LACAPELLE MARIVAL (FRANCE), 9 August 2009 – Pierre Alexandre Renet (Suzuki), Julien Vanni (Honda) and Christophe Martin (Husqvarna) were the most successful riders in the muddy Lacapelle Marival.
The twelfth event for the FIM MX3 World Championship was difficult. It was raining all the day and the race track was very muddy. Both races were unpredictable. In the first race Slovenian Matevz Irt took the holeshot and Italian Alex Salvini passed him already in the second lap. Also Salvini lost the first position after one lap. Home favourite Pierre Alexandre Renet passed him. Two French Christophe Martin and Julien Vanni were gaining positions and three French riders were riding on the top till the end. Renet became the winner, Martin was second and Vanni third. Difference between riders was high. Nicolai Marcher Hansen (Suzuki) from Denmark was fourth and Matevz Irt fifth. Alex Salvini did not have luck after he started very fast. His engine stopped because of the water and Salvini lost points to leading Renet.
The rain did not stop and also the second race was difficult. There was still lot of water on the track. Antti Pyrhonen (Honda) from Finland took the holeshot. But Pierre Alexandre Renet was dominating for one more time. He passed Pyrhonen, took the first position and became the winner of the second race. Alex Salvini started fast, this time he was more lucky also with the circumstances and finished second. Pyrhonen was third.
Because of the very mixed Classification in both races the final results very interesting. The win of the home rider Pierre Alexandre Renet was not a surprise because he took all the 50 points. Julien Vanni was second overall. Christophe Martin finished third, although he crashed bad immediately after the start in the second race. Fourth place was also French, taken by Frederic Sandouly. Portugese rider Hugo Basaula (Suzuki) took one of his best results, he finished fifth.
Before this event Renet was only for a point in front of Salvini. After double win of Renet and bad luck of Salvini, Renet is leading the Championship for 26 points. Third is Antti Pyrhonen. Next event for the FIM MX3 World Championship will be August 23 in Finland, where Finnish rider Pyrhonen could be very strong.
RIDER’S COMMENTS
1st – PIERRE ALEXANDRE RENET (France): »Yesterday I was second in the Qualifying Practice and we were very close with Alex Salvini. Since Julien Vanni was injured and lost positions, Salvini is my biggest competitor for the Championship win. I am happy to win my home event today. I like muddy conditions and I am used to it because I live in France, where is raining often. I was afraid only that my bike would stop because of the water. I like to compete in Lacapelle Marival, I have always been successful here.«
2nd – JULIEN VANNI (France): »I must to say I did not enjoy very much today. I prefer sun and dry race track. I am glad to finished top three finally after the injury. I was riding better in the second race because also my start was good. I only did not want to risk too much. At last three events I will fight for the podium because I would like to finished third in the Championship Classification.«
3rd – CHRISTOPHE MARTIN (France): »This was my home race so I am really happy to finished third. In the second race I crashed at the start. I was continuing from the back. I lost my goggles and I could not see anything because my eyes were full of mud. My Husqvarna bike was prepared as usually and it was good for this difficult conditions.«
RESULTS
First Race Top Ten: 1. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), 38:00.154; ; 2. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), +0:25.765; 3. Julien Vanni (FRA, Honda), +0:35.512; 4. Nicolai Hansen (DEN, Suzuki), +0:44.634; 5. Matevz Irt (SLO, Honda), +0:58.335; 6. Hugo Basaula (POR, Suzuki), +1:06.854; 7. Roy Gijsel (NED, Kawasaki), +1:23.505; 8. Kasper Jensen (DEN, Honda), +1:32.759; 9. Loic Lepine (FRA, Honda), +1:37.110; 10. Frederic Sandouly (FRA, Honda), +2:05.966
Second Race Top Ten: 1. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), 35:51.100; ; 2. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), +0:42.927; 3. Antti Pyrhonen (FIN, Honda), +1:14.526; 4. Julien Vanni (FRA, Honda), +1:25.173; 5. Frederic Sandouly (FRA, Honda), +1:39.499; 6. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), -1 lap(s); 7. Philip Ruf (AUT, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 8. Loic Lepine (FRA, Honda), -1 lap(s); 9. Hugo Basaula (POR, Suzuki), -1 lap(s); 10. Yannick Buffard (FRA, Honda), -1 lap(s)
Overall: 1. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), 50 points; 2. Julien Vanni (FRA, Honda), 38 p.; 3. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), 32 p.; 4. Frederic Sandouly (FRA, Honda), 27 p.; 5. Hugo Basaula (POR, Suzuki), 27 p.; 6. Nicolai Hansen (DEN, Suzuki), 27 p.; 7. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 25 p.; 8. Loic Lepine (FRA, Honda), 25 p.; 9. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), 24 p.; 10. Philip Ruf (AUT, Suzuki), 24 p.
Championship Classification: 1. Pierre Renet (FRA, Suzuki), 463 points; 2. Alex Salvini (ITA, Husqvarna), 437 p.; 3. Antti Pyrhonen (FIN, Honda), 370 p.; 4. Julien Vanni (FRA, Honda), 358 p.; 5. Matevz Irt (SLO, Honda), 341 p.; 6. Christophe Martin (FRA, Husqvarna), 340 p.; 7. Alvaro Lozano (ESP, Yamaha), 284 p.; 8. Nicolai Hansen (DEN, Suzuki), 232 p.; 9. Hugo Basaula (POR, Suzuki), 219 p.; 10. Kasper Jensen (DEN, Honda), 207 p.