Stefan Everts (Yamaha L&M Motocross Team) rewrote the record books by clinching his seventh world title ‰ÛÒ and the manufacturer‰Ûªs
world title for Yamaha - with a win in the Czech Motocross Grand Prix in Loket today. Together with the Belgian‰Ûªs phenomenal
tally of 69 GP wins in all classes Everts is now officially the most successful rider ever to have graced the sport.
MotoGP
12,500 spectators braved the chilly temperatures to see Everts hit the front on the first lap of the MXGP moto and never looked back. He was never challenged for
the lead and quickly pulled out a margin of several seconds in the early laps of the race to
clearly signal his intentions of victory.
The 450cc Yamaha rider was surprised to see that his domination was in fact leading to a World Championship on
the last lap when his pit crew gave him information that closest rival Joel Smets was languishing down in tenth
and the lucrative prize was less than 2 minutes away and within reach. Everts has more than deserved the acclaim
and status for this season but his party was instigated thanks to a race crash by Smets, the subsequent points
difference confirming the end of the ‰Û÷03 competition.
‰ÛÏThis is something I have been working for since I started GPs in 1989 - to be seven times world champion,
to win more than anybody else. Even now it is only just starting to sink in, but in a few more days I guess
I will finally realise that my dream has come true. I made another great start and pushed really hard early
on to open up a gap, I wanted to break the opposition immediately but I didn‰Ûªt know what was happening behind me. Everts said
Josh Coppins and Gordon Crockard had been stealing some attention with their tussle for sixth but as the pair
encountered the recovering Smets, Crockard tangled with the KTM. The collision terminated the interesting duel
between the Honda team-mates and left Coppins free to escape to a lonely fourth. Despite stalling the 450 on
the last lap Crockard went on to take fifth place.
Elsewhere Brian Jorgensen tried to hold off a charging Marnicq Bervoets but Everts‰Ûª Yamaha compatriot was in
no mood for games and swiftly relegated the Honda rider to third. Bervoets would go on to claim his best result
of the season in his penultimate race for the Rinaldi team, giving the Italian squad a pleasing and fitting sight
of both of their riders filling the top two steps on the podium. Jorgensen duly earned his third top three finish
of the season and second in a row.
After chasing Everts in second place for seven laps Andrew McFarlane will be a little disappointed with his sixth
position after fading in the middle of the moto. Claudio Federici, Kenneth Gundersen, Patrick Caps all finished
ahead of Smets who almost seemed to limp home in tenth and later revealed that he used the rest of the moto to
keep loose and prepared for his title shot in the 650 event.
Everts‰Ûª Championship was confirmed with a 29 point advantage and only 25 up for grabs at the final race. Smets
will not be caught for the number two plate as the absent Mickael Pichon holds third, 33 points adrift. Brian
Jorgensen is fourth and 17 points in front of Kenneth Gundersen.
