For the second time in as many weeks we find a two stroke motocross bike at the top of the standings in a high-profile race. Cedric Soubeyras wins the overall at the two-day Geneva Supercross on his KTM 250SX.
This is fantastic news for fans of two-strokes. Hopefully it is just the start of more to come.
Cedric Soubeyras. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Motor Corp.
Here are two race reports from the event. The first is from MX Pure.com
The 20 year old from Avignon sensationally came out on top on his KTM 250 two-stroke as the big names crashed their brains out in the Palexpo, the largest SX hall in Europe.
But his 2-4 placings were fully deserved and staying upright is all part of the game; Cedric led the Friday Main until two laps from the end and had to carve his way through from 9th on Saturday to clinch the title.
The preliminaries on both evenings were dominated most of the way by Josh Hill and Justin Brayton, the US duo remaining undefeated in heats and semis until the L&M newcomer crashed out whilst leading his Saturday semi and, badly shaken, did not appear again for the LCQ.
Both Americans had gone down at the first turn of the Friday Main, together with Marvin Musquin. Hill got up quickest to surge through the field to catch the fleeing two-stroke of “Soubs” just two laps from the end with Benjamin Coisy third. Brayton ended up 7th, just 12 seconds down, whilst Musquin concentrated on putting on a show for the crowd.
Brayton went unbeaten through the programme on Saturday, and soon pushed Musquin out of the lead of the Main, but both appeared to have too much to do to take the overall after their first night show.
But the first night heroes were doing their best to make it easy for them. Hill was already out in the semi, Coisy splattered himself all over the whoops on the opening lap of the Main, and Soubeyras was down in 9th on lap one.
Cedric needed 4th to clinch the crown, and on lap eight of 17 he flashed past Loic Rombaut and Kyle Chisholm to seal it. An heroic performance !
This is the official press release from the event.
JUSTIN BRAYTON’S EUROPEAN TOUR A SUCCESS:
BRAYTON WINS GENEVA SUPERCROSS, MARVIN MUSQUIN SECOND, KYLE CHISHOLM SIXTH, JOSH HILL OUT
Americans Justin Brayton (fresh off of victories in Paris and Genoa), Kyle Chisholm (invisible since last year’s Supercross controversy with an injury), Jeff Gibson (listed by the French as Jeff Gibbons) and Josh Hill raced in Switzerland this weekend.
Brayton continued his triumphant tour of Europe by setting fast time in Saturday’s practice (35.23 seconds). Brayton’s time was almost a second faster than Josh Hill’s and Loic Rombaut’s (and over a second faster than fourth and fifth faster qualifiers Kyle Chisholm and Benjamin Coisy).
On Saturday, Brayton won his 11-lap heat race, his 14-lap semi and the 17-lap (11 minute long) final. New FIM 250 World Champion Marvin Musquin was second, Chisholm sixth and Gibson 18th.
Josh Hill crashed out of Saturday’s race after winning on Friday night. Both Hill and Brayton went down in the first turn on Friday (with Hill remounting to catch back up and take the win). Brayton ended up seventh on Friday.
When you combine the overall scores, two-stroke-mounted Cedric Soubeyras’ 2-4 (Friday and Saturday) was good enough for the overall win.
GENEVA SUPERCROSS RESULTS
FRIDAY RESULTS:
1. Josh Hill…Yam
2. Cedric Soubeyras…KTM
3. Benjamin Coisy…Hon
4. Davide Degli Esposti…Suz
5. Fabien Izoird…Suz
6. Loic Rombaut…Kaw
7. Justin Brayton…Yam
8. Kyle Chisolm…Kaw
9. Alexandre Rouis…Yam
10. Josse Sallefranque…Hon
SATURDAY RESULTS
1. Justin Brayton …Yam
2. Marvin Musquin …KTM
3. Davide Degli Esposti …Suz
4. Cedric Soubeyras …KTM
5. LoIc Rombaut …Kaw
6. Kyle Chisolm …Kaw
7. Fabien Izoird …Suz
8. Christophe Martin …Hus
9. Alexandre Rouis …Yam
10. Josse Sallefranque …Hon
TWO DAY OVERALL RESULTS
1. Cedric Soubeyras………2-4
2. Justin Brayton……………7-1
3. Davide Degli Esposti… 4-3
4. Josh Hill…………………..1-DNF
5. Marvin Musquin………..12- 2
