RAMON FOURTH FASTEST IN IRISH CHILL
16 September 2005 - KTM-Sportmotorcycles AG

Factory Red Bull KTM rider Steve Ramon was fourth fastest at a cold and windy Desertmartin today for the last round of the 2005 FIM Motocross World Championships.

In a tight Timed Practice session at the seventeenth race of the season, the Belgian clocked a lap only six tenths slower than pole position holder Josh Coppins. Team-mate Kenneth Gundersen posted his best time of the year to place seventh, less than a second behind Ramon. Ben Townley, in his last Grand Prix before heading to America and his final appearance for KTM after five seasons including the 2004 MX2 world title, was a tenth of a second slower than Gundersen in eighth.

Mike Alessi made an instant splash in his first ever World Championship outing by hole-shotting and escaping to win the opening MX2 qualification heat. The teenager American remained several seconds aloof of Billy Mackenzie and Tyla Rattray. The South African has been suffering with a virus during the week and could not find a way past the Scottish Yamaha rider. David Philippaerts finished 9th after crashing in the first two laps and came back from 15th spot.

Marc de Reuver owned the second heat in similar fashion to Alessi and clearly felt at home on the Irish sand. Carl Nunn recovered from a poor start and cut his way to second but a small crash and failure to restart his machine saw the British Champion retire and then have to enter the Last Chance session where he was fastest (taking 25th place in the gate for Saturday). Nunn inked a new deal during the Saturday afternoon press conference to be the third member of the MX2 factory team for 2006.

MX1 Timed Practice

1. Coppins, J Honda 1:40.343
2. Everts, Stefan Yamaha 1:40.408
3. Leok, Tanel Kawasaki 1:40.475
4. Pichon, M Honda 1:40.878
5. Ramon, Steve KTM 1:40.981
6. de Dijcker, K Honda 1:41.121
7. Gundersen, K KTM 1:41.845
8. Townley, Ben KTM 1:41.947
9. Noble, James Honda 1:42.120
10. Strijbos, Kevin Suzuki 1:42.252

MX2 Qualification heat 1

1. Alessi, Mike KTM 25:10.424
2. Mackenzie, Billy Yamaha 25:12.618
3. Rattray, Tyla KTM 25:14.177
4. Chiodi, Alessio Yamaha 25:22.765
5. Pourcel, Christophe Kawasaki 25:23.461
6. McFarlane, Andrew Yamaha 25:29.557
7. Caps, Patrick Honda 25:37.940
8. Nagl, Maximilian KTM 25:44.933
9. Philippaerts, David KTM 25:52.859
10. Smith, Wayne Honda 25:54.984
11. Guarneri, Davide Yamaha 25:58.762
12. Dougan, Jason Suzuki 25:59.427

MX2 Qualification heat 2

1. de Reuver, Marc KTM 25:17.400
2. Cairoli, Antonio Yamaha 25:39.225
3. Swanepoel, Garreth Kawasaki 25:43.086
4. Leok, Aigar KTM 25:52.128
5. Seistola, Matti Honda 25:57.858
6. Goncalves, Rui Yamaha 26:04.265
7. Avis, Wyatt Honda 26:06.164
8. Alessi, Jeff KTM 26:14.059
9. Strik, George KTM 26:16.454
10. Searle, Tommy Kawasaki 26:17.659
11. Renet, Pierre A. Yamaha 26:19.654
12. Aubin, Nicolas Yamaha 26:44.309
17. Nunn, Carl KTM 16:34.874

Last Chance session

1. Nunn, Carl KTM 1:44.993
2. Boissiere, Anthony Yamaha 1:45.459
3. Pourcel, Sebastien Kawasaki 1:45.641
4. Lewis, Gregory Suzuki 1:47.605
5. Campano, Carlos KTM 1:48.298
6. McCullough, Phillip KTM 1:48.374

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