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MX1 : Everts' slip still unable to halt victory number 95
Round: 8 - 2006 GP of Matterley Basin, UK
Circuit: Matterley Basin
Date: 18 June 2006
Crowd: 39000
Temp: 28ºC
Weather: Hot
Stefan Everts' assault on the World Championship record books weathered its toughest test in weeks but came through unscathed at the eighth round of the 2006 series.
At a hot and packed Matterley Basin circuit for the British Grand Prix the World Champion won both motos to stretch his unbeaten run to thirteen races and eight perfect rounds so far.
Everts had claimed his second pole position in a row on Saturday on a very dry track that was hard and dusty. The long layout gave the impression of high speed but the riders were struggling to break the two minute barrier as they bobbed and weaved through the course situated in the middle of a natural bowl and among some picturesque scenery.
Everts owned his twelfth consecutive moto in usual untouchable fashion. The 33 year old came close to crashing in a busy first corner but cut through from fourth position in the opening turns to be leading the pack by the end of the first lap. A more unconventional race lay in store later in the afternoon as a spill while leading on the fifth lap required some swift surgery to his standing and nine circulations later he had recouped four positions and passed Steve Ramon to again be the pace-setter. It was another dominant display from the Yamaha Intur Sports rider who also recorded the fastest lap of the sprint.
Cédric Melotte continues to improve both his physical condition and his confidence. The Belgian was part of a tasty dice for second and third positions in the opening moto - at one stage the YZ450FMs were flying tandem - and eventually he defended fifth spot from Tanel Leok. In the second outing he gained another top ten placing with eighth for his best pair of results this year.
Bike it Yamaha UK Dixon Racing's Julien Bill posted the seventh quickest lap-time in qualification and was running in the mid top ten for sections of the opening race until being relegated to tenth with an engine glitch. He was 13th in the final moto after a problem with his goggles.
Everts leads the Championship by 99 points which gives him an advantage of almost two Grand Prix with only seven left to run. The Belgian is still firmly on course to reach 100 career victories and presently has 95. Cédric Melotte is eighth but only twelve points from seventh with the next round due to take place at Sweden in two weeks.
Stefan Everts, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team: "I hit a rock with my frame, the back wheel came out of the rut and I slid out. Josh passed me immediately but I was aggressive and got him back quickly. I was chasing Tanel but I was having a hard time around the first part of the track because it was so fast and the roosts coming up from all the dust made it difficult to see the lines. I made my way through one by one and then pushed quite hard to have a small gap after a few laps. I managed to bring my Yamaha to the chequered flag first and again I am very happy. After the small crash it made a good show for the fans and I was pleased with how I could still take the race."
Cédric Melotte, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team: "Finally I felt more like my old self. I had a long talk with Michele during the week about my life and not just motocross. His encouragement was unbelievable and he is very positive. I had a small problem with my back today and had a lot of pain. I needed an injection to race but I did not want to give up because I was feeling mentally much better. I am still physically not 100% and my riding style needs a high level of fitness. I needed a bit of time to come back but I am still confident for the rest of the season. It will be good to have a small break now and I can take my training step by step."
Michele Rinaldi, Team co-ordinator, Yamaha Intur Sports Motocross Team: "It has been a difficult and delicate time for Cédric. He needed a long time to recover from his wrist and still wasn't fit to push for forty minutes. It was not the best situation for Cédric, Yamaha or for us. Today he proved he was fast and could ride at the front for half of the race but could not go to the end. I hope this will change soon because Stefan is giving us perfect results in one half of the team. Both riders really appreciate the new Yamaha and we can see that it is strong everywhere and in all kinds of conditions. We are taking many holeshots which shows the performance of the engine and we are all satisfied."
Race classification MX1
Round: 8 - 2006 GP of Matterley Basin, UK
Circuit: Matterley Basin
