Antonio Cairoli (22); 8. Tyla Rattray (19); 9. Pascal Leuret (19); 10. Anthony Boissiere (19); 11. Carl Nunn (17); 12. Rui Goncalves (16); 13. Andrew McFarlane (15); 14. Mickael Maschio (14); 15. Wyatt Avis (14).
MX2 World Championship points standings (After 11 of 16 rounds); 1. Ben Townley (427/6wins); 2. Tyla Rattray (350/3); 3. Stephen Sword (342/1); 4. Andrew McFarlane (300/1); 5. Mickael Maschio (261); 6. Antonio Cairoli (257); 7. Alessio Chiodi (253); 8. Patrick Caps (214); 9. Carl Nunn (208); 10. Claudio Federici (176); 11. Aigar Leok (171); 12. James Dobb (154); 13. Jeff Dement (150); 14. Anthony Boissiere (148); 15. Sebastien Pourcel (146).
