2006 World MX1 review
By TMX Archives on 22nd Dec 06
He came, he rode and he conquered
IT was going to be the mother of all battles, but by the middle of April we started a long wait for someone, anyone, to temporarily put the brakes on the biggest runaway in history. Remember back last winter?
Ben Townley was off to America and Joel Smets had retired from the GPs, but Stefan Everts was going for ten in his final campaign and had three challengers right out of the top drawer.
Josh Coppins had finally found the key to unlock the secret door to success and had slain the record champ regularly during the second half of 2005, Mickael Pichon was back with a vengeance and his first factory deal since Suzuki sacked him at the end of 2003, and KTM had also signed up Sebastien Tortelli, the last man to beat Everts in a title battle back in 1998.
The Kiwi didn't even get to the first GP.
After a winter spent making his riding style more economic to conserve energy for the vital closing laps, Josh was looking menacing – until he struck a post with his shoulder in training during the week before the opening GP.
Faced with three months out, he had to try at Zolder but one training stint was enough to know it was pointless. We wouldn't see the British champ race until June, and he had to review his aims for the season.
Pichon lasted just 24 hours longer. The Frenchman never really explained the reason why he could race the occasional French and German championship round, even an enduro and a supercross but he only managed seven mid-field laps at Zolder before pulling out.
Kurt Nicoll, not yet banished to America as KTM sought a scapegoat in the wrong place for the company's misplaced racing policy, explained Mickael was: ‘‘...sick and experiencing breathing difficulties.''
Despite their early exit from the title chase, both riders were to appear again later in the series – with vastly differing impact!
Coppins was the first to admit that his body needed another fortnight when he rolled to the line at Matterley in June, but sponsors pay teams, which pays the wages, and CAS needed to show off both of its stars at the home GP.
Riding a clever, tactical race Josh held second to Everts – who else? – in the opener until an ungainly late block from Ken De Dycker. Josh stayed calm, but team owner Harry Ainsworth blew his top to start a tense summer between the Belgian and the team, which simmered but never boiled completely over as both soon realised they need each other in 2007.
For full story see T+MX NEWS, Friday, December 22, 2006