There were mixed fortunes for Kiwi Josh Coppins at the latest round of the motocross world championships in Spain at the weekend, but the man from Motueka is at least still climbing the points ladder.

The factory Aprilia rider finished 14th and 13th in the two MX1 motos at the round five event at Bellpuig, lifting himself up one position to 11th in the championships rankings.

Estonia’s Tanel Leok (Honda) won the GP with 7-1 results, but Italian defending champion Antonio Cairoli (KTM) – who finished 6-3 at the weekend — continues to lead the championship standings.

Coppins’ first moto did not get off to a good start as a first turn pile-up saw Lizzard at the bottom of the heap as the pack disappeared into the distance.  He remounted and gave chase to the field putting in some strong and consistent lap times and making good passes as he climbed the standings.

Coppins was able to take advantage of a fallen Steve Ramon (Suzuki), one corner from the chequered flag, to secure 14th spot.

A much better start in race two had Coppins placed in the top 10.

Carrying good lines and setting consistent lap times, ‘Lizzard’ looked set for a great result when technical gremlins affected his machine.  Coppins nursed home a broken fuel pump to finish 13th for 12th overall for the day.

“I’m a bit gutted about the second moto,” admitted Coppins. “The team and I have been working hard on putting two strong results together but it did not happen this weekend.  We have improved our starts which has been an important goal as it is hard to come through the pack with such a strong field.

“Hopefully we’ll have these technical issues ironed out for the US GP.  I’m looking for to racing in Glen Helen (in the United States).”

Coppins will be afforded a week’s break before heading to Sacramento, California, for round six on May 29-30.

Meanwhile, French rider Marvin Musquin (KTM) continued his winning streak in the MX2 class at the Spanish GP on Sunday.

Belgian Joel Roelants (KTM) took a bittersweet second place in the MX2 class by just one point while Britain’s Shaun Simpson was third overall. For both riders it was their first podium of 2010.

French KTM rider Jordi Tixier dominated again the EMX 125cc class winning both heats in Bellpuig. Tixier topped the podium from fellow Frenchman Yohan Lafont (Yamaha) and Austria’s Pascal Rauchenecker (KTM).

Race results:

MX1 Race 1

1 Nagl, Maximilian GER KTM

2 Philippaerts, David ITA Yamaha

3 Desalle, Clement BEL Suzuki

4 Boissiere, Anthony FRA TM

5 Bobryshev, Evgeny RUS Honda

6 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM

7 Leok, Tanel EST Honda

8 de Dycker, Ken BEL Yamaha

9 Aubin, Nicolas FRA Kawasaki

10 Guarneri, Davide ITA Honda

11 Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki

12 Lozano Rico, Alvaro ESP Yamaha

13 Boog, Xavier FRA Kawasaki

14 Coppins, Joshua NZL Aprilia

15 Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki

MX1 Race 2

1 Leok, Tanel EST Honda

2 Boog, Xavier FRA Kawasaki

3 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM

4 de Dycker, Ken BEL Yamaha

5 Philippaerts, David ITA Yamaha

6 Desalle, Clement BEL Suzuki

7 Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki

8 Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki

9 Nagl, Maximilian GER KTM

10 Bobryshev, Evgeny RUS Honda

11 Swanepoel, Gareth RSA Honda

12 Goncalves, Rui POR KTM

13 Coppins, Joshua NZL Aprilia

14 Boissiere, Anthony FRA TM

15 Soubeyras, Cedric FRA KTM

MX1 GP Overall:

1 Leok, Tanel EST Honda 39

2 Philippaerts, David ITA Yamaha 38

3 Nagl, Maximilian GER KTM 37

4 Cairoli, Antonio ITA KTM 35

5 Desalle, Clement BEL Suzuki 35

6 de Dycker, Ken BEL Yamaha 31

7 Boog, Xavier FRA Kawasaki 30

8 Bobryshev, Evgeny RUS Honda 27

9 Boissiere, Anthony FRA TM 25

10 Strijbos, Kevin BEL Suzuki 23

11 Ramon, Steve BEL Suzuki 20

12 Coppins, Joshua NZL Aprilia 15

13 Goncalves, Rui POR KTM 14

14 Lozano Rico, Alvaro ESP Yamaha 14

15 Aubin, Nicolas FRA Kawasaki 12

MX1 World championship standings:

1 Cairoli, A. ITA 214

2 Nagl, M. GER 198

3 Philippaerts, D. ITA 171

4 Desalle, C. BEL 158

5 de Dycker, Ken BEL 145

6 Ramon, Steve BEL 144

7 Boog, Xavier FRA 136

8 Leok, Tanel EST 135

9 Bobryshev, E. RUS 106

10 Guarneri, D. ITA 84

11 Coppins, J. NZL 78

12 Pourcel, S. FRA 75

13 Strijbos, K. BEL 70

14 Swanepoel, G. RSA 67

15 Boissiere, A. FRA 62

MX2

MX2 Race 1 top 10:

1. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 38:57.864; ; 2. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:02.124; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:34.476; 4. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:49.908; 5. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:51.333; 6. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:53.492; 7. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), +0:53.624; 8. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +1:00.660; 9. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +1:27.533; 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +1:34.574.

MX2 Race 2 top 10:

1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 40:54.002; ; 2. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), +0:18.932; 3. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Yamaha), +0:23.692; 4. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), +0:31.630; 5. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), +0:33.720; 6. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), +0:35.570; 7. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), +0:38.942; 8. Valentin Teillet (FRA, KTM), +0:50.779; 9. Dennis Verbruggen (BEL, KTM), +0:52.780; 10. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), +0:55.014.

MX2 Overall top 10:

1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 39 points; 2. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 38 p.; 3. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 33 p.; 4. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 32 p.; 5. Gautier Paulin (FRA, Yamaha), 29 p.; 6. Jake Nicholls (GBR, KTM), 28 p.; 7. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 27 p.; 8. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 26 p.; 9. Alessandro Lupino (ITA, Yamaha), 25 p.; 10. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 25 p.

MX2 Championship top 10:

1. Marvin Musquin (FRA, KTM), 218 points; 2. Ken Roczen (GER, Suzuki), 192 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 184 p.; 4. Steven Frossard (FRA, Kawasaki), 165 p.; 5. Shaun Simpson (GBR, KTM), 138 p.; 6. Arnaud Tonus (SUI, Suzuki), 130 p.; 7. Jeremy van Horebeek (BEL, Kawasaki), 128 p.; 8. Zach Osborne (USA, Yamaha), 123 p.; 9. Joel Roelants (BEL, KTM), 118 p.; 10. Harri Kullas (FIN, Yamaha), 109 p.

© Photo by CDS