SUZUKI MX1 READY FOR DUTCH SAND

2011-04-20 19:32
Rockstar Energy Suzuki World MX1 will see Clement Desalle wearing the red plate as FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship leader when the series reconvenes this coming weekend at Valkenswaard for the Grand Prix of the Netherlands.

Round two of 15 means the Belgian team will make the short trip to the venue close to Eindhoven with Desalle looking for his second victory in a row and the team searching their first triumph in the dark shallow sand since 2008.

The Bulgarian Grand Prix winner two weeks ago has unfinished business at the technical course on his works RM-Z450; having fallen in the opening stages of the 2010 edition and suffering a dislocation of his shoulder. It was one of only four occasions in his maiden term with Suzuki that he failed to make the podium.

"You know, last year was last year; this weekend is a whole new event even if it is the same track," the 21 year old said. "I am feeling good and felt comfortable in the sand at Mons last weekend. I was a bit sick for a few days but I have been following my usual programme of training this week. I hate the question about having a goal for a particular race or weekend. For me the goal is always the same and that's to do my best, whether that means a win, podium or somewhere else; then that is what I will take."

Steve Ramon was runner-up last year and also scored a third position at the 2007 Grand Prix at Valkenswaard. Despite his excellent ability in the sand - he won the prestigious Le Touquet beach race earlier this year - he knows fully-well the perils and difficulty of the service, as it was a crash at the Dutch course in 2009 that saw him suffer a fractured neck. The Belgian was able to make some decent inroads towards an effective suspension set-up with his ride to fourth place overall in the Mons sand last weekend for the opening round of the Flemish national series.

"I was feeling sick after Bulgaria but it was good to go to Mons and get some heats done in the sand and also work with the bike a little bit," he said. "We had a good weekend at Valkenswaard in 2010, so something similar on Monday will be the target to aim for. I think the track will be a bit easier for me compared to Bulgaria and we just need to come through Sunday well and then make sure of some decent starts for the motos."

Valkenswaard has a long history as part of the FIM Motocross World Championship that stretches back to the 1970s. Modifications to the site - that also houses a popular Rallycross layout - have included a shortening and reversal of the track in recent years. After the hard-pack of Sevlievo two weeks ago, the Grand Prix riders will have to employ a different side to their technique to conquer the sand that will get rougher and more varied as the weekend wears on.

Taking profit of the events-scheduling over a holiday weekend the race will occur on Monday 25th with practice and qualification on Sunday compared to the usual Saturday slot. The weather forecast for the period is positive with the odd shower predicted for Sunday but sunshine on race-day.

Source: Team Suzuki Press Office

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