1971 Barcelona Motocross GP Sabadell Spain - 2-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

1971 Barcelona Motocross GP Sabadell Spain - 2-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, Vintage Magazine article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
TEXT AND PHOTOS BY VOLKER RAUCH
IN SPITE OF the competition of a
national football match, a Formula I
race and a golf tournament, a record
crowd of 30,000 watched the opening
round of the 250cc World Motocross
Championships in Sabadell, near Barce-
lona.
The Husqvarna factory prepared all-
new bikes for Torlief Hansen, Heikki
Mikkola, and Bryan Wade in an effort to
regain the championship lost to Suzuki
last year. The frame is now made from
ultra-lightweight alloy tubes, and the
swinging arm is about 35 percent
lighter.
The engine is also new and now
sports a six-speed gearbox which will
yield greater adaptability for all types of
terrain. The cylinder head is similar to
the one on their normal series engine,
but it must be a little special, as the
36-mm Bing carburetor is quite large for
a 250. Husqvarna only claims 30 bhp at
7200 rpm for the engine, but the
useable powerband is from 3500 to
8500 rpm.
All three works riders spoke enthusi-
astically about the new Husky, only
Wade couldn’t ride it in Spain because
the gear lever and brake pedal were still
on the wrong side for him.
Suzuki also appeared with improved
machines, the main improvement being
still more power. There was also a new
Wankel-powered motocross bike being
developed back in Hamamatsu; Suzuki
hopes this prototype will weigh only
165 lb.
The internal battle within the Suzuki
team between Robert and Geboers will
not be continued this year because
Geboers crashed in Belgium and suf-
fered a complicated knee break. Unfor-
tunately, he will be out of action for at
least half the season.
To replace Geboers, Suzuki has
signed Taichi Yoshimura, the 125 and
250cc Japanese motocross champion for
the first six rounds. Yoshimura also held
the Japanese title in 1966, but a bad
crash put him out for three years.
Because Roger DeCoster has left CZ
this year to ride Suzuki in the 500cc
class, the Czechoslovakian factory’s
main hopes lie with a four-man Russian
team that will compete in all rounds.
The Belgian, Gaston Rahier. is the only
other CZ factory rider at this time.
Maico is concentrating on the 500
class and did not field a 250 team this
year at Barcelona. Spanish factories,
however, appeared in force with one
Ossa, five Bultacos, and six Montesas.
In all, 30 riders started the event.
On Friday, the Russian rider Gen-
nadij Moiseev (CZ) surprised everyone
with the fastest practice time of 2:36.5.
Close behind was the Swede Uno Palm
(Husqvarna) at 2:37.0. World Champion
Joel Robert (Suzuki) was 3rd fastest at
2:37.9.
On Saturday. Robert fared even
worse. His Suzuki refused to start for a
required qualification run, necessary to
determine starting places. To make mat-
ters worse for Suzuki, Ole Pettersson’s
condensor failed after a few laps.
Neither man actually qualified until
Sunday morning, just before the race.
During the first six laps of the first
moto, the Japanese did not display their
usual smiles. Torleif Hansen (Husq-
varna) took the lead and was way ahead
of Robert and the following field.
Robert, though, was working his way up
and took over the lead on Lap 6. Three
laps later, Hansen regained the lead
briefly, but a crash on the 12th lap
forced him into 5th position. Robert
lead the remainder of the first moto.
After Hansen’s crash, the Soviet
Moiseev (CZ) moved into 2nd position
and held it to the finish. Moiseev, in the
beginning, could keep up with Hansen
and Robert, but late in the moto
dropped back because of fatigue. Rahier
(CZ) finished 3rd.
The Soviet Vladimir Kavinov (CZ)
lead the first three laps of the 2nd
moto. Rahier (CZ), Wade (Husqvarna),
Robert (Suzuki), Palm (Husqvarna) and
Mandritchenko (CZ) followed. On Lap
4, Rahier took the lead and Robert
began closing the gap. Robert took the
lead from Rahier on Lap 5.
For a time, Pettersson (Suzuki) had a
hard time getting by Moiseev (CZ) for
3rd, until engine failure ended the
Soviet’s effort. On Lap 7. Rahier began
to drop back, letting Pettersson into
2nd.
With Robert’s two Ist-place finishes,
-and Pettersson’s two 2nds, Suzuki clear-
ly dominated the first world champion-
ship round. Suzuki is well on their way
io winning their 2nd motocross title in a
row.
[Q]
BARCELONA 250 RESULTS
1.
J. ROBERT ..............Suzuki
2.
O. PETTERSSON ..........Suzuki
3.
H. ANDERSSON........Husqvarna
4.
G. RAHIER.................CZ
5.
V. KAVINOV ...............CZ
6.
M.WIERTZ............. Bultaco
7.
B. WADE.............Husqvarna
8.
F. MINNE .................Ossa
9.
G. HOUSSOLONGE .......Montesa
10. L. FORSBERG ...........Montesa
1.
Barcelona motocross winner Joel Robert (Suzuki) leads the only non-Russian factory CZ
rider, Gaston Rahier, in the 2nd moto.
2.
Suzuki signed Japanese motocross champion Taichi Yoshimura to replace the injured Sylvain
Geboers in the first six rounds.
3.
The new 250-cc, six-speed works Husqvarna.
4.
Torieif Hansen (Husqvarna) led Robert in the opening moments of the first moto, but crashed
on Lap 12.
5.
A four-man Russian team will compete in all European championship rounds.
11914-7108-08
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