Tou' can play that game...
By TMX Archives on 26th Feb 09
FRENCHMAN Timotei Potisek (450 Honda) overcame the massive disappointment of losing last year's Le Touquet Beach-Race with less than half a lap remaining, and stormed to a relatively unchallenged win of the 2009 edition.He cruised all way round the last lap, showboating and stopped two or three times and waved to the fans and even wheelied over the finish line.What a weekend! With over 400-Quads on a very mild Saturday (for the time of year), to the usual 1,000-plus solo starters bumping and fighting their way through the small streets from the parc ferme to the beach of the very popular seaside town for the 33rd running of this the world's biggest race meeting. And with well over a quarter of a million spectators flooded into the area and lining almost every inch of the long course, in some places standing six deep, the atmosphere was really buzzing.Dead on 1pm and with some of the riders still to arrive on the beach, the largest start gate fell and the three-hour strength-sapping, bike-killing, petrol-guzzling race was under way.
Frenchman, Damien Prevot, made full use of the big 505cc engine in his KTM to get to turn one first and take the holeshot prize.
Prevot was still in the lead at the end of the opening lap, with Milko Potisek (Timotei's older brother) second, Yves Deudon third with two-times world motocross world champion, Mickael Pichon fourth.
As the first hour slipped by, Pichon found himself in the lead with Pierrick Paget seven-seconds adrift and Damien Prevot, third, just under three-seconds further back.
Seven times Le Touquet winner, Arnaud Demeester, hoping for his eighth victory, was fourth and staying in touch with the leaders, but had a smooth riding Potisek all over his back wheel.
First on the GB riders was ‘Factory' Phil Mercer (Kawasaki) in 70th place and charging hard, with Craig Trew, Matt Pope, David Thompson all inside the top one hundred.
With the first fuel stops out of the way, the race settled down, but new leader Potisek couldn't take it easy as he was under constant pressure from Pichon as the pair gapped the rest of the pack, headed-up by Paget, Demeester and Prevot.
Mercer and Trew were up to 41st and 49th while Pope and Thompson were holding there own amongst a load of Frenchmen.
With 30-minutes remaining, Potisek stretched out more and more of a lead as Pichon seemed to be running out of steam, but just as he looked he had it all under control, Potisek fell off.
INTERNATIONAL ENDUROPALE
DU TOUQUET
Le Touquet, nr Boulogne, FRANCE
(OTSC Le Touquet)
OVERALL TOP 20: 1 Timotei Potisek (F - Honda), 2 Yves Deudon (F - Kawasaki), 3 Pierrick Paget (F - Yamaha), 4 Rudy Vergriete (F - Yamaha), 5 Mickael Pichon (F - Honda), 6 Adrien Van Beveren (F - Yamaha), 7 Milko Potisek (F - Yamaha), 8 Alexandre Morel (F - Yamaha), 9 Thierry Bethys (F - Honda), 10 Matel Potisek (F - Honda), 11 Ton Van Grinsven (NL - KTM), 12 David Gibot (F - BMW), 13 Cyrille Coulon (F - Suzuki), 14 Florent Blanchard (F - Honda), 15 Christof Godrie (B - Honda), 16 Thomas Allier (F - Husqvarna), 17 Anthony Jahnichen (F - Yamaha), 18 Sullivan Jore (F - Yamaha), 19 Sebastien Dulot (F - Honda), 20 Mike Luxembourger (F - Kawasaki),...
Other UK finishers: 30 Phil Mercer (Kawasaki),... 60 Matthew Pope (Honda),... 80 Rick Du-Feu (Kawasaki),... 92 Steven Smyth (Honda),... 121 James Price (Honda),... 140 Gavin Johnston (KTM), 141 Eddie Sloane (KTM),... 157 Jack Edwards (Honda),... 199 Tom Neesam (Kawasaki),... 219 Kevin Neesam (Kawasaki),... 291 Jeremy Ashby (KTM),... 325 Tony Palmer (KTM),... 326 Gary Baker (Husaberg),... 340 Craig Trew (Honda),... 372 Paul Westgarth (KTM),... 394 Mark Slade (Honda),... 403 Tom Salt Kawasaki),... 460 Craig Arden (Yamaha),... 515 Nathan Fribbence (Honda),... 577 Justin Coombes (Yamaha),... 619 Russell Townson (KTM),...
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
Following the 33rd offering of the gruelling Le Touquet event, riders struggle to cross the finish line after chasing Timotei home...