The Grand Prix of the Netherlands marked another important chapter in a truly memorable season for Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross team's Stefan Everts as the 2006 World Champion dominated both motos in the Lierop sand for his 100th career success and his thirteenth triumph from fourteen rounds on the YZ450FM in the 2006 campaign.
The penultimate meeting of the year occurred under dark clouds that freely dispensed rain all day over the Lierop circuit. 33,135 spectators gathered to watch the hardest GP of the term so far for the MX1 and MX2 riders. The sand quickly cut into a path of bumps, ruts and heavy, rough sections that tested the machines as much as the endurance and fitness of the riders.
Everts claimed his eighth pole position of the season yesterday with a lap-time almost a second quicker than fellow countryman Steve Ramon as Belgian riders filled the top four positions on the leader-board.
The 33 year old started well and was in second place negotiating the first corner behind Josh Coppins. By the fourth turn the World Champion was ahead and embarked on a trouble-free ride. He had to remain alert cutting through backmarkers that he lapped up to 7th position and the 41 second winning advantage at the flag was a clear indication of the dominance Everts enjoyed in his self-confessed 'playground'. The victory was his 24th moto success in 2006.
In race two he delivered a repeat performance and was a class apart of the MX1 flock as he again pulled away from his Honda rival. 25 motos from 28 this year were duly confirmed and Everts danced and punched the air at reaching his phenomenal goal of 100 victories; 43 more than the next most successful rider Joel Smets and clinched in an 18 year career stretching back to 1989.
Cédric Melotte attempted to ride this week but the bruising on his right foot as a consequence of three broken toes meant that pushing the Yamaha was still too painful for the Belgian. He should return to action next week in the Belgian Championship and be fit to ride at Ernee.
Everts has already wrapped up the 2006 campaign but extended his point margin over Kevin Strijbos to 198. Melotte is tenth after his second non-start in a week.
The fifteenth and final round of the World Championship will take place in two weeks time for the Grand Prix of France at the Ernee circuit, less than 100km west of Le Mans.
Stefan Everts, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team:"There is not much left to win now, maybe just the Motocross of Nations! This has been a tough little period for me. Mentally I have been a bit 'done' and physically it has been hard. Last week was a hard race; Josh said that the riders can learn from me physically but he was very strong in Ireland also so he is right there also. Anyway, it has been a long way to this 100th GP win. I started in 1989 and now we are in 2006, so that is eighteen years to try and win 100 GPs; it has been a long road. Counting from one to ten in terms of titles can take some time, but one to one hundred is something else. I am so, so happy, thanks to everyone who has supported me."
Cedric Melotte, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team:"Only fifteen days after the crash the toes on my foot had recovered but there was a large bruise on the bottom of my foot and it was difficult to put a lot of weight on my leg so this race came too soon for me. I am able to cycle and the whole injury is getting better so I hope to be back to a good level by the time of Ernee."
Carlo Rinaldi, Racing Manager, Yamaha Intur Sport Motocross Team:"We have run out of objectives for this season! Stefan's achievement was unbelievable and the way he won today was excellent; he was riding far above the level of the others. Mentally and physically he is a little bit exhausted but his skill on the sand allowed him to win today. He dominated both motos and was just perfect all day."
Circuit Length: 1875
Temp: 20
Crowd: 33135
Weather: Wet
Race 1 - 18 Laps: 1 Stefan Everts Yamaha BEL 40'57.876
2 Joshua Coppins Honda NZL 0'43.152
3 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 1'32.032
4 Tanel Leok Kawasaki EST 1'37.711
5 Ken De Dycker Honda BEL 1'40.262
6 Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 1'41.951
7 Bas Verhoeven Kawasaki NED 1'47.567
8 Manuel Priem Yamaha BEL -1 Laps
9 Jonathan Barragan KTM ESP -1 Laps
10 Marcus Norlen Suzuki SWE -1 Laps
11 Kristof Salaets Yamaha BEL -1 Laps
12 Marvin Van Daele Honda BEL -1 Laps
13 Alex Salvini Suzuki ITA -1 Laps
14 Kornel Nemeth Suzuki HUN -1 Laps
15 Lauris Freibergs Suzuki LVA -1 Laps
16 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL -1 Laps
17 Anne Advokaat Honda NED -1 Laps
18 Johnny Lindhe KTM SWE -1 Laps
19 James Noble Honda GBR -1 Laps
20 Aigar Bobkovs Honda LVA -1 Laps
Race 2 - 18 Laps:1 Stefan Everts Yamaha BEL 40'20.984
2 Joshua Coppins Honda NZL 0'36.728
3 Jonathan Barragan KTM ESP 0'55.438
4 Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 2'7.398
5 Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 2'36.900
6 Manuel Priem Yamaha BEL -1 Laps
7 Wyatt Avis KTM RSA -1 Laps
8 Lauris Freibergs Suzuki LVA -1 Laps
9 Kornel Nemeth Suzuki HUN -1 Laps
10 Bas Verhoeven Kawasaki NED -1 Laps
11 Mark Jones Honda GBR -1 Laps
12 Ken De Dycker Honda BEL -1 Laps
13 Marvin Van Daele Honda BEL -1 Laps
14 Marcus Norlen Suzuki SWE -1 Laps
15 Clement Desalle Suzuki BEL -1 Laps
16 Pascal Leuret Honda FRA -1 Laps
17 Mike Kras Suzuki NED -1 Laps
18 Kristof Salaets Yamaha BEL -1 Laps
19 James Noble Honda GBR -2 Laps
20 Johnny Lindhe KTM SWE -2 Laps
Best Lap: Stefan Everts Yamaha BEL 2'9.699
Rider Standings 03/09/2006: 1. Stefan Everts Yamaha BEL 689
2. Kevin Strijbos Suzuki BEL 491
3. Steve Ramon Suzuki BEL 454
4. Ken De Dycker Honda BEL 434
5. Tanel Leok Kawasaki EST 405
6. Jonathan Barragan KTM ESP 338
7. Joshua Coppins Honda NZL 293
8. Manuel Priem Yamaha BEL 267
9. Pascal Leuret Honda FRA 247
10. Cedric Melotte Yamaha BEL 224
11. James Noble Honda GBR 202
12. Javier Garcia Vico Honda ESP 196
13. Julien Bill Yamaha GBR 167
14. Antti Pyrhonen TM FIN 161
15. Gordon Crockard Honda GBR 153
16. Marvin Van Daele Honda BEL 146
17. Brian Jorgensen Honda DNK 131
18. Wyatt Avis KTM RSA 120
19. Danny Theybers Suzuki BEL 102
20. Sebastien Tortelli KTM FRA 99
Manufacturer Standings 03/09/2006: 1. Yamaha 689
2. Suzuki 561
3. Honda 538
4. Kawasaki 420
5. KTM 416
6. TM 161
Related Linkswww.yamaha-racing.com
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