LUCK CAN BE CRUEL | Bikesportnz

Lady Luck can be very cruel at times, as Rotorua’s Michael Phillips discovered once again at the weekend.

The talented Kiwi international seemed to have the main prize within his grasp at the 50th annual Honda-sponsored Woodville Motocross, the 24-year-old Bay of Plenty star leading the talent-laden field in the event’s signature Invitation International race for all 10 spellbinding laps.

Unfortunately for Honda’s Phillips, the second-last corner, a deeply rutted right-hander proved his undoing, just as the chequered flag was being readied to greet him.

A grateful and lucky Josh Coppins (Yamaha) accepted the gift win and Phillips could only pick himself up off the dirt to roll across the line in second spot, denied what would have been a career highlight for him.

Phillips has suffered shocking bad luck before – he crashed out of defending his national MX2 (250cc) crown in the final race at the 2008 nationals – so it was a bravely philosophical Phillips who calmly returned to the pits at Woodville to consider the devastating blow he had just been dealt.

“One second I’m riding through the rut, thinking ‘take it easy’, next second I’m on the ground thinking ‘damn, I just lost the race’. I had hit that rut perfectly every other time. I bet Josh couldn’t believe his luck.

“I’m staying positive and it’s given me more drive for the next time we meet.”

He now prepares for the opening round of the New Zealand Motocross Championships, just outside Timaru, in a little over two weeks’ time.

“Woodville was really just build-up for the nationals and I think I showed with my speed today that I will be a definite contender for the MX1 title.”

“I was really happy with my speed, setting the fastest time of the day. After only two weeks of motocross riding I knew my fitness might have needed some work and I was right. They were tough motos, but a good test ahead of the nationals.”

Phillips is the reigning national MX2 champion and he previously won the MX2 class in 2007 as well.

Meanwhile, Phillips has his own web site now up and running, check it out www.mikephillipsracing.co.nz

Comments are closed.