FSBK – The rain is coming again to the French SBK championship … –

Posted on by admin

The rain invites itself again at the French SBK championship…

FSBK - The rain is coming again to the French SBK championship ... -

After a very wet opening round at Le Mans, the third round of the French Superbike championship which took place on Sunday at Le Vigeant was also well watered … Which of the outsiders or leaders benefited the most ? Report.

The TV weather forecasters predicted it: the last weekend of May will be "wet" … And it was! The Val de Vienne circuit has not been dry very often and the pilots of the French Superbike championship had, once again (read), to show courage to face a track which was sometimes drying and sometimes flooded….

In these difficult climatic conditions, teasing the stopwatch in practice then fighting at the forefront during the race requires a clever mix of attack and restraint … Review of a hectic weekend !

125

Taking advantage of a dry track but threatened by a cloudy sky again, Steve Le Coquen (Honda) completed the lap of the Val de Vienne in 1 ‘50.099 and took pole. He is ahead of Cyril Carillo (Honda), Valentin Debise (KTM) and the defending champion, Alexis Michel (Aprilia).

The second row is made up of Stephane Egea (Honda), Nelson Major (3rd in the MotoGP Rookie Cup at Le Mans the previous weekend!), Jimmy Petit and Kevin Meco (Honda). Ornella Ongaro (Honda), the only girl in the race, leads the 3rd row !

When the start is given, the rain rains imperturbably on the circuit. The Coquen retained his advantage and completed the first lap in front of the fighter pack made up of five pilots: Meco, Carillo, Debise and Egea.

From the second loop, Kevin Meco took the lead in the race and kept it for three laps. Carillo was still third and gradually let go of Egea and Debise, who were fighting for fourth place. Further on, Alexis Michel goes back to Ornella Ongaro 8th.

Steve Le Coquen manages to regain command and immediately distance Kevin Meco: "I surprised myself that I could follow the leading drivers, so I wanted to secure second place. I am super happy with my performance !", rejoices Kevin after the race.

As the fight for fourth place rages on between Debise and Egea, Carillo clings to his step on the podium: "after the difficult conditions of qualifying, I had a wise race to score points and get back to the top of the standings"says Cyril. Castillo is in 5th place.

Then on the 9th lap, the red flag is waved: Nelson Major has just fallen and the intervention of the medical teams is necessary! And with three quarters of the race completed, there will be no second start.

Steve Le Coquen therefore wins ahead of Kevin Meco and Cyril Carillo. Follow Stephane Egea, Valentin Debise and Jonathan Castillo and finally, Ornella Ongaro who blows 7th place to Alexis Michel! But everyone, from the first to the last place occupied by Samuel Salvert, deserves a huge congratulations: "we were on a lake! There were gullies on the sides of the track, it was really impressive !", summarizes Cyril Carillo.

Valentin Debise therefore maintains his first place in the provisional standings with 56 points but sees Steve Le Coquen (50) fall on him and Kevin Meco (39) and Cyril Carillo (32) come back. Ornella Ongaro is 5th with 31 points while Alexis Michel is only 13th with 12 points.

Pirelli Junior 600 Trophy

In qualifying, after the first session on a wet track, the second started on a drying track and allowed William Grarre (Yamaha) to score a superb 1’45.545. The Lyon rider is ahead of Louis Bulle (Yamaha), Nans Chevaux (Honda) and Etienne Masson (Yamaha).

Behind are the Kawasaki of Nicolas Kaluzny, the Honda of Anthony Loiseau, the Yamaha of Matthieu Lussiana, the Suzuki of Florent Tourne, the Yamaha of Dylan Buisson and the Triumph of Baptiste Guittet.

Launched at the very beginning of the afternoon, the race in the Junior 600 Pirelli category takes place on an almost dry track: Grarre takes full advantage of his pole position and completes the first lap still in the lead but he is closely followed by Loiseau, Masson , Kaluzny and Lussiana…

In the next round, Anthony Loiseau overtook the leading man. Meanwhile, Kaluzny shoots straight and lets Lussiana escape. Nicolas leaves, but has just lost precious seconds. Louis Bulle, having a bad start, gradually climbed back on the leading men and wasted no time in stealing fourth place from Matthieu Lussiana … who made a mistake on the 6th lap! He leaves again but must finally give up. In front, Loiseau flew (hohoho …) and has 2 seconds ahead of William Grarre.

Shortly before the halfway point, Etienne Masson and Louis Bulle passed Grarre and set off in pursuit of Anthony alone in the lead. Unfortunately, Nicolas Kaluzny who tries to repair his mistake at the start of the race ends up falling: his motorcycle remained across the track, the race is interrupted and a second start is given !

A sprint of five laps is therefore launched: after Loiseau, it is Grarre who takes the lead of the race by successively getting rid of Bulle, Masson and Kaluzny! But the classification on the track is not that of the race, the result of which corresponds to the accumulation of the two "races" run….

In the end, Anthony Loiseau collected 25 points for the victory ahead of Etienne Masson and William Grarre. Louis Bulle is 4th, followed by Nicolas Kaluzny, Nans Chevaux, Baptiste Guittet and Gwen Le Badezet.

Starting 19th on the grid, Jimmy Maccio finished 9th in this 2-stroke race despite "a lack of benchmarks and confidence, especially in the rainy conditions encountered so far", specifies the Dark Dog Academy team.

In the general classification, William Grarre narrowly retains his first place against Etienne Masson (41 points against 40). With his victory, Anthony Loiseau climbs on a 3rd provisional step with 36 points ahead of Nicolas Kaluzny (27), Nans Chevaux (19), Louis Bulle (18) and Dylan Buisson (15).

Supersport

In precarious grip conditions, Kevin Denis decides during the second qualifying session to put on "dry" tires on his Honda … And so the n ° 50 of the Dark Dog Academy signs his first pole in 1’47.884 !

He is followed very closely (11 thousandths!) By Julien Ruiz (Kawasaki) but the rest of the front row is relegated to more than three quarters of a second: Clement Marmont and Olivier Four (Suzuki).

The second row consists of Laurent Brian (Honda), Jonathan Castanet (Yamaha), Axel Maurin (Kawasaki) and Julien Enjolras (Yamaha). Then we find the R6 of Mathieu Gines, the CBR of Hugo Marchand, the ZX-6R of Mathieu Andrieu and the R6 of Fabien Sohier, while the first Triumph is 19th with David Marsac.

One race in SBK and SSP…

Normally, Supersport and Superbike riders are allowed two races per Sunday. But "in view of the catastrophic weather conditions (water gullies in some turns, large amount of water on some portions …), it was decided for the safety of the pilots that no start could be given", explains the FFM.

The next meeting of the French Superbike Championship is set for June 14 and 15 in Ledenon … Let’s hope that we can celebrate with great fanfare the arrival of summer, the sun and dry tracks !

The start of the race is under the sun, but on a partially wet track. Hugo Marchand made a thunderous start to the race and took command even before the end of the first lap! He is hardly followed by Clement Marmont, Julien Ruiz and Kevin Denis.

As the lead Honda widens the gap, Clement makes a mistake, "victim of a minor fall due to oil residues on the track during Julien Enjolras’s first lap fall", will explain the Suzuki pilot later who leaves to Julien and Kevin the task of catching up with Hugo … But this last falls in his turn and sets out again! Mathieu Andrieu, then 4th, thus climbs on the podium !

Then very quickly, it was Julien Ruiz’s turn to join the gravel pit, leaving the lead of the race to young Kevin Denis! "Seeing the pilots in front of me crash one after the other, I told myself that I had to be careful and keep a cool head", says Kevin.

Mathieu Andrieu therefore becomes second and it is Cyril Bouffier’s turn to step onto the podium. But behind, the peloton has not said its last word! Note also Alex Maurin’s third fastest time in the race: "seeing that I only had 7 laps left to go up, I put the gas! I felt like I was in the qualifying session. The conditions being the same, I climbed from 17th to 11th place with a few slides and above all very good sensations", concludes the Kawa pilot..

Frederic Moreira (4th) is joined then passed by an Olivier Four badly started but superbly returned. Behind, Mathieu Gines goes up on Laurent Brian. The end of the race is breathless: unleashed, Olivier Four doubles Bouffier then Andrieu four laps from the end !

"When on the last laps, I saw that Olivier Four had passed Mathieu Andrieu and was coming up on me, I decided to put the gas on … I really did not want to let the chance of my first victory pass !", explains Kevin Denis, the young hope of the Dark Dog Academy..

In the last lap, as they caught up with the laggards, Kevin Denis and Olivier Four engaged in an intense battle. Managing overtaking as well as possible, Kevin manages to cross the finish line in front of Olivier … who thought he would take advantage of two more laps to carry an attack !

An incident that its official website describes wonderfully: "Small detail which is important for the end of the round: the race was reduced by two laps due to the "wet" track! O.4 ‘ (for Olivier "Four" like 4, Editor’s note!) continues his effort. He is the author of a superb race masterfully led. He is now in 2nd position in the wheel of the first. O.4 ‘(like us) visualized on the race direction bridge that there were two laps to complete. This gives him the material time to move on and win. He knows where he will overtake Kevin Denis and patiently remains in the wheel … Except that he is greeted by the checkered flag with these famous 2 laps displayed which will not be done! He gets off his machine quite annoyed by this mistake in the bridge, but happy with this outcome. Of course, he leaves 5 points in passing but nevertheless achieves the correct morning op".

Behind, it is finally Frederic Moreira who ranks 3rd ahead of Mathieu Andrieu, followed by Matthieu Gines, Fabien Sohier, Cyril Bouffier, David Marsac and Jonathan Castanet.

In the general classification, Mathieu Gines retains the lead with 69 points but sees Olivier Four (60) and Frederic Moreira (55) come up to him. Julien Enjolras does not score a point and remains 4th with 49 points behind David Perret (wild card author of the double at Nogaro, read).

Kevin Denis for his part burst into the top 10 (9th with 38 points): "Already in Nogaro, I felt I could hold on to the level of the leaders. But today there was a real click and it is very important for me to have shown that I will have to be reckoned with for the rest of this Championship, and why not in the top 5", warns the pilot of the Dark Dog Academy … To be followed closely !

Superbike

Like the two qualifying sessions, the Superpole event takes place on a wet track: in this case the regulations provide for a limited timed session over twelve laps. In this unusual little game, Erwan Nigon and his ZX-10R are doing the best, completing the turn of the Val de Vienne in 1’50.837.

Relegated to more than a second, Denis Bouan (Yamaha) leads Lucas de Carolis (Suzuki), Cyril Brivet (Yamaha), Thomas Metro (Suzuki), Emeric Jonchière (Suzuki), Stephane Duterne (Yamaha) and Christophe Michel (Suzuki) . The reigning French champion Guillaume Dietrich and his faithful GSX-R lead the third row ahead of Julien Millet (Yamaha), Cedric Tangre (Suzuki) and Patrick Piot (MV Agusta).

On the 4th row, we find the first of three Honda registered in the Superbike category (that of Bertrand Stey, 13th) and the only KTM, that of Philippe Donischal, is qualified in 15th position..

The track was still wet in places when the start of the race was given: despite his pole, Erwan Nigon was unable to hold Denis Bouan, Lucas de Carolis and Thomas Metro. Emeric Jonchière and Cyril Brivet follow just in front of Gwen Giabbani’s Honda.

From the second round, a first incident is to be noted: the fall of Lucas de Carolis. A few turns further, Laurry Fremy collides with Cyril Brivet: the two pilots fall! In the gravel pit, Fremy’s R1 ignites. By the time the commissioners turn it off, the red flag is waved…

A new start is given without the first two laps being counted. This time, Denis Bouan leaves the track on the "new" first lap! The Suzuki of Thomas Metro and Emeric Jonchière then lead the dance.

Guillaume Dietrich, on a good start, fights against Erwan Nigon and Stephane Duterne for 3rd place. Unfortunately, the n ° 1 GSX-R comes to rest on a still wet vibrator and sends Dietrich to waltz! The bike remains in the middle of the pit straight: further interruption of the race !

A third start is given! Thomas Metro starts at the head of the grid ahead of Emeric Jonchière, Guillaume Dietrich (who leaves despite his crash), Erwan Nigon, Stephane Duterne, Cedric Tangre, Julien Millet, Gwen Giabbani, etc..

The five laps of the race will give rise to a superb duel Metro-Jonchière, in which Metro is the winner! The same Thomas Metro wins the race by cumulating the two rounds, still ahead of Emeric Jonchière. Erwan Nigon completes the podium while Guillaume Dietrich saves the furniture…

"With the mule not well tuned, I couldn’t do better than a 4th place over the two runs. It’s the first time this year that I didn’t finish on the podium, but I still have some lead over my pursuers in the provisional standings", relativizes Guillaume, who finishes the race ahead of Tangre, Duterne, Giabbani, Millet, Dos Santos and Piot.

After this unique ordeal – oh how eventful! – du Vigeant, Guillaume Dietrich retains the lead in the provisional with 90 points ahead of Emeric Jonchière, Lucas de Carolis, Thomas Metro, Cedric Tangre and Christophe Michel. It should be noted in passing that all these pilots ride on GSX-R 1000 !

First non-Suzuki rider, Erwan Nigon (Kawasaki) is 7th with 46 points ahead of Patrick Piot (MV Agusta), Gwen Giabbani (ex-Kawa, new Honda!) And Julien Millet (Yamaha). Taking advantage of Suzuki’s absence from the constructor championship (read), Yamaha leads ahead of Kawasaki, MV Agusta and Honda (with respectively 79, 68, 43 and 35 points).

Side-cars

Undisputed leaders in the category, Delannoy and Cluze are in England to compete in a round of the world championship. Suddenly, Le Bail and Chaigneau took the opportunity to outrageously dominate the practice (4 seconds faster than the competition!), Even if at the end of the session, Dernoncourt and Romand reduced the gap to 1.7 seconds.

It has become a habit: the first start is quickly followed by a second, due to a loss of oil from one of the competitors. Le Bail and Chaigneau take the lead in front of the tandems Derenoncourt / Romand and Ducouret / Herman.

Overtaken by Derenoncourt and Romand, Le Bail and Chaigneau tried to regain the lead but ended up in the gravel pit. They leave, determined to score a few points (they will score 1.5) while Ducouret and Herman inherit second place. Barbier and Chaperon are third.

Derenoncourt and Romand finally won a large victory against Ducouret / Herman and Barbier / Chaperon. The first F2 tandem is Bourc’his / Scellier again.

The only ones to have the chance to participate in a second race this weekend, the sidecars roll in the pouring rain at the beginning of the afternoon. In these dire conditions, Le Bail and Chaigneau quickly set sail in front of Derenoncourt and Romand.

Ducouret and Herman are experiencing some problems and are in 19th position. In front, the festival continues: Le Bail and Chaigneau win in front of the Ducouret / Herman and Marzelle / Lavidalie teams while Bourc’his and Scellier fought until the end to try to get on the podium and finish 4th.

In the general classification, Le Bail and Chaigneau take the lead with 54 points against 50 for Delannoy and Cluze. Behind, Derenoncourt / Romand, Ducouret / Herman and Bourc’his / Scellier are in a pocket square: respectively 32.5 points, 32 and 32 !

Top Twin

An event to forget in Top Twin, since it only gave rise to a race of only five laps: the organization pressed for time will not restart the race, interrupted by the unfortunate fall of Dominique Alphonse…

In view of the few laps completed – and as stipulated in the regulations – no points are awarded. Too bad for the riders, especially those who are on the podium: Louis Bulle (Ducati) was 1st, Bruno Destoop (Buell) 2nd and Stephane Moulinier (Ducati) 3rd.

"Too bad, but I was still able to do the weekend tests which allowed me to get to know the Buell better.", explains Agnès Dupuy (Buell 1125R):"it has a character engine that suits me at the top, but a cycle part that requires a lot of physics and a good setting to really take a lot of pleasure to drive !"

Matthieu BRETILLE – Photos Gerard DELIO and DR

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *