MAXXIS Europees Kampioenschap SuperMotard 2002

8 september: Sosnova - Van Den Bosch's Sosnová Success

Thierry Van Den Bosch (KTM) clinched a double victory at this historic meeting in Sosnová, the fifth round of the 2002 Maxxis European Supermotard Championship. Superb weather and fantastic racing were just some of the highlights of the first ever International Supermotard race in Eastern Europe and the local Czech spectators went home very happy indeed, having witnessed this unique show live in their own country.

All three factory KTM riders set great times during the qualifying sessions and Eddy Seel (HVA) was the only non-KTM rider to take part in the competition for Polini Superpole which once again, lived up to its high standard of excitement. VDB avoided being distracted by the pretty Polini grid girls and instead, focused on winning to set a blistering lap time of 1:13:859, beating a disappointed Künzel into second place in the process.

Race 1 and whilst Kinigardner, Kunzel and Seel made great starts, VDB wheelied off the line allowing several riders to pass him on the run up to the first corner. At the apex, lots of riders touched but Kinigardner steered his way through the confusion to exit the corner in first place. VDB emerged a determined 2nd, Künzel was 3rd and the factory Husqvarnas were in line-astern formation immediately behind the front three. The factory KTM's battled for honours until Kinigardner made a rare mistake coming onto the pits straight. After a nasty looking crash, he retired shaken but unhurt underlining that today's European Championship safety standards are amongst the best in the World. In the meantime, Künzel was determined to prove that practice was no fluke, leading the race for several laps until the relentless pressure from VDB paid off and he succumbed to record second place at the flag. Manzo (HVA) was third, having battled all race-long with his team mates; Chambon fourth and Rubio, fifth. Local rider Petr Vorlicek rode with great determination and style to finish a brilliant seventh, taking a huge and well-deserved cheer from the enthusiastic crowd as he crossed the line.

Race 2 and this time VDB kept the front wheel down to make a lightning start from the grid. His KTM factory team mates once again got the run on their Husqvarna opposition but Kunzel was pressing harder for the lead on every lap. At the back of the circuit, out on the long dirt section, Kunzel claimed first place and began to pull slowly away from VDB and Kini. In their own battle behind for fourth, Manzo (HVA), Chambon (HVA) and Seel (HVA) swapped places regularly but eventually, Chambon forged ahead and eventually passed Kini in a brave move up the inside to the delight of the crowd in the grandstand. At the front, VDB reduced the gap to Kunzel and on cue, just as the "2 laps to go" board was displayed, VDB pounced with a superb and determined pass into the first corner. Chambon hung on to third and Manzo passed an ailing Kini, (still stiff from his crash in race one) to claim fourth. Reigning Champion Eddy Seel (HVA) rounded off a low-key race in 6th but local hero Petr Vorlicek once again excelled himself to finish in eighth place, making it the best weekend of his career so far. Just when the crowd thought all the excitement was over, the riders performed an outstanding stunt show and the verdict was that Supermotard was here to stay in the Czech Republic!

The next round of the action-packed Maxxis European Supermotard Championship is at the Riccardo Paletti Circuit near Varano De' Melegari in Italy on the 5th and 6th of October.

De uitslagen

Polini Superpole
1 Thierry Van Den Bosch KTM
2 Jurgen Künzel KTM
3 Klaus Kinigardner KTM
4 Eddy Seel Husqvarna

Race 1
1 Thierry Van Den Bosch KTM
2 Jurgen Künzel KTM
3 Massimo Manzo Husqvarna
4 Boris Chambon Husqvarna
5 William Rubio Husqvarna
6 Christophe Betrand Husaberg
7 Petr Vorlicek KTM
8 Eric Delanoy Husqvarna
9 Marc Nemeth KTM
10 Bernd Hiemer Husqvarna
11 Daniel Muller Yamaha
12 Jérome Giraudo Vertemati
13 Harald Ott KTM
14 Michael Hirschi KTM
15 Rolf Baumgartner Yamaha

Race 1 Fastest Lap
Thierry Van Den Bosch - 1:13.513 - 88 Km/h

Race 2
1 Thierry Van Den Bosch KTM
2 Jürgen Kunzel KTM
3 Boris Chambon Husqvarna
4 Massimo Manzo Husqvarna
5 Klaus Kinigardner KTM
6 Eddy Seel Husqvarna
7 Achim Trinckner Husqvarna
8 Petr Vorlicek KTM
9 Eric Delanoy Husqvarna
10 Jarno Mori Yamaha
11 Bernd Hiemer Husqvarna
12 Jérome Giraudo Vertemati
13 William Rubio Husqvarna
14 Harald Ott KTM
15 Antonin Klatovsky Husqvarna

Race 2 Fastest Lap
Jürgen Kunzel - 1:14.020 - 88 Km/h

1 Thierry Van Den Bosch KTM 211
2 Boris Chambon Husqvarna 136
3 Eddy Seel Husqvarna 127
4 Massimo Manzo Husqvarna 119
5 Jurgen Kunzel KTM 99
6 Klaus Kinigardner KTM 90
7 Gérald Delapine Vertemati 79
8 William Rubio Husqvarna 75
9 Eric Delannoy Husqvarna 74
10 Achim Trinkner Husqvarna 40
11 Christophe Bertrand Husaberg 32
12 Ivan Lazzarini Yamaha 30
13 Frédéric Fiorentino KTM 29
14 Harold Ott KTM 24
15 Bernd Hiemer Husqvarna 24
16 Stephane Blot Husqvarna 22
17 Petr Vorlicek KTM 19
18 Daniel Muller Yamaha 17
19 Jérome Giraudo Vertemati 16
20 Laurent Gery Honda 15
21 Thierry Godfroid Kawasaki 14
22 Emanuele Giovanelli Yamaha 14
23 Michael Paul Husqvarna 14
24 Marc Nemeth KTM 11
25 Francois Vavasseur Yamaha 10
26 Dominique Poulain KTM 7
27 Adrien Chareyre Husqvarna 7
28 Alexendre Thiebault Husqvarna 7
29 Beat Gautschi Husqvarna 7
30 Jarno Mori Yamaha 6
31 Massimo Beltrami Honda 5
32 Sebastien Le Grelle Husaberg 4
33 Elric Lambert Husqvarna 4
34 Michael Hirschi KTM 2
35 Enzo Ermondi Yamaha 2
36 Antonin Klatovsky Husqvarna 1
37 Rolf Baumgartner Yamaha 1
38 Fabrice Lecoanet Honda 1
39 Santi Tona Castells KTM 1
40 Fabien Rossi Yamaha 1
41 Jean-Marc Gaillard Honda 1
42 Rudy Versteeg KTM 1
43 Stephane Duchene KTM 1