Yamaha Motocross Team were able to celebrate a decent consolation at the end of a difficult season when Marc de Reuver finished the fifteenth and final round of the FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship with second position in the sand of Lierop at his home Grand Prix of the Netherlands.
The 24 year old has struggled with injury and poor luck during his first campaign in MX1 but he used local advantage and his excellent capabilities through the rough and tiring sand to finish third and first in two entertaining and action-packed motos. The highlight was certainly the second sprint in which he fought race-long with Kevin Strijbos and Steve Ramon and eventually passed overall victor Strijbos on the last lap to the delight of the 36,000 gathered crowd.
De Reuver's positive 'curtain-closer' was a pleasing way to end 2007 for the Rinaldi camp. The former MX2 GP winner completed the year with fourteenth position overall.
Sadly the forced absence of Josh Coppins meant that the Yamaha Motocross Team lost the MX1 title for the first time since the inception of the class in 2004. Coppins' broken left shoulder from a crash at Loket in the Czech Republic nearly five weeks ago was simply not strong enough to cope with the technical demands and energy-sapping nature of the Dutch sand.
He trailed Ramon by fourteen points going into the meeting but finally had to concede, having won five Grand Prix, nine motos, taking nine podiums and led almost double the amount of laps compared to any other rider. The 30 year old New Zealander had fronted the series from the first moto in April until the British Grand Prix last week. Although he bravely rode to fourteenth place at Donington Park the shoulder had not healed sufficiently for Lierop.
Missing three Grand Prix from the last four Coppins ended his first season on the YZ450FM in third and arguably deserved a lot more.
Marc de Reuver, Yamaha Motocross Team"In the first heat I wanted to go to the front desperately but I got a bit of arm-pump. I relaxed my speed but then found a better rhythm after about twenty minutes and got back to third. I was happy with that and thought it would be a result to build on. I was fifth at the start of the second moto and I did not want to lose the front-runners. I pushed really hard when I got into the lead to see if I could break away but Steve stayed within five seconds all the time. I decided to let him pass and Kevin was close so he went through too! Steve made some mistakes and then it was just Kevin and I. I knew I was quicker along the whoops section so I overtook there and went flat out for that last lap. People went nuts on the track and I have never seen Dutch fans so wild so that made me happy. In the sand I can always do a bit more and I am known as a good sand rider but both my GP wins were on hard-pack."
Josh Coppins, Yamaha Motocross Team"I am obviously very disappointed but there is not much I can do about the situation and now it is time to move on. I want to thank the team, my mechanic Fabio and those all around me who have lent their support and sent kind messages. I hope to know next week if I will be able to race at the Nations or not, at least now I can get total rest and let the injury heal."
Carlo Rinaldi, Team Manager, Yamaha Motocross Team"In the sand we knew that Marc would be one of, if not the, fastest rider. Our big question mark was if he could last both motos because lately the motivation has been lacking to train. Anyway he could manage with great technique to make two very good races and at least we have this good consolation to finish the year."
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