    |
 |
|
|
|
BEN SECOND IN ITALY
Teenage Kiwi sensatation, Ben Townley has again rocked the motocross world, bouncing back from painful crashes to an amazing second place in today\'s 125 Grand Prix of Italy.
Echoing the placing of his mentor Josh Coppins in the earlier 250 race, the 17-year-old stood on the podium of an event in which he was not expected to start.
After a heavy crash in yesterday\'s qualifying session and another big dump
in practice this morning, the Taupo-born expat lined up his Big Five
Vangani KTM as least favoured of the top riders.
But a good start saw Townley lead from lap one to the mid stages when he
was run down by eventual winner and runaway championship leader Mickael
Maschio of France.
\"My body is really painful now, but I didn\'t feel it during the race,\"
commented Townley after the 40-minute sprint in gruelling heat.
\"After yesterday\'s crash I was a bit unsure, then when I went down again
this morning I thought everything was on top of me.
\"But it was just a matter of relaxing and riding my own race, just let the
laps come past.\"
The result repeats Townley\'s placing in the opening grand prix of the year
and the former unknown has been in the media spotlight ever since.
\"I\'m not feeling the pressure from outside but I\'m aware it\'s there,\" he said.
\"I\'m just happy to be getting the results, and yeah I guess other people
are noticing too.\"
Second overall in the championship after three rounds, Townley slumped to sixth when he was crashed out of the last GP: now he lies fifth just three points away from third place.
The Grand Premio d\'Italio was held in relentless sun at Castiglione del Lago, in Umbria north of Rome.
The sixth of 12 rounds in the championship is in Austria in a fortnight.
Points after five of 12 rounds:
World 125 championship:
1 Mickael Maschio (France) Kawasaki, 110 points; 2
Patrick Caps (Belgium) KTM, 94; 3 Steve Ramon (Belgium) KTM 79; 4 Philippe
Dupasquier (Switzerland) KTM, 78; 4 63; 5 Ben Townley (NZ) Big Five Vangani
KTM 76; 6 Alex Puzar (Italy) Husqvarna, 73; 7 Tyla Rattray (South Africa)
Big Five Vangani KTM, 56.
Constructors:
KTM 119, Kawasaki 110, Husqvarna 74, Yamaha 68, Honda 42,
Suzuki 25.
