Steve Ramon wins Le Touquet

Steve Ramon, 2007 FIM MX World Champion, took first in the Le Touquet with a “modified” 2010 RM-Z450. And he id so in just over three hours.

The Belgian’s notable victory gives Suzuki a boost in their maiden attempt at the French contest.

“We are so pleased to start 2011 in this way,” Geboers Racing Promotion General Manager, Sylvain Geboers, said. “Steve rode magnificently but it was a fantastic effort overall by our team.”

Gebbers said the modified race-bike was the quietest bike due to the collaboration with Akrapovic and their work with exhaust systems.

Steve Ramon takes first

“Steve only had to stop for fuel and a goggle change,” Geboers said. “We didn’t need to change or adjust anything on the bike – no filters, sprockets, chains or tyres – for three hours and 10 minutes of hard racing in the sand. I think that says a lot in itself.”

Geboers is ready to prepare for the coming motocross season.

“Ramon and Clement Desalle will again show the World the capabilities of Suzuki’s motocross output,” he said.

Sunday represented an emotional moment for Team Manager Eric Geboers, a former three-time winner of Le Touquet between 1988 and 1990, who was able to taste success from the other side of the fence.

“It was absolutely fantastic to come back here and take a result like this,” he said. “We not only survived on our first try but we were able to win and in such style with the best technical performance,”

Le Touquet is a well-renowned racing ‘festival’ on the north coastline of France and just south of Calais. The meeting is another of France’s great motorsport events – in the tradition of Le Mans 24hr and Bol d’Or endurance race due to rising popularity in its 35-year existence and attendance figures that have been known to reach over a quarter of a million people.