Motorcycles and news

Supermoto: Lazzarini and Van den Bosch protagonists in successful Monte Carlo GP October 9, 2006

The Grand Prix Le Alpi del Mare was one of the best in 2006 with 7000 people watching some wonderful action in both classes of the FIM Supermoto World Championship: S1 and S2.The S1 was all about three men: Italian Ivan Lazzarini, Belgian Gerald Delepine and German Bernd Hiemer.

Lazzarini flew back from Ireland after winning the Supermoto of Nations in Bishopscourt. His shape was supreme today and Ivan got 2 back to back Moto wins after as many breathtaking duels with Team mate Delepine.

After the start of the first Moto Hiemer was leading from Delepine and Lazzarini with Lorenzo Pes fourth; the German opened up an important gap then crashed. Delepine and Lazzarini passed in front of him with the Italian looking for an open door to pass his Team mate.

Ivan found it at the off-road section then his life was not easy: Delepine tried his best to move back to first but Ivan managed his advantage and won.

Bernd Hiemer got his KTM back to the track and finished third with Brit Christian Iddon fourth thanks to pass he did over Italian Pes. Robert Baraccani completed the top five with his factory TM.

The second race was once again a fight between Husqvarna fellas Delepine and Lazzarini; right after the start it was Hiemer heading the pack into the first corner but both Delepine and Lazzarini moved past him at the off-road section. Since then Lazzarini kept close to Delepine looking for an open door but Delepine defended top spot as hard as he could.

Ivan showed to be harder and passed at the very last turn after a breathtaking mistake by Delepine. Lazzarini finished first and Delepine was right behind in second. Slovenian Ales Hlad was third at the chequered flag and made up for last weekend in Belfast, where his bike broke and he could not race.

Bernd Hiemer was fourth: he tried several times to move past Lazzarini but got the second crash of the day with two laps to go.

Lazzarini’s win helped him in the Championship; the Italian is now second behind Hiemer but the gap is 44 points. Gerald Delepine is third and Christian Iddon dropped down to fourth place. Goetz is still fifth with Team mates Baraccani and Girolami sixth and seventh.

There is news for next year: Lazzarini has inked a two-year deal with Yamaha Evolution Team and will have a 450cc bike.

In the S2 class Aprilia man Thierry Van Den Bosch imitated Lazzarini and conquered 2 back to back Moto wins.

The first Moto saw Bolley and Beltrami leading the group into the first right hander but VDB snatched the lead before the end of the opening lap. He knew Bolley’s speed in the off-road section was high and managed to open up a small gap to control the Team mate.

Giraudo did not have a good pace at the off-road section but managed to hold third place for the entire race.

After the three Aprilia factory machines, all ridden by Frenchmen, there was Italian Massimo Beltrami with fourth place. He had to keep Balducci behind until the TM rider was passed by young gun Adrien Chareyre, who finished the race in fifth place.

In the second Moto Giraudo had a storming start with Bolley crashing out. VDB was second followed by Bidart.

At the fourth lap Van Den Bosch moved past Giraudo; Giraudo kept close to his Team mate and behind him there was Bidart closing all doors to Balducci and Beltrami.

Beltrami crashed in the off-road and handed his place to Gozzini, chasing Bidart together with Balducci.

The Christian Ravaglia headed the chase after he moved past both Gozzini and Balducci: unfortunately both “hunter” Ravaglia and “fox” Bidart crashed in the eighth lap.

Giraudo crashed as well but he quickly restarted and finish second behind Team mate VDB; Adrien Chareyre was third: he found his way through and made to pass Balducci, who “survived” the chase for Bidart and finished fourth.

The top five finished with current World Champion Boris Chambon ahead of Manzo and Bolley, sixth and seventh.

In the Championship Van Den Bosch firmly holds the red plate with 31 points more than Giraudo, second. Adrien Chareyre is now third, 17 points behind Giraudo; Bolley is fourth and Balducci is fifth. Bidart is still sixth but it was Seel who dropped down the most.

The Belgian is currently seventh because he could not race the Dunlop Grand Prix Le Alpi del Mare. He injured his right hand and will miss also the Dunlop Grand Prix of Italy in Latina next weekend.