It was a day for Yamaha as their riders dominated the MX1 and MX2 classes in Namur, Belgium with Stefan Everts once again showing he is possibly the greatest winner at Namur, the Belgian taking another GP victory around the citadelle.
Everts led home his Yamaha teammate Brian Jorgensen and Ben Townley of the KTM team. In the MX2 class, Australian Andrew McFarlane proved too strong for his rivals, topping Stephen Sword and Cedric Melotte.
Everts picked up his sixth Grand Prix victory in Namur today after collecting 2-1 results around a very tough citadelle circuit. After heavy rains lashed the city of Namur on Friday and Saturday there was no way the forest area could be cleaned up for Sunday racing, leaving the downhills and uphills very difficult to combat.
Everts, a known wet weather rider, was too strong for his rivals. Second place went to Everts’ Rinaldi Yamaha teammate Jorgensen with KTM’s Townley taking third.
“Of course, it’s special to win here again, expecially this year because it was really tough,” Everts said. “With all the rain the circuit was very difficult and you could not take any risks. I tried to ride within myself, although in the first moto I crashed and that really put me a long way from Brian [Jorgensen]. I was able to pass some guys, but couldn’t get close enough to Jorgy. Second moto I had a good start and could just keep my own pace, that was good. Ben [Townley] was able to close in on me, but I felt I had the situation under control.”
In the MX2 class it was McFarlane (Yamaha) who took the victory, going 3-2 for the overall. Second place went to Scotland’s Stephen Sword. Sword, riding a Kawasaki, netted a 5-1 tally. Belgian rider Cedric Melotte was third with a 3-4.
“After the bad luck I have had in some of the previous rounds I am really happy to be here,” McFarlane said. “It’s a really tough track and you can’t push at all. In the first moto I had an okay start, and just more or less settled into my position. The second moto I had a great start and led early, but I could feel that Sword was quicker than me in the place he passed me, and I didn’t want to try and push to keep with him and crash. I didn’t win a moto, but I did have a good consistent day, and that how you win championships.”
Moto 1 MX2: 1. Antoine Cairoli (Yam); 2. David Philippaerts (KTM); 3. Andrew McFarlane (Yam); 4. Cedric Melotte (Yam); 5. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 6. Mickael Maschio (Yam); 7. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 8. Patrick Caps (Hon); 9. Carl Nunn (KTM); 10. Max Nagl (KTM); 11. Davide Guarneri (Yam); 12. Manuel Monni (KTM); 13. Billy Mackenzie (Yam); 14. Matti Seistola (Hon); 15. Rui Goncalves (Yam).
Moto 2 MX2: 1. Stephen Sword (Kaw); 2. Andrew McFarlane (Yam); 3. Cedric Melotte (Yam); 4. Patrick Caps (Hon); 5. Alessio Chiodi (Yam); 6. Rui Goncalves (Yam); 7. Aigar Leok (KTM); 8. Anthony Boissiere (Yam); 9. Christophe Pourcel (Kaw); 10. Carl Nunn (KTM); 11. Manuel Monni (KTM); 12. Tom Church (Kaw); 13. Pierre Renet (Yam); 14. Matteo Bonini (Hon); 15. Davide Guarneri (Yam).
MX2 O/A: 1. Andrew McFarlane (42); 2. Stephen Sword (41); 3. Cedric Melotte (38); 4. Alessio Chiodi (32); 5. Patrick Caps (29); 6. Antonio Cairoli (25); 7. Carl Nunn (23); 8. David Philippaerts (22); 9. Rui Goncalves (21); 10. Manuel Monni (19); 11. Anthony Boissiere (18); 12. Christophe Pourcel (16); 13. Davide Guarneri (16); 14. Mickael Maschio (15); 15. Aigar Leok (14).
MX2 World championship points: 1. Antoine Cairoli (147/1win); 2. Alessio Chiodi (135/1); 3. Stephen Sword (121); 4. Cedric Melotte (114); 5. Andrew McFarlane (110/1); 6. Tyla Rattray (90/1); 7. Billy Mackenzie (79); 8. Patrick Caps (78); 9. Carl Nunn (77); 10. Mickael Maschio (76); 11. Anthony Boissiere (71); 12. Rui Goncalves (68); 13. Christophe Pourcel (60); 14. Erik Eggens (53); 15. Matteo Bonini (51).,P> Moto 1 MX1: 1. Brian Jorgensen (Yam); 2. Stefan Everts (Yam); 3. Marvin Van Daele (Hon); 4. Mickael Pichon (Hon); 5. Joel Smets (Suz); 6. Josh Coppins (Hon); 7. Ben Townley (KTM); 8. James Noble (Hon); 9. Steve Ramon (KTM); 10. Tanel Leok (Kaw); 11. Jussi Vehvilainen (Hon); 12. Paul Cooper (Hon); 13. Antti Pyrhonen (TM); 14. Kornel Nemeth (Suz); 15. Ken De Dijcker (Hon).
Moto 2 MX1: . Stefan Everts (Yam); 2. Ben Townley (KTM); 3. Joel Smets (Suz); 4. Mickael Pichon (Hon); 5. Brian Jorgensen (Yam); 6. Josh Coppins (Hon); 7. Antoine Meo (Husky); 8. Steve Ramon (KTM); 9. Tanel Leok (Kaw); 10. Marvin Van Daele (Hon); 11. Ken De Dijcker (Hon); 12. Danny Theybers (Yam); 13. James Noble (Hon); 14. Pascal Leuret (Hon); 15. Yoshi Atsuta (Suz).
MX1 O/A: 1. Stefan Everts (47); 2. Brian Jorgensen (41); 3. Ben Townley (36); 4. Joel Smets (36); 5. Mickael Pichon (36); 6. Marvin Van Daele (31); 7. Josh Coppins (30); 8. Steve Ramon (25); 9. Tanel Leok (23); 10. James Noble (21); 11. Antoine Meo (17); 12. Ken De Dijcker (16); 13. Paul Cooper (13); 14. Pascal Leuret (12); 15. Danny Theybers (11).
MX1 World championship points: 1. Stefan Everts (172/3wins); 2. Mickael Pichon (145); 3. Josh Coppins (131); 4. Joel Smets (132); 5. Ben Townley (121/1); 6. Steve Ramon (100); 7. Paul Cooper (79); 8. Jmes Noble (76); 9. Brian Jorgensen (75); 10. Ken De Dijcker (70); 11. Antti Pryhonen (56); 12. Marvin Van Daele (53); 13. Danny Theybers (53); 14. Pascal Leuret (52); 15. Jussi Vehvilainen (48).
