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So Cal Supermoto Racing

  

VAN DEN BOSCH STORMS TO CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD AFTER ROUND ONE IN TORINO

TORINO (ITALY), 13 April 2008 – The first dry Grand Prix of Italy at Torino got underway today under perfect weather conditions, which let the Superiders use the complete course including the sky section right from the warm up. A massive crowd of 16.000 spectators showed up at the Oval Lingotto to see a great day of racing.

The S1 class saw the incredible comeback to action of three time World Champion Thierry Van Den Bosch, winning from Bernd Hiemer after a hard fought second heat.

In the S2 class Davide Gozzini took the first win of 2008 from a strong Adrien Chareyre and 2007 runner up Attilio Pignotti.

In the UEM European SuperMoto Championship, home Superider Alessandro Asnicar won the S3 class with Graziano Rispoli taking victory in the Open class.

S1

Finishing runner up in 2007, DRC Aprilia Off Road’s Thierry Van Den Bosch stormed to victory at the opening round of the 2008 season after battling it out with KTM Italia Miglio’s Bernd Hiemer, second on today’s podium and Superpole setter. Third was Husqvarna CH Racing’s Thomas Chareyre, who crashed in the opening heat. DRC Aprilia Off Road’s Ivan Lazzarini and an incredible Matthew Winstanley of KTM Robinsons Rochdale rounded off the top five.

S1 RACE 1

Bernd Hiemer dominated the opening moto courtesy of a stunning performance; the German lead from lap one to the flag while Winstanley had to settle down for third after succumbing to Van Den Bosch. The latter put a lot of pressure on the Brit and eventually finished second. VDB almost crashed when he was hit by Chareyre, trying an overtaking manoeuvre at the sky section. Chareyre crashed and ended fifth, right behind fourth placed Ivan Lazzarini. The latter tried to move past Winstanley in the final couple of laps but the Brit closed all doors. Ravaglia crashed and dnf’d in the opening lap with Bidart breaking the engine one lap later.

Top five: 1. Bernd Hiemer (GER, KTM), 19:54.845; ; 2. Thierry van den Bosch (FRA, Aprilia), +0:04.022; 3. Matthew Winstanley (GBR, KTM), +0:05.766; 4. Ivan Lazzarini (ITA, Aprilia), +0:05.975; 5. Thomas Chareyre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:19.377

S1 RACE 2

In the final moto Van Den Bosch and Hiemer battled it out tooth and nail to decide who will be the first winner of the 2008 season. With the German and the Frenchman being rivals since when they shared the KTM team’s tent in 2004, it was the latter who took victory by winning the final moto. Hiemer tried his very to move past VDB, even taking impossible lines on the sky zone, but eventually finished a close second. Chareyre took a solid third securing his podium position ahead of Lazzarini, fourth. Matt Winstanley rounded off the top five in front of Bidart.

Top five: 1. Thierry van den Bosch (FRA, Aprilia), 19:41.092; ; 2. Bernd Hiemer (GER, KTM), +0:01.385; 3. Thomas Chareyre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:01.605; 4. Ivan Lazzarini (ITA, Aprilia), +0:09.601; 5. Matthew Winstanley (GBR, KTM), +0:19.206

S2

Davide Gozzini of TM Factory Racing was impressive on his home circuit at Torino and shocked the crowd by taking the overall win after a hard fought second moto. Husqvarna CH Racing’s Adrien Chareyre was a surprising second as he could not think of such a good result after he broke his left elbow last December. Runner up last year, KTM Italia Miglio’s Attilio Pignotti took a third place overall at the end of the weekend; after the shoulder operation in the off season, Pignotti is still recovering and is not yet 100%. Luca Minutilli of PMR H2O Aprilia Off Road and Aprilia fellow Superider Massimo Beltrami of DRC Aprilia Off Road rounded off the top five. Defending Champion Gerald Delepine crashed and injured in the final heat; the Superider probably damaged his ribs but he is currently at the hospital for further examinations.

S2 RACE 1

With Ales Hlad not starting due to yesterday’s broken right foot, in the first moto Chareyre took a start to flag victory in front of a distant Gozzini. With the latter struggling with the bike set up and the massive amount of power of his Factory TM 630 –which is 100cc bigger than Chareyre’s 530 machine- Pignotti rode to a strong third. Massimo Beltrami took a brilliant start from ninth to third and held on throughout the 19 laps to take an eventual fourth ahead of Minutilli. Delepine was sixth ahead of Christian Iddon, who was hit at the start.

Top five: 1. Adrien Chareyre (FRA, Husqvarna), 20:01.553; ; 2. Davide Gozzini (ITA, TM), +0:04.196; 3. Attilio Pignotti (ITA, KTM), +0:09.644; 4. Massimo Beltrami (ITA, Aprilia), +0:10.600; 5. Luca Minutilli (ITA, Aprilia), +0:12.136

S2 RACE 2

Minutilli took the lead at the opening lap, after holeshotter Chareyre went wide. The Italian lead until the thirteenth lap, coping with massive pressure from his rivals Gozzini, Chareyre, Pignotti and Mariani all following from really close. Gozzini finally made his move on Minutilli to take the lead but Chareyre was chasing hard and eventually moved past. The 2007 S1 World Champion made a mistake and slid, leaving Gozzini an open door which the Italian used right away. Gozzini rode strong and secured the first place from a very close Chareyre. Minutilli dropped down to third with Pignotti fourth and Mariani ending the top five. Iddon crashed and finished eighth.

Top five: 1. Davide Gozzini (ITA, TM), 19:52.709; ; 2. Adrien Chareyre (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:00.384; 3. Luca Minutilli (ITA, Aprilia), +0:05.511; 4. Attilio Pignotti (ITA, KTM), +0:12.875; 5. Lorenzo Mariani (ITA, TM), +0:20.479

IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

Thierry Van Den Bosch came up to the lead of the S1 World standings after an absence that started from the 2007 Bulgarian GP. Bernd Hiemer is a very close second with Thomas Chareyre ending the top three. Ivan Lazzarini and Matthew Winstanley round off the top five.

Top five: 1. Thierry van den Bosch (FRA, Aprilia), 47 points; 2. Bernd Hiemer (GER, KTM), 47 p.; 3. Thomas Chareyre (FRA, Husqvarna), 36 p.; 4. Matthew Winstanley (GBR, KTM), 36 p.; 5. Ivan Lazzarini (ITA, Aprilia), 36 p.

Davide Gozzini leads the S2 points standings from Adrien Chareyre and Attilio Pignotti. Luca Minutilli and Massimo Beltrami round off the top five.

Top five: 1. Davide Gozzini (ITA, TM), 47 points; 2. Adrien Chareyre (FRA, Husqvarna), 47 p.; 3. Attilio Pignotti (ITA, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Luca Minutilli (ITA, Aprilia), 36 p.; 5. Massimo Beltrami (ITA, Aprilia), 32 p.