Everts apologises.

Eight-times world champion Stefan Everts has apologised for his unsportsmanlike behaviour following a first lap clash with rival Mickael Pichon in the final moto of Sunday's season-ending Grand Prix of South Africa.

Controversy had begun even before the MX1 track action, when a riders' protest caused a 10-minute delay before the first race. The riders were protesting against the 2005 plans of championship promoter Youthstream to withdraw prize money, and it proved a highly embarrassing way for world championship motocross to mark its first South African race for nearly twenty-years.

When the action did eventually begin, New Zealand's Joshua Coppins grabbed the holeshot in race one, but quickly a familiar two-way battle between Everts and Pichon developed. Pichon delivered a perfect score card leading every lap and Everts could not close the two-second gap, but there would be no such distance between them at the start of race two...

Everts and Pichon would clash in the third turn, causing the enraged Yamaha star to fall. Uncharacteristically, Everts then erupted - throwing his goggles at Pichon and making gestures to his French opponent as the field returned near to the scene a few turns later. Everts would also attempt to block Pichon, almost causing Coppins to crash.

Pichon later admitted that he had unintentionally run into Everts at the third turn, while Everts - having calmed down - would apologise for his unsportsmanlike behaviour:

"I had a good first race and finished in a comfortable second place. But in the second race Pichon made a really aggressive move on me which I thought was also really dangerous and I was so furious with him that as he came around for the next lap I threw my goggles at him," confirmed Stefan.

"I know this was wrong of me but with a move like that from Pichon I could have ended up in hospital and we don't need dangerous riding in this sport.

"Unfortunately it's happened and I can not turn back time. I have been to the jury meeting and I made an apology for what I did," he added. "I also apologised for not going to the podium to collect my number one plate, but this was a genuine mistake and I didn't realise that I was required to be there."

Coppins went on to take the moto two win, while Pichon pushed back from sixth to second place and took the overall GP win.