Everts wins Portuguese showdown, Tortelli injured.

S?bastien Tortelli took his first grand prix pole position since 1998 at Agueda on Saturday, but Sunday in Portugal proved far less fruitful as the exciting Frenchman fell in both races while battling with world champion Stefan Everts.

The first two rounds of the 2006 MX1 Motocross World Championship had both fallen to reigning nine-times title holder Everts - although returning former champion Tortelli took a heat win at the Zolder season opener - but the pair were yet to 'properly' race each other... which would all change in race one at Agueda.

Everts wins Portuguese showdown, Tortelli injured.

S?bastien Tortelli took his first grand prix pole position since 1998 at Agueda on Saturday, but Sunday in Portugal proved far less fruitful as the exciting Frenchman fell in both races while battling with world champion Stefan Everts.

The first two rounds of the 2006 MX1 Motocross World Championship had both fallen to reigning nine-times title holder Everts - although returning former champion Tortelli took a heat win at the Zolder season opener - but the pair were yet to 'properly' race each other... which would all change in race one at Agueda.

The race was the best of the season so far, with Everts taking the holeshot - but being quickly caught by Tortelli. The pair then fought for supremacy for the rest of the 40-minute plus two laps outing - with the KTM mounted Tortelli briefly overtaking Everts, only for the Yamaha star to quickly retaliate - leaving the #72 just a few bike lengths clear as the last lap began.

A ragged looking Tortelli gave his all to overtake Everts, but got cross-rutted on the face of an uphill jump - throwing his feet off the pegs and trailing them horizontally behind him as he desperately clung to the handlebars, then finally lost control as both he and his 450 bounced high in the air upon landing. Sebastien slightly injured his left foot, but was able to slowly limp home in a safe second.

13secs behind the Tortelli at the flag was Ken de Dycker, who took third for CAS Honda ahead of Suzuki's Kevin Strijbos and Tortelli's team-mate Jonathan Barragan.

Race two saw Tortelli get a much needed holeshot, but a confident Everts was quickly climbing all over the KTM's rear wheel - and quickly took the lead from the Frenchman. A repeat of the race one thriller looked likely, but then Tortelli fell through a rhythm section - and was clearly in pain as he sat holding his leg.

The #103 was subsequently diagnosed with a dislocated right hip, which was reset under general anaesthetic within an hour at the medical centre and he travelled to a local hospital soon afterwards. Tortelli, who was seen so many recent seasons ruined by injury, may now have lost a shot at the 2006 crown. Sebastien will fly back to France on Monday where a detailed evaluation of his recovery time will be made.

In his absence, Everts settled into a safe lead - responding to an unexpectedly strong push by Barragan to keep several seconds ahead of the Spaniard - while Strijbos, a heat winner last time out in Spain, completed the race two top three. Everts thus claimed his 90th grand prix victory with a perfect 1-1 sweep while Barragan was an excellent second overall and Strijbos third.

"I knew that this track suits S?bastien and my plan was to be more aggressive than usual," said Everts afterwards. "When he passed me in the first race I reacted immediately and passed him back, and then kept my lines as I knew he was fastest on some places.

"I passed him at the same spot in the second race, but when I saw him laying on the ground it was difficult to stay focused," admitted the Belgian legend, who is now 27-points clear of new nearest title rival Tanel Leok. "I did a couple of mistakes and Barragan was pushing hard, I knew that he had a strong physical condition. It's a pity for the championship that S?bastien got injured after Josh (Coppins) and Mickael (Pichon), but I know that some new talents such as Leok, Barragan, Ramon or Strijbos are really fast and want to beat me."

"Sebastien's right hip is dislocated and they put it back in here at the track. He will have a scan made at the local hospital and (Monday) he will fly to France," confirmed KTM Motorsport director Kurt Nicoll. "We can't say anymore yet. A dislocated hip can mean anything from three weeks to three months. They did not give an indication at the track but the fact that it went back in quickly is very good. We came into this season with high hopes but we have lost Pichon to an illness and Sebastien to injury so it has been a bit of a disaster. The only good news is that Jonathan (Barragan), with the 2007 bike, is riding well above expectations."

In the MX2 class, KTM's Tyla Rattray - like Everts - took his third victory of the season by finishing third in race one, behind reigning world champion Antonio Cairoli and Christophe Pourcel, then fighting his way through the pack to win race two.

"When I came back to third in the first race I tried to push hard to catch Cairoli and Pourcel, but the gap was staying the same and I decided to keep some energy for the second race because I knew it would be rough," revealed Tyla. "I got a good jump of the gate, but in the first corner I lost some places. I passed Philippaerts and came back third, then I pushed to pass Goncalves and three laps before the end I took the lead over Pourcel. It was a good race, this year I want to score as many points as Stefan in the MX1 class."

A sick Christophe Pourcel - who vomited twice before the first race - got his first podium of the season with second overall, while Cairoli completed the podium after battling back to tenth in race two after an early fall.

MX1 Grand Prix overall classification:
1. Everts, Stefan BEL Yamaha
2. Barragan, Jonathan SPA KTM
3. Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki
4. de Dycker, Ken BEL Honda
5. Leok, Tanel EST Kawasaki
6. Priem, Manuel BEL Yamaha
7. Tortelli, S?bastien FRA KTM
8. Garcia Vico, Francisco SPA Honda
9. Leuret, Pascal FRA Honda
10. Bill, Julien SUI Yamaha
MX1 World Championship after 3 rounds of 15:
1. Everts, Stefan BEL 142
2. Leok, Tanel EST 115
3. Tortelli, Sebastien FRA 99
4. Strijbos, Kevin BEL 98
5. Barragan, Jonathan SPA 97
6. de Dycker, Ken BEL 97
7. Ramon, Steve BEL 83
8. Melotte, Cedric BEL 66
9. Leuret, Pascal FRA 65
10. Priem, Manuel BEL 53

MX2 Grand Prix overall classification:
1. Rattray Tyla RSA 45
2. Pourcel Christophe FRA 44
3. Cairoli Antonio ITA 36
4. De Reuver Marc NED 34
5. ChiodI Alessio ITA 33
6. MacKenzie Billy GBR 29
7. Nunn Carl GBR 29
8. Searle Tommy GBR 25
9. Swanepoel Gareth RSA 22
10. Caps Patrick BEL 18
12. Philippaerts David ITA 15
MX2 World Championship after 3 rounds of 15:
1. Rattray Tyla RSA 128
2. Pourcel C. FRA 108
3. De Reuver Marc NED 108
4. Cairoli Antonio ITA 89
5. Chiodi Alessio ITA 81
6. Nunn Carl GBR 76
7. Philippaerts D. ITA 74
8. MacKenzie Billy GBR 74
9. Gundersen K. NOR 73
10. Searle Tommy GBR 57

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