Yamaha Motocross Team's Josh Coppins and Yamaha De Carli's Antonio Cairoli both returned to the winner's circle today at a busy and warm St Jean d'Angely for the Grand Prix of France and the seventh round of fifteen in the FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship. The duo placed their YZ450FM and YZ250F machines on the top step of the podium in MX1 and MX2 respectively and to complete a perfect weekend also extended their leads in the world championship standings.
The track at St Jean had seen better days, even if the surrounding circuit infrastructure still remains one of the best on the calendar. The course itself consisted mainly of long uphill drags and downhill plunges and the dirt was hard-packed with precious few ruts or really technical zones. The high speed meant that many of the MX1 riders ran at a similar pace and rattled off the laps in the 35 minutes and 2 lap distances. The premier class provided more excitement for the 28,000 fans that enjoyed high temperatures and pleasant weather conditions.
Coppins was strong and authoritative on the first lap of the opening moto and the small gap he established in the formative minutes of the race helped him escape free from David Philippaerts to notch his seventh win from thirteen. It was the first '25' points for the championship leader since moto1 at Teutschenthal in Germany.
The 30 year old faced a harder test in the second sprint. He had to catch leader Billy Mackenzie and then tried to fend off the closing Steve Ramon but was soon grappling with the Belgian. Ramon's slightly quicker lines proved to be the difference at the end of a physically draining race and Coppins wisely eased his speed to confirm second spot and his fourth overall triumph from seven Grands Prix.
The New Zealander was able to take maximum profit of the fact that main title rival Kevin Strijbos was struggling with a knee injury and far from full fitness. Strijbos finished out of the points and did not start the second moto meaning that Coppins left St Jean with a 90 point lead over Steve Ramon.
Marc de Reuver was struggling for some confidence after entering the gate in seventeenth position after Timed Practice on Saturday. He started poorly in the first moto but began to move up the leader-board and was fighting for seventh place when he missed his rut on a downhill curve and crashed off the track. Shaken but unharmed the 24 year old was able to start the second race but could not feel comfortable and finished two laps adrift of the leaders in twenty-first. The Dutchman lies thirteenth in the standings.
The Yamaha Motocross Team will now make preparations to drive east across Europe to Sevlievo for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria next week. The eighth race of the year will bring the championship into its second phase.
Josh Coppins, Yamaha Motocross Team:"In Japan I tried for the victory but I know it is not possible to win every time so I will accept second or third. The main thing for me is to continue to work on my points lead and try to win some more GPs on the Yamaha. I knew Steve would be good. He has done a lot of races this season and is coming strong; he was too hard to catch in the second moto. I used too much energy on bad lines and once I changed my lines I did not really have anything left to give in order to catch him. Of course it is nice to win both heats, but in any case it is great to bag another GP!
I feel sorry for Kevin and I know what he is going through as I had ten surgeries on my knees when I was younger with the same problem. I know it is not easy for him but he is a strong guy and a very good rider. It is a bit of a shame for the championship because I'm sure people would like to see it closer, however I am really happy with my situation in the standings."
Marc de Reuver, Yamaha Motocross Team:"The first heat did not start that badly, but I shut off too early and everyone passed me on the first turn. After four laps I was into a rhythm and was fast. I came up to eighth place but then I made a mistake. I got into the corner before the pits too hard and could not brake anymore. I went over the berm and off the track and crashed pretty hard. In the second heat I don't know what happened; I just did not have the confidence."
Carlo Rinaldi, Team Manager, Yamaha Motocross Team:"Like I have said a few times in the past I am very happy and sad at the same time. Happy because Josh was riding at a level that we all know he is capable of and easily won the first moto. In the second moto his lines perhaps weren't that great but he was able to finish as the runner-up. It was a great jump for the championship, especially because - and unfortunately - Kevin had a problem. It is a sad day for Marc. We are really trying to work with him but it looks like he is missing something. We are trying to lift him up and will continue to do our best."
Circuit Length: 1560
Temp: 28
Crowd: 26000
Weather: Sunny
Race 1 - 23 Laps - GP of St Jean d’Angély:1. Joshua Coppins - Yamaha - NZL 39'7.170
2. David Philippaerts - KTM - ITA 0'9.603
3. Steve Ramon - Suzuki - BEL 0'15.878
4. Sébastien Pourcel - Kawasaki - FRA 0'22.818
5. Billy MacKenzie - Kawasaki - GBR 0'24.787
6. Jonathan Barragan - KTM - ESP 0'27.354
7. Mike Brown - Honda - USA 0'28.635
8. Tanel Leok - Kawasaki - EST 0'30.757
9. Maximilian Nagl - KTM - GER 0'43.369
10. James Noble - Honda - GBR 0'49.896
11. Kornel Nemeth - Suzuki - HUN 0'52.658
12. Manuel Priem - TM - BEL 0'58.629
13. Gordon Crockard - Honda - IRL 1'5.047
14. Aigar Leok - Yamaha - EST 1'10.863
15. Julien Bill - Honda - CHE 1'15.292
16. Marvin Van Daele - Honda - BEL 1'35.402
17. Ken De Dycker - Honda - BEL -1 Laps
18. Bradley Anderson - Yamaha - GBR -1 Laps
19. Alessio Chiodi - Aprilia - ITA -1 Laps
20. Cyrille Coulon - Honda - FRA -1 Laps
Race 2 - 23 Laps:1. Steve Ramon - Suzuki - BEL 39'35.456
2. Joshua Coppins - Yamaha - NZL 0'4.252
3. Tanel Leok - Kawasaki - EST 0'11.142
4. Billy MacKenzie - Kawasaki - GBR 0'13.298
5. David Philippaerts - KTM - ITA 0'13.914
6. Jonathan Barragan - KTM - ESP 0'22.373
7. Mike Brown - Honda - USA 0'25.936
8. Manuel Priem - TM - BEL 0'38.659
9. Sébastien Pourcel - Kawasaki - FRA 0'41.125
10. Marvin Van Daele - Honda - BEL 0'41.899
11. Julien Bill - Honda - CHE 0'42.218
12. Kornel Nemeth - Suzuki - HUN 1'16.340
13. Pierre A. Renet - Honda - FRA 1'20.339
14. Aigar Leok - Yamaha - EST 1'29.918
15. Clement Desalle - Suzuki - BEL 1'42.357
16. Julien Vanni - Honda - FRA 1'48.091
17. Christian Stevanini - Yamaha - ITA -1 Laps
18. Neville Bradshaw - Honda - RSA -1 Laps
19. Marko Kovalainen - Honda - FIN -1 Laps
20. Cyrille Coulon - Honda - FRA -1 Laps
Rider Standings:1. Joshua Coppins - Yamaha - NZL 321
2. Steve Ramon - Suzuki - BEL 231
3. Kevin Strijbos - Suzuki - BEL 211
4. David Philippaerts - KTM - ITA 186
5. Sébastien Pourcel - Kawasaki - FRA 184
6. Jonathan Barragan - KTM - ESP 173
7. Mike Brown - Honda - USA 169
8. Tanel Leok - Kawasaki - EST 159
9. Billy MacKenzie - Kawasaki - GBR 154
10. Ken De Dycker - Honda - BEL 150
11. James Noble - Honda - GBR 139
12. Manuel Priem - TM - BEL 125
13. Marc De Reuver - Yamaha - NED 115
14. Maximilian Nagl - KTM - GER 107
15. Kornel Nemeth - Suzuki - HUN 99
16. Gordon Crockard - Honda - IRL 78
17. Aigar Leok - Yamaha - EST 71
18. Marvin Van Daele - Honda - BEL 65
19. Pierre A. Renet - Honda - FRA 46
20. Thomas Allier - Kawasaki - FRA 45
Manufacturer Standings:1. Yamaha 321
2. Suzuki 274
3. KTM 239
4. Kawasaki 225
5. Honda 216
6. TM 125
7. Aprilia 4
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