FINAL GP STANDINGS: EVERTS WINS 14 OUT OF 15: POURCEL TAKES 250F CROWN

On Sep 18, 2006

Stefan Everts won his 101st GP on the flashiest bike of his career.

Stefan Everts closed a record-breaking GPcareer with his 14th victory from 15 events at the French Grand Prix in Ernee. The 33-year-old Belgian scooped his 101st career victory with double moto triumphs.
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The Ernee circuit had dried significantly after lengthy spells of rain on Friday shortened Saturday practice in the interests of preserving the terrain. Sunday witnessed blue sky and sunshine for the first time in three days and the hill-side track was a slippery and rough test with many ruts chopping the corners and jump take-offs.

Everts pulled away from KTM’s Jonathan Barragan in the first moto for a comfortable victory as main rivals Mickael Pichon and Josh Coppins both fell. Coppins recovered to sixth, but Pichon scored no points after a long layoff. The second race was a similar walkover and Everts had a lead of more than ten seconds by the end of the first third of the sprint.

Everts takes a victory lap, sans his ever-present doo-rag.

Of the 15 Grand Prix held in 2006 Everts has won 14 overalls and 27 motos, 22 of which he clinched in a row. He recorded eight pole positions and posted 739 points from a possible maximum of 750. His lowest result was a third position taken in the first moto at Bellpuig for the Grand Prix of Spain.

“It wasn’t such a difficult race,” said Stefan. “I really wanted to enjoy this day and try to capture a lot of things that I can remember later about the weekend. It has been a great GP and Yamaha and Team Rinaldi have made some really nice surprises. To go into retirement with a victory here at my last Grand Prix is wonderful. Just before the second race I was getting emotional when the 15 second board’ went up. I said to myself for the last time I am going to go for it and enjoy it. It has been a great year and an awesome ride. I could not have expected such a record with 14 out of 15 GPs. I think Japan was the best; I have never won a GP so easy.”

THE 250F TITLE COMES DOWN TO THE LAST MOTO

The 250F Grand Prix of France at Ernee was won by Yamaha’s Antonio Cairoli with Sweep of both motos, but Cairoli will have to relinguish his number one plate next year to Christophe Pourcel, who was cheered on by the voluminous French public, as he challenge Cairoli in the middle of moto one, but the Yamaha rider spurted away the final laps.

In the second race an exciting battle raged for two laps between the two protagonists. For Cairoli to him the title Pourcel would have to fail to score any points. Pourcel did creach out of the lead, but regained his place in fifth to win the 2006 crown by 18 points

FINAL 2006 450 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Stefan Everts, Yamaha, BEL………..739
2. Kevin Strijbos, Suzuki, BEL………….529
3. Steve Ramon, Suzuki, BEL………… 483
4. Ken De Dycker, Honda, BEL………. 463
5. Tanel Leok, Kawasaki, EST……….. 443
6. Jonathan Barragan, KTM, ESP……. 376
7. Joshua Coppins, Honda, NZL……… 330
8. Manuel Priem, Yamaha, BEL……… 278
9. Pascal Leuret, Honda, FRA………… 267
10. James Noble, Honda, GBR………..226
11, Cedric Melotte, Yamaha, BEL…… 224
12. Javier Garcia Vico, Honda, ESP… 201
13. Gordon Crockard, Honda, GBR… 173
14. Antti Pyrhonen, TM, FIN…………….168
15. Julien Bill, Yamaha, GBR…………. 167
16. Marvin Van Daele, Honda, BEL… 155
17. Brian Jorgensen, Honda, DNK…… 144
18. Wyatt Avis, KTM, RSA…………….. 120
19. Kornel Nemeth, Suzuki, HUN……. 106
20. Danny Theybers, Suzuki, BEL….. 102

Stefan’s fans hung a banner for him to ride through at the end of the his last GP.

FINAL 2006 250F WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Christophe Pourcel, Kawasaki, FRA……. 581
2. Antonio Cairoli, Yamaha, ITA……………… 563
3. David Philippaerts, KTM, ITA………………. 480
4. Tyla Rattray, KTM, RSA…………………….. 475
5. Marc De Reuver, KTM, NED………………. 408
6. Carl Nunn, KTM, GBR………………………… 377
7. Rui Goncalves, KTM, POR…………………. 325
8. Tommy Searle, Kawasaki, GBR………….. 315
9. Billy MacKenzie, Yamaha, GBR………….. 302
10. S??bastien Pourcel, Kawasaki, FRA…… 298
11. Gareth Swanepoel, Kawasaki, RSA….. 286
12. Alessio Chiodi, Yamaha, ITA……………. 229
13. Kenneth Gundersen, Yamaha, SWE….. 223
14. Manuel Monni, KTM, ITA………………….. 196
15. Aigar Leok, Yamaha, EST………………… 160
16. Davide Guarneri, Yamaha, ITA…………. 153
17. Matti Seistola, Honda, FIN………………… 150
18. Anthony Boissi??re, Yamaha, FRA………112
19. Pierre-Alexandre Renet, Honda, FRA…106
20. Maximilian Nagl, KTM, GER………………. 103
36,. Matteo Bonini, Yamaha, ITA………………..99