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Strong comeback David Vuillemin
For the first time this season the Kawasaki teams KRT, CLS and Bud Racing were involved in the same meeting, the Valence International, the second main pre-season motocross event of 2009.
Strong comeback David Vuillemin
Most of the GP teams and riders came to the venue south of Lyon, and continued their testing and physical preparation five weeks prior to the opening GP in Faenza (Italy).
David Vuillemin, Gareth Swanepoel and Gregory Aranda all finished in the top fourteen of the MX1 class, with the best final placing for Vuillemin who completed his first motocross appearance in Europe for some years. Despite an average start in sixteenth position during the opening race, the Frenchman produced a consistent performance, scoring a fifth position behind regular GP winners. A bad start in the second outing of the program forced him to come back from the last to the eleventh, on a slippery track after some light rain. David posted another eleventh position to secure the best Kawasaki result with a ninth place overall, two ahead of Gareth Swanepoel who only finished two of the three races. Gareth started twice in the top fifteen, scoring a tenth and a eleventh; he retired in the Superfinal after four laps.
Fastest Kawasaki rider during the timed practice period with a fourth position, Gregory Aranda retired twice after a technical problem in the first heat and a crash in the last one. Ninth in the second moto, Gregory struggled with his starts but confirmed his potential on an MX1 machine.
Gareth will race the opening round of the British series in two weeks time, and on the same day David and Greg will contest the first round of the French Championship.
Results MX1 : 1.Philippaerts (ITA, Yamaha) ; 2.De Dycker (BEL, Suzuki) ; 3.Coppins (NZL, Yamaha) ; 4.Strijbos (BEL, Honda) ; 5.De Reuver (BEL, Honda)….. 9.Vuillemin (FRA, Kawasaki Bud, 5/10/10)…11.Swanepoel (AFS, Kawasaki KRT, 10/11/DNF)…14.Aranda (FRA, Kawasaki CLS, DNF/9/DNF); etc…
Third last week in the opening round of the Italian Championship in Mantova, Gautier Paulin scored an eighth position in the MX2 class at Valence, despite a retirement in the opening race as he suffered a rear brake failure during the first laps. His second moto was nearly perfect, as he came back from a bad start to finish in fifth position just ahead of Nicolas Aubin, and he ended the event with an eleventh place in the super final, as the second MX2 rider behind Shaun Simpson.
Steven Frossard had high expectations for this race but didn’t finish any moto after a first lap collision with Anthony Boissičre. Both were lucky to be unharmed after the collision over a fast jump. Steven came back in the race but later retired after over-jumping a leap and feeling pain in his lower back as a result. He started the next race but retired, unable to move comfortably on the bike. Loic Rombaut improved his results all day long as he felt more and more confident with the track, scoring a best of fourteenth place while
Livia Lancelot did her best among the male GP riders. The reigning Women World Champion always improved her lap times on this tough track, scoring a twenty-first and a nineteenth position. Next appearance of the MX2 riders will be in two weeks time, at the opening round of the French championship In Sommičres.
Results MX2 : 1.Teillet (FRA, KTM) ; 2.Simpson (GBR, KTM) ; 3.Goncalves (POR, KTM) ; 4.Tonus (SUI, KTM) ; 5.Leuret (FRA, Honda)…..8.Paulin (FRA, Kawasaki Bud, DNF/5/11)….14.Rombaut (FRA, Kawasaki CLS, 14/12/19)…23.Lancelot (FRA, Kawasaki KRT, 21/19) ; etc…
David Vuillemin: ‘It’s the first time in a while that I have raced on a track totally different than those in the US, with a strange grip. When you race or practice on an American track you have grip everywhere but here it was much more difficult to find. I’ve ridden mainly in California or in the sand of Hossegor at the moment, so we need to ride and test on different tracks. The first race was great; I had a really bad start and came back fifth behind de Dycker on a dry track. I hit a neutral at the second start and came last in the first corner, with the rain the track came slippery and I struggled with the grip during the last two races. We’ll continue to work and test, on the bike as well on my physical condition or my speed. We’re five weeks away from the opening GP and we’ll have three rounds of the French championship to be ready for Faenza.’
Gareth Swanepoel: ‘It was a weekend with ups and downs, we’ve done a lot of testing on this hard and fast track that is different than Mantova or Montevarchi. Timed practice on Saturday got better and better each time, the races were OK but unfortunately I struggled with my speed at the beginning, but in the last ten minutes of each one my lap times were good. I’ve to work on it, but we’ve one weekend off before Canada Heights and we’ll continue to work. In the last race we had some trouble with the rear wheel; we were testing different tyres and also learnt a lot.’
Gregory Aranda: ‘I was happy with my results in the timed practice periods, as I always finished in the top four. Then things did not go so well. I got a new engine from SR Motorsport for this race and I struggled at the start with the power. I did a wheelie at the first start, then slid in the gate for the second and third ones. I have to learn this engine and work on the starts, but overall it was a positive weekend. I had to stop in the opening heat, I was in the top ten but in the right corners my kickstart came into my leg and we needed to repair it. The second race was good with a ninth position, and then I crashed in the last moto and damaged the handlebar.’
Gautier Paulin: ‘I was happy to be back on a French track, for the first time since St Jean d’Angely last year, and I’m also happy to go back home safe as last year I broke a finger here in Valence. The club did a great job but the track was slippery and you had to be careful. I posted the sixth fastest lap time in qualification and then retired early in the first moto as I broke my rear brake during the second lap. I struggled with the second start with another rival and finished fifth with good lap times, the bike was perfect and my physical condition too, it was a good race. I got a great jump of the grid in the superfinal but then the powerful 450s made the difference! I finished eleventh and happy with this weekend.’
Steven Frossard: ‘My first start was pretty bad but as always I made my way in the opening lap before I collided on a fast jump with Anthony. I restarted last and came back to tenth, but then I had arm-pump and made a mistake on a jump. I landed too far and felt immediately pain in my back, it was impossible to stay on the seat and I just did two laps in the second moto. I will have some exams on Monday to check my lower body, I hope that there’s no damage to any bone or muscle.’
Loic Rombaut: ‘I never found a good rhythm on this track, except in the last race of the weekend. I had an average timed practice session and got a bad position on the starting grid, that didn’t help me for the start. Then I rode better and better throughout the day, to finish as the eighth best MX2 rider in the super final. We still need to work on the bike, the start and my physical shape, the first three rounds of the French series will help to be ready for Faenza.’
Livia Lancelot: ‘I was stressed on Saturday during the practice sessions, it was strange to be among so many good GP riders and I didn’t want to bother them on the track. I felt more and more confident through the weekend, we worked to set-up the bike for a hard and slippery track, and I’m satisfied with my last race even if I lost time when I was lapped by the leaders. I took mainly the outside lines to leave them the fastest ones, but I’m happy as I kept a good rhythm and improved my lap times. It was a positive experience for me, I learnt a lot and that was much better than any practice session to prepare for the season.’
Bron: Kawasaki Racing
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