Suzuki's all-new RM-Z450 has claimed its first podium in the MX1 World
Championship with podium finishes in both races in Holland this weekend.
Joel Smets scored Team Suzuki's first overall podium finish of the MX1 World
Championship as team-mate Kevin Strijbos raced to fifth and sixth places.
The 35-year-old former multi-World Champion raced to two third positions in
the Valkenswaard sand to give the new RM-Z450 four-stroke its first dousing
of champagne.
Smets was showing more like his strength and form of old as he battled with
eventual winner Stefan Everts in the first race, then took his time to pass
pole- position holder and GP winner, Michael Pichon, in the second moto to
earn his place on the rostrum.
Strijbos, who qualified in second spot and held third for almost half of
the opening event of the day - before feeling the pace under the hot sun -
was swamped by Everts and subsequently his team-mate.
Still, to give an indication of his achievement from the group of four
riders that crossed the line in front of him, three boast a total World
Championship haul of fourteen titles.
A lacklustre start in the initial few laps of final race of the afternoon
prevented the Belgian from rising to a similar standing but sixth place by
the chequered flag was enough to leave him content with fifth overall and
the best set of results so far for the Belgium-based squad.
Joel Smets:
"It feels good to get this first podium result with the team. Mentally the
winter was very tough. After 10 years with a European bike it was a complete
new engine and chassis and I put a lot of pressure on myself since October
to make this project work. At the first race of the year in Mantova, we
already saw the first signs of our hard efforts but it was also the same
meeting where I picked up my knee injury. I was still convinced that we had
a bike that would fight for GP wins. Kevin has proved it before but finally
I was able to also show that we have a bike that is capable of GP success."
Kevin Strijbos:
"With taking second on Saturday it was a pretty good weekend. In the first
moto, I got a pretty good start and was following Steve easily without
having to push. After about 15 minutes, I had a small dip and lost the pace
because Michael and Joel caught me. I tried to keep consistent with my speed
after that and saw that I could not catch them but I was quite tired towards
the end. On the start of the second I wheelied too much and had to shut-off
to get control, so I lost some places. The beginning of the race was bad; I
was not focused and already felt tired but when I relaxed, the rhythm came
and I got faster. I was happy that I picked up the speed but it was stupid
to lose time on everybody at the start and I cannot afford to do this. Fifth
is my best overall result of the year so I have to be happy with this."
Sylvain Geboers, Team Owner:
"This is a really nice moment for the team, not only because we got the
podium, but because the racing was close and proves that we are becoming
competitive. Joel with the handicap he has is doing a great job. We know the
knee is a weak point but today showed that he can still be capable of
winning a GP in his condition with a bike that is still so new. We can still
make progress. We have started from nothing, with little experience, with a
four-stroke - and things are not going so bad."
MX1 Moto 1 Result:
1. MELOTTE C?dric, BEL (YAMAHA)
2. EVERTS Stefan, BEL (YAMAHA)
3. SMETS Jo?l, BEL (SUZUKI)
4. PICHON Micha?l, FRA (HONDA)
5. STRIJBOS Kevin, BEL (SUZUKI)
6. DE DIJCKER Ken, BEL (HONDA)
7. RAMON Steve, BEL (KTM)
8. GUNDERSEN Kenneth, NOR (KTM)
9. BURNHAM Christian, GBR (KTM)
10. BERVOETS Marnicq, BEL (YAMAHA)
MX1 Moto 2 Result:
1. EVERTS Stefan, BEL (YAMAHA)
2. MELOTTE C?dric, BEL (YAMAHA)
3. SMETS Jo?l, BEL (SUZUKI)
4. PICHON Micha?l, FRA (HONDA)
5. COPPINS Joshua, NZL (HONDA)
6. STRIJBOS Kevin, BEL (SUZUKI)
7. GUNDERSEN Kenneth, NOR (KTM)
8. RAMON Steve, BEL (KTM)
9. DE DIJCKER Ken, BEL (HONDA)
10. FREIBERGS Lauris, LAT (HONDA)