Belfast boys all revved-up
By TMX Archives on 14th Jan 15
Europes fastest indoor racers head to Belfast this weekend (January 16-17) for the second and third rounds of the 2015 Arenacross Tour.
The clear winner of Manchester's opening round at the start of January, Thomas Ramette (SR75 Molson Suzuki) won the final round of the 2014 tour so will rock up at the Odyssey Arena with a hat-trick in his sights.
The Frenchman struggled to stay on the pace last weekend at the Dortmund SX but he always seems to raise his game in the UK.
Florent Richier (LPE Racing Kawasaki) sits second in the Pro standings and judging by his Dortmund form – his best result in Germany was a fourth on the Friday – he has the potential to win in Northern Ireland.
Champion in 2013, Adam Chatfield (ASA Honda) improved throughout the evening in Manchester and took third in the Main Event.
Adam has won in Belfast before and after missing last year through injury he is determined to reassert himself as the UK's leading indoor racer.
The unpredictable nature of arenacross and depth of talent in the Pro class means that any one of a dozen riders could win in Belfast.
So to Manchester's top three finishers you can add fast foreigners Angelo Pellegrini (Oakleaf Honda), Cyrille Coulon (SR75 Molson Kawasaki), Harri Kullas (Heads & All Threads Suzuki), Romain Biela (Oakleaf Honda) and Loic Rombaut (LPE Racing Kawasaki) as serious threats.
As well as Chatfield, British hopes rest on the shoulders of Elliott Banks-Browne (Geartec Suzuki), Steven Clarke (Apico Husqvarna) and Ashley Greedy (Shocktech Honda). Former British SX champ Neville Bradshaw (Husky Powerparts) should also figure now that he has traded down to a 250F after racing the 350cc model in Manchester.
Out of the foreign contingent don't be surprised to see Pellegrini running near the front. The Italian crashed out of second in Manchester's Main Event and is a class act indoors.
Coulon is another rider due a win – if he can wait for the gate to drop – and Finnish champion Kullas was very fast in his heat races. Another key factor with arenacross is the dirt used to build the track.
Getting dry soil at this time of year is always a major headache for organisers and with rain forecast for much of this week don't be surprised to see a repeat of last year's Belfast races when a wet track rutted up badly.
This played into the hands of Clarke who ran 1-2 over both nights and Scuba Steve – who won on a wet Newcastle track in 2014 – excels in these sort of conditions.
Banks-Browne also impressed in Belfast last season and has shown himself to be capable of winning indoors.
Sadly, British favourite Jack Brunell will be sidelined for the rest of the series after badly breaking his foot in Dortmund at the weekend.
For more details and to buy tickets go to www.arenacrossuk.com
FOR MORE MOTOCROSS STORIES SEE THE MX DIARY IN TMX NEWS JANUARY 15 (ISSUE1954)
