2005 MXON
MOTOCROSS OF NATIONS ’05—TEAM CANADA EXPERIENCE
Months of planning, suddenly the day to depart for this years Motocross of Nations in Ernee France.
The riders, Doug DeHaan, Blair Morgan and Simon Homans, as well as Blair’s mechanic JP Savard and Simons—Pierre-Marc Gagne, where slated to arrive on direct flights from Toronto and Montreal departing Wednesday afternoon arriving Thursday morning.
An advance team consisting of Team Manager Carl Bastedo, Assistant Tim Marks (Titan racing), and Doug’s mechanic Jarrod Johnsgaard left the day before and arrived in Paris Wednesday morning. Their flight went Toronto-Amsterdam-Paris.
WEDNESDAY--The first problem encountered was a late departure from Toronto due to customs and security issues with the KLM flight. This caused the advance team to miss their connection in Amsterdam so they had to transfer to another flight. That proved difficult and they finally arrived in Paris around 11 a.m. Then an even bigger concern, all 6 bags including Doug’s suspension and various parts didn’t show on the plane.
Thereafter insued some discussions with the Air France baggage people. We told them we where not leaving the airport without at least Doug’s 2 bags of parts. It was a problem because our goals for the day where to drive the 3 hours to Laval (30 min. from the Ernee track), and insure the hotels we had booked where acceptable and reservations honoured. We also wanted to head out to the track to insure we knew where to go, park etc.
Nothing was going to happen till the next flights arrived around 4 p.m. so we decided to get our vehicle and drive into Paris for lunch, potentially our only sightsee tour on the trip. The Renault station wagon reserved for us was not available so we lucked out to an upgraded new Renault Minivan type vehicle, our first break.
Jarrod, Tim and Carl at Paris café.
After getting lost for an hour or so—rolling on the floor laughing at my ability to handle a standard vehicle in Paris traffic, we arrived at a nice outside café where we had our first meal. Tim wanted us all to start with French Onion Soup (onion soup in France) Jarrod hadn’t had the soup before and couldn’t do it. Our main course was Chicken and Frittes and of course, a nice Baguette. We checked out all the people walking by, marveled at the way they dressed, even the street people wear a jacket. Then went back to the parking garage we had wedged our vehicle into (the parking garage was the cleanest place we saw the whole trip).
After getting lost all over Paris, laughing to much—I think we where getting giddy from being up so long, we ended up back at the airport just in time for the arrival of the flight that was supposed to have our bags.
I had done all the talking the first time so I sent Tim and Jarrod in to deal with Air France while I tried to find a parking spot outside the terminal. I ended up just parking in front of the building as a few other cars had done, seemed to be fine. The security isn’t near as tight in Europe as it is in the U.S. or Canada. Went in to find the boys, they had Doug’s parts and bags but still one of mine is missing. It was now 6 p.m., we’d been up way to long so we decided to just leave my bag behind and head for Laval. When we went to leave the building they had shut everything down due to some kind of emergency so we walked to a different area to leave, Jarrod carrying a gun case with Doug’s forks in it right past soldiers with machine guns who just nodded at us.
We headed to Ernee— Hey, Jarrod here--- I want to tell about that trip—well, just say our journey to Ernee from Paris was the coolest, but scariest trip I have ever faced. Being my first time in France I was just trying to take it all in, enjoy the surrounding of my new home for a few days, didn’t happen quite that way. How could I not enjoy? WELL—MANIAC, is the first thing that went through my mind as Tim and I whizzed through and around the Avis Parking lot, with Carl piloting us, earlier in the day. Things were still bad on the way to Ernee. It was getting towards dusk as we fought our way through the Paris gridlock. Being as how I had been awake 24 odd hours I tried to get some rest. That was a big nonnon with MANIAC in control. Soon as I closed my eyes we braked and my head bounced of the head rest in front of me, moments later it hammered the side window from a quick swerve. Just when I thought I learned my lesson I found myself rubbing my head which just pounded into the “oh shit” door handle, it’s still sore on my return to Canada. Finally, between the swerving, abrupt stops, squealing tires as we looped around the roundabouts, u turns and laughter, I drifted off. When I surprisingly awoke, we were at our destination.
Jarrod catches a few winks between bouncing off
the seats and window.
Oh, thank you for that Jarrod—sorry about that, I’ve never injured a passenger before so this is a first, you failed to mention your black eye, I guess that happened when you hit the headrest. If you’ll remember we did recommend you throw a Team Canada helmet on and make sure you where strapped in at one point.
I’ll carry on. We were staying in Laval, about 30 minutes from the track. Surprise, the directions where all in French and our Quebec crew where all on tomorrow’s flight. So, we got lost and lost-but finally arrived about 11 p.m. First we checked out the B&B were the riders and mechanics where staying. Looked good, then the Kyriad where we had 2 rooms—looked good to. Problem was both where all locked up for the night and we needed a room. Looked all over and finally found an old downtown hotel that was open. We were really-really tired, it was midnight and because we arrived late had to get to the track early to secure a good pit and see where it was. Only one room left with 2 little beds in the old Hotel but we where desperate. Jarrod grabbed the floor, the lady got us a couple extra blankets and a pillow for him, Tim and I grab the beds, its’ now 1 a.m. I tell them my internal alarm will get me up for a shower at 6 and I’ll wake them.
THURSDAY-- Great shower thank goodness and we head down for our first Euro breakfast. Great juices and fruit, coffee so strong your spoon stands up in the cup, cereals, hard boiled eggs and bread, bread, rolls and more bread—ahhh the baguettes. We re-load our luggage and off to the track—lost again of course but now we know the way. Thursday 9 a.m., arrive at the circuit.
It’s only Thursday and there is already some heavy traffic in Ernee, as we drive down the narrow road to the circuit we see the staging and wash area for all the big rigs, we don’t see the Swiss who told us they would meet us first thing Thursday morning. Credentials area opens at noon and the trucks can pull into the pits starting at 2 p.m. We check out the pit area and meet Yves, the Pit Boss. I had complained about our position in the pits last year and after a number of emails was assured a good spot. Yves treated us well and showed us our position, great spot.
The high speed downhills had us concerned.
Back to the pit gate after a quick look at the track. Stop a guy on the road to ask a question “speak English we ask”? He replies in a strong British accent “little bit”.
We had met Lee, a friend of British rider James Noble. Still no Swiss so we decide to go back to Laval to check the boys and ourselves into the rooms and get the keys or code numbers. Then we are coming back to Ernee for lunch and to pick up some of the heavy supplies, water etc. for the pits while we can still drive in.
Back to the track by 2:30 and still no Swiss, I call Kristen back and MotoPark and put her on the case of finding out where they are. I go and get all our credentials while Tim, Jarrod and Lee all head up to the campground to make sure Lees grandparents have their motorhome set up okay, I just wait at the gate for the Swiss and the rest of the team who we expect to arrive by 4.
Tim and Jarrod return about the same time Doug shows with the riders and the rest of the mechanics in their overcrowded rental. I had planned to drive up to Paris to help bring them down with my vehicle but a combination of our problems yesterday, no Swiss and a longer drive than we anticipated, I just felt I should stay, we knew Doug would figure it out.
We all go to check out the track, everyone’s impressed. I’m a little worried about the big hills and high speed, we definitely aren’t used to that. Blair says he’s so tired he can’t focus on the track, its’ been a long day for the riders and we sure didn’t get much rest.
We had heard from Kristen that the Swiss should arrive by 4, its’ now 5 so we ask Simon to call his contacts and see what’s going on. He reports they are running late and won’t arrive till late evening.
We decide to go back to Laval, get cleaned up a bit and go to the City Centre for dinner and then an early night. We find a nice little outside seating area at a restaurant down an alley in the City Centre. All 8 of us sit to have dinner and plan our day Friday, its tech inspection day so we decide that Tim and I will pick the mechanics up at 7:30 at their breakfast area and the riders will show up a little later in the day. ½ way through dinner Ricky Carmichael and crew stroll by and he stops to say hello and chat with Doug and Blair for a bit, very gracious and nice. We wrap up around 9 and all head out to our hotels and bed.
Tim and I stop by the bar in our Hotel for a nitecap & meet the New Zealand Team Manager and his wife. Neat guy, seems to be a moneyman who loves the sport. Had a great chat, New Zealand are very excited about the race. Then along comes Sylvan Geobers and his daughter, Sylvan is a former World Champion and brother of Eric “the kid” Geobers who raced at Motopark in 1984. Sylvan said he remembers the barbque on the deck at my house in 1984 like it was yesterday.
The we meet up with some Brits who are partying, it’s all too much for me and I’m off to bed while Tim starts lining up some help for the weekend. Important work being done by Tim tonight while the rest of us sleep.
FRIDAY—Tim and I get to the B&B to pick everyone up, Simon and Blair got up with the mechanics and joined them for Breakfast, their heading back to bed for a while. We head to the track and JP and Pierre learn what Jarrod’s been through as we immediately pull a quick U turn and then take a couple laps of the roundabout till we are certain of the direction we are heading.
Where laughing already. Arrive in Ernee, it’s Friday morning, no riding at all and the town is backed up with traffic. We fight our way to the pit parking through Gendarmes and parking attendants—the truck assembly and wash area still has trucks pulling in, we round the corner and 2 large fields on both sides of the road are full of campers, tents and what seems like thousands of people, their on the roads, making breakfast, blowing their airhorns all this at 8:30 Friday morning.
We get to drive right in to our pit area which is great because we’ve got suspension, supplies and lots to unload from the car. The Swiss are there and the rig is 45’ with an enclosed 45’ tent being put up in front of it. It’s got living quarters, washroom, kitchen. The back looks fairly well stocked with parts and tools, air compressor so it all looks good. We all say hello, introduce each other and Tim and the mechanics take a quick glance at the bikes and no one says anything as they go to help get the tent up and the area prepared. The Pit Boss comes by and yells at me for having our car in there, tell him I’ll unload and move it out right away.
Jarrod checks Doug’s carb
Tim calls me aside and says he’s given the bikes a once over and he’d better get a bunch of stuff, brakes, clutches, sprockets, chains, he wants different oils than the Swiss have. I tell him to go see the Brits and I authorize some money. I decide to go to town to get some fresh bread, meats, fish, pasta, salad stuff, now that we have a fridge going and I have to leave the car out in the B parking anyhow. The boys will be busy putting their suspension, bars, clamps etc. on for a while so we all get going, Its’ 9:30, there all working and everyone’s calm. Tech Inspection, weigh in and sound check are open till 6.
Simon checks on Pierre and the Swiss
Return with the supplies and everyone’s working hard. Tim keeps coming up with parts like pulling rabbits out of a hat. We just keep our eye on everyone. The riders show up, to early for our liking—we had told them to do some light training or something and see us in the afternoon but they want to see what’s going on. They plan to walk the track, that will be exercise enough with those hills. Do up some lunch for everyone—Tuna salad sandwiches and a green salad, some fruit, crab sticks with dip. Blair doesn’t do fish so he has a ham, lettuce and tomato.
Tim discusses with JP & Blair
All the bikes have the riders own suspension, bars, triple clamps, levers etc. on them and Jarrod is putting on the complete head he brought for Doug’s 250F. Time to start heading over to tech. Tim and I go over with JP first, he passes fine but we need to turn Blair’s licence in and Blair has it, lots of time to find him and bring it back.
A bit later we all go with Jarrod and Doug’s bike passes as well, we turn in Doug’s licence and the lady looks at it and drops it, we all start roaring with laughter. You have to see Doug’s picture on the licence to understand, it looks like a negative and he’s just a black skeleton outline, funniest thing you ever saw. They keep the licence so we’ll just have to remember the picture.
JP works away while Simon shines
Back to our pit area and the mechanics are still working on the bikes. Tim and I are a little concerned with Simon. He’s got “too many cooks in the kitchen” as his mechanic Pierre is being helped by 2 or 3 of the Swiss. They still seem to be doing a lot on the bike and it’s starting to get on in the afternoon.
Simon looks like he is finally ready to go and we have an exchange. SH-Why you look so worried. CB-There’s not much time left for Tech so in case you have a problem we need to get over there. SH-It’s okay, what problem would I have. CB-Well, what if you don’t pass the sound test, what plan do you have? SH-I will pass they made this pipe special for me, they know where I’m going.
CB-Well, that’s not what I said, I said what if you don’t pass, what plan do you have? SH-I have another pipe over there. CB-Okay, lets take it with us. SH-We don’t need it. CB-Pierre, bring me that pipe, I’ll carry it. SH-don’t know why your so worried. CB-let’s Go.
Tim watches as they test and change pipes.
Tim, Simon and Carl arrive at Tech and the first thing they do is the sound test prior to weighing in the bike. Of course Simon’s special pipe doesn’t pass, they try again, a third time no. So now it’s even closer to the 6 p.m. deadline and they change the pipe. The Euro one works so we go through—the pipe and the cooks in the kitchen will come back to haunt us later.
Back at the trailer and our day is done, the bikes are all ready to go for morning practice. We decide to meet for dinner on the patio deck of the Bodega in Laval centre. Arrive around 8 p.m. Mood is good everyone’s ready, we laugh and banter, Simon and I have Steak, the others order the Polo Pasta. The boys all want to hear old Ross stories and how the politics all works so I fill them in. Nice evening and we all head to our beds around 10:30 (it takes a while to get dinner in Europe). We tell them we’ll be at their hotel for 7:30 a.m. Saturday and need to leave right then as we expect it will take us a while to get to our pit with the traffic.
Back at the hotel, Tim checks in with the Brits, more parts and supplies arriving overnight from Britain, they tell him they want to be a big sponsor of the team in England next year—looks like they are going to give us all this stuff for nothing. The social director works on it while I head off to bed.
SATURDAY—6:45 a.m., Tim and I are sitting having breakfast, the Japanese and Finns are there, a few Brits. Tim says, what about fuel, I say what about it, don’t we have? Maybe but not sure. Sheet, we can’t take a chance and I’m not going to have us borrowing fuel, tell you what we will do, I will drop you guys near the parking area B and then head back to Ernee and buy some gas cans and get fuel, I should pick up a few supplies at the SuperU anyhow. Okay he says but MX1 practice starts at 10 a.m. so you’ve got to show up by 9:45. We finish up and head over to the riders/mechanics hotel to help take some of them to the track and make sure their ready. 7:20, they are just finishing up Breakfast. Both vehicles head out.
Ernee is a Zoo, vehicles lined up everywhere, run the gauntlet of Gendarmes again and head down to the pit area. Thousands along the way, horns blowing—jeez, it’s only 8 a.m. Saturday morning. I drop the boys off just outside Parking B and head back to Ernee. Arrive by 8:20 to find that the Super U and the Hardware next door don’t open till 9, this is going to be tight. I plan my route through the Super U for the drink and supplies I need. 8:59 and the doors open, I’m first in line and race my cart through the aisles, just about finished and looking for some cheese, turn around, my carts gone. Someone has taken it—it’s to late for food, throw the damn cheese on the floor and run out of the store. Get to the hardware store and pick up a couple gas cans, stop at the station for fuel and race back to the track—passing where I shouldn’t and getting to parking lot B by 9:35, not even a thought of asking if I could drive into the pits cause of the heavy load of 40 ltrs. of fuel, their answer would be a big “NON”.
Its tough even finding a parking spot in the VIP lot B, vehicles and tents everywhere, I see that some people have parked in the rows sideways, I do the same in front of some campers, offer them my keys in case they need to move the vehicle but they can’t understand me so I just grab the 2 gas cans and lock the Renault. Then I start hiking to our pit, gas cans in hand. Watch for the old heart to start giving out but it stays strong. I’m used to just saying to someone “here you take these” but I don’t think it will work here. Stop a few times but arrive at our pit entrance by 9:50. Can’t even carry them into the pit so I ask the boys to come out and get them, things seem calm-Tim looks at me and says “you don’t want to know”- I guess that means they had fuel and look over and see the Jerrycans. Oh well, everyone seems calm and Simon is getting ready for the first practice session of the weekend.
Right about that time we meet Roddy, a Canadian photographer now living in Germany, he’s doing an article for Inside Motorcycles. Then Matthias, a German photohound doing a story for MX Performance drops buy. Marilynn Bastedo, our CMA jury member is on hand and they all have a good chat. Finally along comes Aaron, doing the coverage for RacerX, I think Aaron walked to the race, he’s got his bags with him which we store away for the day, I ask him if he will bring me the times and results over from the Media Centre after each moto and he’s willing. Shane Drew, ex Thunder Bay Pro rider also drops by to ask for a Canadian flag and check on us. Shane is currently wrenching for Kevin Windham and wanted to hang the flag in the U.S. pits, he checked on us a couple times during the weekend.
9:50, Tim, Pierre and I head to the staging area with Simon. We are all greeted by the oldmen and women that make up the Tech/staging crew. They really like the Canadians, especially our Quebecouis who they chatted with all weekend. All seems calm-Simons ready 9:55 and Tim and I head over to our pit tent.
We are chatting with some people as the bikes line up for the first practice of the weekend. I look down the line and see Simon, all set to go, they’re off. Two laps into practice Simon comes down our pit lane and stops, Pierre and I run over, he’s got his header pipe in his hand. Seems the cooks forgot to tighten it after we put the new pipe on at tech yesterday. So Pierre puts it on and Simon goes out and finishes practice. His time is 25th at 2:01.8 but the 10th place time is only 4 seconds faster and Simon only got 7 laps in vs. most 12 to 15.
We head back to the staging area to see Doug off. Then to the pit tent for the start. Doug actually turns in a faster time than Simon at 2:01.0 and finishes 16th best time in the MX2 class. He looks good and is happy with the bike.
Next comes Blair, back to the staging area to see him off. Then back to the Team Canada pit tent, he takes off, JP stays and Tim and I head back to the pit to check on Simon and Doug and I start doing some barbeque chicken for lunch. A few minute’s later disaster strikes as Blair pulls up to the pit area with a very sick sounding 450. Everyone rushes over, something let go inside the engine says Blair. We are all tense, we don’t have time to tear it down and repair it. We need another engine, Tim has been pulling tricks out of his hat all weekend so we just say, Tim, go find us an engine or a whole bike that went through tech yesterday.
It just after 12 and Simon’s first qualifying heat was at 1:30, Doug’s at 2:30 and Blair’s at 3:30. The next 3 + hours were the most tense and worrisome of the whole trip. Everyone stayed calm, Tim kept coming back saying he had to check with someone in 20 minutes or so, but didn’t have an engine. We knew we could throw one result out for qualifying but Blair was our best chance for a good result. If Simon and Doug couldn’t do it we would be in the B final. We had to get Blair out there by his 3:15 staging and sighting lap time.
The crew all had lunch, barby chicken, green salad, crab sticks and fruit. Very quiet around the Team Canada pit, mechanics all working away as they had for 2 days. Problem with Simon’s clutch-he’s got some special clutch in there and its not working right, Tim wants him to put a new stock one in he’s got but the Swiss and Simon aren’t into. Finally, a few minutes before his moto they put the stock one in. Things are tense, Simon’s about to head to staging and still no engine for Blair. They changed oils and oil filter and found filings, then started bike up and low and behold it sounded just fine.
We all realize there may be some parts floating around inside, Blair and the rest of us are not about to use the bike even though it sounds fine, a part could suddenly lodge itself in the crank or piston or something. It would just be too dangerous.
We head to staging with Simon. Tim’s still looking. Simon’s got to get a top 20 for us to stand any chance at all. He heads out for his sighting lap and Marilynn and I head for the pit tent, we tell Pierre to stay with Simon till he heads to the line after the sighting lap.
Their lined up, we can’t see Simon—panic, their off, no Simon. 20 seconds go by and I’m just about to head back to staging to see what happened and Simon hits the track, more than just dead last. Pierre shows up, what happened we ask? Well, we forgot to tighten the exhaust pipe and it came loose on the sighting lap, Wow, gotta get rid of all those cooks. Well, Simon gave it his all and moved up past a couple riders but could only muster a 25th. Things aren’t looking good.
Back to the pit, meet up with John VanDenBerk, Dutch Team Manager, he has heard of our problem, asks if we have talked to Rinaldi, he was having concerns of his own as DeReuver had a problem in moto one and finished 18th, they were as concerned as we where about qualifying. Doug’s going to staging in 15 minutes or so, no word on an engine but JP has taken the old one out and Tim’s still out there. The tension is unpalpable, mostly me as the guys all still seem calm although JP is sweating profusely. Blair’s just sitting in the trailer, I can’t even bring myself to talk to him.
Tim’s still out looking, Jarrod and I head over to staging with Doug. Former Canadian Motocross Champion and International Jury President Jan-Eric Sallqvist is there with Marilynn. We talk about our problem, I tell him it doesn’t look good—he is saddened that he can’t do anything. We give Doug the thumbs up and head over to our pit tent, Jarrod waits behind till after the sighting lap.
I get to the pit tent and the British GP Team Manager comes up to me and says “where’s Tim” I say “he’s out looking for an engine”, he says, “I’ve got Gordon Crockfords spare 450 you can use, was teched yesterday but you’ve got to put your pipe on”. What? Where is it? “It’s up in the camping area in the back of his camper, he’ll need someone to help him get it out.” I’m off on a run to our pit. I’m panicked as I run in, JP’s just standing in a sweat, Pierre’s there to, I tell JP to come with me to get the bike, then I realize I have no idea where it is.
I run back to the pit tent and find Tim on the way, I take him to the British and he’s off to their pit. Convinces a mechanic who knows where the bike is to go with him and they take off to get the bike. I check in with Marilynn and Jarrod as to how Doug is doing, real good, looking strong. He nets a 13th, better than we did in MX2 at Lierop last year. We stand a chance if we can get Blair out there.
Back to the pit, Blair’s getting dressed, no bike yet, everyone’s still calm. Suddenly we hear a bike and Tim comes racing into the pit. 15 minutes before staging closes. They put on Blair’s pipe and muffler and change number plates. The bike has to be in staging, not the rider, so after a quick look over of the bike Tim hops on to ride it to staging, he stalls it, Doug runs over to start it for him, a little light humour for us and he’s off with the rest of us running behind fighting our way through the crowds.
Tim arrives at staging less than 2 minutes before the gate closes, the tech/staging people are all smiling, Canada will make the start, we still have a chance. We are all with Blair in staging—it goes without saying that he needs a few laps to feel the bike out. We will change his suspension bars etc. for tomorrow but we just need a top 20 finish right now. He knows what he has to do, sighting lap out, JP stays while we head to the Team Canada pit tent.
Not to good a start, end of lap 1 and Blairs in 24th, that won’t cut it but we know he’s feeling everything out. Lap 2 & 3 the same, c’mon Blair, start moving. Lap 4 and he’s up to 22nd. Stays there 3 laps and then on lap 7 he’s 21st, lap 8 20th, lap 9 19th, I think we can do it. Lap 10 18th. Lap 11 he moves into 17th after passing Australian Lee Ellis. Australia struggling as well to make the A main and the pit crew push’s Ellis to catch Blair. He does on the last lap and Blair finishes 18th. We think it’s enough, 13-18 and throw Simon’s 25th out. You never know though so we race back to the pits and start working on the results. Aaron rushes in with some more, Everyone’s looking over my shoulder, I can’t even add or write but I’ve got us in 20thafter the first two moto’s so, unless one of the other teams behind us had a great 3rd moto, we are in, but we just don’t know.
JP’s already changing suspension etc. and Blair’s satisfied with the bike. One of the Swiss run in and says “Canada In”, how do you know? “Results up”, we all rush over to see for ourselves and we made it, 19th just ahead of Holland. Ireland doesn’t make it, a big blow for them.
Talk about highs and lows on the day, we are all exhausted. The mechanics are getting the bikes all ready for Sunday. Our day isn’t over as we have to show up for the introduction of the teams on the main stage, it’s a real problem I complained about last year, 6:30 to 7:30 or 8 Saturday night, the riders have just snacked, everyone’s exhausted and just want to get to dinner and bed and we have to go the ceremony, or else! We get to the ceremony and shake hands with the dignitaries, Youthstream boss Guiseppe Luongo, who I haven’t talked to since 1987 and that was another story, says “Carl, welcome and thank you for bringing Canada to our event”. Team Canada got one of the biggest cheers of the evening. I heard that Guiseppe got a pie in the face later that evening, I guess that story will come out.
We are in Group 1 for practice which is at 9:10 a.m., another complaint I had. We know we will have to fight our way through traffic in the morning. Blair offers RacerX Aaron a bed in his room and I tell him we will take him to dinner with us so we all head to our favourite restaurant, the Bodega, in Laval City Centre, it’s already getting late so we don’t even swing by the Hotels first.
We all have the Polo pasta and insist on Butter for our bread. A few of us non riders have some Heinekens and we celebrate making the A final. We realize whatever has happened up till now means nothing. All that work, all that tension, is in the past, the race is tomorrow and how we do is all that matters.
We all plan on meeting at 7 a.m. for the trip to the track and head out to our Hotels.
SUNDAY—RACE DAY—I’m down to the front desk after waking Tim up at 6:30 a.m. We had all decided that because we where flying out from Paris Monday morning that we should drive up to Paris after the races and stay there overnight as it was a longer drive down to Laval than we had anticipated.
I book 4 rooms at a Kyriad Hotel near the DeGaulle Airport for late arrival tonight, check out of our rooms and head into the Breakfast room. The New Zealand guys are in there all dressed in rain gear. Raining? I ask. Yeah it’s just pouring out there, we love it, this will make it interesting.
I don’t think much of it as if it’s like at home, it should stop by the time we get to the track and just be perfect for the race. The weather on TV had said it would be a nice day. Unreal, come to Europe 2 years in a row with very little rain, nice temperatures and lots of sun.
Tim comes down and we finish up breakfast, get our bags loaded and head over to the B&B to pick up the crew. They are just finishing up breakfast when we arrive so I check them out of the hotel and we load the bags and all 8 of us plus RacerX Aaron, who had stayed with Blair and JP, into our two minivans and head to the track.
Have our usual laugh at my driving on the way, the line up of vehicles coming into Ernee at 7:45 a.m. is longer than ever. A bread shop is open so I stop for some bread and baguettes while Doug carries on to the track with his load. Line up in the shop but I get the bread, so does everyone else, people walking around with loaves hanging from their belts, baguettes sticking out of carriers on bicycles and the backs of motorcycle riders. Its baguette heaven.
I heard they were on the radio telling people planning to go to the race to stay home. Never heard of a sold out Motocross before but I’ve never seen anything like this either. The road all the way from Ernee to the track (about 5 km) is lined with vehicles, motorcycles and people walking to the track, at 8 a.m.
Get to our Parking B lot and its overflowing so park inside the gates on the road like everyone else, in front of a motorhome, he’ll figure out how to get out. Get to the pit by 8:30 and the guys are getting dressed ready for their practice at 9:10.
They all seem calm but I’m starting to worry about their Pysch, all the problems we had yesterday has to be playing on their minds. Even though they have their own suspension, bars and clamps, pipes-new brakes, clutches, chains, sprockets with the gearing they want. No ones saying anything though and its all business getting ready for the first practice.
I’m also worried about the hills, Tim reported to me yesterday that our guys where not handling the highspeed downhills to well and where loosing lots of time in those areas.
Realize I’ve made a mistake as Team Manager not pushing for a practice day prior to the
event. It would mean leaving Canada a day early but I think its something we just have to do in the future if at all possible. We could have sorted the bikes out and melded together as a team more. Looks like we are all going to have Pysch problems today.
Tell Tim to go a watch practice while I whip up a little buffet, want the riders to lunch early as the first moto is only a few hours away. We have the baguettes and some multigrain bread, So I do a veggy pasta dish with a salad, a bowl of tuna with onion for sandwiches, the Swiss had cheese of course and we had some crab & dip left along with some fruit and fruit cups. Just laid it all out for everyone to eat when they wanted.
All was quite after practice, to quite really—another mistake, probably should have had a talk with all the riders about the track and where they where having problems or where they might have some good lines. Everyone just seemed so relieved that we didn’t have the bike concerns like yesterday, mechanics working away, we are ready for Moto #1 which will have Doug and Simon out on the track.
We all go to staging with them, Doug’s a little late and when he arrives he tells me he dropped his retainer on the way over and couldn’t find it. I go back to look for it and in spite of people everywhere I spot it on the ground near our pit. Stop everyone while I stoop to pick up and go to our pit to clean it and take it back to Doug, he feels a little better with it. We give them the thumbs up as they head out for their sighting lap and head to the Team Canada Pit Tent. Moto 1 is off, Simon seems to get a decent start, Doug’s back a bit, Doug drops it in corner 3 and by the time he’s up and going he’s well back. Simon seems to be riding well but isn’t moving up to well. Simon finishes 25th, the track has roughened and everyones lap times are down 4 to 6 seconds from yesterday.
Doug can only get back up to 31st. We hope that can be our throw away moto. We had hoped for better our first moto, last year in Lierop Jean had a 21st and Dusty in 23rd. Of course, being enthusiasts we are also watching the battle up front. Carmichael rides superb but Josh Coppins and Mickael Pichon are right there with him. Everts is not riding like he has, something seems wrong, he still manages a 5th ahead of Tedesco. At the end Coppins is only 7 seconds behind Ricky after 18 laps.
Back to the pit area to pump Blair up, he recorded an incredible 6th in is first moto last year and pushed the team to its great placing, Dusty finished 25th in moto 2 at Lierop. We check on Simon and make sure Doug was ready to get right back out there. Things are moving fast, we are back in Staging then on to the pit tent. Moto two is off. Doug doesn’t make it a whole lap again without crashing and Blair rubs one of the English riders and looses his front brake for the whole moto. They push as hard as they can and start moving up.
Up front things are really exciting, Ben Townley catches and passes Kevin Windham. David Vuillemin and Steve Ramon seem like they have something for Kevin as well, Tedesco is way back, not looking good for the Americans who were leading after the first moto.
Blair is languishing mid-pack with no front brake, you really need them on this track, we of course, don’t realize what the problem is. Then disaster and Doug retires with 10 minutes to go. We find afterwards that he broke a valve. It was the head he brought from Canada so we only have ourselves to blame. Blair finishes 26th.
Up front Windham goes down, he fell right in front of Doug and Doug rode right over his bike. He finishes 5th, Tedesco 17th so the Americans are now in second after the first two moto’s. This is really exciting.
Back to the pits where we find out what happened to Doug and learn of Blairs no brake problem. JP get the brake fixed right away and checks the bike over, not much rest for Blair as the final moto has Simon and he back out. Things aren’t looking to good for us in the overall, no more magical 6ths expected. The riders are anxious to get back out and try to get us some lower scores for the overall.
Back to staging for the last time, I make sure all the staging staff have Canada pins, they really like them. Very exciting race coming up, are the Americans going down to defeat? Can Simon and Blair move us up in the standings? Back to Team Canada pit tent for the last time. We are joined by some of the FIM jury members and staging crew.
There off, Ricky Carmichael grabs the lead with Windham in tow, Windhams got to put it together for the U.S. to win. Blairs doing a little better but Simon’s having more trouble staying ahead of the Open bikes than he did the MX2 bikes in his first moto. Up front Ben Townley is making a big charge, he passes Kevin and takes out after Ricky, actually railing him in a bit. Everts is still off the pace and never does challenge but Coppins, Pichon, DeReuver, Vuillemin and Strijbos are all pushing hard. They can’t catch Kevin who hangs on for 3rd while Ricky takes the win, 5 seconds ahead of Townley, assuring the Americans of the overall. Blair pushes hard but can only manage a 21st, Simon a 30th.
The team can only manage a 17th overall this year, right behind Australia. It was a really tense, tough weekend and we coulda, woulda, shouda done better, but that’s moto. Everyone wants another crack at the World’s top motocross countries next year, we’ll just have to see how the year progresses and who gets named to the team.
The 60th anniversary event will be held at the Matterley Basin track in Great Britain. Team Canada will be out for a higher placing in the Worlds greatest Motocross event, The Motocross of Nations.
