The world championship ended this weekend in the deep sand of Lierop, where Livia Lancelot collected the best overall result of the season for Team GPKR with a second place in the Women’s World Cup. With Livia second, the absent Christophe third in the MX2 class and Sébastien fourth in the MX1 Championship, the team collected strong results from its second year of activity.
Home of Grand Prix racing for several years Lierop is one of the toughest tracks of the series and was more demanding than ever as the riders had already raced five GPs in the last six weeks. For the ladies, who made their first outing on a sandy track, it was even worse but their races were finally as exciting as the MX1 and MX2 heats.
After qualifying in ninth position on Saturday, Sébastien Pourcel started both heats around the top ten. He struggled a little bit during the opening laps of the first race but then found his rhythm and finished ninth as Philippaerts passed him on the last circulations. Before the final race of the season he kept an advantage of twenty points over Philippaerts for fourth place in the championship and needed a result of seventh position to pass Coppins for third spot.
Eighth after a few laps behind Nagl, Sébastien was chasing the German when he got fencing caught in his rear wheel and had to stop in the pits. Sixteenth in GP overall, Sébastien finished the series with fourth position and is the best newcomer of the year in the MX1 class.
Arriving in Lierop with the red plate on her Kawasaki ‘114’, Livia knew from the first practice session that it would be difficult to battle with Katherine Prumm, who was much faster than all the other girls. Approaching second place behind her in the first race, Livia unfortunately twisted her left knee in a corner and had to lower her pace to finish ninth. She started the second moto with the painful knee and came back to fourth to secure the runner-up position in the series. Third in 2006 and now second this year, Livia has made a huge progression with the team and will be even stronger next season.
Sébastien Pourcel‘It was not a good GP for me. In the first race I had some trouble to find a good rhythm and I crashed in the last few laps to finally finish eighth. My second start was similar but I had a better speed, I knew that I needed a seventh to pass Coppins in the standings. I was following Nagl but I suffered from some engine trouble, then took a tape in my rear wheel and it was the end of my race. I felt tired; I will take some rest next week and then work again to prepare the Nations.’
Livia Lancelot‘I’ve mixed feelings. I’m happy to be second in the series instead of third as last year but I came here with the red plate and my goal was to keep it. However Katherine was faster than us and I twisted my knee in the first race when I passed a lapper in a corner. It’s a shame as I was in second but then finished ninth with a painful knee. They tended to it in the truck and I came to the last race with one goal, to keep my second place in the standings. I did it, and now I will see my doctor as I must have surgery as soon as possible to repair my ligaments.’
Patrick Geladé‘We’re a little bit frustrated tonight as we’d love to have seen Sébastien on the podium but he reached his goal as he is in the top five of the series. He has made huge progress this season and now knows how to prepare for next year. Livia has had to deal with injuries during all the races. She impressed me today as she contested the second heat with a dislocated knee! Of course we’re happy that the season is over but we’re also thinking to the next one as we’ve numerous projects and goals for our third year.’
Roger Pourcel‘We’ve got good results this season even if the last three weekends were not as successful as the others. Christophe is now in rehab; he can’t stand-up yet and will try according to the doctors next week. He has no more pain now, that’s important and the medical staff say he should make a full recovery.’
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