Muddy Sunday
By TMX Archives on 30th Mar 09
The Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 team survived an onslaught of rain and near-carnage across the ruined muddy slopes of the Monte Coralli circuit in Faenza, Italy for the first round of the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship. Xavier Boog (No. 121) managed totake his RM-Z250 to 12th position in just one moto as the second race was cancelled by the governing body as the conditions deteriorated.
Saturday's dry practice and qualification across a tight and fast layout saw the Frenchman in good form and he secured 6th place in the new Heat race system and therefore the same spot in the start gate for Sunday.
A heavy amount of rain soaked the venue on Saturday night and continuous downpours throughout Sunday turned the hard-pack into a thick and swampy mud that took its toll on both rider and machine. MX2 pilots were struggling to crest the uphill sections and the pitlane was a busy place with regular goggle and glove stops.
Boog was running as high as third for the formative stages of a chaotic race, but got stuck in an uphill section due to a fallen rider and dropped down to 13th place. He recovered to seventh position, but his efforts were impeded by a small technical problem with four laps to go. Although he eventually finished twelfth. Yohei Kojima (No. 44) was one of the victims of the virtually-impossible uphills and after failing to restart his machine DNF-ed the race.
The team have only seven days to wait before the second round of the world championship to commence at the impressive Sevlievo circuit for the Grand Prix of Bulgaria.
Xavier Boog: "Today was a bit crazy with the weather but I made a good start and was third until I made a mistake and dropped to twelfth. I recovered to seventh before we had a problem with the bike. The world championship is long and we have 28 motos still to run so there is time to come back.”
Yohei Kojima: "A very strange, a difficult Grand Prix for me. It was a bit of an adventure, but the mud was so heavy. I made a mistake and got stuck, and it meant the end of the race. We can only hope for better weather and results next week.”