Pocock closer to the UEM EMX250 Title

By Youthstream | 02 Sep 2012

LIEROP (The Netherlands), 2 September 2012 – The penultimate round of the UEM EMX250 Championship took place today in Lierop, where Mel Pocock dominated both heats. Stefan Olsen and Mike Kras finished second and third respectively.

Monster Energy Yamaha’s Mel Pocock arrived in Lierop after having missed the podium in his home round in the UK, so he was willing to do well. The British rider won the first race yesterday and today he managed to take the holeshot and crossed the finish line eight seconds ahead second classified, Stefan Olsen. Pocock is now leading the point standings with 42 points advantage over Olsen, so everything is on his side to be proclaimed the 2012 champion in the last round in Faenza, Italy, next weekend.

Jtech Racing’s Stefan Olsen started really well yesterday on race one when he took the holeshot, but he could not keep the lead and he finally finished third. Today he started at the front but he lost several positions and he was down in fourth in the middle of the race. However, he gave all his best and he started recovering his rhythm and with two laps to go he was already chasing Kras for the second place. In the end, Kras crashed and Olsen ended second, which gave him the second overall position.

Suzuki Beursfoon’s Mike Kras did not have a good start yesterday, but he did a superb race and he went from fourth to second. Today things started much better for the Dutch rider, but in the last three laps he started having some mechanical problems when he was riding second. Having two laps to go, Kras crashed, but he succeeded in getting on his bike quickly and finished fourth. Finally, Kras completed the podium of the Dutch round.

Belgian rider Brent Van Doninck had the best race of the season this weekend by obtaining a fourth overall place and moving from tenth to eighth in the point standings of the championship. Doninck was fourth in race one yesterday and today he did a consistent heat and he crossed the finish line third. The Belgian finished fourth overall and he missed the podium for only two points.

It was also a great weekend for home rider Lars Van Berkel, who had only been able to score some points in the Latvian round. This weekend the Dutch felt much better riding on the sand and he already proved his skills yesterday when he finished fifth. Today Van Berkel did not have a good start, but he did a superb recovery and went from thirteenth to sixth, and he finished fifth of his home round.

Sixth overall was Dave Versluis from the Netherlands and his compatriot Donny Bastemeijer was seventh. Jesper Jönsson from Sweden was eighth and Belgian Damon Graulus and home rider Luca Nijenhuis completed the top ten.

Maxime Desprey, who won the British round two weeks ago, had a tough weekend in Lierop. On Saturday he crashed during race one and he could only finish nineteenth, whereas today he crashed in the first corner after the start and he was only able to cross the finish line in the twenty-fifth place. In the end, Desprey was 26th overall.

EMX250 Race 1 top ten: 1. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 30:31.329; 2. Mike Kras (NED, Suzuki), +0:13.538; 3. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN, Yamaha), +0:14.343; 4. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, KTM), +0:42.671; 5. Lars Van Berkel (NED, Honda), +1:18.093; 6. Dave Versluis (NED, Kawasaki), +1:28.687; 7. Donny Bastemeijer (NED, Honda), +1:34.713; 8. Jesper Jönsson (SWE, Suzuki), +1:41.747; 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (DEN, Yamaha), +1:46.748; 10. Samuele Bernardini (ITA, KTM), +1:56.178;

EMX250 Race 2 top ten: 1. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 31:23.548; 2. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN, Yamaha), +0:08.557; 3. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, KTM), +0:14.611; 4. Mike Kras (NED, Suzuki), +0:46.911; 5. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), +0:51.995; 6. Lars Van Berkel (NED, Honda), +1:00.303; 7. Damon Graulus (BEL, Suzuki), +1:02.405; 8. Magne Klingsheim (NOR, KTM), +1:29.186; 9. Dave Versluis (NED, Kawasaki), +1:30.392; 10. Donny Bastemeijer (NED, Honda), +1:42.830;

EMX250 Overall top ten: 1. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 50 points; 2. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN, Yamaha), 42 p.; 3. Mike Kras (NED, Suzuki), 40 p.; 4. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, KTM), 38 p.; 5. Lars Van Berkel (NED, Honda), 31 p.; 6. Dave Versluis (NED, Kawasaki), 27 p.; 7. Donny Bastemeijer (NED, Honda), 25 p.; 8. Jesper Jönsson (SWE, Suzuki), 22 p.; 9. Damon Graulus (BEL, Suzuki), 21 p.; 10. Luca Nijenhuis (NED, Yamaha), 20 p.;

EMX250 Championship top ten: 1. Mel Pocock (GBR, Yamaha), 280 points; 2. Stefan Kjer Olsen (DEN, Yamaha), 238 p.; 3. Mike Kras (NED, Suzuki), 186 p.; 4. Maxime Desprey (FRA, Kawasaki), 157 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Suzuki), 142 p.; 6. Alessandro Battig (ITA, Yamaha), 115 p.; 7. Tim Gajser (SLO, KTM), 110 p.; 8. Brent Van Doninck (BEL, KTM), 105 p.; 9. Brian Bogers (NED, KTM), 102 p.; 10. Damon Graulus (BEL, Suzuki), 85 p.;

EMX250 Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha, 291 points; 2. Suzuki, 236 p.; 3. KTM, 201 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 199 p.; 5. Honda, 104 p.; 6. TM, 4 p.;

Complete results available at www.motocrossmx1.com/reslists.aspx
Photos of the whole Grand Prix available at here

GP OF BENELUX – QUICK FACTS
Circuit length: 1750
Type of ground: sand
Temperature: 23° C
Weather conditions: sunny

The Grand Prix is being broadcasted LIVE on MX-LIFE.TV and by clicking here you will obtain the full schedule and coverage of the Dutch Grand Prix.

NEXT GP
The next round of the UEM EMX250 will take place next week in Faenza, Italy, and it will be the last one of the season where the Title will be decided. During the same weekend there will also take place the last round of the UEM EMX125, where Tim Gajser will received the gold medal for being the 2012 champion.

LINKS
Youthstream
FIM
Grand Prix of Benelux