The 2009 International Motocross of Valence was a great one, and celebrated David Philippaerts in the MX1 class and Valentin Teillet in the MX2 category.

The reigning MX1 World and MX2 European champions won the French event, but both had to battle hard during a cold meeting due to some wind and light rain in the afternoon.

Once more David Philippaerts was not among the fastest guys in qualification, scoring an eighth position one second behind Kevin Strijbos. But Philippaerts got three strong starts, and lead the entire opening heat, followed by teammate Josh Coppins.

The second moto was a little harder, as Ken De Dycker got the lead in the fifth circulation; but the Yamaha rider took the lead back to win his second race in a row. His start was not so good in the super final, where he came back in second place behind De Dycker to win the overall.

The Suzuki rider finished second overall, followed by Josh Coppins who had some gear box problems in the third race of the day.

Kevin Strijbos – who had to come back from last in the super final, blocked by the starting gate – Marc De Reuver and Steve Ramon complete the top sixth, followed by surprising Julien Bill on the Aprilia.

The Swiss rider started always in the top three, and rode strong to collect another good result on the twin cylinder after Mantova and Montevarchi. Frenchmen Julien Vanni and David Vuillemin finished in eight and ninth overall, with a poor start in race two for Vuillemin.

Sébastien Pourcel, who had to go for a shoulder surgery ten days ago and Max Nagl, who injured his thumb during a testing session on Thursday – both missed the event.

Résults MX1 :

1.Philippaerts 1/1/2

2.De Dycker 4/2/1

3.Coppins 2/3/5

4.Strijbos 3/5/4

5.De Reuver 9/4/3

6.Ramon 7/6/7

7.Bill 6/8/8

8.Vanni 8/7/9

9.Vuillemin 5/10/10

10.Priem 11/13/17

MX2 European Champion, Valentin Teillet having never raced a GP in the past, and nobody was expecting such a good result from him in Valence! Leading most of the opening race Valentin was passed in the ultimate lap by Marvin Musquin, who had earlier scored a strong pole position.

Third of the second race behind Shaun Simpson and Rui Goncalves, the Frenchman did another strong race in the super final, mixing MX2 and MX1 bikes.

Third MX2 rider in this super final, he beats the two factory KTM riders as Simpson crashed in the opening one, while Goncalves had some troubles in the last race to find his way among the 450.

Once more the MX2 class was a KTM show with four orange bikes at the first positions, young Swiss Arnaud Tonus finishing fourth and confirming with Teillet that the former Euro kids are ready for the GP’s!

Pascal Leuret rode regularly to collect a fifth place, followed by Nicolas Aubin who had a disastrous start in the second race and retired in the last one after a crash.

Winner of the first race Musquin was unlucky as he received a stone in his nose and was shocked, while Steven Frossard crashed in the opening race with Anthony Boissière. Both retired, and none of them finished the second heat too.

Résults MX2 :

1.Teillet 2/3/12

2.Simpson 12/1/16

3.Goncalves 4/2/13

4.Tonus 7/4/16

5.Leuret 6/8/14

6.Aubin 3/6/DNF

7.Roelants 5/10/DNF

8.Paulin DNF/5/11

9.Verbruggen 8/9/20

10.Musquin 1/DNF/DNS