De Reuver recovers to claim victory in Bulgaria
6/07/2006
THOR rider Marc De Reuver has collected his first GP victory of the season after an impressive ride at the 6th round of the FIM MX World championship in Sevlievo, Bulgaria. South African Gareth Swanepoel posted a 9 - 19 result succumbing to the muddy conditions in the final moto.
A horrendous and potential season-ending-crash in his qualifying moto shook de Reuver. Nonetheless, the resilient KTM star recovered to post a super fast lap time in the last chance timed practice.
The first moto did not go the Dutchman's way as a bad start left him way back in the pack with loads of work to do. He put his head down and set a blistering pace but could only manage sixth place on the fast and one lined circuit.
As the skies darkened prior to the second and deciding moto, a rain shower transformed the hilly circuit into a slippery mud bath. De Reuver's mud riding skills came to the fore as he proceeded in hunting down fellow team-mate, David Philippaerts and championship leader, Christophe Pourcel. De Reuver never put a foot wrong in the trying conditions and held off a late challenge from South African Tyla Rattray to take his first victory of the season.
De Reuver: "I had a problem yesterday in the qualifying heat when I crashed and I didn't hurt myself. The bike was completely destroyed and I had to go for the last chance where I had the first time. 25th pick on the gate is not the best. It's quite funny you know when you are second in the championship and have to start from 25th place. I collided with some people in the first heat in the start and the start was very bad. I came up to sixth place and that was quite ok. In the second heat I was off the start really good. It was really muddy and then you could see that sand riders like me and Rattray also have good mud riding skills. Tyla was pushing me hard at the end of the race but I managed to hold on for the win. I was quite surprised to win the GP - I didn't expect that."
Only two points now separate de Reuver and Frenchman Christophe Pourcel as the championship heads to Montevarchi, Italy next weekend.
Race 1 MX 2
- Cairoli, Antonio ITA Yamaha
- Pourcel, Christophe FRA Kawasaki
- Philippaerts, David ITA KTM
- Pourcel, Sebastien FRA Kawasaki
- Rattray, Tyla RSA KTM
- de Reuver, Marc NED KTM (THOR)
- Aubin, Nicolas FRA KTM
- Guarneri, Davide ITA Yamaha
- Swanepoel, Garreth RSA Kawasaki (THOR)
- Boissiere, Anthony FRA Yamaha
Race 2 MX 2
- de Reuver, Marc NED KTM (THOR)
- Rattray, Tyla RSA KTM
- Philippaerts, David ITA KTM
- Pourcel, Christophe FRA Kawasaki
- Pourcel, Sebastien FRA Kawasaki
- Goncalves, Rui POR KTM
- Nunn, Carl GBR KTM
- Monni, Manuel ITA KTM
- Seguy, Luigi FRA Yamaha
- Gundersen, Kenneth NOR Yamaha
Race 1 MX 1
- Everts, Stefan BEL Yamaha
- Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki
- Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki
- Jorgensen, Brian DEN Honda
- Leuret, Pascal FRA Honda
- Avis, Wyatt RSA KTM
- de Dycker, Ken BEL Honda
- Bill, Julien SUI Yamahav
- Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki
- Garcia Vico, Francisco SPA Honda
Race 2 MX 1
- Everts, Stefan BEL Yamaha
- Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki
- Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki
- Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki
- Jorgensen, Brian DEN Honda
- de Dycker, Ken BEL Honda
- Leuret, Pascal FRA Honda
- Garcia Vico, Francisco SPA Honda
- van Daele, Marvin BEL Honda
- Salvini, Alex ITA Suzuki