MX1: BillyMac attacks for glory

Author: ALEX HODGKINSON

THE game of cat and mouse in the warm-up races is over. At Valkenswaard in Holland on the weekend of April 5/6 the 2008 world series takes off in earnest, and, while the winners in the Dutch sand are not necessarily on course for the title, anybody who is not in the frame faces a long, hard chase to get back amongst the challengers.

Call it chauvinism if you wish, but Britain is in with a real shout in both classes this year and in MX2 half of the world elite is based in the UK. But, first let’s take a look at the big hitters in MX1.

Having been told in no uncertain terms by virtually everyone in the know that 350 is not the way to go, the FIM has maintained an eerie silence on its suggested ‘improvements’ in recent months, but this year at least the world’s premier off-road series still takes to the track on 450cc machines, and the men will beat the boys. But the youngsters have been growing up fast, and a generation change is in full swing.

The famous names of the 1990s – Everts, Smets, Pichon – are gone, and old masters Chicco Chiodi and Mike Brown can hardly expect to be at the very front at the end of 40-minutes, but the third oldest man in the race again starts favourite.

Josh Coppins turned 31 last month, and (see the sidebar) insists that this is likely to be his final season. The two-times world runner-up, and runaway leader last summer until a flint severed his rear brake line and flung him into a post, has got a new bike, more user-friendly than the Everts-based monster, and threatens to be faster than last year – but so too does the opposition.

Next up in the age stakes is champion Steve Ramon (28). The Belgian took a lot of stick for not winning a GP last year, but he did run down Coppins in France, he rode the last third of the series with his wrists strapped up, and he kept scoring under pressure. A reserved character by nature, Steve has also come out of his shell in the last 12-months and has added flair and thoughtful aggression to his riding. He will win something this summer on the new Suzuki, and should not be written off.

New team-mate, Ken De Dycker (23) has made steady progress since wrecking himself at Mantova and can undoubtedly be the fastest man on the track again. His early season wins show he has started to combat the arm pump, and 40-minutes round Valkenswaard will show if he has progressed enough.

Yamaha, too, has two irons in the fire, the ineffectual De Reuver having been replaced by David Philippaerts. And the Italian (24), whose effectiveness in the last three-years has been partially dampened by his over-energetic style (wonderful to watch, but sadly not the road to a title!), has found himself presented with a bike on which he can flow. His second moto exhaustion may be a thing of the past, but can he still be his over-exuberance in the heat of battle?

With two factory teams, Kawasaki has the most irons in the fire, but they have not enjoyed the easiest of springs. Kevin Strijbos chipped a shoulder in January and Tanel Leok fractured his shoulder blade at Valence. The Belgian, world number two for the last two years, was already back on a bike for the Dutch national opener, and the Estonian, the 2007 ‘king of pole’, will also be at the start for the GP. Both are young (23 this summer) and both have the speed to run for wins. But both will need to settle down in the first three GPs of the season.

Green newcomer, Manuel Priem, is an artisan in the Smets mould, but at 26 is probably already too old to ever progress to the very top. However, Sebastien Pourcel was the revelation of the second half of 2007 and, despite having no significant results to date this year, is a serious threat for the crown.

I remember then KTM team manager, Tobbe Gustavsson, telling me back in 2005 that he wasn’t interested in Seb when Orange was chasing Chris Pourcel because: “I don’t like riders who ride with their elbows down,” but the Frenchman, another 23 year old, developed and refined his stance last summer and it was no coincidence that his mastery of the 450 came at the same time. He is still THE supreme precisionist, and looks terrifyingly fast at times!

So too does Max Nagl. The German, the youngest of the world elite at 20, has been consistently close to the front all year, and that despite a slower build up under the direction of Stefan Everts. Now listening to his director of operations – unlike his predecessor, Jonathan Barragan – KTM’s sole MX1 factory rider must stay injury-free but he looks in control at all times now and probably has the fastest bike on the track.

Off-loaded to the Silver Action satellite team, Barragan showed at Mantova that he still has the speed, but also the impatience, and his DNFs have already wrecked his hopes in the Spanish championship, which should have been a stroll! Nuff said.

Honda has heralded its ‘HRC factory comeback’ with two teams, but Paolo Martin no longer has a Pichon, or even a Jorgensen. Julien Bill simply doesn’t fit the ‘superstar’ bill, a top ten, even a podium pusher at times, but not a winner, and it is even doubtful that Marc De Reuver will be able to finish the races at Valkenswaard after wrecking his ankle this month. And the Hawkstone winner was never going to produce the goods week in, week out.

Mike Brown will undoubtedly holeshot motos again, but I don’t see a gnarly track on the calendar where his grittiness can keep him up front to the finish, but his new CAS team-mate, Billy MacKenzie, is the joker in the pack.

Those wins on home soil can deceive, because UK motocross is most unlike anything else in the world, and Billy has failed to show the consistency to earn a high series ranking in the past.

This may be the year for that to change; there is certainly no reason why it shouldn’t because the talent and the desire are there. And I recall another dynamic Brit who had ranked only eighth and seventh in the two seasons prior to winning the title – Graham Noyce!

Celebrating his 24th birthday the day after the opening GP, Billy will not necessarily be thinking about victory at Valkenswaard, but a repeat of Lierop, where he was best non-Benelux rider, could set him up for a wonderful season. And it has to start happening regularly soon if it is going to happen at all!

The rest of the Brits are in the pack.

James Noble started to look so promising 12-months ago, but by mid-summer had slumped back into the routine and at 27 is running out of time. Perhaps his greatest plus is the presence of north-eastern rival Brad Anderson, finally, and deservedly, a GP regular. After their clashes on home soil, hopefully they can spur each other to regular rides amongst the factory boys, not at the very front, but in the top ten.

Class changer Tom Church has also proved he is on that pace, and ‘TC’ even stayed out of hospital last year for the first time in an eight-year GP career, while Kenneth Gundersen’s return to the main class after two-years in MX2 rebuilding from a wrecked knee should also bring regular top ten finishes.

Coppins will start as title favourite, but that elusive title is still 15 GPs away.