The Molson Kawasaki MX2 team riders run strong in Sevlievo until terrible luck strikes. If it wasn’t for bad luck in Bulgaria the Molson Kawasaki team would have had little to no luck at all as after Stephen Sword and Gautier Paulin raced their factory KX250F-SRs to fourth and fifth place in the opening moto at round four of the FIM World Motocross Championship in Sevlievo a double no score second time out tried and tested the team’s spirit to the max.
As early as in the first practice session on Saturday it was obvious that Sword and Paulin were in great form on the jump-filled, super-fast hillside circuit as they carved their factory bikes to great times in all sessions. Then in their qualifying heat the pair finished second and third to easily qualify and ensure they’d get a great pick at the start gate for Sunday’s points paying races.
When the gate dropped for moto one it was Sword who came out of the corner with the holeshot even though he’d been far from quickest out of the gate. “I didn’t get out of the gate so well but I got fantastic drive up the straight and through the first corner to take the lead,” claimed Stephen. “Once out front I had a bit of a dilemma on my hands as I wasn’t sure which lines to take. The outsides were drier and looked quicker while the inside looked slippery. I figured if I went on the inside to protect my lead they’d be able to blast around the outside of me so I went wide but a few riders went by me and blocked my line and I ended up fifth – I couldn’t believe it!”
One of the riders to take advantage of Sword’s ill-conceived line selection is team-mate Gautier. “In the first race I got a very good start mostly because my bike is very good,” said Paulin. “Stephen was in front of me and I passed him and after Searle and Cairoli passed me I found a good rhythm. It was a good race for me and I was catching the leaders for a while but then Stephen passed me and I ended up fifth. My speed was equal to that of the leaders but I just made too many mistakes and they were able to pull away.”
Sword was also affected by Gautier’s errors but eventually found a way past. “I got stuck behind Gautier who’d passed me on lap one for a little while and the leaders gapped us which is a shame because I know I had the pace to run with them,” added Stephen. “I finished fourth in the end and I was really happy with that.”
Paulin is equally happy to finish fifth, one place behind his team-mate. “I was really happy with that result,” claimed Paulin. “I feel it is the best I have ridden since my hand injury – Spain was a better result of course but that was in strange conditions.”
With heavy rain falling between motos it looked for a while as though moto two might be a mud race but luckily conditions cleared although the circuit was much slicker.
Sword got away from the line in third place behind fellow Brits Tommy Searle and Shaun Simpson but a technical problem with the steering would end his race before the first lap was out. “The start was pretty good again and I was in third which was perfect,” said Sword. “I knew nobody was going to be trying any big moves on the first lap because it was so slippery. I felt really good and totally in control of things and was ready to bide my time before making my move. Then going underneath the Red Bull bridge the bike came out of the rut and I jumped off the track. I thought I’d be able to continue but when I turned to get back onto the track the handlebars turned in my hands and I realised then that something had broken and that was it.”
Paulin meanwhile had got snarled up in the first turn carnage that also involved Toni Cairoli and Tyla Rattray and unfortunately had technical troubles of his own…
“Rattray made a big mistake in turn one and I hit him and then someone hit me and it was all a bit crazy in there,” explained Gautier. “I got going okay again but I must have damaged the front brake disk and it was so bent that it was pushing my brake pads apart constantly so it felt like I had no front brake which caused me to crash. I came into the pits and my mechanic changed the wheel and I was able to carry on which was good because I’m not used to riding mud so much so it’s good to get more experience in it. My lap times were good and I felt like I was riding well and I was running the pace of Rattray although I was one lap down.”
Despite the no scores Sword sits in sixth position in the MX2 championship while Gautier is 12th and both riders will be looking to turn their fortunes around at round five of the championship next weekend at Mantova in Italy.
The Molson team’s MX1 satellite rider Tom Church also had problems of his own in Sevlievo. After qualifying well during Saturday’s timed session Tom took ill overnight and felt way below par during Sunday’s two races. “I’m not sure what the problem is,” explained Tom. “As soon as I got back to the hotel last night I was sick and I continued to vomit all night. I tried my hardest during the races but I just felt so physically drained it would have been foolish and potentially dangerous to continue. I must first overcome this illness then concentrate on the rest of the season starting with Mantova next weekend.”
