The following is a release from Mediacross:
Frenchman Christophe Pourcel won in Teutschenthal, Germany, today, the first Grand Prix of his young career with a double win in the MX2 class, while Stefan Everts got his 91st career win in the MX1 class. Sick and second in Portugal two weeks ago, Christophe Pourcel is the first rider to get a double win this season in the MX2 class. The young kid from Chateauneuf les Martigues was the fastest on this track, and got twice the holeshot on this fast track. It was a huge advantage for him, as he was able to secure a strong lead early in each race.
Dutch Marc De Reuver collected two second places and a second position overall, followed by his teammate Tyla Rattray. The World Championship leader had a difficult weekend; he started twice midpack, stalled his engine in the first race, and had a little crash in the second one when he tried to pass De Reuver. Luckily for him, Italian Alessio Chiodi broke his engine in the second race and offered to Tyla the last step of the podium.
“I knew that the start would be more important than ever here, and twice I got the holeshot,” Pourcel said. “We worked for this yesterday with my brother, and I did my best to get the holeshot over Chiodi, as I know that it’s always difficult to pass him. “I felt easy on my bike, found some good lines and pushed hard in the first circulations to make a gap with my rivals. It was a perfect weekend for me, but unfortunately my brother, Sébastien, had technical problems in both races,” said the young Frenchman who will turn eighteen this summer.
Mackenzie finished fourth, followed by Antonio Cairoli, who crashed heavily in the morning and banged his neck. Stefan Everts collected also two holeshot in the MX1 class, and led both races. But it was not an easy GP for the Belgian star, who had to battle with Kevin Strijbos in the first race and Tanel Leok in the second one.
“I’m like a diesel, I need time to find my good rhythm!” Everts said. “I had to give the best I could in both races, I think that’s good to me that I still have strong competitors, as I need to have pressure and then I can ride my best.
“Every week they are coming better and also stronger physically, they are trying to beat me, and I have to keep on working hard during the week.”
Strijbos second and Leok third got the podium position, followed by Ken De Dycker and Steve Ramon, who crashed at the first start.
British Stephen Sword crashed during the warm up; he broke his right ankle and had surgery in the afternoon.
