Evgeny Bobryshev Honda CRF450R Team Honda Europe - Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
Race Report - MX1 GP Round 1 Sevlievo, Bulgaria (April 10, 2011)
Solid first GP of 2011 for Honda World Motocross Team in Bulgaria
Rui Gonçalves and Evgeny Bobryshev finished 5th and 6th overall respectively in the first GP of the year in Sevlievo, Bulgaria to register a solid start to the 2011 campaign.
The first moto didn’t go quite to plan with both Rui and Evgeny getting tangled up in separate incidents that compromised their races. Bobby fell at the second turn in the early stages of the race, when a stone got caught in the wheel. Rui got stuck behind a fallen rider when catching Cairoli, a moment which halted his mid-race charge. Finishes of 12th for Evgeny and 8th for Rui were not justified reward but better was to come in moto2.
Both Honda World Motocross riders got out of the gate well and rounded the first turn within the top 5. In the early stages of the race it was Gonçalves showing good speed, finding his way past Bobryshev and into 4th as the Russian struggled a little to get on the pace. As the race developed it was Bobryshev’s time to show his speed as he caught back up with his Portugese team-mate and engaged in a battle that would see the two exchanging (clean) blows for the duration of a racing lap.
Bobryshev would eventually come out the winner but would remain in racing formation with Gonçalves for the rest of the moto, eventually finishing within 3 seconds of each other, in 4th and 5th position, and only 19sec behind eventual race winner and overall victor, Clement Desalle.
Next stop is the sand of Valkenswaard, favoured territory for Rui but not disliked by Evgeny!
|
Rui Gonçalves Honda CRF450R Team Honda Europe - Photo courtesy Honda Pro Racing
|
|
|
 Rui Gonçalves
Honda World Motocross:
“I was feeling comfortable on the bike and enjoying the racing. I knew the start would be crucial and had a good one in the first moto.
When I was readying to make a move on Toni (Cairoli) I hit a fallen rider and it disrupted my rhythm. By the end of the moto I was back on it again.
In the second moto my start was even better and I built on that to finish 5th. I am really happy with that and with 5th overall.”
Evgeny Bobryshev
Honda World Motocross:
“First race was not good. I crashed and lost many places and am not happy with the points dropped! In the second moto I was more focused but at the beginning I was struggling to find my lines and my rhythm.
I found my speed and came back the guys who passed me in the beginning and ended in 4th. I am really happy with that but feel that I should have had top 5 in the first moto as well.”
|
|
