Jake
March 22nd, 2004, 08:10 PM
ress Release Issued By Team Suzuki News (March 21, 2004)
Team Suzuki?s Kevin Strijbos raced the new RM-Z450 to both his and the bike?s first World Championship podium at Sunday?s MX1 Championship opener in Belgium.
The 18-year-old Belgian claimed third place in the second moto after crashing out of the opening leg on a whoop section while holding a commanding lead.
Strijbos said: ?After I made the mistake in the whoops I was back in sixth but making some ground on the group ahead when the bike stalled and I couldn?t restart it,? he reflected.
?In the second race, I got the holeshot but the first 10-to-15 minutes were not great and a few riders passed me. The gap increased to the leaders but then I relaxed and started to get quicker, setting the fastest lap of the race at one point. I was pleased that I could stay full-on for 40 minutes at the same speed. The riding was good today and, apart from the first moto, I am happy enough,? he added.
Team mate Joel Smets faired less well in the opening race and a first corner collision, swiftly followed by a stalled engine, meant the 34 year old had to fight back to 13th - reaching a peak of 11th - after being some way behind the rest of the pack.
In the second moto, the World Champion gated in the leading pack and was placed fourth, but slipped out of the top ten following a momentary mechanical glitch before fighting back to seventh.
?In the first race, entered the first corner a bit too tense,? said Smets. ?I should have been stronger and I may have come through. My riding was good in the first moto and I made a lot of positions. I may have finished seventh in the second race but the day was not very rewarding for me.?
?I felt that it was a good day overall,? reflected Team Manager Jens Johansson. ?The first race should have been a lot better for us but the second was OK. The potential of the bike was a very positive sign.?
Race 1 Results: 1 Steve Ramon, Belgium (KTM), 2 Cedric Melotte, BEL (Yamaha), 3 Michael Pichon, FRA (Honda), 4 Brian Jorgensen, DEN (Honda), 5 Stefan Everts, BEL (Yamaha), 6 Paul Cooper, GBR (Honda), 7 Joshua Coppins, NZL (Honda), 8 Kenneth Gundersen, NOR (KTM), 9 Tanel Leok, EST (Motovision SUZUKI), 10 Marko Kovalainen, FIN (Honda).
Race 2 Results: 1 Cedric Melotte, BEL (Yamaha), 2 Joshua Coppins, NZL (Honda), 3 Kevin Strijbos, BEL (Team SUZUKI), 4 Steve Ramon, BEL (KTM), 5 Stefan Everts, BEL (Yamaha), 6 Kenneth Gundersen, NOR (KTM), 7 Joel Smets (Team SUZUKI), 8 Marnicq Bervoets, BEL (Yamaha), 9 James Noble, GBR (Honda), 10 Tanel Leok, EST (Motovision Suzuki).
Team Suzuki?s Kevin Strijbos raced the new RM-Z450 to both his and the bike?s first World Championship podium at Sunday?s MX1 Championship opener in Belgium.
The 18-year-old Belgian claimed third place in the second moto after crashing out of the opening leg on a whoop section while holding a commanding lead.
Strijbos said: ?After I made the mistake in the whoops I was back in sixth but making some ground on the group ahead when the bike stalled and I couldn?t restart it,? he reflected.
?In the second race, I got the holeshot but the first 10-to-15 minutes were not great and a few riders passed me. The gap increased to the leaders but then I relaxed and started to get quicker, setting the fastest lap of the race at one point. I was pleased that I could stay full-on for 40 minutes at the same speed. The riding was good today and, apart from the first moto, I am happy enough,? he added.
Team mate Joel Smets faired less well in the opening race and a first corner collision, swiftly followed by a stalled engine, meant the 34 year old had to fight back to 13th - reaching a peak of 11th - after being some way behind the rest of the pack.
In the second moto, the World Champion gated in the leading pack and was placed fourth, but slipped out of the top ten following a momentary mechanical glitch before fighting back to seventh.
?In the first race, entered the first corner a bit too tense,? said Smets. ?I should have been stronger and I may have come through. My riding was good in the first moto and I made a lot of positions. I may have finished seventh in the second race but the day was not very rewarding for me.?
?I felt that it was a good day overall,? reflected Team Manager Jens Johansson. ?The first race should have been a lot better for us but the second was OK. The potential of the bike was a very positive sign.?
Race 1 Results: 1 Steve Ramon, Belgium (KTM), 2 Cedric Melotte, BEL (Yamaha), 3 Michael Pichon, FRA (Honda), 4 Brian Jorgensen, DEN (Honda), 5 Stefan Everts, BEL (Yamaha), 6 Paul Cooper, GBR (Honda), 7 Joshua Coppins, NZL (Honda), 8 Kenneth Gundersen, NOR (KTM), 9 Tanel Leok, EST (Motovision SUZUKI), 10 Marko Kovalainen, FIN (Honda).
Race 2 Results: 1 Cedric Melotte, BEL (Yamaha), 2 Joshua Coppins, NZL (Honda), 3 Kevin Strijbos, BEL (Team SUZUKI), 4 Steve Ramon, BEL (KTM), 5 Stefan Everts, BEL (Yamaha), 6 Kenneth Gundersen, NOR (KTM), 7 Joel Smets (Team SUZUKI), 8 Marnicq Bervoets, BEL (Yamaha), 9 James Noble, GBR (Honda), 10 Tanel Leok, EST (Motovision Suzuki).