Everts/Cairoli take titles

Yamaha riders Stefan Everts and Antonio Cairoli both claimed their 2005 titles in the MX1 and MX2 class respectively at Lierop in Holland on Sunday, September 4, 2005.

Everts took his fifth straight championship since 2001 with his seven GP win of the season. In the process he increased his record number of motorcross wins to 86, with a grand total of nine world championships. Italian 19-year-old Cairoli took his first world championship with a fifth place.

The MX1 first race saw the Belgian MX legend lead from the start, and finish 13 seconds ahead of second placed Steve Ramon and third place Josh Coppins.

The second race proved tougher in the early stages with Ben Townley fighting hard for the lead, but it was to no avail as Everts once more swept past and opened up a sizeable lead. Everts won from Townley and Ramon.

“In the end it was great to wrap up the title ins tyle by winning both races, and it was ncie to share this moment with so many fans,” said Everts. “Surely this title did not come easy, and this is probably the first GP where I had good starts in both races. I had to work hard to win this year, but it makes the satisfaction even bigger. Maybe it’s just because I grow older.”

Youthful Cairoli overcame wrist and ankle injuries to claim the 2005 MX2 world championship with an overall fifth position. The first race was won by Marc de Reuver from Tyler Rattray and Britain’s Bill MacKenzie, with Cairoli finishing in seventh place. The second race saw Rattray win from de Reuver. Third was David Philippaerts, fourth MacKenzie, and eighth Cairoli.

“I hurt my left wrist yesterday, and my ankle injury already made it hard to push in the deep sand. I fought hard to make it happen here and I kept on believing,” said Cairoli. “Two laps before the end my team informed me that i ahd wont he title and it was the most amazing feeling ever. I have now one big goal left and that is to get a good result with the Italian team at the MX of Nations in France.”

Deals are already signed for 2006, with Steve Ramon signing a two-year deal with Suzuki to compete in the MX1 championship alongside Kevin Strijbos on the RM-Z 450. meanwhile KTM will look to former world champion Sebastien Tortelli for their MX1 campaign after temtping the rider back from the AMA series. The 27-year-old Frenchman has signed a two-year deal with an option to move back to the US in 2007. As Tortelli returns to partner Marc de Reuver, Ben Townley has signed to race in the AMA series.