A week after Clement Desalle aced the MX1 category at the pre-season opening event at Valence in France, Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 was again treading the top of a race-podium this weekend as team-mate Steve Ramon triumphed at Lacapelle-Marival, north-east of Toulouse.
The Belgian took results of 6th, 3rd and 1st in the three motos to post his first MX success of 2011 and bring an active week of testing and riding to a close for the team, who had based themselves in the French region over the past eight days.
Ramon defeated Ken De Dycker and several other Grand Prix rivals at the tight circuit as weather conditions remained overcast but dry compared to the rain and cold of Valence the previous weekend. The 2011 Le Touquet winner steadily built up his speed during the day and when Desalle experienced a problem with a slipped chain in the final outing, the former World Champion was able to ease ahead of Tommy Searle and grasp the overall.
Desalle, with finishes of 1st and 2nd in the first two motos, was set for a repeat of his Valence spoils but his bad luck with a DNF in the final sprint meant that he had to settle for third by the end of the day.
Said Team Principal Sylvain Geboers: “We stayed in France after Valence and had two days of trying several options, working with Steve on the chassis of the bike and with Clement on engine set-up; you always learn something knew, especially when you can get out and make some laps.
“We then had the race at the weekend and Clement was riding well and Steve improved from the first moto to the third. Even by his own admission, Steve is missing some race-speed compared to Clement, but the team as a whole continues to do good work. The dirt at Lacapelle was quite strange; it was very fine, like sand, with a lot of small stones. It caused Clement’s DNF, so that was something else we were able to learn about!
“We have taken delivery of the 2011 bikes from Japan and they are now being assembled and prepared. We will be making our official Photo shoot and then getting ready for the first race with the new RM-Z450s at Hawkstone Park.” he added.
The international race in the UK is on March 20th.
Lacapelle-Marival Overall Result:
1. Steve Ramon, (Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1)
2. Tommy Searle, (Kawasaki)
3. Clement Desalle, (Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1)
4. Arnaud Tonus, (Yamaha)
5. Ken De Dycker, (Honda)
