Meijel moments
By TMX Archives on 30th Oct 08
AFTER again missing out on the home AMCA MX1 motocross title, Ben Saunders gained some consolation at the weekend by earning the runners-up spot in the IMBA MX1 European series with a gutsy performance in the deep Dutch sand of Meijel.
On the day, Saunders missed out on a podium slot by just one point whilst Brad O'Leary was a great fifth, Rick Du-Feu eighth and Charlie Hollis, suffering from a damaged shoulder in 13th. Taking the title was German Frank Jansen-Teitz after his expected main rival and reigning champ, Belgian Christophe Descamps was a surprise non-starter due to a rib injury.
Indeed, it was Teitz who was to grab the opening moto holeshot at Meijel whilst Du-Feu made a glorious start to briefly hold second spot ahead of Jarno Verhorevoort, O'Leary, Kai Wirtz, Ivan Schepers and Saunders. Just one lap later and home rider Verhorevoort was already in control whilst Du-Feu and O'Leary had slipped back to seventh and ninth places respectively.
Rapidly moving in the opposite direction though was another home rider Erwin Robins. After gating in eighth, Robins was to take control of the moto on lap two and there he remained all the way to the chequered flag ahead of Teitz and Schepers.
Of the Brits, Saunders, O'Leary and Du-Feu took a great fifth, sixth and seventh with Hollis coming home in tenth. Early leader of the contest Verhorevoort crashed out, a fall which was ruin his chances of an eventual podium placing.
IMBA MX1 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP
Final Round – Meijel, Holland
MOTO ONE: 1 Erwin Robins (Holland), 2 Frank Jansen-Teitz (Germany), 3 Ivan Schepers (Holland), 4 Kenny van Rooji (Holland), 5 Ben SAUNDERS (GB), 6 Brad O'LEARY (GB), 7 Rick DU-FEU (GB), 8 Arjan van der Vleuten (Holland), 9 Martin Stroo (Holland), 10 Charlie HOLLIS (GB).
MOTO TWO: 1 Robins, 2 Verhorevoort, 3 Teitz, 4 Schepers, 5 SAUNDERS, 6 O'LEARY, 7 van Rooji, 8 Stroo, 9 DU-FEU, 10 Dave van Dun (Holland),... 13 HOLLIS.
MOTO THREE: 1 Teitz, 2 Verhorevoort, 3 Robins, 4 SAUNDERS, 5 Schepers, 6 Stroo, 7 O'LEARY, 8 DU-FEU, 9 Kris Fleerackers (Belgium), 10 van Dun,... 14 HOLLIS.
OVERALL: 1 Robins 170 points, 2 Teitz 164, 3 Schepers 138, 4 SAUNDERS 137, 5 O'LEARY 129, 6 Stroo 121, 7 van Rooji 121, 8 DU-FEU 117, 9 Verhorevoort 108, 10 Fleerackers 105,... 13 HOLLIS 91.
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS: 1 Teitz 902 points (CHAMPION), 2 SAUNDERS 791, 3 Verhorevoort 718, 4 O'LEARY 715, 5 Christophe Descamps 703, 6 HOLLIS 702, 7 DU-FEU 644, 8 Robins 599, 9 Clinton BARRS 591, 10 Schepers 550.
FOR FULL REPORT SEE t+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2008
Rick Du-Feu put in a good performance in Holland, taking seventh overall