KTM TAKE DOUBLE CLASS SUCCESS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO YEARS
26 June 2005 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

The factory Red Bull KTM team today celebrated a double win at St Jean d’Angely for the Grand Prix of France.

Ben Townley completed another two moto triumph to secure his second MX1 win in as many weeks and David Philippaerts toasted his maiden MX2 success. The last time the Austrian manufacturer sampled victory in two categories on the same day was when Steve Ramon (125cc) and Javier Garcia Vico (650) earned honours in Moscow for the 2003 Grand Prix of Russia.

Under hot sunshine more than 20,000 fans flocked to the circuit just west of the town of La Rochelle to witness the ninth round of the campaign. Despite thunder storms Saturday evening the track was hard, rough and physically demanding.

Townley produced arguably his finest race performance since coming to Europe four years ago in the first moto when he recovered from a mediocre start and passed all of his senior peers including Joel Smets, Josh Coppins, Mickael Pichon and Stefan Everts to claim his third moto in succession. The manner of the victory was impressive and he twice closed down large gaps, the first occasion involved some eight seconds to catch and pass Pichon for the runner-up spot and he then reduced a five second deficit to Everts. Townley was the only real proactive force in a processional affair and defending World Champ Everts has not been so cleanly dismissed for a number of seasons. Ramon was handicapped by a poor start and then a lack of urgency in the opening laps. By the time the Belgian had passed Smets for fifth the leaders had broken away.

Townley seized control from as early as the second corner in Moto2 and was assisted enormously by Everts’ crash and demotion to last place. As the Kiwi dragged away to take his fourth moto by over seven seconds Ramon was giving chase in fifth and had passed Smets for fourth when the Suzuki rider slammed into his countryman and put both riders on the deck. Out of luck for the umpteenth time this season Ramon recovered to a weary eighth place. Credit must be given to RFME KTM rider Jonathan Barragan who seemed comfortable among a large selection of his tired peers late in the second race to take a lofty fourth; another decent result in his surprising breakthrough MX1 term.

Townley has scaled the MX1 points standings in the last two weeks and now holds third spot just twelve points behind Coppins. Ramon is sixth and sixty-eight points from his team-mate.

David Philippaerts celebrated his first ever MX2 victory in the first moto. The Italian hit the front on the first lap and escaped from Alessio Chiodi and Andrew McFarlane. Carl Nunn was mid-pack rounding the opening corner and had one of his most decisive motos of the year as he carved past sixth riders to take fifth. Nunn was the main protagonist in the second outing as he led from the second turn and was challenged by Anthony Boissiere and Billy Mackenzie. Philippaerts was unable to obtain a clean jump but showed resolve after suffering with the flu on Friday and Saturday to move up into fourth. Both KTM riders were able to enjoy a podium celebration when Mackenzie crashed out of second spot under heavy pressure from Nunn. The British Championship leader sampled his first taste of GP champagne since the French GP in 2000 and Philippaerts collapsed with exhaustion over the finish line but was thrilled to cap a resurgent spell of form since his inheritance of the 250F. Kosak KTM rider Max Nagl was a career best sixth in the first moto.

Philippaerts has now moved up to sixth in the World Championship and Nunn has breached the top ten and lies eighth.

The tenth round of seventeen will take place in just seven days time when the World Championships travel to Uddevalla for the Grand Prix of Sweden.

Ben Townley:
“It is a great weekend for KTM. I’m really happy at the moment that my level of riding and speed is good enough to win. It is nice to race with Josh, Mickael and Stefan all the time and even better to beat them. I used a ‘camelbak’ during the race so that I could drink and that helped me a lot. In the first moto it was so hard to breathe and I found it easier to have a little bit of water. I want to keep on going race-by-race and if I ride like I am now then I will keep on improving. I am training hard and doing a lot of work. In the last few weeks we have made a lot of changes to the bike and since Japan I think we have proved that things are going well. I want to keep being consistent now and I need to fight to try and get second from Josh in the Championship; if Stefan keeps on making mistakes then who knows what could happen.”

Steve Ramon:
“My starts could have been better. My speed was good but there was a gap to the first four riders in the first race so I knew it was not possible to get close. It was very tough with the weather and fifth was the best I could do in the first moto. In the second moto I passed some people quickly and I was on Pichon’s wheel for third until the crash. I had time over Joel but I made a mistake getting past a lapped rider and that let him close the gap. I knew I was quick enough to stay in front of him and maybe overtake Pichon but then Joel blocked me and his move was nasty. He took me out and there was nothing I could do about it. Sometimes I don’t think he knows what he is doing. Again it is a bad moto even though I was eighth or ninth.”

David Philippaerts:
“I cannot believe this! The first heat was very good but in the second race I started badly and was hit by a few riders. I pushed hard to make up the positions but it was very difficult and at the end I almost collapsed because yesterday I was suffering with the flu. It has been a great Grand Prix considering that I was sick. I am finding my speed now with the 250 and everything is coming together.”

Carl Nunn:
“I’m really happy to have got back on the podium and I suppose it was a result that was in the making and expected after Matchams Park. I felt good on the track right from the qualifying race yesterday. The second moto was hard work because I did not know that Pourcel was a lap down and he was right behind me the whole race so I could not relax for a moment. Billy came past and he had a really strong middle of the race but he started to tire and was all over the place. I got closer and was on the point of going through when he crashed. I am so tired now that I just need a bed!”

MX1 Moto1

1. Townley, Ben KTM 40:00.796
2. Everts, Stefan Yamaha 40:07.890
3. Coppins, Joshua Honda 40:18.240
4. Pichon, Mickael Honda 40:34.070
5. Ramon, Steve KTM 40:43.957
6. Smets, Joel Suzuki 41:13.945
7. Meo, Antoine Husqvarna 41:21.890
8. Leuret, Pascal Honda 41:31.942
9. Nemeth, Kornel Suzuki 41:41.692
10. Barragan, J KTM 41:56.028

MX1 Moto2

1. Townley, Ben KTM 39:58.274
2. Coppins, Joshua Honda 40:05.672
3. Pichon, Mickael Honda 40:20.065
4. Barragan, Jonathan KTM 40:51.310
5. Leuret, Pascal Honda 40:59.920
6. Atsuta, Yoshitaka Suzuki 41:22.491
7. Everts, Stefan Yamaha 41:29.619
8. Ramon, Steve KTM 41:32.032
9. van Daele, Marvin Honda 41:38.037
10. Theybers, Danny Suzuki 41:44.291

MX1 Overall result

1. Townley, Ben KTM 50
2. Coppins, Joshua Honda 42
3. Pichon, Mickael Honda 38
4. Everts, Stefan Yamaha 36
5. Barragan, Jonathan KTM 29
6. Leuret, Pascal Honda 29
7. Ramon, Steve KTM 29
8. Atsuta, Yoshitaka Suzuki 23
9. Nemeth, Kornel Suzuki 22
10. Smets, Joel Suzuki 20

MX1 World Championship standings

1. Everts, Stefan 375
2. Coppins, Joshua 316
3. Townley, Ben 304
4. Pichon, Mickael 299
5. Smets, Joel 296
6. Ramon, Steve 232
7. Jorgensen, B. 164
8. Noble, James 160
9. Leuret, Pascal 159
10. de Dijcker, Ken 148

MX2 Moto1

1. Philippaerts, David KTM 40:48.844
2. Chiodi, Alessio Yamaha 41:14.012
3. McFarlane, Andrew Yamaha 41:21.307
4. Boissiere, Anthony Yamaha 41:29.319
5. Nunn, Carl KTM 41:34.557
6. Nagl, Maximilian KTM 41:39.519
7. Mackenzie, Billy Yamaha 41:42.685
8. Goncalves, Rui Yamaha 41:44.376
9. Aubin, Nicolas Yamaha 41:46.962
10. Pourcel, C Kawasaki 41:57.244

MX2 Moto2

1. Boissiere, Anthony Yamaha 40:50.077
2. Nunn, Carl KTM 40:52.413
3. Philippaerts, David KTM 41:16.504
4. McFarlane, Andrew Yamaha 41:28.029
5. Melotte, Cedric Yamaha 41:46.783
6. Goncalves, Rui Yamaha 41:58.567
7. Chiodi, Alessio Yamaha 42:04.759
8. Avis, Wyatt Honda 42:13.738
9. Mackenzie, Billy Yamaha 42:18.397
10. Bonini, Matteo Honda 42:24.527

MX2 Overall result

1. Philippaerts, David KTM 45
2. Boissiere, Anthony Yamaha 43
3. Nunn, Carl KTM 38
4. McFarlane, Andrew Yamaha 38
5. Chiodi, Alessio Yamaha 36
6. Goncalves, Rui Yamaha 28
7. Mackenzie, Billy Yamaha 26
8. Nagl, Maximilian KTM 25
9. Bonini, Matteo Honda 20
10. Pourcel, Christophe Kawasaki 17

MX2 World Championship standings

1. McFarlane, A. 301
2. Chiodi, Alessio 295
3. Cairoli, A. 270
4. Sword, Stephen 262
5. Melotte, Cedric 237
6. Philippaerts, D. 218
7. Mackenzie, B. 188
8. Maschio, M. 169
9. Nunn, Carl 166
10. Goncalves, Rui 165

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